Jeff Bingaman 

U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
Jeff Bingaman 

Courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office 


81102.eps
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2014

S. DOC. 113–4 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

Jeff Bingaman 

United States Senator 

1983–2013 

÷ 

Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

[ iii ] 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Biography .................................................................................................. v 

Farewell Address ...................................................................................... xi 

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Bingaman, Jeff, of New Mexico ................................................ 7 

Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland ............................................ 20 

Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota ................................................. 8 

Coons, Christopher A., of Delaware ......................................... 15 

Harkin, Tom, of Iowa ................................................................. 9 

Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont ................................................... 19 

Levin, Carl, of Michigan ............................................................ 10, 17 

Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland .......................................... 3 

Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska ....................................................... 23 

Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island ...................................................... 14 

Reid, Harry, of Nevada .............................................................. 12, 25 

Udall, Tom, of New Mexico ....................................................... 4, 8 

[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

JEFF BINGAMAN, born October 3, 1943, grew up in Silver 

City, NM, and attended Silver City public schools. Both his 

parents were educators. His father Jesse was the chairman 

of the science department at Western New Mexico University. His mother Beth was an elementary school teacher. 

After graduating from Western High School (now Silver 

High) in 1961, JEFF BINGAMAN attended Harvard University, 

where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in government in 

1965. He subsequently entered the Stanford University 

School of Law, where he graduated in 1968. He served in the 

Army Reserves from 1968 to 1974. In 1969 he began his 

legal career as assistant New Mexico attorney general and 

served as counsel to the New Mexico State Constitutional 

Convention held in Santa Fe in 1969. The following year he 

entered private practice. In 1978 he was elected attorney 

general of New Mexico. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate for New Mexico in 1982 and was reelected in the following four terms. 

Senator BINGAMAN was committed to improving economic 

opportunity and economic security for America’s working 

families, and to retaining our Nation’s competitive edge in 

the world economy. He was a leader in the effort to enhance 

U.S. industrial competitiveness, improve the Nation’s trading 

position in the world, and create high-wage jobs in the 

United States and New Mexico. He is known for helping 

launch a major expansion of ‘‘dual-use’’ military and commercial technologies. He was a prime author of the legislation creating SEMATECH, an innovative public-private consortium credited with helping bring the American semiconductor industry back from the doldrums of the 1980s. The 

Senator also fought for creation and tough enforcement of 

the U.S.-Japan Semiconductor Agreement in 1986. That 

agreement, and the creation of SEMATECH, were major factors in Intel Corporation’s decision to expand, which produced thousands of jobs in New Mexico. In response to the 

National Academy of Science’s report titled ‘‘Rising Above 

the Gathering Storm,’’ which raised concerns about the Nation’s ability to retain its advantage in the marketplace in 

[ vi ] 

science and technology, Senator Bingaman joined a bipartisan group of Senators to write the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act of 2007. The purpose of 

the law, called ‘‘America COMPETES,’’ was to invest in innovation through research and development and education. 

Senator BINGAMAN dedicated a significant amount of his 

work in the Senate to health care issues. He served as a 

member of the two committees with primary jurisdiction over 

health care—the Senate Finance Committee and the Health, 

Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee. For his 

last six Congresses he was the only Democrat to sit on both 

committees and often served as a bridge on health care 

issues for both. Much of his work focused on low-income 

health care programs for children and the elderly through 

the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance 

Program (CHIP). He also was known to champion reforms to 

improve the overall quality and efficiency of health care as 

well as oral health care and health care workforce issues. 

Notably, during national health reform efforts in 2009 and 

2010, Senator BINGAMAN’s dual role on the Finance and 

HELP Committees placed him in a pivotal role; he was 

asked by HELP Chairman Kennedy to lead negotiations for 

Title I of the Affordable Care Act and he was asked by Finance Chairman Baucus to participate in the bipartisan 

Gang of Six negotiations. Senator BINGAMAN took a leading 

role authoring many provisions in the new law including the 

creation of health insurance exchanges, insurance market reforms, Medicare payment and quality improvements, oral 

health care, as well as health care workforce improvements. 

JEFF BINGAMAN has been called the ‘‘Education Senator’’ 

by one of New Mexico’s leading newspapers. He was the first 

Senator to introduce legislation calling for national education 

goals and academic standards. He was also a cosponsor of 

the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, which established national content and performance standards in core academic 

subjects such as math, English, and geography, and also encouraged States to develop their own academic content and 

performance standards. His Technology for Education Act 

provides schools nationwide with the strategy and resources 

to help them use educational technologies to assist American 

students achieve academic standards and prepare them for 

the workplace. He was a leading advocate for expanding access to the Advanced Placement (AP) Program that enables 

students to obtain college credit while still in high school. He 

[ vii ] 

emphasized making AP courses available to students from 

all economic backgrounds. 

Senator BINGAMAN served as both chairman and ranking 

minority member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee over a 12-year period, as well as a senior 

member of the Senate Finance Committee, chairing its Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure. In these roles, Senator BINGAMAN made an indelible 

mark on the Nation’s energy and land conservation policy. 

He worked to protect and enhance New Mexico’s and the Nation’s public lands and its natural and cultural resources. He 

led the charge for passage of a law in 2000 that allowed the 

Federal Government to acquire for $100 million the 94,761- 

acre Baca Ranch in the Jemez Mountains—one of only three 

supervolcanoes in the United States—and to designate it as 

the Valles Caldera National Preserve to protect its natural 

values and cultural resources for future generations. In 2009 

Senator BINGAMAN won passage of a law that protected more 

than 2 million acres of Federal land in 9 States as wilderness, added over 1,100 miles of rivers to the National Wild 

and Scenic River System, and established 4 new national 

conservation areas and 1 new national monument. Senator 

BINGAMAN also negotiated and authored the legislation that 

President Barack Obama used to establish the 242,500-acre 

Rı ́o Grande del Norte National Monument in Taos County, 

NM—the first large landscape protected by President Obama 

using his authority under the Antiquities Act. 

Senator BINGAMAN was also a strong champion of Indian 

Country. He authored legislation that resolved an ownership 

dispute between Sandia Pueblo and the Federal Government 

over title to Sandia Mountain near Albuquerque and legislation that settled three separate longstanding Indian water 

rights claims by the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and the 

four Pueblo Indian tribes in the Pojoaque Basin, ensuring 

that these tribes will have secure and reliable access to clean 

water in the future. He also worked to secure passage of the 

Claims Resolution Act of 2010 which provided $3.4 billion for 

the Cobell Indian Trust Settlement. 

His focus on diversifying the Nation’s supply of both electricity and transportation fuels ushered in an era of expansive growth in renewable power and fuels, while facilitating 

the technological developments that gave rise to unprecedented discovery and production of domestic gas and oil reserves. 

[ viii ] 

His work on energy efficiency produced new Federal policies promoting energy conservation through more efficient 

lighting, appliances, manufacturing, vehicles, and buildings. 

This legacy has contributed greatly to increasing U.S. self-reliance in energy, while also reducing carbon emissions. 

His leadership in creating ARPA–E, a Department of Energy based investment fund for early stage potentially 

‘‘game-changing,’’ energy technologies will yield benefits to 

the Nation’s energy production and conservation for decades 

to come. 

Public safety concerns were of equal importance to the 

Senator, as he worked to make America’s streets, schools, 

and homes safer. He supported a crime bill that provided 

funds for more than 300 police officers in New Mexico as 

well as prisons and crime prevention initiatives for youth. 

He was known for his long-term approach to defense 

issues and for his critical thinking on issues of international 

concern. He was a strong and consistent voice for reducing 

the threat posed by nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons worldwide. He pushed for ratification of the START II 

Treaty and Chemical Weapons Convention and for reduction 

of the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction. 

His work on international policies also included efforts to 

strengthen non-military relationships, such as through collaboration on science research and technology commercialization, and his work reflected his commitment to human 

rights, as evidenced by his success in winning funding for 

workers rights enforcement in the Dominican RepublicCentral America-United States Free Trade Agreement 

(CAFTA–DR). He advocated the provision of U.S. international trade preferences to developing countries such as 

Haiti to complement traditional foreign assistance and speed 

economic growth in those countries. 

