[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 5, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         TRIBUTE TO ROY ROWLAND

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague and friend 
from Georgia on a distinguished and accomplished career in Congress and 
deeply regret he will retire. When Roy Rowland was elected to the House 
of Representatives, he was one of only three practicing physicians 
here. Later, he made history by being the only doctor in the House. It 
was clear from the start that Roy would make important contributions in 
the areas of medicine, health care, and on important social issues. I 
wanted him to serve on our committee and called him soon after the was 
elected to ask him to do so.
  As a doctor with a friendly manner, Roy was nicknamed ``Marcus Welby, 
M.D.,'' while serving in the Georgia State legislature. While he is 
courteous and soft-mannered, when tough health issues came before 
Congress, Roy Rowland rolled up his sleeves and tackled those subjects.
  It is difficult to think of anyone in Congress who could match the 
efforts and talents Roy always has demonstrated on a number of issues. 
Whether it is AIDS research, education and prevention, health care for 
the unemployed, streamlining Medicare claims, reducing infant mortality 
or a number of other personal interests of his, Roy has shown valiant 
effort in developing solutions on Capitol Hill. He was a leader in 
drafting the bipartisan health care reform measure and made some of the 
most complicated health care reform issues understandable to other 
Members when national health care reform was being considered.
  To borrow slightly, from a long-running television advertisement: 
``On Capitol Hill, when medical issues are mentioned--people listen to 
Roy Rowland.'' No other statement could be more true than at the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. We were fortunate to have Roy's 
expertise on health and medical issues and we relied on his insight and 
judgment to help us assist our Nation's veterans.
  We counted on Roy when our committee considered and passed 
legislation to compensate veterans exposed to radiation during atomic 
bomb tests, the so-called atomic veterans. He also lead efforts 
promoting access for women veterans to health care, and mental health 
issues on our committee. And, more recently, Roy gave us his wise 
counsel on the Persian Gulf illness issue.
  This institution and this Nation certainly will be missing an 
important voice when it considers national health care reform. 
Congressman Roy Rowland will not be here, but one thing we can be sure 
of, Roy Rowland will be active and very much involved in health care 
reform when the debate resumes in the next Congress. This Member and 
the membership of our committee will surely miss our friend and 
colleague in the coming years. Congratulations, Roy, we wish you, your 
lovely wife, Luella, and your family much happiness and all the best.

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