[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. ____________________