[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 20055-20056]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO COLONEL DAVID L. HANSEN

 Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to commend the 
distinguished service and leadership of Colonel David L. Hansen, who 
has ably served for the past 2 years as the district engineer for the 
Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  COL Hansen will soon assume new responsibilities as the Assistant 
Deputy Chief of Staff for Resource Management at the U.S. Army Training 
and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, VA.
  As he moves on to these new challenges, I want to convey my personal 
appreciation and the gratitude of all Virginians for his many 
accomplishments, and commitment to fulfilling the mission of the Corps 
of Engineers to provide superior planning, engineering, construction 
and conservation of our valuable water resources. In his brief tenure 
as district engineer, COL

[[Page 20056]]

Hansen led the Corps in effective disaster response to many 
communities, particularly the city of Franklin, in helping them rebuild 
from the devastating flooding of Hurricane Floyd. He led the Corps in 
proceeding with the modernization of Hampton Roads Harbor with his 
initiatives that have resulted in the construction of the 50-foot 
outbound channel so that Virginia remains competitive with the world's 
leading ports and is ready to serve the next generation of cargo 
vessels.
  COL Hansen's hallmark has been in executing the Corps mission to 
protect and restore our environmental resources and he leaves us with a 
solid foundation to build upon in the years ahead. Through his 
unwavering determination, Virginians will soon enjoy a free-flowing 
Rappahannock River for 106 miles from the Chesapeake Bay to the Blue 
Ridge Mountains. The removal of the Embrey Dam at Fredericksburg has 
been a project that I am dedicated to completing, and COL Hansen's 
leadership has ensured that this will begin next February.
  The Chesapeake 2000 Agreement renewed the Federal-State partnership 
to restore and improve the management of the living resources of the 
Chesapeake Bay. Immediately, COL Hansen took the goals of the agreement 
and put them into action. A central feature of the Chesapeake 2000 
Agreement that I am actively involved with is the tenfold increase in 
native oyster stocks over the next 10 years. To accomplish this, we 
have pursued an unprecedented effort to build three-dimensional oyster 
reefs in traditional oyster grounds throughout the bay. COL Hansen has 
taken up this challenge with unprecedented energy and commitment to 
coordinate Federal and State policymakers and scientists.
  These are just a few examples of COL Hansen's leadership in working 
with private organizations, State and local governments and other 
Federal agencies to ensure the Corps responds effectively to natural 
disasters, water resource development, and environmental initiatives. 
He embodies the finest traditions of the Corps of Engineers and the 
principles of public service.
  We thank him for his service to our Nation and Virginia, and wish him 
and his family every success in his new assignment.

                          ____________________