TRIBUTE TO ROGER S. CHRISTENSEN

On 2024-12-17, Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) delivered a floor speech titled "TRIBUTE TO ROGER S. CHRISTENSEN" in the Senate. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered foreign policy. It referenced legislation: S7100.

TRIBUTE TO ROGER S. CHRISTENSEN

Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 187 (Tuesday, December 17, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 187 (Tuesday, December 17, 2024)] [Senate] [Page S7100] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS ______ TRIBUTE TO ROGER S. CHRISTENSEN Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, we join in honoring Roger Christensen for his decades of service to Idahoans as Bonneville County Commissioner. Roger Christensen of Idaho Falls has been a steady, experienced hand at the helm of Bonneville County for the past 30 years. He became commissioner in January 1995 and has served faithfully until his upcoming retirement in January 2025, giving him the distinction of being the longest serving Bonneville County commissioner. Roger has led the Bonneville County Board of Commissioners as its chairman for the majority of his time as commissioner. He has dedicated those years meaningfully, as he has been influential in strengthening the fiscal health of the county. This financial discipline has helped the county provide for necessities and plan for the future, setting it on a more secure economic path. Throughout, he has lent his experience in accounting, business, and as a college professor to advancing local priorities in the county that has grown considerably over his tenure. Some of the many efforts he moved forward and resolved over the years include relocating the Bonneville County Fairgrounds and selecting judges, to name just a couple. When facing considerable challenges, he kept a perceptive focus on completing the task at hand. His work has been marked by principles of transparency, treading lightly, forging partnerships, aiming for a smooth and simple government, and well-reasoned decision-making. In addition to his service as commissioner, Roger has pursued his passion for community service through many other capacities. He served in leadership roles for the Idaho Association of Counties, including his service as the association's president in 2009. He dedicated 14 years to service on the Catastrophic Health Care Cost, CAT, Program Board; 4 years to the Supreme Court Drug Court Oversight Committee; 2 years to the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties; 21 years to the Magistrates Commission; and 16 years to the Eastern Idaho Regional Sewer District. Thank you, Roger, for your unwavering leadership of Bonneville County. You can retire knowing you have made a lasting, positive impact. And you have, undoubtedly, etched a clear example of outstanding governance in the minds and hearts of all those who have been fortunate enough to know you and benefit from your service. We wish you all the best for a retirement filled with more time with your wife, grandchildren, and many other loved ones. ____________________