Senator Pete Domenici's Legacy 2010: The Proceedings from the 2010 Pete V. Domenici Public Policy Conference

By Vicki Taggart

Senator Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) served in the U.S. Senate for over thirty-six years. He had a long legacy of contributions to New Mexico as well as the entire country. The Pete V. Domenici Public Policy Institute, located at New Mexico State University, holds an annual conference on Domenici’s legacy and these are the Proceedings from the 2010 Pete V. Domenici Public Policy Conference, edited by Vicki Taggart, and published in collaboration with New Mexico State University.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Sep 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781936744619

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Copyright © 2011, 2014 New Mexico State University

Published by Rio Grande Books

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Cataloging Information

Pete V. Domenici Public Policy Conference (3rd : 2010 : New Mexico State University)

Senator Pete Domenici’s legacy : the proceedings of the 2010 Pete V. Domenici Public Policy Conference / Vicki Taggart, editor.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-890689-96-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-936744-61-9 (ebook formats)

1. Domenici, Pete--Influence--Congresses.

2. Domenici, Pete--Political and social views--Congresses.

3. United States--Politics and government--1989---Congresses.

4. United States--Politics and government--1945-1989--Congresses.

5. United States--Social policy--1980-1993--Congresses.

6. United States--Social policy--1993---Congresses.

7. Legislators--United States--Biography--Congresses.

8. United States. Congress. Senate--Biography--Congresses.

I. Taggart, Vicki. II. Title.

Contents

Domenici Public Policy Conference

Opening and Welcome

Session I: Financial Reform

Session II: Financial Reform

Session III: Border Issues

Keynote: National Security – Sam Nunn

Session IV – National Security

Session V – Afternoon with Pete

Session VI – New Mexico Policy

Session VII – New Mexico Policy

Session VIII: 2010 Midterm Elections

Proceedings from the Pete V. Domenici Public Policy Conference

September 1-2, 2010

New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Domenici Public Policy Conference

Program Agenda

September 1-2, 2010

Wednesday, September 1

7 a.m.-4 p.m. Conference registration

8:00 a.m. Opening and Welcome

Barbara Couture - New Mexico State University President

Garrey Carruthers - Domenici Institute Director

Honorable Pete V. Domenici - Retired U.S. Senator

8:45 a.m. Session I - Financial Reform

Thomas Hoenig – President, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

9:45 a.m. Session II - Financial Reform

Robert Davis - American Bankers Association, Executive Vice President

10:45 a.m. Conference break

11:00 a.m. Session III - Immigration/Border Issues

Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison - U.S. Senator

12:00 p.m. Keynote - National Security

Honorable Sam Nunn - Retired U.S. Senator

12:45 p.m. Lunch

1:45 p.m. Conference break

2:00 p.m. Session IV - National Security

Thomas O. Hunter - Sandia National Laboratories, Retired Director

3:00 p.m. Session V - Afternoon with Pete

Garrey Carruthers - Domenici Institute Director

Honorable Pete V. Domenici - Retired U.S. Senator

Sam Donaldson - ABC News Contributor

4:00 p.m. Reception for conference attendees with New Mexico wines

Thursday, September 2

7 a.m.-10 a.m. Conference registration

9:00 a.m. Session VI - New Mexico Policy

Honorable Susana Martinez - Third Judicial District Attorney

10:00 a.m. Session VII - New Mexico Policy

Honorable Diane Denish - New Mexico Lieutenant Governor

11:15 a.m. Lunch

12:00 p.m. Keynote - 2010 Midterm Elections

Sam Donaldson - ABC News Contributor

Karl Rove - Fox News Contributor

Joe Lockhart - Political Analyst and Commentator

1:30 p.m. Conference concludes

Student Panel

Sessions I & II: Financial Reform

Nancy Blecha – New Mexico State University

Martin M. Gutierrez – University of New Mexico

Eric Layer – New Mexico State University

Session III: Border Issues

Shad Bostick – New Mexico State University

Ricardo Echeverria – New Mexico Tech

Keynote & Session IV: National Security

Virginia Alcon – University of New Mexico

Nicholas Schafer – New Mexico Tech

Sessions VI & VII: New Mexico Policy

Rosa De La Torre- Burmeister – New Mexico State University

Norberto Godina – New Mexico State University

Session VIII: Mid-term Elections: Entire student panel

Sponsors of the Domenici Legacy Conference

Diamond Sponsors

Lockheed Martin

Sandia National Laboratories

Silver Sponsors

First Community Bank

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management: The Armstrong Group, Institutional Consultants and Private Wealth Advisors

