Political Quotes

“I have come to the floor to pay tribute to William J. Van Ness, an individual who was instrumental in the maturation and development of Alaska as a State and who passed away last November. Bill's contributions to Alaska began in 1966 when he joined the staff of the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, the predecessor to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, under the chairmanship of Senator Henry ``Scoop'' Jackson. As special counsel and later chief counsel for the committee, Bill was one of the architects of the settlement of the aboriginal land claims of Alaska Natives, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, as well as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Act of 1973. The enactment of these foundational laws has enabled Alaska to achieve many of the promises of our statehood. As an Alaskan, a Senator representing Alaska, and the current chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, I was saddened to learn of Bill's passing, but am proud to help recognize his contributions to our state. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record an essay made possible by the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, which Bill served as president of from 1988 until 2008. The essay, which appeared on HistoryLink.org, highlights many of Bill's accomplishments. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: HistoryLink: Van Ness, William J. ``Bill'' Jr. (1938-2017) Seattle attorney William J.…”