Frank Lautenberg: “today I rise to commend one of the many unsung heroes of our Senate family, Alma Kristoffersen, who will retire tomorrow…”

“today I rise to commend one of the many unsung heroes of our Senate family, Alma Kristoffersen, who will retire tomorrow after 20 years of service as a transcriber and reporting technician for the Congressional Record. I worked in the private sector for more than 30 years before I first came to the Senate. One of the things that struck me about this institution as I came to know it is the dedication, skill, and professionalism shown by the people who work in all capacities here. Senators and committees have their own staff, and we rely on them, to be sure. But we also rely on the hundreds of staffers who make up what I call the ``infrastructure'' of the Senate. For the most part, they go about their business unnoticed and certainly underappreciated. We have to remind ourselves now and then that this place would screech to a halt without their tireless devotion to their jobs and to our Nation. Alma is a fine example of that tradition.”