[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 24251]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IN RECOGNITION OF ADMIRAL RICHARD TRULY

 Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, in January the National Renewable 
Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO, will have to say goodbye to the man 
who has been their director since 1997. Admiral Richard Truly has 
brought a great deal to NREL and I would like to take a moment to 
recognize him for his many impressive achievements, and to thank him 
for his service to NREL, to Colorado, and to the Nation.
  Admiral Truly has a biography that is as diverse as it is 
interesting. For many being the director of a national lab, and 
managing an annual research budget of about $200 million, would be the 
crowning highlight of a career. And such may be the case for Admiral 
Truly. But with all of the other experiences he has had, there would be 
tough competition.
  If you ask the Admiral how he first became interested in the issue of 
energy and technology development the story would probably start 
something like, ``when I was orbiting Earth in the space shuttle . . 
.'' Few people have had the experience of orbiting the Earth, and that 
experience has obviously widened the field of how he views problems. 
One often hears him relate the fact that seeing the Earth from space 
helped him to see that issues that may seem isolated to a distinct 
region, are really the results of a larger global challenge.
  Admiral Truly piloted the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981 and 
commanded the Challenger in August and September, 1983. He left to 
become the first commander of Naval Space Command in 1983, and served 
as the Administrator of NASA from 1989 to 1992, under the first 
President Bush. After the tragic Challenger accident, he led the 
accident investigation and was vital in rebuilding the Space Shuttle 
program. He also won the approval of President Reagan and Congress to 
build Endeavor, which replaced the Challenger. Under his direction NASA 
finalized plans for building the Space Station and implemented a number 
of streamlining reforms.
  During Admiral Truly's tenure at NREL there have been many strides 
and innovations in the research done there. In the last 7 years the 
scientists at NREL have been able to improve wind technology, the 
fastest growing source of electric energy; increase the efficiency, and 
decrease the cost of solar energy; and advance the technology of bio-
energy, which converts plant and animal waste to energy. These 
technological advancements provide great benefits to our economy, while 
also benefiting the environment.
  However, the economy and the environment are not the only 
beneficiaries of Truly's work. Because he has helped NREL to become one 
of the premier research laboratories in the world, Colorado is the home 
to world-class scientists and researchers. Coloradans have a direct 
exposure to the newest, most up-to-date technology in the renewable 
industry. Numerous individuals, businesses and communities have 
benefited from partnerships with NREL which have produced new 
technological processes. Admiral Truly was instrumental in leading the 
lab down the path of success.
  He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the 
Presidential Citizen's Medal which was awarded by President Reagan in 
1989. But one can see the personal side of Admiral Truly when he is 
around his staff, and others in the community. He is an unassuming and 
sincere person, with a ready smile for everyone he sees. He has a real 
instinct for what is best for the institution, but seems to balance 
that with what is best for the individuals. He also gives much of his 
time to community activities. In Colorado he has been an active 
advocate for the scientific and academic communities, and is a member 
of the Colorado Governor's Commission on Science and Technology, The 
Regis University Board of Trustees, and the Advisory Board to the 
Colorado School of Mines Board of Trustees. He has also served on the 
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Advisory Council, the Board of 
Visitors to the U.S. Naval Academy, the Defense Policy Board and the 
Army Science Board.
  As I close, I wish to extend my thanks, but also the thanks of the 
people of Colorado and the Nation. Admiral Truly has given a large part 
of his life to public service and helping to better the world around 
him. I congratulate him on his retirement after a long and prosperous 
career, and wish him luck and happiness as he embarks on the next phase 
of his life.

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