November 14, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2103 TRIBUTE TO HOWELL L. Detrick, Maryland as a medical intelligence re- all Federal civilian employees, Congressional HODGSKIN, JR. FOR LONGTIME search specialist, writing medical studies on staff members and Members of Congress. In SERVICE TO CENTRAL NEW countries in Southeast Asia. Three years later 1998, an amendment to the FY 1999 National YORK AND THE U.S. MILITARY in 1987, CDR Torsch transferred to the Pen- Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which I ACADEMY tagon where she served on the Navy Surgeon sponsored along with my distinguished col- General's staff as the Assistant for Fleet Sup- leagues, WILLIAM MAC THORNBERRY and J.C. HON. JAMES T. WALSH port in the Medical Operations and Planning WATTS, provided authority for DOD to conduct a three-year demonstration to determine the fi- OF Division. During this tour, CDR Torsch also nancial and other impacts of allowing Medi- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES completed the Naval War College's seminar program, graduating with distinction in 1989. care-eligible service beneficiaries to enroll in Tuesday, November 14, 2000 In November 1990, CDR Torsch affiliated with FEHBP. The test of FEHBP±65, as it is called, Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, at the conclusion the Navy Reserves where she is currently at- is also underway at 10 locations around the of this admissions season, Mr. Howell L. tached to the National Naval Medical Com- country. I am convinced the results of this Hodgskin, Jr. will retire after twelve years of mand Bethesda 106 unit. demonstration will prove conclusively that service to Upstate New York as our region's In December, 1990, after leaving active FEHBP is a cost-effective and viable option admissions field representative for the United duty, CDR Torsch joined the Strategy 2000 that should be made available to all retirees. States Military Academy at West Point. staff at the Paralyzed Veterans of America The FY 1999 NDAA also provided authority Mr. Hodgskin, a graduate of West Point and (PVA). While there, she assisted with the de- to conduct two other demonstrations for Medi- a one-time commissioned officer in the United velopment and publication of ``Strategy 2000: care-eligible retirees which CDR Torsch and States Army, has served as the U.S. Military The VA Responsibility in Tomorrow's National the coalition collaborated on with the Armed Academy's liaison officer for seven different Health Care System'', which analyzed the po- Services Committees: TRICARE as second- payer to ; and the enrollment in Members of CongressÐSHERWOOD BOEHLERT, tential impact of national health care reform on DOD's mail order and retail pharmacy pro- JOHN MCHUGH, , , the VA medical care system. CDR Torsch also grams. TOM REYNOLDS, AMORY HOUGHTON, and meÐ tracked and analyzed health care reform legis- CDR Torsch's unwavering efforts to provide as we annually seek to make nominations to lation and initiatives, both at the national and a meaningful health care benefit to Medicare- the nation's service academies. state levels. eligible members of the uniformed services In October, 1992, CDR Torsch joined the After distinguished service in the Army, Mr. community culminated this year when Con- Hodgskin was employed as a program man- staff at The Retired Officer's Association as gress established in the FY 2001 National De- ager and radar engineer for the General Elec- the Assistant Director of Government Rela- fense Authorization Act a lifetime entitlement tric Company in Syracuse from 1956 to 1989. tions, Health Affairs, where for the last eight to TRICARE for service retirees, their family Since his retirement from , Mr. years she has worked tirelessly to advance members and survivors. Effective on October Hodgskin has proved invaluable as Upstate's legislation guaranteeing lifetime health care for 1, 2001, the TRICARE-for-Life option will not Congressional liaison to West Point. His con- uniformed services beneficiaries. Because of require participants in this program to pay en- tributions have assisted 's her strong health care background, CDR rollment fees or deductibles. CDR Torsch and finest young people in their efforts to enroll in Torsch was made TROA's principal represent- the Military Coalition also advocated success- the United States Military Academy. ative to The Military Coalition's Health Care fully to have Congress offer a TRICARE pre- As he prepares to step down from this im- Committee. To illustrate the significance of this scription drug benefit in the final FY 2001 portant role, I salute him on behalf of the resi- assignment, it is helpful to note that The Mili- NDAA. As evidence of her commitment and dents of New York's 25th Congressional Dis- tary Coalition (TMC) is a consortium of 31 