Bronze Sponsors

Stolar Research Corporation

Copper Sponsors

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management: The Fletcher Group, Global Wealth Management

Friendship Sponsors

Senator and Mrs. Pete V. Domenici

Garrey and Kathy Carruthers

Van H. Gilbert, Architect-PC

Jan and Bill Keleher

Domenici Executive Committee

Garrey Carruthers, Chair; Ann Morgan, Sharon Jones, Janet Green, Justin Bannister, and Kevin Boberg

Opening and Welcome

Dean Carruthers: Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I am Garrey Carruthers, the Director of the Domenici Institute and Dean of the College of Business at New Mexico State University, the Yale of the Yuccas. We’re delighted to have you all here. I have some friends from Albuquerque, so I have to say that.

We’re delighted to have you here for the Third Annual Domenici Public Policy Conference. We were delighted some years ago when Senator Domenici, our good friend, decided that he would like to leave his papers in the archives at New Mexico State University. And in our proposal to Senator Domenici, one of the things that we added to archiving the papers was the prospect that on an annual basis we would have a major public policy conference for the community, for the faculty, and the staff, and this is the third annual one.

Now, the first one in 2008, the proceedings from that conference actually has received a literary award. It’s already a well-known document and it’s a document you might want to get your hands on, because in the first conference many people spoke highly of the contributions of Senator Pete Domenici to our community, to our state, and to our country. We also have a book out now on the Senator. Our first book on the Senator is available and I think the Senator will be available a little later on to sign those books, so if you’re interested in acquiring one of those you’ll want to do that.

But we’re delighted to have everyone here. It’s a great program. It’s a packed program. About a third of the attendees here will be students. The students register by section because they also have to go to class, so you’ll see students come and go from time to time. But we have about a third – about 200 of the people registered are students at New Mexico State University. So, we’re delighted to have student participation, and we always use students to ask questions. And over here to my right – and I’ll introduce them in just a little bit – are students from New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico, and New Mexico Tech, and they’ve been drilling for two months, waiting for these guys to get up here so they can ask ‘em some insightful questions. These are talented students. We’ve seen them in action in the past and they do a wonderful job.

Let me thank first the sponsors. The paper called me yesterday and wanted to know how we fund this, and we fund it principally through sponsors, and we’ve had some sponsors be very generous with us. First of all, our diamond sponsor is Lockheed Martin Sandia National Laboratories, and you’ll hear from the retired director later on this afternoon: a very generous contribution. Silver sponsors are First Community Bank; Merrill Lynch Bank of America; the Armstrong Group, and I’ve seen them here as well. Bronze sponsors: Stolar Research Corporation, and that’s a company out of Raton. Copper sponsors are Jaynes Corporation, Merrill Lynch Bank of America, The Fletcher Group; and so, Merrill Lynch Bank of America has two different levels of contribution. And then, friendship sponsors are Garrey and Kathy Carruthers, Senator Pete V. Domenici, Van Gilbert Architects, and Jan and Bill Kelleher. Would you give those people a big hand for contributing to the conference? [Applause]

Since we started the conference, one of the most active groups of students – in part because we always deal with some security issues at this conference – one of the most active groups of students have been the ROTC students and we’re delighted to always work with them in the conference. And at this time, would you stand for the posting of the colors by the New Mexico State University ROTC?

