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BPC Remembers Senator Pete V. Domenici

Washington, D.C. – The Bipartisan Policy Center issued the following statement on the passing of former BPC senior fellow and former U.S. Senator Pete V. Domenici:

“With deep sadness, the Bipartisan Policy Center mourns the passing of our friend and former colleague, Senator Pete Domenici.

“Senator Domenici was a true giant of the Senate, well-known for his leadership on energy policy, having written energy bills in four consecutive decades that helped usher in an era of American energy diversity and abundance, culminating in the landmark 2005 Energy Policy Act.

“He played a key role, little-known even today, in protecting America and the world from the threat of nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. He also fought for more than a decade for mental health parity legislation that finally became law in 2008, guaranteeing that insurance plans treat mental illness on par with other illnesses.

His legacy is proof that the incremental work of consensus-building and policymaking can have profound and lasting impact.

“Senator Domenici was an early supporter of the Bipartisan Policy Center, serving as co-chair along with Dr. Alice Rivlin of BPC’s Debt Reduction Task Force, which in 2010 published a plan to reduce debt and deficits, simplify the tax code, strengthen Social Security, and create millions of jobs. He went on to serve on BPC task forces dedicated to containing health care costs and the national defense budget.

“For all of us at BPC, it has been an honor to call Senator Domenici a friend and colleague. From the moment he joined BPC to the celebration last year at which we bid him farewell on his return to New Mexico, Senator Domenici has been part of BPC’s lifeblood.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Nancy, and their family at this difficult time.”

View the personal statement from BPC President Jason Grumet

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