na- effectiveness in advocating on behalf of mili- trict for his service and dedication to West tionally prominent military and veterans organi- tary retirees, Congress also adopted a key Point and our nation. The best of luck always, zations, representing more than 5.5 million recommendation offered by CDR Torsch in Hodge. members plus their families and survivors. her testimony earlier this year that bene- f Shortly after beginning her liaison with TMC, ficiaries should not be required to pay enroll- CDR Torsch was elected to the position of the ment fees or premiums to participate because TRIBUTE TO COMMANDER VIR- Co-chairman of the TMC Health care Com- doing so would deny this benefit to those who GINIA TORSCH, UNITED STATES mittee because of her ability to articulate need it most. NAVAL RESERVE forcefully the urgency of providing lifetime Taken together, these initiatives comprise health care to members of the greatest gen- the most significant improvements in military HON. JAMES P. MORAN eration and their successors and in recognition health care ever undertaken. Thanks in large OF VIRGINIA of her practical insights on the best legislative measure to the dedication by CDR Torsch, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES strategy to achieve that goal. CDR was a TROA and other advocates of military retirees, major contributor to the Coalition's Health Al- Congress has demonstrated its commitment to Tuesday, November 14, 2000 ternative Reform Taskforce (CHART) study, providing lifetime health care to our nation's Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise which identified several innovative ways to military personnel and their families. I com- today to pay tribute to an exceptional leader in provide lifetime health care to military bene- mend their involvement in this area and be- recognition of her remarkable service to her ficiaries who were locked out of military treat- lieve these efforts should prove invaluable in country, both on active duty and in the re- ment facilities when they attained Medicare reversing declining retention and readiness serves, and as a staunch advocate of im- eligibility. That landmark study became the trends in all services. proved health care benefits for members of blueprint for several laws that were enacted in Mr. Speaker, CDR Torsch has been a lead- the uniformed services community. CDR Vir- the last five years. er in every sense of the wordÐa leader in ginia Torsch's truly distinguished record merits In 1997, Congress enacted a three-year TROA, the Military Coalition and the entire re- special recognition on the occasion of her de- demonstration of a concept called Medicare tired community. Her health care contributions parture from The Retired Officers Association subvention, through which the Health Care Fi- have made an indelible mark on the lives of (TROA) to a position in the private sector. nancing Administration would reimburse the millions of retirees that will benefit them for CDR Virginia Torsch received her Bachelor Department of Defense (DOD) for care pro- years to come. I urge you to join me in wish- of Science degree in Zoology from the Univer- vided to Medicare-eligible members of the uni- ing her continued success in her new endeav- sity of Maryland in 1978, and completed her formed services community in Military Treat- ors and in her continued service to this nation. Master's of Health Science in International ment Facilities (MTFs). That program, now f Health at Johns Hopkins School of Public called TRICARE Senior Prime, was included CONCERNING ABILENE Health and Hygiene, Baltimore, Maryland in in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and is PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA 1982. currently in operation at 10 MTFs. A year later, in 1983, CDR Torsch became Over the years, CDR Torsch and other a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy's members of The Military Coalition have HON. CHARLES W. STENHOLM OF TEXAS Medical Service Corps. She was sent to the worked very closely with my staff in devel- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Naval Hospital, Pensacola, Florida where she oping an option to allow Medicare-eligible served eleven months as the Assistant Comp- service beneficiaries to enroll in the Federal Tuesday, November 14, 2000 troller. She then transferred to the Armed Employees Health benefits Program (FEHBP), Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I would like Forces Medical Intelligence Center, Fort the same program that is available to virtually to recognize the 50th anniversary of one of

