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.
“TRIBUTE TO MATTHEW McCORMICK” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Senate section on pages S3365 on June 3, 2014.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO MATTHEW McCORMICK
Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to a devoted public servant as he retires from a career at the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Navy. Matthew S. McCormick has dedicated 32 years in service to our Nation, including 11 years--the last 4 as manager--at the Richland Operations Office at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in my home State of Washington.
A graduate of Montana State University, Mr. McCormick began his civil career as a nuclear engineer for the U.S. Navy. After he worked on the Naval Reactor's Program, Mr. McCormick moved to the Department of Energy serving in multiple different capacities in the Office of Environmental Management and with the Savanah River Site and Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site. His time there taught him the value of environmental cleanup, and was critical to his next job as assistant manager for the Central Plateau in the Richland Operations Office. He proved himself in this role, and was named manager of the Richland Operations Office in 2010.
It is clear to me that Washington State has benefitted from Mr. McCormick's leadership. As a part of the Manhattan Project, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation produced plutonium from 1944 until 1987. The people of the Tri-Cities sacrificed for the strength and safety of our Nation, and cleanup of the Hanford site is an ongoing challenge. Mr. McCormick has shown tremendous dedication to this task, and has helped ensure that the cleanup efforts at Hanford continue to move forward in a meaningful and timely fashion.
Mr. McCormick was part of the team that set forward a path to protect the Columbia River and reduce the active footprint of the Hanford site by focusing on cleanup projects along the shoreline under the 2015 Vision. During his tenure, the remaining plutonium left in the Plutonium Finishing Plant after the Cold War was stabilized, packaged, and shipped offsite and out of the State of Washington. Cleanup was completed at the first reactor area--F Reactor, and a total of seven of nine nuclear reactors were placed in interim safe storage. Significant progress has been made in protecting the Columbia River from contaminated groundwater through the construction of the 200 West Pump and Treat Facility in the Central Plateau and three new pump and treat facilities along the Columbia River. Most importantly, Mr. McCormick has strived to ensure that local communities, tribal nations, and stakeholders know their voices are being heard.
Mr. McCormick's success in carrying out the cleanup mission at Hanford was aided by his ability to build relationships, including with me and members of my staff. When he was made manager almost 4 years ago, I knew that the Tri-Cities community and Washington State as a whole could count on his leadership. Today I join with others throughout the Pacific Northwest in thanking him for his years of service. I congratulate Mr. McCormick on his retirement, and wish him the best of luck in moving forward.
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