Commending Senator Mel Martinez

Floor Speech

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Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to remember a good friend who is leaving the Senate after a career of public service, Senator Mel Martinez.

Mel Martinez came to the Senate in 2005 after serving as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George W. Bush. Senator Martinez was the first Cuban American to serve in the U.S. Senate. Born in Cuba, Senator Martinez arrived in the United States at age 15.

During his tenure as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Mel Martinez addressed the National Congress of American Indians, pledging to strengthen the government to government relationship with tribes in the Federal Indian programs administered by his agency. He was keenly interested in ameliorating the third world housing conditions that exist in the Native villages of rural Alaska. Alaska's tribe and tribal housing authorities benefit greatly from Federal funding available under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act and other Federal housing programs, which were strengthened under Senator Martinez' leadership at HUD.

Despite the fact that the States we represent are as far away geographically as States can be, we have always been good friends.

I was proud to serve with Senator Martinez on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator Martinez was a close ally on energy issues, and he was always a fierce advocate for the interests of his Floridian constituents. We shared a common interest in promoting Federal energy efficiency standards, responsible nuclear waste storage, and we worked together on the 2005 Energy Policy Act. He was a tough bargainer on the more recent 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act as he aggressively pursued the interests of his constituents with respect to Federal Outer Continental Shelf energy development.

I wish Mel Martinez and his wife Kitty the best of luck in their future endeavors.

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