Pete Domenici: “I cannot speak about Senator Ed Muskie with the depth of knowledge that Senator Snowe had of his background and his…”

“I cannot speak about Senator Ed Muskie with the depth of knowledge that Senator Snowe had of his background and his impact on his beloved State of Maine. But it has fallen to me to be, at every stage of my growth in the Senate, on a committee with Senator Muskie. My first assignment was the Public Works Committee. I was the most junior Republican, and Senator Muskie was the third-ranking Democrat and chaired the Subcommittee on the Environment. I also served on that subcommittee. I saw in him a man of tremendous capability and dedication when he undertook a cause. He learned everything there was to learn about it, and he proceeded with that cause with the kind of diligence and certainty that is not so often found around here. There were various times during the evolution of clean water and clean air statutes in the country that we could go in one of two directions, or one of three. Senator Muskie weighed those heavily, and chose the direction and the course that we are on now. No one can deny that Senator Muskie is the chief architect of environmental cleanup of our air and water in the United States. Some would argue about its regulatory processes, but there can be no question that hundreds of rivers across America are clean today because of Ed Muskie. There can be no doubt that our air is cleaner and safer and healthier because of his leadership. I really do not think any person needs much more than that to be part of their legacy.”