September 13, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1469 and those of us who live there are safer be- posal would help ensure all dialysis providers garian Jews during the Second World War. I cause of their service and dedication. The receive reimbursement that is in line with in- would like to invite my colleagues to join me Merchant Marine's role in the defense of this creasing patient load and quality requirements. in recognizing Anger's lifetime accomplish- nation is under-recognized. Few people realize This is particularly important for our nation's ments, including his association with Raoul that in Operation Desert Storm, over 95 per- smaller, rural dialysis providers that on aver- Wallenberg during 1944, as an example of the cent of the equipment, goods, and ammunition age receive Medicare payments that do not good that human beings can accomplish, even used were carried to the theater by the Amer- adequately reflect costs. when faced with incomprehensible darkness. ican Merchant Marine. This resolution serves As Congress considers further improve- Per Anger received his first diplomatic Âas- as a means to honor their service, and I join ments to the Medicare program, I urge my col- signment at the age of 27 as an attache to my colleagues in applauding Rep. leagues to support this important effort to en- Berlin in the early stages of the Second World KUYKENDALL's work to bring this matter before sure patients with kidney failure continue to War. During that year (1941) he worked for this Body today. I also would like to take this have access to quality dialysis services. I the Foreign Department's trade section deal- time to pay tribute to Representative BATEMAN, thank my colleagues for working together on ing with relations between Sweden and Hun- who was one of the biggest supporters of the this bipartisan and bicameral proposal. gary. It was this position which eventually led American Merchant Marine. His passing is a f him, in November of 1942, to join the Swedish great loss to this Body and this Nation. legation in Budapest. In March of 1942 he be- At a time the people of the United States WELCOME C.J. CHEN came second secretary in the Swedish lega- are benefitting more than ever before from the tion in Hungary. sacrifices made by so many to secure peace HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ Mr. Speaker, for two years prior to the Nazi and prosperity, it is highly appropriate to rec- OF TEXAS occupation of Budapest, Anger reported that ognize the service of the men and women of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES conditions in Budapest were relatively stable and calm. But with the arrival of the German the United States Merchant Marine. I urge Wednesday, September 13, 2000 your support of this resolution. military in March 1944 and the subsequent de- f Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my portation of Hungary's Jewish population, he friends on Capitol Hill, I would like to extend entered the defining year of his life and career INTRODUCTION OF THE MEDICARE a warm welcome to the Republic of China's as a diplomat. When the Nazis initiated depor- RENAL DIALYSIS PAYMENT Representative in the United States, Mr. C.J. tations, Anger assumed an early role in devis- FAIRNESS ACT OF 2000 Chen. He is now serving a Taiwan's top dip- ing schemes to protect Jews. While the later lomat in the United States and his office is in schutzpasse was Wallenberg's innovation, HON. DAVE CAMP Washington, D.C. Anger originally conceived the idea of issuing OF MICHIGAN Representative C.J. Chen is uniquely quali- special certificates to Hungarian Jews who IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES fied for this top diplomatic post. Representa- had applied for Swedish citizenship. Before tive Chen has spent his entire career in the Wallenberg arrived, the Swedish legation had Wednesday, September 13, 2000 Republic of China's government service. After issued 700 certificates and provisional pass- Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased receiving his education in Taiwan and Europe, ports which had no legal validity, but served to be joined by Representative KAREN THUR- Representative Chen joined the ROC's foreign their purpose in preventing the shipment of in- MAN and Senators FRIST and CONRAD in intro- service and served in many capacities over dividuals to Auschwitz. ducing the Medicare Renal Dialysis Payment the last 2 decades. With Wallenberg's arrival on July 9, 1944, Fairness Act of 2000 and 15 other original Most notably, he was the ROC's Deputy Per Anger began a partnership that would de- consponsors. This legislation takes important Representative in Washington (1982-1989); liver tens of thousands of Jews from deporta- steps to help sustain and improve the quality Administrative Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs tion and almost certain destruction in Nazi of care for the more than 280,000 Americans (89±93); a Senator in the ROC Parliament death camps. While Wallenberg's tragic end living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). (93±96); Political Vice Minister of Foreign Af- has made him the more recognizable rescuer, In 1972, Congress ensured that elderly and fairs (96±98); and Foreign Minister (99±00). Anger made a substantial contribution in his disabled individuals with kidney failure receive Representative Chen's appointment to quiet but efficient manner. Per Anger was fre- appropriate dialysis care. At that time, Medi- Washington is timely. We are fortunate to quently Wallenberg's partner in missions of care coverage was extended to include dialy- have someone like Representative C.J. Chen mercy to the columns of Jews forced to march sis treatments for individuals with ESRD. to brief us on the latest developments in his out of Hungary after Allied bombing had made Over the last three decades, dialysis facili- country and the latest issues affecting both the railways unusable. Where the Jews ties have provided services to increasing num- our countries. marched and died, Wallenberg and Anger dis- bers of kidney failure patients under increas- Representative Chen is a hardworking dip- tributed food, administered comfort, and often ingly strict quality standards; however, during lomat. Even during the summer recess, he managed to return with some of the suffering this same time frame reimbursement for kid- has met with a number of us and briefed people to Budapest. ney services has not kept pace with the in- members about President Chen's recent trip to Mr. Speaker, Per Anger's life and legacy are creasing demands of providing dialysis care. countries in Central America and Africa as permanently linked with Wallenberg, not only While these efforts were a step in the right well as the need for the ROC to be recognized because their shared efforts in Budapest dur- direction, a recent Medicare Payment Advisory as a team player in international affairs. Tai- ing the Second World War, but also because Commission (MedPAC) report suggests that wan's financial strength, democratization, and of Anger's lifelong compassionate quest to dis- we must take further action to sustain patients' record on human rights are accomplishments cover the fate of his partner, who disappeared access to dialysis services. In particular, worth universal recognition and praise. mysteriously behind Soviet lines in January of MedPAC recommends a 1.2 percent payment I look forward to working with Representa- 1945. Throughout the second half of the twen- adjustment for Medicare-covered dialysis serv- tive C.J. Chen and his staff. tieth century Anger labored to disseminate in- ices in the next fiscal year. In addition, f formation about Wallenberg and to bring his MedPAC recommends that the Health Care plight to the attention of world leaders. In 1989 Financing Administration provide an annual re- TRIBUTE TO AMBASSADOR PER he urged Helmut Kohl to take the issue di- view of the dialysis payment rateÐa review ANGER ON HIS RECEIVING HON- rectly to Mikhail Gorbachev, and listened in to that most other Medicare-covered services re- ORARY ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP a telephone call as Kohl pleaded with Russian ceive each year. leader to ``let that old man go.'' Gorbachev, I believe these recommendations represent HON. TOM LANTOS according to Anger, had no response. critical adjustments that must be addressed OF CALIFORNIA Mr. Speaker, it is most appropriate and fit- this year. For this reason, I have worked with IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ting that the state of Israel has granted Per Representative THURMAN, Senator FRIST, and Anger the high recognition of making him an Wednesday, September 13, 2000 Senator CONRAD to develop the Medicare honorary citizen. He has spent most of his life Renal Dialysis Payment Fairness Act of 2000. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on the 18th of in the service of others, including that turbu- This legislation would provide the payment September, Israel will award honorary citizen- lent year in Budapest collaborating with Raoul rate improvements recommended by MedPAC ship to Ambassador Per Anger, the distin- Wallenberg in saving innocent lives. I invite and would establish an annual payment re- guished Swedish diplomat who worked so my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to view process for dialysis services. This pro- closely with Raoul Wallenberg to rescue Hun- this distinguished Swedish diplomat for his
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