[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 18356-18357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING SUSAN HANBACK ON HER RETIREMENT FROM THE HOUSE OF 
                            REPRESENTATIVES

  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, as we approach completion of our work here 
before the summer break, I think it is important for us to note that 
when we return, a very familiar face will no longer be greeting us here 
when we regularly come onto the House floor. I am

[[Page 18357]]

referring, of course, to Susan Hanback, who has worked on Capitol Hill 
since 1967.

                              {time}  1815

  That is a long, long period of time. And after that long tenure, she 
has chosen to retire. And I would like to take just a minute because I 
learned some things about her, in the fact that she is headed to 
retirement, that I did not know, Mr. Speaker.
  Earlier in her career, during a very challenging time in our Nation's 
history, she worked hard and reported on the hearings for the 
confirmation of Nelson Rockefeller to become Vice President of the 
United States and Gerald Ford to become President of the United States.
  In 1976 she joined the House as a House official committee reporter. 
And in 1979 she became a floor reporter of debates, one of the first 
two stenotype reporters to come to the floor. Since 1995 Susan has been 
Chief of the combined committee/floor reporter offices.
  And I would like to say that she has got a number of outside 
interests as well. Not everyone knows that she and former Senator John 
Breaux actually won a mixed doubles tournament at the Capitol Hill 
Tennis Club.
  She is a very, very familiar face to us, and one that we will miss 
greatly. And I would like all of us, Mr. Speaker, to join in expressing 
our appreciation to the fine service of Susan Hanback.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DREIER. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California, the 
chairman of the Committee on Rules, for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, those of us who have been here for some period of time 
quickly learn that those who serve this House, this institution, who 
may not speak in the well, who may not introduce legislation, who may 
not participate in debates, nevertheless are absolutely critical to the 
legislative process. As a group they bring a degree of love of country, 
love of the House of Representatives, and commitment to their work that 
surely if paralleled somewhere, it is only in a few places.
  I have had the privilege of working with the desk officers, the 
reporters, the parliamentarians for now over a quarter of a century, 
less time than Susan Hanback has served this House. She was here when I 
came here in 1981.
  Her decision to retire as Chief of the Office of Official Reporters 
is, of course, wonderful news for her and her family. We had an 
opportunity to discuss it on the floor just the other evening about how 
she is going to enjoy her Virginia residence, perhaps much more 
peaceful, less hassled, but from time to time perhaps a little less 
interesting as well, but certainly more restful. And she deserves the 
rest because her service has been extraordinary.
  As has been said by the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), she 
has worked in the House since the late 1960s. She witnessed during that 
time some of the most important events that have occurred on the House 
floor, including debates on legislation affecting every aspect of 
Americans' lives as she transcribed innumerable speeches and statements 
of hundreds of Members of Congress.
  Those who transcribe history are critically important because future 
generations will learn from the historic record that they have set 
down, and the accuracy of that reporting is critically important not 
only to the deliberations of this body today, but it will be critically 
important to the precedents of tomorrow.
  Mrs. Hanback has dedicated her career to serving the American people 
just as surely as every one of us who serves here in elected office. 
Those who serve as reporters and at the desk and as the 
parliamentarians and in every other aspect of making sure this House 
runs correctly serve America, serve America's citizens, serve America's 
freedom. By accurately reporting for and helping oversee the production 
of the Congressional Record, Susan has helped ensure that there is a 
government accessible to the people and is, therefore, a government for 
the people, of the people, and by the people.
  Susan was critical, as so many of you are whose names are not known 
to the public and, indeed, whose names may not be known to many who 
serve here by your sides every day. But because your names are not 
known, it does not mean that the service you perform is not absolutely 
essential to our democracy.
  Susan Hanback was offered a job, Mr. Speaker, as a Senate official 
reporter in 1987. As testimony to the love of this House, she turned 
that offer down and chose to stay in the House because she thought it 
was more interesting, and the people said, Amen.
  We are all, of course, very grateful, Susan, that you made that 
decision. We have been advantaged not only by the skill with which you 
have performed your job, but by the warmth of your personality and the 
grace that you have served this body.
  I would like to wish you all the very best. The gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi), minority leader, and the leadership on this 
side joins with the Speaker, the majority leader, the majority whip, 
and all the officers, including the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Dreier), on that side of the aisle to say in a nonpartisan, bipartisan, 
unanimous way, Susan, you have served us well. You have served your 
country well. We wish you the very greatest of happiness as you now 
retire from this body to serving so well your family as you have done 
for so long, but now will do so much more present with them, and we 
wish you the very best.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank my friend for 
his very thoughtful comments.
  And as he was talking about Susan's history here, and as I look at 
the gathered employees here of the House of Representatives, I was 
thinking during the remarks that the gentleman from Maryland, the 
distinguished minority whip offered, of the new assignment that we have 
taken on here in this institution when we established under the 
direction of the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) and the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), minority leader, this new 
commission, the House Democracy Assistance Commission. And we have over 
the past several months, and are continuing at this time, to proceed 
with assessments of different countries around the world, and we are 
working with those Parliaments that are looking to model their work 
after much of what we do here. Obviously, there are some things that we 
might do a little differently.
  But, clearly, the example that Susan has set is one that is a model 
not just for the future here in the United States of America, but, Mr. 
Speaker, it should be known that her example is one that can be set for 
these emerging Parliaments, and there are so many of them around the 
world, because of the great reverence that is held for this 
institution. And as the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said very 
well, the appreciation that exists for all who work at this institution 
is something that is held by all of us who are privileged to serve as 
elected representatives of this House.
  And we do wish you well in your retirement. And we want you to know, 
of course, from the Speaker and all of the leadership team, as the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said, on both sides of the aisle, 
that you are welcome back to visit us at any time at all.

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