Senator BINGAMAN served on the Committee on Energy 

and Natural Resources from 1985 to 2013, for which he was 

chairman or ranking minority member from 1999 to 2013; 

the Committee on Finance from 2001 to 2013; the Committee 

on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions from 1987 to 

2013; and the Joint Economic Committee from 1987 to 2013. 

Before joining the Finance Committee, he served on the 

Committee on Armed Services for nearly two decades. He 

also served for shorter periods on the Special Committee on 

Aging, the Select Committee on Ethics, the Committee on 

Government Affairs, the Senate Impeachment Trial ComVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:51 Apr 18, 2014 Jkt 081102 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81102.TXT KAYNE
[ ix ] 

mittee, and the Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem. 

He is married to Anne K. Bingaman, a longtime New Mexico attorney, and they have a son John. 

[ xi ] 

Farewell to the Senate 

Thursday, December 13, 2012 

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, in 1981, in his first inaugural address, President Reagan said, ‘‘Government is not 

the solution to our problem; government is the problem.’’ 

I came to the Senate 2 years later in 1983 with the firm 

belief that in most cases his statement was wrong. I believed 

then and I believe now that the Federal Government can be 

a constructive force for good; in protecting and maintaining 

the civil liberties of all Americans, in maintaining and 

strengthening our economy, in protecting our environment, 

and in helping Americans live productive and fulfilling lives. 

As I look back over the last 30 years, many of the arguments that have consumed our time at the Senate, whether 

on questions of spending or taxes or regulation or fiscal policy, those questions have divided between those who saw 

government as the problem and those who believed it could 

and should be a constructive force for helping the American 

people deal with problems. I consider myself firmly in the 

second camp. In each of the major areas of national concern, 

I would like to be able to report progress for the country 

since I arrived in the Senate. Unfortunately, the record of 

progress is not so clear. In many areas, we have made 

progress, but there are also instances where we have lost 

more ground than we have gained. As issues continue to be 

reconsidered, I am reminded of the well-known statement 

that ‘‘success is never permanent in Washington.’’ 

With regard to our Nation’s security from foreign aggression, the end of the cold war and the collapse of the Soviet 

Union were clearly the most positive developments we have 

seen in the last 30 years. If the end of the cold war was the 

most positive national security development I witnessed 

since coming to the Senate, the invasion of Iraq to bring 

about regime change in that country was the biggest national security blunder. That blunder cost our Nation dearly 

in service men and women killed and injured and in resources that should have been used to strengthen our economy here at home. Last month, I was stopped by a woman 

[ xii ] 

from northern New Mexico who thanked me for my service 

in the Senate and particularly for my vote against granting 

President Bush the authority to take our country into that 

war. 

The Nation’s fiscal policy is very much the focus of the 

Senate’s attention during these final weeks of the 112th Congress. On this issue, again, we have made one step forward 

during the time I have been in the Senate, but, unfortunately, we have taken two steps back. I arrived in the Senate in January 1983, a period of large deficits compared to 

anything the country had experienced for several decades. 

Those large deficits grew and persisted through the Reagan 

Presidency. 

In 1990, a democratically controlled Congress and President George H.W. Bush made a significant step forward, 

reining in those deficits with the enactment of the Omnibus 

Budget Reconciliation Act of that year, 1990. That law created the statutory paygo requirement. It also increased marginal rates for the wealthiest Americans, and I was proud to 

support the measure. In 1993, another major step was taken 

when, at the urging of President Clinton, Congress enacted 

the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of that year, 1993. 

Again, that measure both raised taxes and constrained 

spending. It was denounced by many in the Senate as sure 

to throw the economy into recession. In fact, the opposite occurred, and the economy prospered. As a result of these policy changes and the strong economy of the 1990s, we enjoyed 

a period of balanced budgets and even surpluses in 1998, 

1999, 2000, and 2001. 

Unfortunately, those surpluses were not to continue. President George W. Bush urged Congress to cut taxes and Congress was all too willing to oblige, and although I didn’t support the 2001 or 2003 tax cuts, they were passed. At about 

the same time we were cutting taxes more than we could afford, we were also going to war in Afghanistan and in Iraq 

and adding a new drug benefit to Medicare. No provision 

was made to raise revenue or cut spending elsewhere to pay 

for any of these mammoth undertakings. Of course, the cost 

of health care, both the cost to government and to families 

and businesses who purchased private insurance, continued 

to grow at too rapid a pace. So the result was a return to 

large deficits and, of course, those large deficits grew substantially larger because of the recession that began in December 2007. 

[ xiii ] 

Today, we are trying to strengthen our economy while at 

the same time trying to reduce projected deficits. That longterm deficit reduction will, once again, require higher taxes 

as well as new constraints on spending, and I hope that even 

in these final days of this 112th Congress, we can reach 

agreement to proceed. 

As regards health care, in the long-standing fight to provide Americans with access to affordable health care, we 

have seen significant progress. In 1997 we enacted the Children’s Health Insurance Program which resulted in nearly 8 

million American children obtaining access to health care. Of 

course, in 2010 we adopted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This unfairly maligned legislation has the 

promise of moving us much closer to the goal of universal 

health care, and I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in the writing of that legislation and in seeing it enacted. Now that the recent election is behind us, I hope the 

efforts to repeal that legislation are at an end. I also hope 

the two parties can find ways to improve the legislation with 

a particular focus on better controlling the growth and the 

cost of health care. 

In addressing the various energy challenges facing the 

country, again, there is progress to report. In 2005 and 2007 

Congress enacted major energy bills. Those bills moved us 

toward a better and more comprehensive national energy 

policy. Those bills promoted an adequate and more diverse 

supply of energy. They increased the efficiency and effectiveness of how we use energy in our economy. They promoted 

strong market reforms and consumer protections for electricity, and they struck a balance between meeting our energy goals and lessening environmental impacts of energy, 

including overall greenhouse gas emissions. As a result of 

that balanced approach, we have arrested what had been an 

increasing dependence on foreign oil. Coupled with technological advances that have opened new sources of supply, we 

are headed to greater levels of energy independence than we 

had thought possible even as recently as 7 years ago. 

The bipartisan consensus that allowed us to enact those 

bills has, unfortunately, eluded us in the current Congress. 

I hope in future Congresses there will reemerge a recognition 

that climate change is a reality and that our policies to meet 

our energy needs must also deal responsibly with environmental issues, including the damage caused by greenhouse 

gas emissions. 

[ xiv ] 

As regards our Nation’s policy on education, the good news 

is we seem to have moved past the period where the Republican nominee for President announced a commitment to 

eliminating the Federal Department of Education. President 

Clinton deserves great credit for making the support, particularly of higher education, a priority of his Presidency. 

President George W. Bush deserves credit for making a serious effort to reform and improve elementary and secondary 

education. Although that effort to improve elementary and 

secondary education has not succeeded as many of us who 

supported it had hoped, I remain persuaded the Federal Government needs to persist in trying to play a constructive role 

in improving education in this country. 

The States and local school districts deserve great credit 

for developing and adopting the Common Core Standards, 

and I hope future Congresses will strongly support the steps 

and the funding needed to upgrade student performance by 

implementing those standards. President Obama and his administration have demonstrated their strong commitment to 

this goal. 

In addition to these areas of concern I have mentioned, we 

have seen some progress in maintaining and advancing the 

science and engineering enterprise in this country. As the 

cold war came to an end, we successfully found ways to better integrate the strengths of our defense laboratories into 

the civilian economy through technology transfer and 

partnering. We have also seen some important increases in 

funding for research, particularly in support of the life 

sciences, and that growth has stagnated in recent years. It 

needs to continue and be replenished, but as we continue 

that support, we must also recognize the need to do more to 

support research and development in the physical sciences 

and in engineering. 

