Floor SpeechUrgent2026-09-28

RECOGNIZING CHRISTINE OLSON, FOUNDER OF TO INFORM FAMILIES FIRST, ON HER RETIREMENT

TaxesEnvironmentCrime & JusticeInfrastructure

Context

On 2026-09-28, Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING CHRISTINE OLSON, FOUNDER OF TO INFORM FAMILIES FIRST, ON HER RETIREMENT" in the House.

Full Text

RECOGNIZING CHRISTINE OLSON, FOUNDER OF TO INFORM FAMILIES FIRST, ON HER RETIREMENT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 153 (Monday, September 28, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 153 (Monday, September 28, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E993] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING CHRISTINE OLSON, FOUNDER OF TO INFORM FAMILIES FIRST, ON HER RETIREMENT ______ HON. VERN BUCHANAN of florida in the house of representatives Monday, September 28, 2026 Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Christine Olson of Bradenton, Florida, as she retires from TIFF, To Inform Families First, and to remember her beloved daughter, Tiffiany Marie Olson. On December 7, 2005, Tiffiany, just 22, was killed by a drunk driver on United States 19 in Manatee County, only 15 minutes from her mother's home. Yet it took more than six hours for Christine to be told, because law enforcement had no way of knowing whom to call. Most people would have been broken by that. Christine turned it into a mission. In October 2006, she founded TIFF so no other family would endure those same agonizing hours. Working with local and state leaders, the Manatee County Sheriffs Office, and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, she helped create the Nation's first voluntary Emergency Contact Information program, letting drivers register a loved one's contact information for law enforcement to use in a crisis. Christine was the first to register. As of August 2025, more than 21.6 million Floridians were enrolled. Eighteen states have adopted similar programs, and Harvard's Ash Institute recognized the effort as one of the top 50 government innovations. For nearly two decades, Christine carried this cause from Manatee County to statehouses and city councils nationwide, sharing Tiffiany's story again and again so other families would be spared. Her work inspired me to introduce the To Inform Families First Act, H.R. 6051, in November 2025, to help state motor vehicle agencies everywhere establish voluntary emergency contact programs. As Christine steps away from TIFF, her legacy is secure. A flag has been flown in her honor and in Tiffiany's memory, a symbol of a mother's love and the courage to turn grief into help for strangers. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Christine Olson for her strength, compassion, and lifelong dedication to families across America, and in remembering Tiffiany Marie Olson, whose memory lives on in every family reached in time. I wish Christine a well- earned and joyful retirement. ____________________

Referenced legislation: HR6051

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RECOGNIZING CHRISTINE OLSON, FOUNDER OF TO INFORM FAMILIES FIRST, ON HER RETIREMENT Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 153 (Monday, September 28, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 153 (Monday, September 28, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E993] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING CHRISTINE OLSON, FOUNDER OF TO INFORM FAMILIES FIRST, ON HER RETIREMENT ______ HON. VERN BUCHANAN of florida in the house of representatives Monday, September 28, 2026 Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Christine Olson of Bradenton, Florida, as she retires from TIFF, To Inform Families First, and to remember her beloved daughter, Tiffiany Marie Olson. On December 7, 2005, Tiffiany, just 22, was killed by a drunk driver on United States 19 in Manatee County, only 15 minutes from her mother's home. Yet it took more than six hours for Christine to be told, because law enforcement had no way of knowing whom to call. Most people would have been broken by that. Christine turned it into a mission. In October 2006, she founded TIFF so no other family would endure those same agonizing hours. Working with local and state leaders, the Manatee County Sheriffs Office, and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, she helped create the Nation's first voluntary Emergency Contact Information program, letting drivers register a loved one's contact information for law enforcement to use in a crisis. Christine was the first to register. As of August 2025, more than 21.6 million Floridians were enrolled. Eighteen states have adopted similar programs, and Harvard's Ash Institute recognized the effort as one of the top 50 government innovations. For nearly two decades, Christine carried this cause from Manatee County to statehouses and city councils nationwide, sharing Tiffiany's story again and again so other families would be spared. Her work inspired me to introduce the To Inform Families First Act, H.R. 6051, in November 2025, to help state motor vehicle agencies everywhere establish voluntary emergency contact programs. As Christine steps away from TIFF, her legacy is secure. A flag has been flown in her honor and in Tiffiany's memory, a symbol of a mother's love and the courage to turn grief into help for strangers. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Christine Olson for her strength, compassion, and lifelong dedication to families across America, and in remembering Tiffiany Marie Olson, whose memory lives on in every family reached in time. I wish Christine a well- earned and joyful retirement. ____________________ Referenced legislation: HR6051