On the recordMay 25, 2011
it is my very great pleasure to pay tribute to one of the great treasures of the Senate, Mr. Lloyd Ator. Lloyd is retiring after 17 years as the legislative counsel for the Commerce Committee, and 11 years in the Senate Legislative Counsel's Office. Lloyd has been a truly outstanding public servant, and his service has made our country a better place. Given the breadth of issues within the committee's jurisdiction, the legislative counsel is required to be something of a Renaissance man. Fortunately, that is a perfect description of Lloyd. He has been required to know the underlying law in so many areas, from the Olympics, to daylight savings time, railroad rates, aviation security screening, cellphone use, science standards, fisheries management, maritime liability, commercial privacy, and satellites. To draft concise, thoughtful, and technically accurate bills on this range of issues, as Lloyd has done, requires unparalleled skill, expertise and dedication. Lloyd is also a parliamentary expert and served as an outstanding resource for committee members. Even when every other committee did away with their own legislative counsels, the Commerce Committee was determined to keep Lloyd, knowing that his unique capabilities made him our ``secret weapon.'' Not only is Lloyd an experienced drafter, he is a man of unflagging spirit. One of Lloyd's most remarkable qualities is his unwavering patience.…
