[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 20 (Wednesday, January 28, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO VADM NANCY HANN

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Vice Admiral 
Nancy Hann on the occasion of her retirement. VADM Hann is retiring 
after more than 30 years of extraordinary service with the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.
  After graduating from the University of California San Diego in 1996 
with a bachelor's degree in marine science and biology, VADM Hann 
started her career with NOAA as a fisheries observer. Over time, she 
expanded her expertise and was later commissioned as an officer in the 
NOAA Officer Corps, where she served in a variety of capacities. VADM 
Hann's versatility and dedication to her profession have made her an 
incomparable asset to NOAA and to the Nation. She later went on to earn 
a master's in space studies and remote sensing at Embry-Riddle 
Aeronautical University and a master of public administration at the 
Harvard Kennedy School.
  Most notably, VADM Hann has served in many operational and top 
management assignments including her positions as NOAA's Acting 
Administrator, deputy director of the NOAA Corps and the Office of 
Marine and Aviation Operations, OMAO, commanding officer of the NOAA 
Aircraft Operations Center, and NOAA liaison to the U.S. Pacific 
Command. Most recently, VADM Hann completed a tour as the director of 
the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and is currently the highest-
ranking officer in the NOAA Corps.
  VADM Hann is a trailblazer in her field. She was she one of the first 
female officers to qualify as an aircraft commander and the first woman 
to achieve the rank of vice admiral in the NOAA Corps, as well as one 
of NOAA's first uncrewed systems operators. She has consistently led by 
example through her experience, her achievements, and her demonstrated 
commitment to equitable workspaces. VADM Hann's leadership has left an 
enduring legacy of professionalism, mentorship, and innovation that 
will inspire generations to come.
  Upon retiring, VADM Hann is closing out an illustrious, awe-inspiring 
career, one spent in service to research, coastal and marine 
stewardship, and our Nation. She has dedicated the entirety of her 
career to principled leadership and environmental conservation, and I 
thank her for her commitment. I invite my colleagues to join me in 
thanking VADM Hann for her lifetime of service and to congratulate her 
on her well-deserved retirement.

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