[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 5638-5639]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING ARLEN LANCASTER

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a longtime staff 
member who is moving onto a new and exciting work challenge. Arlen 
Lancaster has been a valued member of my staff since the start of my 
first term in the Senate in 1999. He is leaving my staff to become the 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations at the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture.
  Arlen joined my staff as a legislative correspondent and worked his 
way through two promotions. He now serves as senior policy adviser, 
covering agriculture, conservation, rural development, energy and the 
Idaho National Laboratory, natural resources and public lands, defense 
as well as serving as the staff director of the Agriculture 
Subcommittee on Forestry, Conservation and Rural Revitalization. Arlen 
was instrumental in the work that I have done regarding the 
conservation title in the 2002 farm bill and shepherding the historic 
Healthy Forest Restoration Act through Congress.
  While Arlen's family hails from the Burley area in my home State of 
Idaho, he lived in many areas due to his father's work with the U.S. 
Air Force. He attended high school and college in Utah, graduating with 
a political science degree from the University of Utah. He is 
definitely a Westerner at heart and his work for me has benefited many 
in Idaho.
  On a personal note, Arlen was great to work with. He is decisive, 
insightful and innovative. His easy-going personality and sense of 
humor permeated all that he did in his public service for the people of 
Idaho and the United States. He provided a certain spark to my office. 
In fact, he sparked so much with

[[Page 5639]]

another LA that they will be getting married this summer and Arlen and 
Staci have my best wishes for a long, happy life together.
  I am excited by Arlen's new challenge at USDA and know he is well up 
to the task. Although I won't have the same opportunity to work with 
him on a daily basis, I look forward to our new working relationship 
and Arlen's continuing successes. His extensive knowledge of 
agriculture, natural resources and other policy issues will serve Arlen 
well in his new capacity.

                          ____________________