[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 13, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2214-S2215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE DEPARTURE OF A DEAR FRIEND, KRISTINE ``IVO'' IVERSON

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, one of my very dear staffers is about to 
leave the Senate, a wonderful woman who has given a great deal of her 
time and love--indeed, a great deal of her life--to me, my office, the 
citizens of Utah, the county, and indeed, to this grand and honored 
institution, the Senate of the United States.
  It is almost impossible for me to believe, but, after nearly a 
quarter of a

[[Page S2215]]

century, Kristine Iverson's last working day in my office has now come 
upon us.
  I can still remember that day in 1976, when a young Illinois native--
just two years out of DePauw University--when that young lady came to 
my office, resume in hand, seeking a position as a legislative 
correspondent. Kris got that job, and it was one of the best moves I 
made.
  Kris joined my staff in 1977 as a legislative correspondent. But her 
intelligence, dedication, warm heart and incredible ability to grasp 
all the intricacies of the legislative process quickly propelled her to 
a series of top positions in my office and on the Labor Committee.
  And for the past 24 years, day in and day out, we have always been 
able to count on Kris Iverson. Night after night, year after year, she 
was the first one in and the last one to leave.
  In short, we have grown gray together.
  Over the years, Kris has worn many hats: Legislative Assistant, Labor 
Committee Policy Director, Labor Committee Minority Staff Director, and 
now Legislative Director.
  In every position she served admirably and won the utmost respect 
from her colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
  Most recently, Kris has served without peer in one of the most 
difficult and challenging positions in the office of any Senator--
legislative director. In that position, she has served with an 
unmatchable commitment to the Senate and indeed the very Congress of 
the United States.
  We all know how important it is to have a Legislative Director who we 
can trust to take our legislative priorities and help us direct them 
through the Byzantine maze of the legislative process.
  Kris has been responsible for shepherding every piece of legislation 
that I sponsored. Beyond that, she was also responsible for helping to 
direct the legislative activities of both my personal staff and the 
Judiciary Committee staff.
  Not only has Kris--or ``Ivo'' as we endearingly refer to her--earned 
my undying respect and admiration, but she is also highly admired by 
many in this body for her honesty, her work-ethic and her analytical 
skills.
  When I think of many of the great laws in this nation the Child Care 
and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, the Women in Science Act, the 
Americans with Disabilities Act, the Job Training Partnership Act or 
JTPA, the Children's Health Insurance Program or CHIP all of these 
great laws reflect Kris Iverson's substantial mark.
  Kris was there--in fact, Ivo was the lead staffer--on my first law, 
the National Ski Patrol Federal Charter, signed by Carter in 1980.
  We often joke that she has files older than many of our staffers, and 
I'm sorry to say, it's true!
  Unfortunately for us, her reputation has carried all the way to the 
White House where President George W. Bush has announced his intent to 
nominate her to one of the highest positions in the Department of 
Labor.
  If all goes as planned--and I know it will--very shortly Kris will 
become the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Congressional and 
Intergovernmental Affairs.
  Her only obstacle is confirmation by this august body . . . and I am 
counting on my colleagues to give her their support. Unanimous support!
  I know that in that very important office, she will serve Secretary 
Chao with the same dedication and spirit. Clearly, being appointed by 
the President of our great nation to such a position is a tremendous 
honor and a tribute to her.
  A great writer once said:

       Give us an individual of integrity, on whom we know we can 
     thoroughly depend; who will stand firm when others fail; the 
     friend, faithful and true; the advisor, honest and fearless; 
     the adversary, just and chivalrous: such an one is the 
     fragment of the Rock of Ages.--J.P. Stanley

  Ivo has been such a faithful and true ``rock'' of our office. I 
cannot put into words how much she will be missed, not only by my staff 
but also by the Senate as a whole.
  And of course, she will be greatly missed by me.
  I have considered her my right-hand counselor and advisor. I have 
relied on her on a daily, if not hourly basis.
  We have come to count on Kris to do it all. From proper placement of 
commas . . . to strategy on the most important legislative initiatives 
. . . Kris does it, and does it well.
  Dozens, if not hundreds, of people throughout Washington and the 
nation were mentored by Kris Iverson, and under her gentle tutelage 
have gone on to lead successful careers.
  When the times were hard or the seas were rough, Kris was there with 
a steady and unbending hand to guide us on the proper course. She was 
our captain, our Mother Superior, our eye in the storm, our calm center 
in a sea of chaos.
  I must say that I am very saddened by her departure. But I am very, 
very happy and proud of her accomplishments and most importantly, of 
this tremendous appointment to a place where I know that she will 
continue to honor and serve her country with dignity and respect.
  So, I hope my colleagues will join me in wishing Kris well, in 
expressing our love and gratitude for her service to us.
  There is no doubt in our minds that she will move on to even greater 
heights as she continues to serve our government and our President.
  Mr. President, I have had a lot of people serve with me throughout 
the years, a lot of really good people I love, adore, appreciate, and 
honor. I have had no one serve with me who did a better job or gave 
more to this institution and to our country than Kris Iverson. I felt 
very much like I had to make this statement at this time before Kris 
leaves. She is sitting right beside me, and I am very, very proud of 
her.
  I yield to my friend from Connecticut.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I was happy to yield to my colleague for the 
purpose of making this statement, although I had no idea what the 
subject matter was going to be. I feel fortunate to have been on the 
floor when I discovered it was going to be about Kris Iverson, with 
whom I have worked now for some 15 or 16 years, going back to the mid-
1980s when Senator Hatch and I authored the child care development 
block grant.
  Kris Iverson did the initial work for Senator Hatch on that 
legislation, working with a fellow from my office who has been at the 
Department of Health and Human Services over the last number of years. 
I thank Kris.
  Coming from the other side of the aisle here, I didn't have the 
privilege of working with her every day, but on the days that I did, I 
came to know her as a highly competent, serious individual of deep 
convictions, who understands issues very, very well, appreciates the 
role of government, and that bright and talented people can make a 
contribution.
  We are going to miss you, I say to Kris Iverson, here in the Senate, 
although we are not going to lose you entirely from public service. So 
on behalf of those of us on this side of the aisle--we don't want to 
ruin your reputation in Republican circles--but we thank you as well 
for a job very well done on behalf of all Americans. We are lucky to 
have had you serve the Senate and certainly the interests of the 
American people.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I thank my colleague for his kind remarks 
because he knows how hard we worked together on the child care 
development block grant, and a whole raft of other issues. Kris has 
done such a great job, and I am honored to have her sit beside me for 
the last time in the Senate. We are very proud of her.

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