[Singing The Star-Spangled Banner] A round of applause for the New Mexico State University ROTC. [Applause] And I want to introduce Hope Cordell and Courtney Chance – were the two cadets that sang the National Anthem. Didn’t they do a wonderful job? [Applause]

At this time, if you would remain standing just a moment, I would ask Dr. Randall Partin from the University United Methodist Church to offer an invocation for the conference. I should tell you that Dr. Partin has a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Colorado and taught at the University of New Mexico, and in that teaching at University of New Mexico became a religious experience for him and he became a minister as a result of it. Would you please welcome Dr. Randall Partin? [Applause]

Randall Partin: Let us pray. Almighty God, who are we that you are mindful of us? What is it to you these things and issues and concerns that occupy our time and captivate our conversations? Lord, our ways are not your ways. Our thoughts are not your thoughts. You grant us the awesome responsibility of caring for ourselves, of caring for one another, of caring for our communities, for our nation, for our world, and, yet, you do not leave us to our own devices. You call on us to act with justice, to pursue what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you.

Help us to seek your way out of all the ways that lie before us. Help us to search for your way even when it appears contrary to our way. Lord, be with us here and in the days and weeks and months and years to come. In all that we say here, grant us wisdom. In all that we do here, give us courage. In all the places we return to when this Institute is concluded, grant us peace. Amen.

Dean Carruthers: Amen. Thank you, Randall. And now I’d like to ask Chris Anaya, one of the regents at New Mexico State University to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Regent Chris Anaya: [Reciting The Pledge of Allegiance along with the audience]

Dean Carruthers: Thank you, Chris. Thank you. Please be seated. I also want to comment that Chris Anaya and Ann Morgan have worked tirelessly over the last few weeks putting this conference together, but I don’t see Ann, but Chris was just up here. Is Ann around somewhere? She’s probably doing some chores. But they work just down the hall from my office and they have been busy. I gave ‘em a target of 550 attendees at this conference, and so every day I would walk by and I’d say, What’s the number? And Chris would be on his computer trying to figure out the number. Well, they went over 600 attendees at this conference, so we’re having just a great turnout. [Applause]

At this time I would like to call up a special person at New Mexico State University. She’s been with us about 8 months and 15 days and 6 hours. The 25th President of New Mexico State University is Dr. Barbara Couture. She comes to us from the University of Nebraska; prior to that, Washington State University; prior to that, she was at Wayne State University, I think in Detroit; and she’s a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Her Doctorate is in English. She arrived in early January with the news that (a) she was the 25th President of New Mexico State University and (b) You’ve gotta cut the budget. And so, when she came she looked like one of our volleyball players; she was about 6'2". And as a consequence of the budget cuts of the State of New Mexico, I offer you a much shorter version of our earlier President, Barbara Couture: a great President of New Mexico State University. [Applause]

President Couture: In honor of my shortness (laughter), thank you Governor and Dean Carruthers. We’re delighted to be here and welcome to all of you to New Mexico State University for the 2010 Domenici Public Policy Conference. It’s in its third year now, bringing together some of the best minds in our nation to focus on important issues facing the nation, and also, of course, honoring the incredible legacy of our state and national treasure, Senator Pete Domenici, who is in the audience this morning. Applause]

The list of speakers for this year’s event is particularly impressive: Thomas Hoenig, Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, President; Robert Davis of the American Bankers Association, Executive Vice President; Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Senator from Texas; Sam Nunn, former U.S. Senator, Georgia; Thomas O. Hunter, Sandia National Laboratories, retired Director; Sam Donaldson, ABC News contributor; Susana Martinez, Third Judicial District Attorney; Diane Denish, the New Mexico Lieutenant Governor; Karl Rove, Fox News contributor; Joe Lockhart, political analyst and commentator; and, of course, again, Pete V. Domenici, retired U.S. Senator – never really retired – from New Mexico.

And just to have one or two folks like this on a program would probably bring out a crowd like we have today, but to have each of them here in one spot for presentations over the next two days, it’s really something spectacular. We can’t thank them enough for their participation, and I can’t thank enough Dean Garrey Carruthers and the team from the Domenici Institute who put the program together.

