[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3355]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RICHARD S. GIRVEN

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I wish to pay special tribute to 
Richard S. Girven, a key member of my staff on the Select Committee on 
Intelligence. Rich has a total of 33 years of distinguished service to 
the Senate and the U.S. Army. He will leave us shortly to join the 
Washington office of the Rand Corporation where he will serve as an 
associate director for the Intelligence Policy Center within the 
National Security Research Division. I am honored to have the 
opportunity to publicly thank Rich and note my appreciation for his 
outstanding service to the Select Committee on Intelligence during the 
past 5\1/2\ years.
  Since becoming the vice chairman of the committee in 2011, I have 
often relied upon Rich's impressive analytical skills and teamwork on a 
wide range of intelligence issues. As the committee's director of 
analysis, he has routinely mentored our senior staff members in the 
execution of their substantive and regional portfolios. Rich is well 
known on the Hill and throughout the intelligence community as a 
leading expert on issues related to Asia and the Middle East, with 
special emphasis on South and Southeast Asia. He has also done 
superlative oversight work on issues related to analytic quality, 
linguists in the intelligence community, human intelligence, 
technology, education and training, and intelligence authorities and 
reform. He has conducted and participated in many committee studies 
involving analysis, analytic tradecraft, and analyst technologies.
  Rich even has a ``superpower''--he reads faster than anyone I have 
ever met. I have been told by reliable sources that he can read at 
least 1,600 words per minute. This sometimes worked to his personal 
disadvantage, because he was frequently tasked with reading very large 
bills, some in excess of 1,000 pages, to assess whether any provisions 
could negatively impact intelligence authorities and operations. Rich's 
inexhaustible work ethic and sound judgment have made him an 
indispensable member of the committee staff and an invaluable resource 
to other congressional committees. His quick wit and good humor make 
him a pleasure to work with. He is the consummate team player who 
improves the performance of everyone around him.
  My colleagues and I trust Rich's judgment implicitly. His example of 
dedicated public service and exceptional day-to-day performance on the 
job has earned our respect, admiration, and it inspired a generation of 
staff who had the privilege to work alongside him. There is no doubt 
that Rich has a bright future at the Rand Corporation; however, should 
the right opportunity present itself, I would hope that he will 
consider another stint in public service. We will miss Rich deeply, but 
his legacy will remain a part of the Senate Select Committee on 
Intelligence for years to come.

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