[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17738]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO MR. THOMAS WELCH

 Mr. KING. Madam President, I wish to honor the career of a 
dear friend and former colleague, Mr. Thomas Welch, who is set to 
retire this year as Chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission. 
Tom's tremendous 35-year career bridged both the public and private 
sectors and has always been defined by a steadfast dedication to 
service and, of course, an unwavering love for the State of Maine.
  As Governor, I had the privilege of calling on Tom to lead the Maine 
Public Utilities Commission, also known as the MPUC, and that is the 
same position that he was again nominated for and currently holds under 
Governor Paul LePage.
  Serving as Chairman of the MPUC is, at times, a thankless job, but it 
is also one of monumental importance. Tom's job is central to keeping 
the lights on, the water flowing, the heat coming, and the people of 
Maine connected through reliable phone and Internet services. In my 
administration--just as he does today--Tom performed those tasks and so 
much more with outstanding acumen, keen judgment, and, I might add, 
with one eye always towards the future. In fact, it is no exaggeration 
to say that Tom, perhaps more than anyone else across the State, played 
a pivotal role in ushering Maine's public utilities into the 21st 
century.
  A generation of Maine's young minds can thank Tom for laying the 
groundwork that hastened their journey into the digital age. Tom 
recognized early on that the Internet was quickly evolving into a more 
dynamic and powerful tool that, when placed in the hands of our 
students and our communities, could become a catalyst for digital 
learning, a driver of economic growth, and an architect of intra-
personal connections that were no longer limited by geographic 
constraints. With that immense potential in mind, he worked tirelessly 
to implement the Federal E-Rate program, which delivered Internet 
access to schools and libraries across the State--and with that 
newfound Internet access, he delivered new and unprecedented 
opportunities to people all across Maine, an achievement so fundamental 
and so critical to our daily lives that it simply cannot be 
understated.
  As high energy prices across Maine continued to weigh heavily on the 
pockets and minds of people across the State, Tom endeavored mightily 
to deregulate Maine's electric industry to lower energy prices, and 
most recently, he lead the charge to expand natural gas capacity 
throughout the region.
  In conclusion, I should point out that I often to refer to Tom as 
``SMIM''--the Smartest Maine in Maine. He possesses a vast knowledge of 
law and public policy that is matched by very few and that has helped 
inform and shape Maine's telecommunications and energy framework for 
nearly a decade. Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to find an 
individual with a deeper understanding of our State's public utilities 
infrastructure. But perhaps more important is his genuine ability to 
teach and share that knowledge with others. These characteristics not 
only make Tom a remarkable public servant, but a valued role model as 
well.
  I, of course, am saddened to see Tom enter retirement because his 
departure will be a loss for Maine--but, I, along with the people of 
Maine, am forever grateful for his many years of service on behalf of 
our state.
  Tom, congratulations and thank you. I hope your retirement is as 
restful and relaxing as it is well-deserved.

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