Former Senator, Governor and Environmental Champion Robert Stafford Dies

Date: December 24, 2006

Source: News Room

Former Senator Robert T. Stafford, a leading advocate for the environment and education, died on December 23rd. He was 93. His public life spanned more than a half century where he spent 2 years as a governor, 11 years in the House and 17 in the Senate before retiring in 1989. As a member of the Senate, Stafford championed numerous environmental initiatives, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. When Ronald Reagan became president and the Republicans took control of the Senate, Stafford ascended to chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee where he successfully opposed Reagan's efforts to turn back the environmental gains of the previous decade. He led the Senate in voting to override Reagan's veto of a bill strengthening the Clean Water Act. He also repeatedly defended the Superfund program and shepherded bills to combat acid rain and automobile pollution.

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