SENATE MEMORIAL 5

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2012

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

A MEMORIAL

HONORING UNITED STATES SENATOR JEFF BINGAMAN OF NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, Senator Jeff Bingaman was born on October 3, 1943 and raised in Silver City, the son of a science professor at western New Mexico university and a public school teacher; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Bingaman graduated from western high school in 1961, graduated from Harvard university in 1965 and received his law degree from the Stanford university school of law in 1968; and

     WHEREAS, while attending Stanford university school of law, he met his wife, Anne, a successful lawyer and political advocate, with whom he has one son, John; and

     WHEREAS, he served in the United States army reserves from 1968 to 1974; and

     WHEREAS, he served as the New Mexico assistant attorney general before owning a private law practice for eight years and being elected as the attorney general of New Mexico in 1978; and

     WHEREAS, he won election to the United States senate in 1982 and has served as a United States senator for thirty years; and 

     WHEREAS, he was reelected four times before announcing his retirement, indicating his lasting support by New Mexico residents; and

     WHEREAS, he is the chair of the United States senate committee on energy and natural resources and the subcommittee on energy, natural resources, and infrastructure of the senate finance committee; and

     WHEREAS, he serves as a member of the senate finance committee, including the subcommittee on international trade, customs, and global competitiveness and the subcommittee on health care and the senate health, education, labor, and pensions committee, including the subcommittee on children and families and the subcommittee on retirement and aging; and

     WHEREAS, he is a senior member of the joint economic committee, a bicameral congressional committee that studies issues that affect the United States economy; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Bingaman led the senate to pass the Energy Policy Act of 2005, a landmark bill that diversifies the United States' energy supply; and

     WHEREAS, he sponsored the Technology for Education Act of 1994; and

     WHEREAS, he is an advocate for educating youth, authoring a law to help low-income students defray the costs of advanced placement exams as well as legislation that helps colleges serving concentrations of Hispanic and Native American students to receive federal aid; and

     WHEREAS, he actively promotes the health and welfare of all New Mexicans through legislation, such as the energy employees occupational illness compensation program and a package to compensate people affected by the Cerro Grande fire in and around Los Alamos; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Bingaman is known for his depth of knowledge regarding public policy, his hard work and his ability to negotiate with both sides of the aisle and to fight for issues important to New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Bingaman has served as a role model to many, with his calm, thoughtful and wise guidance giving people a positive direction to follow; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Bingaman will be remembered as an advocate for negotiation and a constant source of stability in the world of politics; and

     WHEREAS, the retirement of Senator Jeff Bingaman marks the loss of a great senator who fought tirelessly for both New Mexico and the nation; and

     WHEREAS, his representation in the senate will be sorely missed by all New Mexicans;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Senator Jeff Bingaman be honored for his many years of great service to the people of New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Senator Bingaman be forever welcome at the New Mexico legislature; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to Senator Jeff Bingaman.

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