[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3160-3161]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO DAN HAMMER

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to 
recognize a great friend and gifted wordsmith, Dan Hammer, who is 
retiring after a long and distinguished career in public service.
  Born and raised in San Jose, Dan attended UC Santa Cruz before moving 
to Boston to manage an antiwar printing press. He returned to the San 
Francisco Bay area soon afterwards, where he cut his editing teeth as a 
typesetter for Rolling Stone magazine.
  I first crossed paths with Dan during my 1992 Senate campaign. Dan 
stopped by my San Diego campaign office after work one day, and his 
immense talents immediately caught the attention of my local campaign 
manager. Dan quickly became one of my hardest working volunteers, doing 
everything from writing memos and news advisories to helping manage my 
public events. After I won the election, I knew I had to have Dan on my 
team. Although it took some convincing, he joined my San Diego district 
office in 1994.
  Dan has held many positions in my offices over the years. As a San 
Diego-based field representative, he served as my eyes and ears on the 
ground, keeping me apprised of critical issues in southern California. 
As my deputy press secretary based out of my Washington, DC office, Dan 
worked many late nights writing press releases and staffing me at 
events. As my constituent communications director, Dan moved my entire 
legislative correspondence operation from DC to southern California, 
managing the full operation with discipline and precision. Under his 
leadership, my legislative correspondence team answers 200,000 letters 
and emails every month, and he uses his exceptional communications 
skills every day to share my work with the constituents I serve. 
Through it all, he has helped teach a generation of young staffers how 
to effectively communicate about the most important issues and ideas of 
our time.
  Outside of work, Dan selflessly gives his time to the causes he 
believes in. Whether volunteering with environmental organizations like 
the Planning and Conservation League, working for other elected 
officials including Congresswoman Susan Davis, or joining the U.S. 
Coast Guard Auxiliary, Dan has always been dedicated to making his 
community a better place to live.
  For more than 20 years, Dan has been a trusted ally, advisor, and 
friend. As he begins his retirement and embarks on the next exciting 
chapter of his life, I send him, his wife Shelley, and their entire 
family my best wishes, deep affection, and abiding gratitude.

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