One significant advance I was proud to support was the establishment of ARPA–E, the Advanced Research Projects 

Agency-Energy within the Department of Energy. That effort 

to identify breakthrough science and engineering initiatives 

to meet our energy challenges holds great promise for our 

Nation and for the entire world. 

We have also seen progress in providing increased protection for public lands. One particular bill in that area was the 

omnibus public lands bill that was passed in 2009. It added 

wilderness protection to over 2 million acres, designated 

1,100 miles of wild and scenic rivers, and added more than 

[ xv ] 

2,800 miles for the national trail system. I was proud to be 

part of the effort to enact that legislation. 

Finally, I will make a few comments on the way we in the 

Congress conduct our own business. Any fair assessment has 

to conclude that in this area, we have lost ground in the last 

two decades. Public opinion of the performance of Congress 

is at an alltime low and it is not hard to see why. I will mention three obvious ways in which the functioning of Congress 

has worsened. 

First is the willingness of some in Congress to shut down 

the government. In 1995, we saw the leadership of the House 

of Representatives demonstrate that they consider refusing 

to fund the government as an acceptable bargaining ploy in 

their efforts to prevail in disputes with President Clinton 

and Democrats on spending issues. Since 1995, that threat 

to withhold appropriations has been made several more 

times. As we saw then, shutting down the government is 

costly, it is wasteful, and it is harmful to Americans. I hope 

this irresponsible threat will soon be viewed as unacceptable. 

A second way the malfunctioning of Congress became clear 

was when in August 2011—just less than 18 months ago— 

the Republican leadership in Congress determined that another tool at their disposal was the ability to refuse to increase the debt ceiling. By doing so, they could deny the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to borrow money to 

meet the obligations the government had already undertaken. To my knowledge, this was the first time the congressional leadership of one of our major parties had stated their 

willingness to see our Nation default on its debt. 

This threat to force a default on the obligations of the Federal Government resulted in the sequester of government 

spending, which is scheduled to begin January 1. It also resulted in a downgrading of U.S. debt by one of the leading 

credit rating agencies. 

We now hear renewed threats to use this so-called leverage as a way to demand cuts in Medicare and in Social Security. Once again, I believe this is an irresponsible action I 

hope Congress will get beyond. 

Of course, a third way in which the functioning of the Senate—not the full Congress but the Senate—has worsened is 

the abuse of Senate rules allowing unlimited debate or filibuster. As the Senate currently operates, a threat of filibuster is used routinely to obstruct the Senate from doing its 

business, even when the issue before the Senate is relatively 

uncontroversial. Many times following a delay caused by obVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:51 Apr 18, 2014 Jkt 081102 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81102.TXT KAYNE
[ xvi ] 

struction, an overwhelming number of Senators will vote for 

the legislation or the nomination which the Senate has been 

delayed in considering. In the next Congress, I strongly encourage my colleagues to make the necessary changes in 

Senate rules to limit the ability of one or a few Senators to 

obstruct the Senate from doing its regular business. My colleague Senator Udall of New Mexico is on the floor with me. 

He has been a leader in this effort to get these rules 

changed, and I commend him for that. 

So the record of our progress both as a country and as a 

Congress over the last 30 years has been mixed. There is 

progress to report. I have mentioned some of that. There are 

also many missteps and failures we need to acknowledge. 

My conclusion remains that many of our challenges as a 

nation can only be met with the help of a strong and effective national government. There are times when the actions 

of the government are more a problem than a solution, but 

there are many more occasions where enlightened action by 

the government is important and even essential. 

I consider it an honor and a privilege to have represented 

the people of New Mexico in the Senate for the last 30 years. 

I thank the people of my State for their confidence in electing me and supporting me during the time I have served 

here. I thank the very capable and committed men and 

women who have worked on my staff, both in Washington 

and in New Mexico, during these 30 years. I thank all my 

colleagues here in the Senate for their friendship and help 

to me during this period. Of course, I thank my wife Anne 

and our son John and his wife Marlene for their support that 

has allowed me to serve in the Senate. 

To all my friends and colleagues who will be here in the 

next Congress and in future Congresses, I hope you can find 

the common ground necessary for our country to effectively 

move forward and meet its challenges. The endeavor is a 

worthy one, and I wish you every success. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor. 

TRIBUTES 

TO 

JEFF BINGAMAN 

[ 3 ] 

Proceedings in the Senate 

WEDNESDAY, December 12, 2012 

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I rise to comment 

about some wonderful men in the Senate who are retiring on 

both sides of the aisle. Earlier today I spoke about my deep 

affection and sorry-to-see-go friends Olympia Snowe and Kay 

Bailey Hutchison, but I want to rise as the dean of the 

women in the Senate to say some very special words about 

very special men on both sides of the aisle. Because when I 

came to the Senate, it was only Nancy Kassebaum and me, 

and yet we worked on so many issues together. There are 

really wonderful men here who supported me, supported our 

issues, but really stood up for those States and their communities. . . . 

I want to say goodbye to our friend JEFF BINGAMAN of New 

Mexico, someone who has also brought intellectual rigor, a 

lawyer’s insistence on thoroughness, and a real commitment 

to people. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with 

him on the HELP Committee, especially on the Affordable 

Care Act. I was proud to support all that he did, particularly 

in developing and focusing on the health workforce for the 

future. 

I knew I could count on JEFF in the committee and on the 

floor as one of those men whom I refer to as a Galahad, 

where men of quality always supported us women as we 

sought equality. Our initiatives to end discrimination against 

women in health care and in the workplace were some of our 

proudest achievements in working together. . . . 

I wanted to be sure that the day would not end without 

my acknowledging these wonderful people who have given a 

big part of their lives to making this country a better place. 

I want to, in the most heartfelt way—I am so sorry we did 

not have a bipartisan dinner or party to be able to express 

this. I would have liked to have been in the same room, 

breaking bread with them, in order to be able to tell them 

how much we appreciate them, across party lines, across 

those lines that ordinarily divide us. They came from difVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:51 Apr 18, 2014 Jkt 081102 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81102.TXT KAYNE
[ 4 ] 

ferent parts of the country, they arrived in the Senate with 

different objectives, they will leave under different circumstances. But I want to again let them know that each 

and every one of them had a positive impact on me and I 

think a wonderful impact on the future of this country. So 

I wish them well. God bless and Godspeed. 

THURSDAY, December 13, 2012 

Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. President, I rise today 

with a difficult task: to honor a great Senator and a great 

friend, Senator JEFF BINGAMAN. 

This is difficult for two reasons. First, Senator BINGAMAN

is not one to call attention to himself, and, second, he does 

so as briefly as possible. On both counts—let me just say 

now—I am going to fall short. 

JEFF is that rare combination of character—brilliant and 

humble. For JEFF, it is about the work, not about his own 

ego, not about a monument to himself. For three decades in 

the U.S. Senate he has been making a difference for the 

American people and for our home State of New Mexico. 

Public service is a noble profession—when it isn’t swamped 

by money, when it isn’t held hostage to hyperpartisanship. 

JEFF is the best example I know of the nobility of politics. 

The origin of the word ‘‘noble’’ is ‘‘nobilis’’—well known— 

from the Latin ‘‘noscere’’ to come to know. JEFF, who is a 

scholar, probably knows that. I had to look it up. But, knowing, making sense of the world, using that knowledge to 

make the world a better place, that is what public service is 

supposed to do, and that is what JEFF BINGAMAN does. 

By Washington standards, JEFF is a man of few words. 

When he comes to this floor to speak, we listen. If I am at 

my desk in my office, I will turn up the television, I will stop 

what I am doing, because I know that he will say something 

insightful, something worth knowing, something worth 

thinking about. 

When JEFF came to the Senate 30 years ago, this was a 

different place. There was a new President. There was a 

fierce battle of ideas, of ideology, of where the country needed to go. Principles did not matter any less then than they 

do now. But folks worked together. They clashed, but they 

also compromised. 

