David Cay Johnston: “I very much appreciate the very warm and generous remarks of my colleague from New Mexico. While he is new in the…”

“I very much appreciate the very warm and generous remarks of my colleague from New Mexico. While he is new in the chairmanship on this committee, he is not new to the committee. We have worked side by side for all of these 22 years, because New Mexico, of course, has a very vital interest in the work of this committee. The State of New Mexico can thank Senator Pete Domenici for the presence and the health and viability of much of that State's Federal presence. The Federal presence in the State of New Mexico is rather overwhelming and would not have been such an overwhelming presence but for Senator Pete Domenici. We have worked together to make that so, and it is in the Nation's interest. The national labs, particularly, are an American resource that needs to be nurtured and used and developed and continued for the benefit of this country. So we are very pleased for that. Also, since this is my last time to manage this bill for the minority, I would like to mention the longstanding relationship I have with the chairman of the full committee, Senator Hatfield, who was the chairman of this subcommittee and the ranking member. We would trade off on those roles every time the Congress would change. That was a very productive and most pleasant relationship as well. So this committee and its staff and its work are some of the most pleasant and most productive times I have had in this Congress. I thank all for giving me that chance.”