None of this would be possible without the donation, of course, of Senator Domenici’s political papers to NMSU when he left office. Those papers and the memorabilia started showing up by tractor trailer more than three years ago and they’re now housed in the Branson Library. Today a team of professionals from New Mexico State University works daily with the correspondence, the audio-visual tapes, political campaign pieces, and other items from the Senator’s 36 years in office. And while these archive professionals continue to work away at those tractor trailer loads of memorabilia and papers, some of the items, in fact many of them, are already available to the public online, and I hope you will take a look at our website to see what you might find there.

Because the University now holds the Senator’s papers, NMSU has also started the Domenici Institute, which organizes this conference, as you know, each year and recently received federal funding to support its efforts. This fall I hope we all realize we have a significant opportunity to show our support for the Domenici Institute and also for the College of Business with the election that will be held this fall for the G.O. bond issue, where we hope that our citizens will choose to pledge $20 million for the Institute and for the furtherance of classes and classroom space for our College of Business students here at New Mexico State University.

It is conferences such as this, such as the Domenici Conference, that fulfill NMSU’s mission of outreach to the community and they are headliners of our pledge to forward a new era of excellence through partnership here at New Mexico State. It’s not every day that the people of Southern New Mexico can hear from the President of the Federal Reserve Bank; listen to two candidates for New Mexico governor lay out their policy initiatives; or see in person, of course, Karl Rove, Joe Lockhart, and Sam Donaldson as they analyze the 2010 mid-term elections. These conferences also highlight the excellence of our faculty, whose expertise attracts individuals of this caliber to this campus and who continue with many learning opportunities for our students at New Mexico State University each and every day.

I want to thank everyone of you for attending and participating in the conference and, of course, thanks to the volunteers and the many others who worked so hard to make this a success. Have a great couple of days here at New Mexico State University. Go Aggies. Thank you. [Applause]

Dean Carruthers: Thank you, Dr. Couture. Thank you very much, Dr. Couture. Dr. Couture was inaugurated a couple weeks ago when we started school and the local Bishop of the Catholic Church, in using his Spanish, said the proper term for Go Aggies is Vamanos Aggies!

And so, I’m asking that the cheerleading squads and the people in the stands convert Go Aggies to Vamanos Aggies. First, it would confuse our opponents for a brief period of time and we could use a little confusion in some of our sports. So, in the future, Dr. Couture, if you’d do me a favor and say, Vamanos Aggies! That’s what we want.

President Couture: Vamanos Aggies!

Dean Carruthers: There we go. We got her. See how easily trained she is? (Laughter)

Okay. One of Senator Domenici’s close associates for many years, and one of our colleagues, was Senator Jeff Bingaman and they shared roles on the Senate Energy Committee, oftentimes changing chair for vice chair, did a great amount of work together over many years on behalf of the nation and New Mexico. Senator Jeff Bingaman was the one that sponsored a $10 million gift from the United States Government to honor Senator Domenici’s 36 years in the Senate. Here to report from Senator Jeff Bingaman is one of his top aides, Dara Parker. Dara?

Dara Parker: I’m going to avail myself of the stepstool as well. (Laughter) It’s really wonderful to be here to welcome you all this morning. I know we have a packed agenda, so Senator Bingaman asked me to read a letter on his behalf and I’ll just get right to that.

Dear Senator Domenici and Distinguished Guests,

Let me begin by extending my regards to my friend and former Senate colleague, Pete Domenici. I would also like to recognize New Mexico State University for organizing this annual event and helping to create a forum for dialogue on the most important issues facing the nation. One of the foremost on our minds is the economy, which affects all other areas.

While we are no longer shedding jobs the way we were two years ago, no one is satisfied with the weak GDP growth we’ve seen in recent months. In Washington we’ve taken several steps to give the economy a jolt. The economic stimulus package pumped more than $2 billion into the New Mexico economy. We also passed tax cuts: some for families and others aimed at encouraging businesses to hire unemployed workers.

However, there is more to do to create the number of jobs American families need. Small businesses are the engines of our economy. We are poised in the Senate to approve the Small Business Jobs Act, legislation that will increase access to capital, expand tax cuts, and allow for bonus depreciation. The sooner we can get our economy back on track the sooner we will be able to begin reducing our deficit, which I believe is critical to our long-term economic strength.