We all know what has happened since then. Washington 

has become more and more polarized. But, time and again, 

[ 5 ] 

JEFF BINGAMAN has been a voice of reason, of doing what is 

best for our country—no grandstanding, just hard work, paying attention to details, getting problems solved, getting the 

job done. He is an inspiring role model. 

In his own quiet way, JEFF does something essential: He 

challenges us to think a little harder, look farther down the 

road, see how we can move our country forward, not just 

today, but far into the future. He doesn’t look for the limelight. He looks for solutions. And his accomplishments make 

for a very long list. 

He has been a truly great chairman of the Energy and 

Natural Resources Committee. He has done so much to protect our natural resources, to build a clean energy economy, 

for jobs, for the environment. I was proud to work with JEFF

on the first renewable electricity standard in Congress. He 

led the Senate bill, and I led the House bill. As always, I 

learned from his example: steady, focused, and reasonable. 

We will continue to carry the torch on renewable and clean 

energy standards in Congress, following in his footsteps. 

Today, we can be proud that 30 States—including New Mexico—have enforceable renewable standards. Together, these 

cover the large majority of the U.S. population. 

JEFF also shepherded the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the 

first comprehensive energy bill in 13 years. A ‘‘do it all’’ energy bill that covered renewables, nuclear, clean coal, and oil 

and gas. 

Two years later, he took the lead in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. That bill was an even more 

ambitious effort than 2005. As the National Journal reported, it was ‘‘the most sweeping energy efficiency legislation ever put into law.’’ 

On both of these bills, JEFF worked in a commendable, bipartisan fashion with Senator Domenici, a Republican from 

New Mexico. He also achieved these compromise bills with 

a Republican House in 2005, a Democratic House in 2007, 

and both were signed into law by Republican President 

George W. Bush. 

The public lands package of 2009 was another great 

achievement. JEFF reached across the aisle for compromise 

and protected 2 million acres in 9 States as new wilderness 

areas, and more than 1,000 miles of rivers and streams—one 

of the greatest land protection laws ever. It will benefit generations to come, and it is part of the legacy of JEFF BINGAMAN. 

[ 6 ] 

We are spending time these days debating the failings of 

the Senate, the gridlock, the partisanship. In contrast, JEFF’s 

committee has been a leading light of cooperation and compromise. When other committees lost their bipartisan way, 

the Energy Committee kept steady. I believe the standard he 

set will shape future energy and natural resources policy in 

years to come. I hope it guides us next year. 

When this body has looked for answers, so often it has 

turned to JEFF. No surprise that he was one of the Gang of 

6 to negotiate health care reform. When real solutions are on 

the agenda, JEFF will have a seat at the table. 

JEFF was also one of the key negotiators in the No Child 

Left Behind Act, and he pushed for the Technology for Education Act and the America COMPETES Act—raising standards for all students, increasing opportunity for all Americans. Because he knows that investments in education and 

technology and training are crucial, crucial for the jobs of the 

future, crucial for our country. 

Education, health care, jobs, energy, and the environment—JEFF has been a leader in all these areas. What 

comes through over and over is he never forgets the people 

who brought him here. He never forgets that what we do 

here is about families, is about communities, is about making a better future for our children and grandchildren. That 

is what drives him, and that is what has made him such a 

great Senator. 

One of the things I admire most about JEFF BINGAMAN is 

his courage. You know where he stands, and he is not afraid 

to go against the current. He was 1 of 23 Senators who voted 

against war with Iraq. As he said later, ‘‘I think that was the 

right vote, but it was not a popular vote.’’ 

I have valued his counsel on many occasions. It has been 

an honor to serve with him. He is going to be missed—not 

just for his good humor, not just for his friendship, but, more 

important, for his character and wisdom. On both sides of 

the aisle, his absence will be felt. 

With typical humility, JEFF would be the first to say he 

has a great staff, and he does. When I first came to Congress, on the House side, JEFF and his staff reached out to 

me, and to my staff, always available to help, always ready 

to work together, to try and do what is best for our State and 

our Nation. 

Finally, I know JEFF would also say he could not have accomplished so much without the support of his amazing wife 

Anne. They met at Stanford Law School, and have walked 

[ 7 ] 

side by side, equal partners, ever since. Anne Bingaman is 

as remarkable as her husband, and he would very likely insist more so. 

My dad once said that the measure of someone isn’t about 

winning elections or awards or honors. It is what the people 

who know you best think about you. For those of us who 

know JEFF BINGAMAN, he is the real deal. 

JEFF BINGAMAN has lived a life of service—substantial, enduring, noble service. I have no doubt that though he is leaving the Senate, he will find other ways to serve, and New 

Mexico and our Nation will be the better for it. 

JEFF, thank you. Thank you for your leadership, for your 

friendship, and for your always wise counsel. As you and 

Anne begin a new chapter in your lives, Jill and I wish you 

the very best. 

I yield the floor. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Mexico. 

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, let me thank my colleague, Senator Udall, for his overly generous comments and 

indicate that 30 or 40 years from now when he retires from 

the Senate, I will be glad to make similar comments about 

his service. I could make similar comments about his service 

already based on the time he has served our State as attorney general and in the Congress and now in the Senate, but 

he does a tremendous job for New Mexico and for the entire 

country here, and it is an honor for me to get to serve with 

him. This will be 4 years that we will have completed as the 

two Senators from New Mexico, and it has been a great 

pleasure for me to have a good friend and a very capable 

Senator to work with. So I again appreciate the overly generous comments. 

I yield the floor. 

I suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Shaheen). Without objection, it is so ordered. 

[ 8 ] 

Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam President, I spoke 

about Senator BINGAMAN. I know the Presiding Officer is on 

his committee and she feels the same way about him and all 

the work he has done. It is going to be a sad day for all of 

us when he exits at the end of this year, but he is a pretty 

remarkable leader. 

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my colleague from New Mexico, Senator JEFF BINGAMAN, who is retiring from the Senate at the end of this year. Senator 

BINGAMAN has been a strong voice for the people of New 

Mexico, first as their attorney general and then during 30 

years of service in the Senate. He has brought a keen intellect and a commonsense perspective to the Senate that 

should make the people of New Mexico proud. He has 

worked to build consensus across party lines to help 

strengthen our Nation. 

Senator BINGAMAN and I serve together on the Finance 

Committee, and we also worked together on the Energy and 

Natural Resources Committee during my first term in the 

Senate. I greatly admire the thoughtfulness he applies to 

every issue. Throughout his career, he has focused intently 

on finding solutions to the challenges facing our country. 

For example, in 2009 I worked closely with him and other 

colleagues on the Finance Committee in crafting the health 

care reform bill that was signed into law as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He was a key author of that 

legislation, which has already improved millions of people’s 

lives. 

Senator BINGAMAN has brought a tremendous breadth of 

knowledge to his chairmanship of the Energy and Natural 

Resources Committee. He has long understood the need to 

reduce our Nation’s dependence on foreign energy and has 

worked diligently to push Congress to create a national energy policy suited to the 21st century. That includes the Energy Independence and Security Act, which helped put us on 

the right path by improving gas mileage in the vehicles 

Americans drive, increasing production of domestic biofuels, 

and boosting energy efficiency in homes and businesses 

across our country. 

Senator BINGAMAN also understands the importance of 

education as a source of opportunity to our people and a key 

investment in the ongoing prosperity of our country. As a 

member of the Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Senator BINGAMAN has worked to advance 

teacher training and student technological literacy, and boost 

[ 9 ] 

graduation rates at underperforming schools. He also helped 

pass legislation that increases student aid and caps Federal 

student loan payments to assist students struggling with excessive debt. 

Senator BINGAMAN has been an outstanding public servant 

for the people of New Mexico and our Nation. I will miss 

having him as a colleague in the Senate, but I also know 

that his wife Anne will be excited to have him back home. 

I wish him happiness and success in whatever he chooses to 

do in the next chapter of his life. 

TUESDAY, December 18, 2012 

Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in these closing days of the 

112th Congress, the Senate is saying farewell to one of our 

most popular and respected Members, Senator JEFF BINGAMAN of New Mexico. 

