[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 27 (Friday, February 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2440-S2441]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     RETIREMENT OF C. WAYNE HAWKINS

  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity to take a 
few brief moments of the Senate's time to acknowledge the recent 
retirement, on January 31, 1995, of Mr. C. Wayne Hawkins from Federal 
service.
  Mr. Hawkins most recently served as the Department of Veterans 
Affairs' Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Administration and 
Operations, capping a distinguished Federal career that spanned 37 
years. As one of VA's two Deputy Under Secretaries for Health, Mr. 
Hawkins was the senior non-physician official in the VA's Veterans 
Health Administration [VHA], the VA organization of 171 hospitals, 353 
outpatient clinics, 128 nursing home care units, and 37 domiciliaries. 
In this capacity, he served as Chief Operating Officer of VHA--an 
organization which provides health care services to over two million 
veterans per year, and which is the largest ``chain'' of health care 
facilities in the United States.
  Mr. Hawkins began his VA career in 1957 as a rehabilitation 
specialist at the Mountain Home VA Medical Center in Johnson City, TN. 
From that assignment, he progressed up the VA career ladder, becoming a 
personnel manager, then an Associate Director at a number of VA 
hospitals. Ultimately, he was appointed Director of the VA Medical 
Center in Dallas, TX, a post in which he served for 15 years before 
coming to Washington to serve as VHA's Deputy Under secretary. Under 
his steady leadership, the Dallas VA Medical Center became one of VA's 
flagship hospitals.
  Through it all, Mr. Hawkins also served in the military's active and 
reserve ranks, retiring as an Army colonel in 1987 after 33 years 
service. He also served in major leadership capacities in the Texas 
Hospital Association, the American Hospital Association, and the VA 
Chapter of the Senior Executive Association. In 1991, he was inducted 
as a fellow, American College of Health Care Executives.
  Mr. Hawkins received a B.S. degree in 1957 from East Tennessee State 
University, and an M.S. degree in 1971 in health care administration 
from the University of Minnesota. He completed graduate work in health 
systems management at Harvard University, and is a graduate of the U.S. 
Army Command and General Staff College. Among other honors, Mr. Hawkins 
is a recipient of VA's Distinguished Career Award, Presidential Rank 
Awards for Distinguished Executives and Meritorious Executives, the Ray 
E. Brown Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Health Care 
Management, and numerous other Government, military and civilian awards 
for excellence in health care management.
  Mr. President, VA will truly miss this distinguished and visionary 
health care executive. We who care about veterans regret that he is 
retiring from a role of day to day management
 of VA's health care system. Gladly, Wayne Hawkins is not withdrawing 
completely from participation in veterans affairs and health care 
management, so we expect to reap the benefit of his experience, 
intelligence and integrity for many years to come.
  [[Page S2441]] WAS CONGRESS IRRESPONSIBLE? THE VOTERS HAVE SAID YES!

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, as of the close of business on Thursday, 
February 9, the Federal debt stood at $4,803,442,790,295.83 meaning 
that on a per capita basis, every man, woman, and child in America owes 
$18,233.95 as his or her share of that debt.

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