Orval H. Hansen

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Orval Howard Hansen (born August 3, 1926 in Firth, Idaho) was a United States Representative from Idaho. Hansen served as a Republican in the House from 1969 to 1975, representing the state's Second Congressional District.

Hansen earned a B.A. from the University of Idaho in 1950 and a J.D. from The George Washington University in 1954. He also earned an LLM (awarded in 1973) and a Ph.D. in political science (awarded in 1986) from The George Washington University. He served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, including one year in the Pacific on the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, and was a member of the Air Force Reserve until his retirement as a lieutenant colonel in 1978.

His political career began in the Idaho House of Representatives, where he served four terms, beginning in 1956. He served as House Majority Leader from 1961 to 1962. His first run for Congress in 1962 was unsuccessful, and returned to the Idaho House of Representatives for another two-year term, followed by one term in the Idaho State Senate. He ran again for Congress and was elected as a Republican in 1968, serving three terms before being ousted by the man he beat six years earlier, George Hansen. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo got his first taste of Washington politics serving as an intern for Hansen during the summer of 1972.

Following his service in Congress, Hansen returned to private law practice. In 1977, he founded the Columbia Institute for Political Research.

Hansen is married to the former June Duncan of Southport, England; they have seven children. In 2006 Hansen's son, Jim D. Hansen, won the Democratic nomination for the seat. He was defeated by the incumbent, Mike Simpson.

Preceded by George V. Hansen	United States House of Representatives, Idaho Second Congressional District January 3, 1969–January 3, 1975	Succeeded by George V. Hansen