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| Memory of Joe Skeen Honored in Roswell |
December 22, 2004 |
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| Delegation Welcomes Legislation Signed by the President
Washington, DC – Legislation recognizing Joe Skeen’s life of service to New Mexico was signed into law late yesterday by the President designating the “Joe Skeen Federal Building” in Roswell.
The legislation, H.R. 3734, was sponsored by the entire New Mexico delegation: Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman, and Representatives Heather Wilson, Tom Udall, and Steve Pearce. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the measure in September, and the U.S. Senate passed the bill earlier this month on Dec. 7. The Joe Skeen Federal Building is at Fifth and Richardson Avenues in Roswell.
Joe Skeen passed away Dec. 7, 2003. He served 22 years in the U.S. House of Representatives before his retirement at the end of the 107th Congress. The bill had the strong support of Joe Skeen’s longtime friends and colleagues in Congress.
“This is a good tribute to Joe Skeen. He was a devoted public servant who put the interests of the people of southern New Mexico first. I’m pleased that President Bush has signed this bill into law, and that the federal building in Roswell will now bear Joe’s name as way of honoring his career,” Domenici said.
“Joe Skeen dedicated much of his life to the service of our state. Naming a federal building after him ensures that his service will be honored and remembered for years to come,” Bingaman said.
“Joe Skeen honored us with his life of service to New Mexico,” Wilson said. “Today we are honoring his memory with this simple indication of deep respect. Joe was a great New Mexican, a gentleman, a statesman, an able legislator and an advocate for the people of New Mexico. It was a blessing to serve with him.”
“While Joe and I served on opposite sides of the aisle, I had a genuine respect for the service he gave the citizens of the Second Congressional District of New Mexico,” Udall said. “He served his constituents with distinction, and we should honor his life`s work. As New Mexico’s longest-serving U.S. Representative, it is fitting that the Federal Building in Roswell bear his name.”
“Joe Skeen was a man of deep convictions, a true statesman and a dedicated public servant to his state and his country,” Pearce said. “The naming of this federal building will serve as a reminder of his hard work and dedication to his constituents. It’s an honor to his legacy and to his wife Mary, his kids and grandkids.”
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