Jeff Bingaman: “let me speak as in morning business about a dear friend who died this last Sunday, and that is Ed McGaffigan. Ed has…”

“let me speak as in morning business about a dear friend who died this last Sunday, and that is Ed McGaffigan. Ed has been a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission now for over 10 years. He is the longest serving member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the history of our country. Prior to that, he was a staff member in my office working with me on foreign policy issues, on defense policy issues, on science and technology issues. The country has lost a great public servant, and we have all lost a great friend with the passing of Ed McGaffigan. When I first came to the Senate in 1983, I was appointed to the Armed Services Committee, and I have remained on that committee for essentially 20 years. When I first got here, I needed the help, obviously, of someone who knew something about foreign policy and defense policy, and I called Professor Joe Nye at the Harvard's Kennedy School to ask if he could recommend anyone. His immediate response to me was: There is a young man working in the White House Science Office named Ed McGaffigan. I would recommend Ed without any reservation.”