VerDate 112000 03:23 Nov 15, 2000 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A14NO8.039 pfrm04 PsN: E14PT1 E2104 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks November 14, 2000 Abilene's oldest performing arts organizations, party designed to scare Americans a week be- the study, Texas nursing homes had lower in- the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra on De- fore the Presidential election. The timing of the dices of deficiencies than the normal average cember 2 of this year. This great symphony motion, and the study upon which this motion in eight of these categories. orchestra enriches the cultural life of a city in is based, are questionable at best. One week In the percentage of Quality of Care defi- a unique way; it creates a place where fine before an election, the Minority Staff of the ciencies, Texas nursing homes are below the musicians want to live and teach and perform. Government Reform Committee releases a re- national average, while a state like Con- In the 1950-opening season, concerts were port criticizing the condition of Texas nursing necticut is a staggering 19 percent above the held in the old Abilene High School with audi- homes. national average, and above the national aver- ences of less than 100 people. Currently the Some have tried to pass this study off as age in four of ten categories. In the percent- Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra performs in non-partisan. I have a hard time believing age of Food Sanitation deficiencies, Texas is the Abilene Civic Center with crowds aver- such a claim. This study was conducted unbe- half a percentage point above the national av- aging 2,000. I would not only like to acknowl- knownst to the majority staff at the Govern- erage. However, Tennessee is over eight per- edge this organization for their 50th anniver- ment Reform Committee. This was not an ef- cent above the national average in Food Sani- sary, but also the impact they have had on the fort to accurately gauge the conditions of tation deficiencies. Instead of attempting to Abilene community. Texas nursing homes. This was purely polit- misrepresent the Texas record for political f ical. The Gore-Lieberman website posted the gain, the Gore-Lieberman ticket should be fo- study and commentary on it before it was re- cusing their efforts on improving nursing home HONORING A SPECIAL COLORADO leased to Majority Members of the Govern- conditions in their home states. FAMILY ment Reform Committee. It also breeds sus- In Texas we understand there are problems picion that days before this report was re- within our nursing home system, and we have HON. BOB SCHAFFER leased, the Democratic National Committee taken steps to correct them. In 1995 and 1997, Texas passed legislation that instituted: OF COLORADO began an advertising campaign on the state of new requirements for background checks on IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES nursing homes in Texas. If this was a non-partisan study then are we nursing home operators, new enforcement Tuesday, November 14, 2000 supposed to believe that it was a mere coinci- measures on non-compliant nursing homes, Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise dence the study was released on the heels of and mandated standards for quality of life and to honor a hard working family from Flagler, these ads being run. Even if we are to blindly quality of care. A facilities compliance with CO. Florence Fuller works with her daughter accept such a coincidence, the release of the these standards must be made available to and son-in-law, Sally and Mike Santala on study to the Gore-Lieberman campaign before the public and explained to nursing home resi- their farm in northeast Colorado. They survive it was given to Majority Members of the Gov- dents as well as their next of kin. According to a March 1999 GAO report on Florence's husband, Eddie, who began the ernment Reform Committee clearly dem- nursing homes, Texas spends more than other family tradition of finding new ways of con- onstrate that this study was nothing more than serving natural resources on their farm. It is states on compliant expenditures per home. It partisan political propaganda. also shows that the only state with more com- that tradition that has earned the Fuller family More disheartening than the timed release pliant visits per 1,000 beds is Washington. the Farming Conservationist Award from the of this study was the facts ascertained and the Many experts believe that compliant investiga- Colorado Association of Soil Conservation Dis- conclusions reached by the study are a clear tors are more important than the standard sur- tricts at its 56th annual meeting in Grand misrepresentation of the conditions of nursing veys required not less frequently than every Junction, Monday, November 13. Each year, homes in Texas. I agree that we must take 15 months. This is believed to be this case the association awards the title of Conserva- steps to improve the care that patients receive because complaints can be a good