When JEFF came to this body 30 years ago, he had already 

led a life of accomplishment. Raised in smalltown New Mexico, Silver City, he was an Eagle Scout. He graduated from 

Harvard College and Stanford Law School, where he met his 

future wife Anne. While at Stanford, he worked on Senator 

Robert F. Kennedy’s campaign for President. At the age of 

35, he was elected New Mexico attorney general in 1978. 

Four years later, at the age of 39, he was elected to the U.S. 

Senate. 

During his three decades in this body, JEFF BINGAMAN has 

been a classic workhorse Senator as opposed to being a show 

horse Senator. He is truly remarkable and distinctive among 

Senators for his willingness to shun the limelight and share 

the credit in order to get important work done for his State 

and for his country. 

Senator BINGAMAN has been a much-valued colleague of 

mine on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, but he has really made his mark in the Senate—a 

lasting mark—in his role as chair of the Energy and Natural 

Resources Committee. As chair and also at times ranking 

member of that committee, he has played a leading role in 

shaping energy policy for our Nation, authoring bipartisan 

legislation promoting a balanced energy portfolio encompassing all energy sources. 

Senator BINGAMAN worked closely with his New Mexico 

colleague, Senator Pete Domenici, to pass the landmark 2005 

Energy Policy Act, signed into law by President George W. 

[ 10 ] 

Bush. This was signed, I might add, appropriately at Sandia 

National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. That comprehensive law established groundbreaking policies on many fronts, 

including a renewable fuels standard for biofuels, support for 

alternative vehicles, loan guarantees for new energy technologies that reduce greenhouse gases, establishment of policies to upgrade the electrical grid, plus a whole range of 

measures to promote energy efficiency. 

In 2007 he again collaborated with Senator Domenici in 

securing passage of the Energy Independence and Security 

Act. This act included an ambitious increase in vehicle fuel 

efficiency standards—from 25 miles per gallon to 35 miles 

per gallon by the year 2020—as well as significantly greater 

commitments to the use of biofuels. These two provisions are 

largely responsible for the significant decrease in oil imports 

that we have seen over the past several years. 

More broadly, Senator BINGAMAN has played a critical role 

in ensuring the vitality of America’s energy research and development community, championing energy programs at all 

levels, including universities, national laboratories, and in 

private industry. 

I can’t close without mentioning a great living legacy of 

the Senator from New Mexico: his 2009 public lands management bill that set aside more than 2 million acres in 9 

States as protected wilderness, including a 5,300-acre national monument to protect Paleozoic fossils located north of 

Los Cruces, NM. I can say that Senator BINGAMAN stands in 

line with those great heroes of America who set aside public 

lands for all future generations, people such as Theodore 

Roosevelt. Senator BINGAMAN takes his rightful place there. 

For the last three decades in this body, Senator BINGAMAN

has been a tireless advocate for the people of New Mexico 

and a determined champion of the future of clean and renewable energy for the United States. He has been an outstanding Senator and a wonderful friend. I join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in wishing JEFF and Anne 

the very best in the years ahead. 

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, over his time in this body, 

JEFF BINGAMAN has worn many hats: champion of education, 

expert on energy policy, steward of our Nation’s nuclear arsenal, thoughtful voice on national security. 

He has approached each of these varied responsibilities 

with an attitude aimed not at attention-grabbing or point 

scoring, but at practical, fact-driven problem solving. In the 

accurate description of the Washington Post, ‘‘BINGAMAN isn’t 

[ 11 ] 

one to grab the spotlight, but this six-term senator’s logical, 

cerebral approach tends to get things one.’’ 

He has indeed gotten things done, for the people of New 

Mexico first and foremost, but his practical approach has 

benefited Americans from every State. I know first hand that 

the people of Michigan have benefited from his leadership. 

I have worked closely over the years with Senator BINGAMAN to preserve programs that are vital to America’s manufacturing sector, the heart of my State’s economy. His support for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program 

and the Technology Innovation Program has made a major 

difference in the ability of American manufacturers to research and develop new technologies, to increase efficiency, 

to improve supply chains and to out-innovate our overseas 

competitors. 

The people of Michigan also have benefited from Senator 

BINGAMAN’s leadership of the Energy and Natural Resources 

Committee. He worked with me to enact legislation that has 

brought significant improvements to Michigan parks and recreational lands. With Senator BINGAMAN’s assistance, we 

have established the River Raisin National Battlefield Park, 

preserving the site of one of the most important battles of 

the War of 1812; made major progress toward completion of 

the North Country National Scenic Trail; enhanced wilderness protection at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore; and 

made many improvements at Keweenaw National Historical 

Park. So, he has played a major role in helping preserve and 

protect numerous jewels of our State’s rich history, culture, 

and natural beauty. 

From his post on Energy and Natural Resources, Senator 

BINGAMAN has been one of our Nation’s most influential 

voices on energy, an issue that affects nearly every aspect of 

economic and environmental policy. He has worked with 

skill, intelligence, and determination to find practical, bipartisan solutions in an issue area too often dominated by politics and powerful interests. As we seek to strengthen our Nation’s competitiveness, his advocacy on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other important topics will yield important advantages. 

While we have not had the benefit of his service in this 

Congress, Senator BINGAMAN served in the past with distinction on the Armed Services Committee. In his committee tenure he chaired the Emerging Threats and Capabilities and 

Strategic Forces Subcommittees. His deep knowledge of 

science and technology issues was of great value in comVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:51 Apr 18, 2014 Jkt 081102 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81102.TXT KAYNE
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mittee deliberations, in particular during the difficult debate 

over the Bush administration’s determination to invade Iraq. 

His expertise on energy and nuclear issues gave heft to his 

skepticism over claims that Iraq had sought to acquire uranium from Niger, claims that turned out to be false. 

As the son of two educators, it only makes sense that Senator BINGAMAN would be careful, detail-oriented, and reliant 

on facts rather than assumptions. It’s no wonder that in addition to his work on energy, defense, and natural resources, 

he has been one of the Senate’s most consistent and effective 

advocates for quality education. 

On all of these issues, and so many others, JEFF BINGAMAN has sought solutions and consensus rather than attention and division. His careful, deliberate style, his focus on 

facts, and his determination to find practical answers to difficult challenges have been of enormous value to the Senate, 

to the people of New Mexico, and to the Nation. They will 

be missed in the Senate, and so will he. I wish JEFF and 

Anne all the best as they move on from the Senate. 

THURSDAY, December 20, 2012 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I wish to take a few minutes 

today to honor my colleague, the senior Senator from New 

Mexico, JEFF BINGAMAN, as he retires from a long career of 

service to our country. 

For 30 years Senator BINGAMAN has been a dedicated representative of the people of New Mexico, but for 26 of those 

years he was the junior Senator from New Mexico. The only 

person I know of who was a junior Senator longer than Senator BINGAMAN was Fritz Hollings. He was a junior Senator 

for many decades to Strom Thurmond. But 26 years as a junior Senator still makes you a fairly senior Senator. JEFF

served alongside Senator Pete Domenici, the longest serving 

Senator in New Mexico’s history. Until 2009 he was the most 

senior junior Senator. 

JEFF BINGAMAN has never been one to get hung up on titles and credits. If there was ever a conscience of this body, 

it is JEFF BINGAMAN, a man who has been called by others, 

including Byron Dorgan, a workhorse. That is really true. 

For three decades he has quietly but diligently fought for the 

people of New Mexico and this country. 

American industrialist Henry Kaiser once gave this bit of 

advice: ‘‘When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.’’ 

[ 13 ] 

That is JEFF BINGAMAN. That could have been written for 

JEFF BINGAMAN by Henry Kaiser. That has been JEFF

BINGAMAN’s motto for years. He is not one for flashy press 

conferences. Most of the time he is too busy. 

JEFF learned humility in the small town of Silver City, 

NM, where he grew up. His father was a professor and his 

mom a teacher, and they instilled in him a love and appreciation for education—and that is an understatement. He got 

his bachelor’s degree from Harvard and his law degree from 

Stanford. Those are two of the finest educational institutions 

in the world, and he has a degree from both of them, Harvard and Stanford. 