Another issue receiving substantial national attention right now is border security. As a starting point, I believe it is very important to recognize that we have made tremendous strides in recent years. As results of both significant enhancements to security and the economic downturn, border-wide apprehension rates are the lowest they’ve been since the 1970s. In the El Paso sector, which includes the entire state of New Mexico, apprehensions have dropped from 122,000 in 2005 to just below 15,000 last year.

However, we must continue to address physical security and also work hard to dismantle the transnational drug organizations. With over 28,000 drug-related deaths in Mexico since 2006, the violence is clearly disconcerting. In an effort to prevent violence from spreading into the United States, President Obama recently signed into law a bill I co-sponsored that provides $600 million to DHS and DOJ to strengthen security, hire 1,500 new law enforcement agents, and prosecute drug runners, money launderers, and human traffickers. While providing needed resources, this legislation is offset and won’t add to the national debt. He has also sent 1,200 Guardsmen and women to assist border patrol and increase efforts to disrupt outbound smuggling of guns and drugs proceeds that are supporting these violent cartels.

Of course, as we strengthen border security we should also work to fix bilateral trade and fix our immigration system. In the national security arena we have to be ever more strategic in developing our assets and tactics as well. My focus has been to continue Pete’s legacy in ensuring that New Mexico grows in its ability to serve in an increasingly complex security environment.

Finally, I understand that you’ll also be discussing the impact of the 2010 elections. Regardless of what happens in November, I hope the 112th Congress will be prepared to work on a bipartisan basis to deal with our national challenges the way Pete and I did during our many years together in the Senate on a number of issues I just addressed.

With that, I wish you a wonderful and successful conference.

Sincerely,

Jeff Bingaman, United States Senator

[Applause]

Dean Carruthers: Thank you, Dara. Thank you very much. Thank you, Dara, and do thank Senator Bingaman for his continued support of our state and our university. I’m told that we need to be aware – I think – my colleague, Sylvia Acosta, came up and I think she was suggesting I might want to clean up my act. She says this is on C-SPAN, so no more jokes about UNM and things of that nature. (Laughter)

There are three people in Albuquerque who watch C-SPAN and I know two of them. (Laughter)

Maybe that was an unfortunate statement. The Chairman of the Board over here is looking askance at me. Okay, replacing Senator Domenici, after I think about ten years in the United States Congress, Senator Tom Udall was elected and he is from Santa Fe. I knew his father rather well; passed away last year. Stewart Udall was a good friend. And Tom Udall is representing us very well in the United States Senate and I understand Elizabeth Driggers is here to read a letter from Senator Tom Udall. Elizabeth?

Elizabeth Driggers: Thank you Dean. Unfortunately, Senator Udall’s schedule did not permit him to attend this conference, but he, too, asked that I read this letter on his behalf. He writes:

Thank you for inviting me to share a few words with you today. I wish I could be here in person. Thank you to NMSU for hosting this event and to the organizers who worked tirelessly putting all of this together. Thanks, also, to the speakers for giving their time and to the students who are coming with open minds, and a special thanks to Senator Domenici for your time and dedication to this conference and for your years of service.

The Domenici Public Policy Conference provides a unique opportunity to connect New Mexicans with policy makers. It serves as a tool for communal learning by creating a platform to discuss national issues that affect our great state. I believe that one of the many ways to ensure our nation’s continued success is to bring together the bright young minds of tomorrow with our country’s leaders of today in an educational setting such as NMSU. This exchange of ideas in a free environment is one of the founding principles of our country and continues to define the United States today.

The topics being discussed during this year’s Domenici Public Policy Conference are very timely. I am proud to have voted in favor of legislation dealing with national security, financial reform, and border issues that I believe will improve our already great nation. In July, President Obama signed a financial reform bill into law that will help hold Wall Street accountable and provide greater security for folks on Main Street. Congress also approved and the President signed a bill last month that sets aside $600 million to improve security along our Southwest border. I believe these pieces of legislation are very important and I look forward to hearing about the diverse set of opinions on these issues that are expressed during this conference.

