Volume 149, No. 131 covering the 1st Session of the 108th Congress (2003 - 2004) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“NOMINATION OF GOVERNOR MIKE LEAVITT TO HEAD THE EPA” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Senate section on pages S11827-S11828 on Sept. 23, 2003.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
NOMINATION OF GOVERNOR MIKE LEAVITT TO HEAD THE EPA
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I rise to commend President Bush for nominating Gov. Mike Leavitt to be head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Governor Leavitt's hearing was this morning and, from all accounts, he performed admirably, as I would expect. He is a distinguished public servant who has worked diligently to address the environmental problems in Utah and the Western States.
I believe the President has found the right person for the job of leading the EPA. The EPA Administrator must establish realistic regulations that often require compromise and balance. In my experience, almost all of the issues that deal with our environment require a good sense of balance because there are so many competing interests. Governor Leavitt has demonstrated his ability to work with all groups affected by environmental regulation. He pulled together, for example, Governors, tribal leaders, industrial leaders, and environmental activists to get behind a comprehensive plan to clear the haze obscuring the scenic views in the West, including the Grand Canyon.
For nearly 11 years, Governor Leavitt managed to bring together a diverse group of State and tribal officials, industrial leaders, and environmental activists who focused on developing a plan which led to action that is clearing the air in the West.
I hope that a similar plan can be developed to clear the haze in the great Smoky Mountain National Park, which is about 2 miles from where I live. It is the Nation's most visited national park, and it also has earned the unwelcome distinction of becoming the most polluted national park in America.
We welcome the help of Governor Leavitt as head of the EPA in coming up and working with our Governor and Federal delegation and our communities in Tennessee, who are very concerned about this, to help get on a long-term path that would clear the haze in the Smokies and restore its natural beauty.
This will require cooperation among local, State, and Federal Governments and industry and environmental activists. I believe Governor Leavitt is the right person to help lead that effort. He has demonstrated he can do this by getting collaboration among groups instead of polarization.
As Governor, Mike Leavitt has encouraged results-oriented environmental action. I strongly support his views that policy should encourage outside-the-box thinking in solving problems rather than just complying with Federal programs.
Our environmental problems are complex. They require examination of many strategies to achieve our Nation's goals. The EPA Administrator plays a crucial role in balancing our desire to protect the environment and our desire for jobs and prosperity.
I believe we can have good jobs and strong industry and clean air and clean energy. The solutions are not easy, and in most cases--many cases--require new technology. However, with Governor Leavitt's leadership, I believe we will be able to develop the solutions and partnership to meet realistic environmental goals.
The job of protecting the environment is a difficult one, one in which I take a great personal interest. The President of the United States--this President--has distinguished himself by making a number of superb appointments. He has made another such nomination, and I look forward to the chance to vote for Mike Leavitt as EPA Administrator.
May I add just a personal note, Mr. President? I was elected Governor first in 1978 in Tennessee. Since then, I have known more than 200 Governors, probably served with 80 or 100. Only a handful of those Governors, some on each side of the aisle--Democratic and Republican--
have really understood the job, have used that office to set a clear agenda to develop a strategy to meet the agenda, and then persuade at least half the people they are right. All three of those elements are being part of being a good Governor. Those Governors have transformed their States.
Mike Leavitt is one of those Governors. Because of that, he was elected to be the chair of the National Governors' Association. He would not have been elected, and he would not have succeeded in the job if he had not been able to work with both Democratic and Republican Governors. He has earned and shares the respect of all who have known and worked with him. He is one of the outstanding State leaders of the last quarter of a century. He has a great sense of balance. He has an imaginative sense of what is possible, and he has an excellent ability to persuade half that he is right, which is a very important part of doing that job.
I am very pleased to see him coming to Washington, and I am delighted with President Bush's appointment. I wanted to be among the first to welcome him here. I thank the Chair.
____________________
Alerts Sign-up