At Stanford, where he was going to law school, he met his 

wonderful wife Anne. I have such warmth for this woman. 

We have traveled together. I can remember trips we took on 

Senate codels; she was always the life of the party. She is 

a great match for JEFF—JEFF being quiet, subdued; Anne, 

not always so. I love them both. Anne is a political powerhouse in her own right. She served 3 years as head of the 

Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice under President Bill Clinton. 

After they finished their law degrees, JEFF and Anne returned to New Mexico, and they both entered the private 

practice of law. There, JEFF spent 6 years in the Army Reserves, and at that time he and Anne had their son John. 

Senator BINGAMAN served a year as assistant attorney general before being elected attorney general of New Mexico in 

1978. Four years later he was elected to the U.S. Senate. 

As time evolves here, you see it in the face of our children. 

I can remember that when I first came to this body, JEFF

had already been here 4 years. We had our Senate retreats, 

and there was little John, and I watched him grow as we did 

the retreats. I saw him just a short time ago, this handsome 

young man, now working on his own in New York in a very 

important job. 

In addition to being a committed advocate for the people 

of New Mexico, JEFF has been a distinguished chairman of 

the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. As chairman, 

he has pushed for solutions to perhaps the greatest crisis of 

our time: global climate change. He has run into brick walls 

many times. As the Presiding Officer knows, it has been difficult to get much done. But it is not because JEFF BINGAMAN

hasn’t tried. I am so disappointed that JEFF is leaving that 

committee with so much unfinished work. Certain Senators 

[ 14 ] 

have held up hundreds of bills in that committee. What a 

shame. But that is what has happened. 

The Energy Policy Act of 2005—passed thanks to Senator 

BINGAMAN’s leadership—changed the Federal Government’s 

role in energy policy. It created energy efficiency and renewable tax credits that have grown the crucial green energy industry. He led that charge. Two years later JEFF guided Congress to raise vehicle fuel efficiency standards for the first 

time in 32 years. 

Senator BINGAMAN also serves on the Finance Committee. 

He is tireless there, whether working on ObamaCare—and 

he was instrumental in the progress of that, working with 

Senator Baucus, Senator Conrad, and others. He has also 

served on the Joint Economic Committee. He has been a valued Democratic Member of this body. In the caucus, he has 

been terrific. 

He has been someone I can call upon to ask for advice. 

Over the years we have served together, he didn’t come and 

visit with me often, but when JEFF BINGAMAN wanted to see 

me, I knew immediately that he had thought through and 

knew what he wanted to talk about and knew what he wanted me to help him with. I think so much of him, I admire 

him, and I appreciate him. I will always remember this good 

man and the work he has done. I am sorry to see this brilliant, hard-working leader depart this body. 

When JEFF announced his retirement a couple years ago, 

this is what he said: 

It is not easy to get elected to the Senate, and it is not easy to decide to 

leave the Senate. There is important work that remains to be done. That 

is true today, and it will be the case at the end of this Congress. It will be 

true at the end of every future Congress as well. 

Again, he hit the mark: There is plenty of important work 

left to be done. I am only sorry he won’t be here to help us 

do that work. 

I congratulate Senator BINGAMAN and his wife Anne on 

their long, productive careers. I wish them the very best in 

the years to come. 

Mr. REED. Madam President, at this time, I wish to take 

a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are retiring at 

the end of this year with the conclusion of the 112th Congress: Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, JEFF BINGAMAN of New Mexico, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Kent Conrad of North 

Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Kay Bailey 

Hutchison of Texas, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jon Kyl of Arizona, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Richard Lugar of InVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:51 Apr 18, 2014 Jkt 081102 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81102.TXT KAYNE
[ 15 ] 

diana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine, 

and Jim Webb of Virginia. They have all worked ceaselessly 

to give their constituents the best representation and give 

the country the benefit of their views, their wisdom, and 

their experience. They are men and women who are committed to the Nation, and they have every day in different 

ways contributed to this Senate and to our great country. 

I wish to thank them personally for their service, and, in 

so many cases, their personal kindness to me; for listening 

to my points and for, together, hopefully, serving this Senate 

and this Nation in a more positive and progressive way. 

In particular, let me say a few words about some of the 

Members with whom I have had the privilege to work more 

closely. . . . 

JEFF BINGAMAN has distinguished himself through his 

work on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to 

improve our Nation’s energy policy, particularly improving 

our energy efficiency. He has the vision and knowledge 

which he has displayed so many times to deal with the difficult issues that face us with respect to the appropriate use 

of energy. 

He has also focused on some of the greatest challenges facing our educational system, including preventing dropouts 

and promoting the use of education technology. . . . 

I could go on with all of my colleagues, just thanking them 

for their friendship, for their camaraderie, and for their commitment to the Nation and the Senate. As they depart, they 

have left an extraordinary legacy. Now it is our responsibility to carry on in so many different ways, and I hope we 

measure up to what they have done. If we do, then we can 

go forward confidently. 

With that, I yield the floor. 

Mr. COONS. . . . There are so many other Senators I want 

to speak about today [besides Daniel Inouye], but let me turn 

to a few, if I might, and give some insight for the folks who 

only see Members of this Chamber on cable TV shows or in 

the give-and-take of election season or who only know them 

as the cutout and caricatures that the public thinks of as 

Senators. If there is a common thread between them, it is 

that they share that loyalty, work ethic, and humility that 

so characterized Senator Inouye in his decades here. . . . 

I have had the honor to serve these past 2 years with Senator BINGAMAN of New Mexico, chairman of the Energy Committee. He is one of the kindest, smartest, gentlest people I 

[ 16 ] 

have ever met. He has been a pleasure to work with on the 

Energy and Natural Resource Committee. 

I remember we were both speaking at a conference on advanced energy research last year out at National Harbor. 

Thousands of scientists, investors, and entrepreneurs were 

there. I pulled up in front of the massive convention hall, 

and right out in front was a Prius with New Mexico plates. 

Sure enough, Chairman JEFF BINGAMAN jumped out of the 

driver’s seat with no staff. 

Here was the chairman of the Energy Committee and a 

Senator for nearly 30 years driving himself to a major policy 

speech in his Prius. He practiced what he preached as he 

prepared to deliver an important speech in a moment that 

showed his humility. 

As unassuming a man as Senator BINGAMAN is, when he 

speaks, you listen. He is living proof that the value of one’s 

words can and should exceed their volume. On that day at 

National Harbor, Senator BINGAMAN delivered a message 

similar to one he had given a decade earlier in a report entitled ‘‘Rising Above the Gathering Storm.’’ Senator BINGAMAN

saw that this country was falling behind in the race for innovation and investment in research and education. These are 

things that lay the foundation for long-term competitiveness. 

This vision and concern haunted him, so he teamed up with 

our great colleague from Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, and 

challenged the National Academy of Sciences to study this 

trend and offer recommendations. From that challenge, we 

got the seminal study, ‘‘Rising Above the Gathering Storm.’’ 

It asked what it would take for America to continue to 

lead in innovation. That led to the America COMPETES Act 

and the creation of ARPA–E, the Advanced Research 

Projects Agency for Energy. The very conference at which we 

had been speaking was the ARPA–E annual conference. Both 

of these important accomplishments played vital roles in our 

future competitiveness. They are focused on nurturing innovation and creating a political system where political, scientific, and economic forces work together and not against 

each other. 

That is JEFF BINGAMAN. That is his sweeping, long-range 

vision, and one we should all heed. His commitment to 

thoughtful and forward-looking service on our Nation’s longterm competitiveness will be sorely missed. But even more, 

many of us will miss his reserved, dignified passion. . . . 

So here we are, 5 days before my family celebrates Christmas and 12 days before the new year and the beginning of 

[ 17 ] 

the so-called fiscal cliff. Our politics have paralyzed this 

Chamber and this town. But what the example of all of these 

remarkable Senators has shown us, what it has taught me 

is that we can still be better than our politics. 

