Domenici Casts His 13,000th Vote
Senate breaks briefly to recognize the accomplishment
September 7, 2006
02:48 PM
WASHINGTON – With his vote Thursday on a defense related amendment, Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Pete Domenici became just the eighth senator in American history to cast 13,000 votes.
“It is a tremendous honor to be able to serve New Mexico and our nation for so long. Casting votes on behalf of New Mexicans is something I have always taken very seriously. Over the years, I’ve done the best that I can to use my position to improve our state and our country, and I’m so proud of all we’ve achieved together. I look forward to many more votes,” Domenici said.
Domenici said that his most memorable votes included those to confirm every sitting member of the U.S. Supreme Court, and votes on legislation that he helped author, including the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, and the Nunn-Lugar Domenici Nonproliferation Act. He also pointed to votes over the years that have shaped the congressional budget process as we know it today, instituting procedures such as budget reconciliation and the budget act.
Upon reaching Domenici’s 13,000th vote, the Senate took a break from its work to congratulate the Senator on the milestone. Among those who spoke were members of the Senate leadership and Domenici’s longtime colleague from New Mexico, Jeff Bingaman.
“Senator Domenici, I know I speak for all of your fellow Senators when I say congratulations on this achievement. But more importantly, thank you for your tremendous service over the years to New Mexico, to your country and importantly to the United States Senate,” said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.)
“Pete Domenici will not make the Hall of Fame for baseball, but he will for a United States Senator. He is a wonderful man. One reason he is as good as he is is because of a woman he married in 1958 by the name of Nancy Burk. They are a wonderful team. I admire and respect them both very much. They’ve got a wonderful family, a large family of two sons and six daughters. I congratulate Pete Domenici, United States Senator from New Mexico,” said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)
“I want to add my congratulations for this Senator achieving this milestone, becoming one of eight Senators in the history of the country to have cast this many votes. I have had the good fortune in the 24 years I’ve been here in the Senate to serve with Senator Domenici, and of course, more recently to serve with him in the Energy Committee as the ranking member. The people of the state that I represent recognize his great contribution and appreciate it greatly, and I want to congratulate him today on reaching this milestone,” said Bingaman.
Domenici first took office in 1973 and is serving his sixth term in the U.S. Senate.
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