[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 17026-17027]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             THANKING STAFF

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Madam President, last night the Senate worked late to 
produce an energy bill. I believe it is a good bill. It does not 
contain all I had hoped it would. Obviously, I regret that we were not 
able to go ahead with a vote on a renewable energy or electricity 
standard and also that we were not able to invoke cloture on the tax 
title of the bill. Nonetheless, I do think the bill will make important 
contributions to our energy security. I am proud to have worked on it 
with my colleagues.
  Much has been said about the bill, and I am not going to debate the 
issues involved again today. We spent 9 days debating the bill and 
filled many pages of the Congressional Record with that debate. But I 
would like to thank the many members of the Senate staff who have 
invested such long hours and enormous effort over the last couple of 
months to make this bill possible.
  In the hurry to get the vote accomplished last night, it was not 
possible to express appreciation to these staff members whose 
assistance was absolutely invaluable.
  First and foremost, I thank Bob Simon, the staff director of our 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. His knowledge of the issues, 
his wise counsel, and his tireless energy were invaluable to me and to 
the Senate, in my view.
  I also, of course, thank Sam Fowler, our general counsel. He was 
involved at every step in the development and the passage of the 
legislation. The work product we have finished with out of the Senate 
is much better for his involvement.
  In addition, I thank Allyson Anderson, who worked on the carbon 
sequestration title and geothermal issues; Angela Becker-Dippmann, who 
kept track of the 350 or more amendments that were filed on the bill; 
Patty Beneke, who worked hard on the oil and gas leasing and public 
lands issues; Tara Billingsley, who worked on the biofuels title; 
Michael Carr, who worked on coal and transportation issues; Deborah 
Estes, who worked on the efficiency title; Leon Lowery, who labored 
mightily on the renewable energy standard or electricity standard; 
Jonathan Epstein, who worked on the science issues; Scott Miller, who 
helped on biomass and tax issues; and Cathy Koch of my personal staff 
and the staff director of the finance subcommittee on energy taxes, who 
played such a large role in crafting the tax amendment.
  I also thank the rest of the professional staff of the committee, who 
pitched in to help when called upon: David Brooks, Paul Augustine, 
Jonathan Black, Mike Connor, David Marks, Jorge Silva-Banuelos, Al 
Stayman, and Bill Wicker; our support staff: Mia Bennett, Amanda Kelly, 
Rachel Pasternak, Britini Rillera, and Gina Weinstock.
  Also, we have four excellent interns working with the committee this 
year: Kristen Meierhoff, Ben Robinson, Jodi Sweitzer, and Matt Zedler.
  I also express appreciation for the work of the minority staff of the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and specifically: Frank 
Macchiarola, who is the Republican staff director; Judy Pensabene, who 
is the Republican chief counsel; Kathryn Clay and Kellie Donnelly.
  I commend the Senate Finance staff who worked so tirelessly to craft 
a tax package that would have been an invaluable complement to the 
authorizing legislation. Senate Finance staff on both the Democratic 
and Republican sides of the aisle worked in concert to forge a 
bipartisan package and did that under the direction of Senators Baucus 
and Grassley. I acknowledge their excellent efforts. The staff includes 
Pat Bousliman, Ryan Abramam, Jo-Ellen Darcy, Elizabeth Paris, Pat Heck, 
Mark Prater, John Angell, Bill Dauster, and Russ Sullivan, of course, 
the staff director.
  I also thank Tom Barthold and the entire staff of the Joint Committee 
on Taxation, who helped us greatly, particularly with the tax package 
that was offered as an add-on to this bill.
  Finally, I express my gratitude to the majority leader's staff. I 
have expressed my gratitude to the majority leader many times for his 
leadership in getting this bill to the floor and getting it passed 
through the Senate, but let me also thank the majority leader's staff 
and very able floor staff: Marty Paone, of course, the secretary for 
the majority; Lula Davis, the assistant secretary; Chris Miller, the 
majority leader's senior policy adviser; and all the other members of 
the staff, on both sides of the aisle, who worked very hard to see this 
happen.
  To each of them, I extend my heartfelt thanks.
  Shakespeare lamented how ``oft good turns Are shuffled off with such 
uncurrent pay.'' I think if he were speaking today, he would probably 
say: Are shuffled off with such inadequate pay as a simple thank you.
  So uncurrent or inadequate though it may be, our thanks is owed to 
all of the many staff members on our committees and in our personal 
offices whose hard work and professional assistance have made this 
legislative accomplishment possible. I am very grateful to each of them 
and wanted to acknowledge their contribution today.
  Madam President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded,
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, it is my understanding that roughly 30 
minutes remains allocated between the Senator from Utah and myself.

[[Page 17027]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is in morning business with 10-
minute grants.
  Mr. CORNYN. I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 15 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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