The humanity of this place, too often shoved aside by the 

politics of the moment, shows us that we can do better. One 

by one, these Senators, in delivering their farewell addresses 

to this Chamber, stood at their desks and each in turn urged 

us to find a way to return to the days when Senators knew 

each other and worked together. What will it take to get us 

to that point again—a horrific tragedy in an elementary 

school, a dangerous economic cliff, some devastating attack, 

a cyberassault on America? 

Our retiring colleagues are each telling us, each in turn, 

that it is not too late to restore the humanity of this Chamber and make a positive difference in the lives of all we 

serve. Will we heed their call? I hope and pray we will because we can do better. We must do better. And in the spirit 

of each of these departing colleagues, I will do my level best. 

I hope we all can commit to doing the same. 

Thank you, and I yield the floor. 

FRIDAY, December 21, 2012 

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, at the close of each session of 

Congress, the Senate has traditionally taken a moment to 

express our appreciation for the service those who are retiring have provided to the people of their home State and our 

Nation. It gives us an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions that every Senator makes to the day-to-day operations of the Congress and the work they have been a part 

of as we have worked together to craft the laws that govern 

the Nation. 

Over the years I have learned a great deal about how the 

Senate works and how to be an effective representative for 

the people of my home State from one of the best, JEFF

BINGAMAN. He has compiled quite a record that he can be 

very proud of, and he has done it quietly, almost behind the 

scenes as he has shown himself to be a workhorse and not 

a show horse. 

For those of us from the West, that is quite a compliment. 

In a nutshell, it means that someone is a lot more concerned 

with getting results than in getting the credit. It proves the 

[ 18 ] 

old saying that you can get just about anything done if you 

don’t care who gets the credit for it. 

When I first arrived in the Senate, I had always believed 

in the importance of getting acquainted with how things 

work by taking a close look at how the people who were getting the results that I was equally committed to achieving 

were doing it. Using that as my standard, one Senator who 

caught my attention quickly was JEFF BINGAMAN. 

JEFF is a fellow Westerner and he knows and understands 

the issues that are so important to the people back home. As 

I watched him in action, I could quickly see why he was a 

success story here. He had a reputation for his ability to 

work with both sides of the aisle to get the results the people 

of his home State had sent him here to achieve. He had an 

understanding of the ramifications of the legislation we were 

working on that was second to none. Taken together, all of 

that had helped to make him an important ally in any legislative battle that needed to be won. 

As I got to know him, I looked to him for his leadership 

on the issues that were on the minds of the people back 

home in Wyoming. He was taking the lead on a number of 

them as he worked to increase the awareness of our colleagues about matters like open spaces, water, and the future of our energy industry. 

Over the years, JEFF has been a mentor to me. I have 

learned a great deal from him from our work together on 

Western issues and from our service on the task groups we 

both worked on. JEFF has an ability to summarize a difficult 

issue simply so that it can be understood on a number of levels by those of us who come from backgrounds that are quite 

different from JEFF’s and all our Western colleagues. He was 

then able to propose commonsense solutions that not only 

made sense to our fellow Senators, but were also able to obtain the support they needed to be considered and passed by 

the Senate. 

That would have never been possible if not for one of 

JEFF’s great gifts—his ability to find common ground in the 

midst of some sharp disagreements. He knows how to take 

the views of all concerned into account and then develop a 

plan of action taking a variety of viewpoints into consideration. Somehow he had a knack for finding a way to make 

it all work. 

None of that should have surprised us. After all, JEFF has 

one credential on his resume that not everyone has the persistence and determination to acquire. JEFF was active in 

[ 19 ] 

Boy Scouts at a young age and with a lot of hard work and 

determined effort, he was able to reach the rank of Eagle. 

Some people might be surprised that I mention JEFF’s 

Eagle, a great achievement that he was able to attain so 

many years ago. I have found that the Eagle speaks volumes 

about the strength of someone’s character as they grew up. 

It proves that they were focused on more important things— 

like setting goals and then planning a course of action to 

reach them—one by one. There is no more valuable skill to 

have in the pursuit of a career and the development of a life 

than that. 

During his service in the Senate, JEFF has compiled a 

record of which he can be very proud—as proud as the people of New Mexico are proud of him. That is why they kept 

sending him back to the Senate. It is also why his record of 

service will continue to receive the notice it deserves as the 

issues he has worked so hard on will have an impact on the 

West and the Nation for many years to come. 

I don’t know what JEFF’s plans are for the future, but I 

feel certain we haven’t heard the last from him. I hope he 

will continue to keep in touch with all of our Western delegations. I am certain we could all use a little New Mexico wisdom from time to time on the issues that come before us that 

are of such great concern to the West and rural communities 

all across the country. 

Thank you, JEFF, for your service to New Mexico and to 

the United States. We appreciate your willingness to come to 

Washington to ensure the concerns of your State were heard 

and that they received the attention they deserve. Thanks 

most of all for your friendship over the years. I have learned 

a great deal from you and about you and I know the lessons 

I have learned from you about the Senate and our committee 

structure will continue to make me a more effective advocate 

for Wyoming and the West. Whatever the next chapter of 

your life holds in store, I know you will give it your best— 

just as you have done with every other great adventure in 

your life. 

THURSDAY, December 27, 2012 

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, born in Texas and raised in 

New Mexico, Senator JEFF BINGAMAN for nearly 30 years has 

represented the State he has been proud to call home. LawVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:51 Apr 18, 2014 Jkt 081102 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81102.TXT KAYNE
[ 20 ] 

yer, advocate, environmental stalwart, these are just a few 

of the terms that can be used to describe Senator BINGAMAN. 

A longtime public servant, Senator BINGAMAN has served 

his Nation in the Army Reserves, in his State as an attorney 

general, and, since 1983, has served the people of New Mexico in the U.S. Senate. Along the way, he has earned a reputation for being fair and bipartisan—no small feat in today’s polarized Congress. 

Senator BINGAMAN has been a fierce advocate for the environment, and has worked hard to expand conservation and 

end tax breaks for big oil companies. I was proud to work 

with him on legislation to increase the production of biofuels 

and to modernize the Federal Government’s approach to protecting the environment. As chairman of the Senate’s Energy 

and Natural Resources Committee, he has worked tirelessly 

to advance energy independence, an issue so important to 

many, including those in New Mexico. 

A supporter of a comprehensive approach to reforming our 

immigration system, Senator BINGAMAN has supported a responsible and thoughtful approach to protecting our Nation’s 

borders. Like me, he opposed ill-advised legislation which 

was regrettably enacted in 2006 to build electronic and other 

forms of surveillance along every land and maritime border. 

A Senator of a southern State, Senator BINGAMAN opposed 

the effort to construct a costly fence along our southern border. 

Senator BINGAMAN has been a force here in Washington, 

but he has never lost sight of the needs of the constituents 

at home that he represents. He has worked to secure Federal 

funds for critical needs in New Mexico, and for education development and transportation improvements. 

JEFF’s moderate temperament has led to many successes 

both in the Halls of Congress, and in his home State. I wish 

him and his wife Anne all the best in retirement. 

FRIDAY, December 28, 2012 

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute to 

the Senators who will not be returning when the 113th Congress commences next month. I have already spoken about 

Senator Kyl and about Senator Inouye, one of the truly great 

Americans and giants of this institution. At the time of his 

death, Senator Inouye was just a few weeks short of celeVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:51 Apr 18, 2014 Jkt 081102 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81102.TXT KAYNE
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brating 50 years of Senate service. Only Senator Byrd served 

in this institution longer. 

Turnover is a natural occurrence, but it’s important to 

acknowledge that the Senators who are departing have 

served in the Senate for a combined total of 237 years, or 

nearly 20 years per Senator, on average. Add Senator 

Inouye, and the total is close to 300 years. That service represents an enormous amount of expertise on issues ranging 

from national defense and foreign affairs to the Federal 

budget to energy policy. The departing Senators will also 

take with them vast institutional knowledge and bipartisan 

friendships and working relationships that will leave a void 

we will need to fill. . . . 

