[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 170 (Monday, November 18, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6605-S6606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO ROY HANSEN

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I pay tribute to Roy Hansen, who has been 
an integral part of my Senate staff for more than 20 years. Roy's 
dedication to public service and his remarkable contributions in the 
areas of technology,

[[Page S6606]]

growing opportunities for Idaho's youth, and constituent services have 
left an indelible mark on the Senate and the citizens he has served so 
faithfully.
  Roy Hansen began his career in public service in 2003 as an intern in 
my Boise office while attending Boise State University, where he earned 
a bachelor of science in political science with a focus on public law 
and political philosophy and a master of public administration 
specializing in State and local government. After showing his data 
analysis acumen, he, thankfully, became a full-time member of my staff 
in December 2003 as the web developer and deputy systems administrator. 
Roy quickly demonstrated his visionary leadership in technology, and, 
in 2015, Roy was promoted to systems administrator and IT director.
  Roy's keen interest in creating technological solutions that lead to 
efficient and effective government has been evident throughout his work 
to streamline our ability to efficiently advocate on behalf of Idahoans 
and communicate with the constituency and each other. He has been 
instrumental in leading many efforts to modernize the office's digital 
storage and archiving systems, develop the public website and intranet 
systems, provide digital data collection and data analysis support for 
statewide survey projects, develop and maintain our customized 
scheduling system, manage systems and processes that tens of thousands 
of Idahoans use every year to communicate with my staff and me, and so 
much more.
  His efforts have greatly enhanced our office's digital capabilities, 
providing more efficient and effective service to the people of Idaho, 
and he has dedicated considerable time to training and supporting staff 
across various platforms. He is perpetually available to help with any 
rising technological need of staff, be it helping to access share 
drives, dealing with glitches, and always kindly and patiently 
responding to user errors. His leadership and innovation in digital 
engagement were instrumental in the office earning the Congressional 
Management Foundation's Silver and Gold Mouse awards for excellence in 
providing constituents with services and information through electronic 
means.
  Beyond his technological contributions, Roy is deeply committed to 
cultivating the next generation of public servants. His internship 
experience influenced him to help create a formalized, continuous 
internship program in the State offices so more Idahoans benefit from 
the internship opportunity he valued. This internship program continues 
to thrive today, thanks in large part to Roy's efforts. He has also 
played a key role in supporting numerous policy and educational 
initiatives encouraging and supporting students, including the 
Congressional Award Program, the ``We the People'' High School Civics 
Competition, the U.S. Senate Youth Leadership Scholarship Selection 
Committee, and military academy appointment ceremonies.
  Roy has faced the many technological changes over the past decades 
with curiosity, know-how, and inventiveness. Currently, he is leading 
efforts to evaluate and integrate emergent artificial intelligence 
technologies and applications within the office, demonstrating his 
forward-thinking approach to governance and service. He also gets 
called upon to help with any number of necessary tasks from managing 
office inventories and vendor contracts, to State office security, to 
remodels, and so much more. No task has proven too big or too small for 
him to take on with his can-do spirit. The bottom line is, Roy has a 
great ability to smooth the edges of any challenge and keep things 
running efficiently.
  Roy also remains deeply connected to his Idaho roots. Born in Idaho 
Falls and a graduate of Rigby High School, Roy resides in the Boise 
area with his wife of 25 years, Jessica, and their three children: 
Garrett, Everett, and Grace. He enjoys spending his free time camping, 
fishing, and playing the piano.
  Roy Hansen has been an exceptional member of the Senate family, 
combining his deep knowledge of public administration, his passion for 
technology, and his unwavering commitment to public service. I extend 
my deepest gratitude and congratulations to Roy for his dedicated 
service to the Senate and the people of Idaho, and I look forward to 
his continued contributions in the years to come.

                          ____________________