indicator of tionist of the Year to landowners who exem- in nursing homes. However, as a Texan I take a current problem in a facility, that a compliant plify leadership in land stewardship. great umbrage at this one-sided hatchet job visit comes as a surprise and thus gives sur- The Fullers first came to Kit Carson County designed to embarrass my state. veyors a more accurate picture of what is in 1948 and immediately took a leadership If we look at the objective facts we find a going on in a facility. role in their local community. Eddie Fuller much different picture of Texas nursing homes We passed the Boren Amendment in the helped organize the Flagler Soil Conservation than painted by the Minority Staff Report. In Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to remove states District in 1951 and acted as the organiza- September 2000, the non-partisan General spending from the crippling effects of tion's Secretary-Treasurer for 16 years. The Accounting Agency (GAO) issued a com- court mandated reimbursements. The Boren Fuller farm now encompasses 860 acres of prehensive study that directly disputes the Amendment was enacted to provide more fis- cropland, 97 acres of hay meadow, and 2,500 claims made in the partisan minority report. cal discipline in the Medicaid program. How- acres of rangeland at the base of the Colo- The GAO concluded that the percentage of ever, the vague wording of the amendment rado Rocky Mountains. It is because of the homes in Texas cited for harm and immediate subjected states to numerous court orders that Fuller family's innovative work with rotational jeopardy deficiencies were half what the par- led to Medicaid spending spiraling out of con- grazing techniques and other conservation tisan Minority study claims. trol. A major proponent of eliminating the methods that the Colorado Association of The Minority Staff study claims that over 50 Boren Amendment was President Clinton. The Conservation Districts has bestowed upon percent of the nursing homes in Texas had President, in an August 1999 speech to the them such an honor, and it is because of their violations that caused actual harm to residents National Governors Association, stated, contributions to their community and the envi- or placed them at risk of death or serious in- ``We've waived or eliminated scores of laws ronment that I stand here to recognize them jury. According to the September GAO report, and regulations on Medicaid, including one we today. the percentage of homes with actual harm and all wanted to get rid of, the so-called Boren f immediate jeopardy deficiencies from January Amendment.'' Eliminating this provision was a 1997 to July 2000 were only 25 percentÐhalf MOTION TO INSTRUCT CONFEREES bipartisan effort which both parties agreed to. what the Minority report stated. We must work If the Boren Amendment is not working, and ON H.R. 4577, DEPARTMENTS OF to reduce this number, but it also clearly dem- the proof is not there that it isn't, then let's fol- LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN onstrates how the Minority report attempted to low the procedures dictated by the Balanced SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND overstate the problem in a partisan effort to Budget Act of 1997. In this statue a provision RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIA- embarrass Texas. was included that asks the Secretary of the TIONS ACT 2001 The University of California San Francisco Department of Health and Human Services to Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences conduct a study on access to, and quality of, SPEECH OF conducted a nationwide study of nursing facil- the services provided to beneficiaries subject HON. JOE BARTON ity deficiencies in which Texas nursing homes to the rate setting method used by the states. OF TEXAS rated better than most other states. The study That report is due 4 years after the enactment IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES examined the percentage of nursing homes of B.B.A. 97 which puts us in August of next with deficiencies in ten different areas; Com- year. This report will give accurate information Tuesday, October 31, 2000 prehensive Assessments, Accident Prevention, on the effects on repeal of the Boren Amend- Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise Housekeeping, Dignity, Physical Restraints, ment, and if there is a need to have it rein- today to oppose this motion. It is fitting this Food Sanitation, Accidents, Quality of Care, stated. motion was brought on October 31, because Pressure Sores, and Comprehensive Care This is Halloween, but don't be fooled. If we this is pure Halloween politics by the minority Plans. In Calendar Year 1998, the last year of need to reexamine the repeal of the Boren

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