Mr. President, JEFF BINGAMAN is another Senator whose 

quiet demeanor belies his tremendous skill and effectiveness 

as a legislator. Senator BINGAMAN and I were born 2 days 

apart October 3 and October 5, 1943, respectively. Both of 

Senator BINGAMAN’s parents were teachers, which may help 

explain his interest and involvement in educational policy. 

He graduated from a public school in a small town in New 

Mexico and then went to Harvard for his bachelor of arts degree and Stanford for his law degree. From 1968 to 1974, he 

served in the U.S. Army Reserves and in 1978, he was elected attorney general of New Mexico. Senator BINGAMAN was 

first elected to the Senate in 1982 and then won reelection 

four times, only once dipping below receiving at least 61 percent of the popular vote. 

Senator BINGAMAN has worked on everything from dropout 

prevention in schools with low student achievement and 

graduation rates to phasing out the waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits 

and to eliminate it for people with life-threatening conditions 

to the establishment of ARPA–E, the Advanced Research 

Projects Agency at the Department of Energy. 

Earlier this month, the Energy Information Administration, EIA, reported that with improved efficiency of energy 

use and a shift away from the most carbon-intensive fuels, 

U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide, CO2, emissions are likely 

to remain more than 5 percent below their 2005 level 

through 2040. Emissions from motor gasoline will decline as 

a result of the adoption of fuel economy standards, biofuel 

mandates, and shifts in consumer behavior. Emissions from 

coal used in the generation of electricity will decline as 

power generation shifts from coal to lower-carbon fuels, including natural gas and renewables. These are all significant 

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accomplishments, made possible largely by Senator BINGAMAN’s steady hand at the helm of the Energy and Natural 

Resources Committee, where he has helped to shape and 

pass all of the major energy bills for over the past decade. 

In 2009 Senator BINGAMAN shepherded the Omnibus Public Land Management Act to passage. That legislation added 

wilderness protection to over 2 million acres, designated 

1,100 miles of wild and scenic rivers, and added more than 

2,800 miles to the national trail system. I believe it was the 

biggest wilderness bill Congress has ever enacted after the 

original Wilderness Act of 1964 and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. The epitaph on the 

stone plaque where the great English architect Sir Christopher Wren is buried reads, ‘‘If you seek his monument, 

look around you.’’ The same could be said for Senator BINGAMAN with regard to the preservation of our natural world. 

Two weeks ago, Senator BINGAMAN gave his farewell 

speech to the Senate and I would like to quote from the beginning of that speech. He remarked, 

In 1981, in his first inaugural address, President Reagan said, ‘‘Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.’’ 

I came to the Senate 2 years later in 1983 with the firm belief that in 

most cases his statement was wrong. 

I believed then and I believe now that the Federal Government can be a 

constructive force for good; in protecting and maintaining the civil liberties 

of all Americans, in maintaining and strengthening our economy, in protecting our environment, and in helping Americans live productive and fulfilling lives. 

I agree wholeheartedly with Senator BINGAMAN and am 

grateful that for the past 30 years in public service, he has 

lived by those words and beliefs. . . . 

Mr. President, these men and women who will be leaving 

the Senate soon have made extraordinary sacrifices to serve 

our Nation. We are fortunate that they have chosen to spend 

significant parts of their lives in public service. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude. Those of us who will be 

in the Senate next month when the 113th Congress convenes 

can best honor the legacy of our departing colleagues by 

reaching across the aisle as they have done so many times 

to forge bipartisan consensus and solutions to our Nation’s 

most vexing problems. The men and women who will be leaving the Senate at the end of this Congress understand that 

compromise isn’t a dirty word; it is the genius at the heart 

of our political system. We will miss them. 

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SUNDAY, December 30, 2012 

Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize 

one of our most distinguished Senators as he prepares to retire from this body after five terms. Senator JEFF BINGAMAN

has earned the reputation of being a strong and effective 

leader during his time in the Senate. He has achieved what 

all of us try to achieve as advocates of our States—getting 

results in Washington while staying closely connected to our 

constituents who sent us here to represent them. I have admired his intelligence, courage, pragmatism, and willingness 

to solve problems with bipartisan solutions. 

Senator BINGAMAN and I have worked together on many 

issues and projects, and I have never questioned his steadfast commitment to do what he believes is right for New 

Mexico and this country. During his 30 years in the Senate 

he has worked tirelessly on a number of committees, including the Armed Services Committee, the Finance Committee, 

the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and 

the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which he 

currently chairs. 

While most of my work with JEFF has been on energy 

issues, working with Senator BINGAMAN on the Senate HELP 

Committee was also a great pleasure. He has been an excellent partner, for example, on issues that are important to 

our American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native 

constituents, who often live in communities that face multiple challenges. There have been many times in the HELP 

Committee when it has been necessary for me to explain why 

a proposed solution won’t work in Alaska. As I begin to explain about the Federal trust responsibility, or tribal sovereignty, the lack of health care and basic infrastructure, or 

how difficult it is to get and keep teachers, nurses, and others in those communities, there have been times when I have 

seen my colleagues think, here we go again, the ‘‘It is different in Alaska’’ speech. But whether we have been discussing education, health care, job creation, or any one of the 

innumerable challenges Americans face when they live in Indian Country, JEFF BINGAMAN gets it. He and I have been 

able to speak with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle 

with one voice about what will work, what will not work, and 

why. We can explain the complexities of the Federal trust responsibility and tribal sovereignty as a bipartisan team because whether our constituents live on a reservation in New 

Mexico or a remote village in Alaska or in one of our larger 

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cities, the challenges they face are often the same, and what 

will work in other places in America often won’t work in our 

Native communities. That partnership has been so important 

in making sure that the good work we are trying to do for 

all Americans works for America’s first peoples in every 

State. 

In addition to our work on HELP, our strongest collaboration has been while working together in our leadership roles 

on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator 

BINGAMAN has been tireless in ensuring that our Nation has 

the energy resources it needs to meet our growing demands 

well into the 21st century. He was a leader in the development of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, both major blueprints for 

the expansion of all forms of renewable energy, especially 

biomass, geothermal, and marine hydrokinetic power. I am 

happy to have had the chance to work closely with Senator 

BINGAMAN in those efforts. In 2008 and 2009 we also worked 

to pass a package of major public land legislation that will 

be a legacy for the Senator for decades to come. 

When Senator BINGAMAN announced he was retiring from 

the Senate, I took note that he vowed to finish out the remainder of Congress with substantive achievements. Since 

then, he has affirmed this promise and has again driven productive discussions on several issues that will last beyond 

his time here, such as his efforts to move forward our Nation’s program on spent nuclear fuel. The legislation that he 

introduced is indicative of months of thoughtful and productive discussions aimed to address the back end of the nuclear 

fuel cycle. I congratulate him on constantly moving the conversation forward and putting a marker out there toward 

reaching an equitable goal. 

Senator BINGAMAN should be very proud of his nearly four 

decades of public service as New Mexico’s attorney general 

and U.S. Senator. From fighting for our energy future to 

standing with the people of New Mexico through difficult 

economic times, Senator BINGAMAN has been a trusted leader 

for the people of his State. He has been a champion for his 

constituents, a powerful voice for Native American concerns, 

and a leader on science research and energy tax policy. 

He has been unfailingly and personally considerate to me, 

and I extend my gratitude for his service and thank him for 

his gracious aid on issues of concern to me and my home 

State. I wish him and his family good health and best wishes 

in the future and great happiness in whatever he and Anne 

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now decide to do. The Senate has been a better place due to 

his civilized manner, his wit, and his intelligent solutions for 

the Nation’s problems. We will miss Senator BINGAMAN’s 

presence here in the Senate. 

THURSDAY, February 7, 2013 

ORDER FOR PRINTING OF TRIBUTES 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 

there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to the retiring Members of the 112th Congress. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

Æ