[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 23825]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             PETE DOMENICI

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, at the risk of embarrassing him, I want 
to take a moment to say how vital Senator Domenici has been in solving 
most of the nuclear puzzle. He really led the rebirth of the nuclear 
industry and I want to say how much I will miss him since he has been a 
prime mover in the effort to bring about a new nuclear age in this 
country.
  As most of you know Senator Domenici has served 36 years in the 
Senate. But some of you may not know that he gave up a promising career 
in baseball to become a public servant. He started playing when he was 
10, eventually pitching for a minor league team called the Albuquerque 
Dukes. But he left baseball to become a math and science teacher at 
Garfield Junior High in his native State of New Mexico, later went onto 
law school and ran for the U.S. Senate in 1972. And he's been here ever 
since.
  About a dozen years ago the Senator realized that this Nation 
desperately needed a new source of electricity. He realized that there 
are higher uses for high-priced natural gas than to burn it for power 
generation, and that until carbon capture and storage can be perfected 
and widely practiced that the expansion of coal-fired power might have 
environmental drawbacks. So he crafted the forerunner of policies that 
today make up the Nuclear Power 2010 program, which is designed to have 
the Government partner with industry to approve the design and speed 
the licensing of the next generation of power plants that absolutely 
preclude the type of radiation accident that happened three decades ago 
at Three Mile Island.
  He has been the sponsor of the loan guarantees, the architect of 
reauthorizing a responsible liability program and the person most 
responsible for harnessing the research capacities of America to 
breathe life into the research and nuclear construction sectors. One 
news outlet called him ``the nuclear renaissance man.'' And he is 
recognized by all as the driving force behind the industry's 
resurgence.
  But he has done so much more. His work on the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 and on last year's Energy Independence and Security Act were 
landmarks in bipartisan legislating. He helped renewable and 
alternative energy, from wind and solar to biomass, and especially 
biofuels to develop, helping create Clean Renewable Energy Bonds to pay 
for the construction of renewable energy plants. During the bills he 
refereed more policy disputes and generated more compromises than I 
have time to mention.
  But he also was the sponsor of so much other landmark legislation 
during his storied career. One bill finally passed the Senate earlier 
this week to require parity for mental health treatment benefits. As 
Senate budget chairman, he helped set up the Nation's budgeting system, 
which was still working well when he assumed the chairmanship of the 
Energy Committee in 2003.
  Pete Domenici's legacy has inspired so many of us and his retirement 
will leave some pretty big shoes for us all to fill. I will miss the 
Senator's smile, as well as his lighthearted and joyful presence. He is 
known as a man, who is firm in his convictions, but gracious in his 
negotiations. He is an example of a true statesman who has served his 
country well.
  I will truly miss him. I could say a lot more, but I clearly am out 
of time.

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