[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 22742]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             NEAL GONZALES

 Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to say a few words 
about Neal Gonzales, a prominent new Mexico labor leader who died in 
late October.
  In the early 1970's when I became acquainted with the working of the 
new Mexico Legislature, I also became acquainted with Neal Gonzales, a 
powerful presence in the halls of power in our state. He was the 
representative of labor and as such his influence was felt in most of 
the important legislative battles that were waged.
  Neal was a true professional at his job. Liked and respected by all, 
he was a formidable adversary as those who found themselves opposing 
him soon learned.
  I learned much from watching Neal Gonzales work as the advocate for 
the working people of New Mexico. He kept his focus on the impact of 
legislation on the lives of those he represented. He did his homework 
and, more often than not, he prevailed.
  With his death, many of us in New Mexico have lost not only a valued 
friend, but the working families of our State have lost a tireless 
champion.

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