[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 35 (Thursday, March 11, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S1454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING KENT M. RONHOVDE

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I was saddened to learn that Kent M. 
Ronhovde of the Congressional Research Service died on February 19. Mr. 
Ronhovde devoted a 36-year career at CRS to serving both sides of the 
aisle and both sides of the Capitol, Senate and the House.
  Mr. Ronhovde was a senior leader and an adviser to Director Daniel P. 
Mulhollan. For the last 7 years as Associate Director of the Office of 
Congressional Affairs and Counselor to the Director, he brought astute 
judgment and keen insight into some of the most sensitive issues facing 
the Service.
  CRS provides members of Congress authoritative, objective and 
nonpartisan analysis. All of us appreciate CRS experts' solid advice 
untainted by advocacy, hidden agendas or personal biases. Kent Ronhovde 
was instrumental in preserving those core values of CRS.
  Mr. Ronhovde was the primary liaison between CRS and its Senate and 
House oversight committees. He managed the CRS Review Office in which 
all CRS written work is judged for conformance with CRS policies.
  Mr. Ronhovde was a native Washingtonian who received his JD at 
Georgetown University Law Center and served in Vietnam. He subsequently 
earned a master's in public administration while at CRS. CRS hired him 
in 1974 as an attorney and he rose progressively through the American 
Law Division and CRS senior management.
  Some of us here today may remember Mr. Ronhovde's excellent work as a 
legislative attorney in the American Law Division in the 1970s and 80s. 
He served senators, committees and their staffs in such areas as 
criminal law, intelligence activities, gun control and terrorism. He 
wrote extensively on legal issues raised in connection with the reports 
of the Senate Select Committee to Study Government Operations with 
Respect to Intelligence Activities--Church Committee--and of the House 
Select Committee on Assassinations.
  His distinguished performance led to his selection as section head in 
1985 and assistant chief of the division in 1986. As assistant chief, 
he managed the Federal Law Update, a twice-yearly series of seminars on 
important issues of law and policy related to the legislative business 
of Congress. In 1996, he was promoted to a senior management position 
in CRS and in 2003 assumed the duties of associate director and 
counselor to the Director. Throughout this illustrious career, Mr. 
Ronhovde guarded and exemplified CRS's core values: authoritativeness, 
confidentiality and objectivity. He honored and respected CRS's role in 
serving the Congress and he ensured the role was undertaken judiciously 
and wisely. His astute counsel, sound judgment and devotion to the 
institutions of CRS and Congress will be sorely missed.
  Mr. President, I extend my sincerest condolences to Mr. Ronhovde's 
wife Juliet, daughters Kristen and Brooke, their families, and to all 
his many friends and colleagues at CRS.

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