The exchange of knowledge and expertise is what makes this conference successful. I want to thank you again for attending and I look forward to continuing to hear about your discussion on these critical public policy issues.

Sincerely,

Tom Udall, U.S. Senator

Dean Carruthers: Thank you, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Driggers: Thank you.

Dean Carruthers: Thank you very much. [Applause] Thanks again. We’re delighted to have in the audience – dropped by to visit with us – Congressman Harry Teague from Hobbs. The Congressman is in his first term in the United States House of Representatives and I’d like to invite the Congressman to come up and say a few words to the audience. Congressman Harry Teague. [Applause]

Representative Harry Teague: Thank you. Thanks for allowing me to be here. It’s always a great time any time you get to be with Senator Domenici. I want to thank all of y’all for allowing me a little bit of your time here today. You know, I think that while we have some wonderful and talented guest speakers at the conference this year, I probably have the best gig out of all of them because I get to speak before the person that made all of this possible.

What can we really say about Senator Pete Domenici? If I was going to list all of his achievements that have occurred during his four decades of public service we’d probably still be here speaking when next year’s conference started. And while I can stand here and speak about the Senator’s legacy, I’d just like to speak to you, not as a member of Congress but as something that I know was always valuable to Pete Domenici. I want to speak to you as one of his constituents.

For the time that Pete Domenici served in the Senate he made it a policy to be sure about the well-being of all New Mexicans. He worked hard to ensure that people in the state had opportunities and received their fair share from their government. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work with him on bringing the uranium enrichment facility to Southeast New Mexico. This facility not only created numerous and good-paying jobs for New Mexicans, but also diversified the economy in Southeast New Mexico in a way that helps balance the economy in the boom and bust business of oil and natural gas. It also provided a source of clean and efficient energy that is not provided by foreign power.

And while I was happy to have worked with him in that very important project, I have to tell you that I do have one regret about Senator Domenici. I never got to serve alongside him in the New Mexico Congressional Delegation. Now, don’t misunderstand; we have a good group of folks up there now. But when we look at the history of our state we can easily point to New Mexico legends. They left their mark for generations to come and made the state a better place than they had found. Pete Domenici is one of those people.

So, with that, I’m very honored and very humbled to be here today with my fellow New Mexican and someone I was always proud to call my Senator, Pete Domenici. Thank you. [Applause]

Dean Carruthers: Thank you, Congressman. I also want to thank the Congressman for his support of New Mexico State University. He’s always been active in supporting our great university here. And I want to thank him for just taking a moment this morning. When I found him out there getting a cup of coffee I asked him if he’d go to talk to our students, and he was kind enough to go talk to the students that are going to ask questions. And they asked him a couple of questions like, Why don’t I have a job? (Laughter)

Of course, he had a ready answer because he’s running for office. But we’re delighted as always to have Congressman Teague on our campus and in our community and we wish him well.

Now we have a very active mayor in the City of Las Cruces, doing a fine job as mayor of our great city. While we’re not exactly in the city here, the mayor has a project down the street here called The Conference Center that’s on University land, but it’s a city-owned facility. And so, the Mayor’s been very supportive of what we do out here and I’d like to call Mayor Ken Miyagishima, who would like to give a proclamation. Mayor, how are you?

Mayor Ken Miyagishima: Fine. Good to see you. [Applause] You know, Governor, I think you have a great future as a comedian. You’re really pretty good. You know, I always enjoy having a chance to see the Governor when he does his MCing. I think he does a fantastic job.

But, again, good morning to everyone. Good morning Senator Domenici, President Couture, Congressman Teague, and distinguished guests. It’s always a pleasure to be here and I really enjoy every chance I have to see the Senator. You know, last year I had a time to tell you again and I’d like to remind you about – you’ve touched so many lives in New Mexico and you were a mentor to me as a child growing up. I’m a mature-looking 29-year-old, okay? (Laughter)

But as a child growing up – and you were one of the main reasons why I entered into public service and I can tell you, my past 19 years in public office