[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 145 (Monday, September 18, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13679-S13680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RUTH ANN KOMAREK

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a valued member of 
my staff whose length of service to me 

[[Page S 13680]]
and the people of Kansas is nothing short of remarkable. Ruth Ann 
Komarek has just completed her 30th year of working for me. That is 
three, zero, Mr. President.
  A native of Ellinwood, KS, Ruth Ann came to my office from the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1965, while I was still serving in 
the House of Representatives. She made the transition with me to the 
Senate in 1968, and she has been hard at work ever since.
  Ruth Ann serves as my office manager and supervisor of my mail 
operation, a mammoth task to say the least. Virtually every letter, 
fax, postcard, and package that comes into my office passes through her 
hands. That represents thousands upon thousands of pieces of 
correspondence every week. She gets each one where it needs to go and 
tries to make sure that every Kansan who writes to me gets a timely 
response.
  Ruth Ann also spends a lot of time keeping the rest of the staff--
especially the interns--in line. New staffers learn that her gruff 
exterior hides a heart of gold and a great sense of humor, but after 
she has laid down the law and made them earn their way.
  I am proud to recognize Ruth Ann Komarek for all her hard work for 
me, the Senate, and for Kansas. I look forward to her continued service 
in the coming years.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to commend my 
colleague from New Hampshire, Senator Judd Gregg, for the Medicare 
Improvement and Choice Care Provision Act which he introduced last 
week.
  The Medicare Program has received a great deal of attention in the 
last year, particularly since early April when the Medicare trustees 
report stated that the Medicare Program will become insolvent in just 7 
years.
  Mr. President, Senator Gregg and all Republicans took this report 
very seriously. But, as anyone who has worked on this issue knows, to 
ensure the solvency of this program is going to require a great deal of 
commitment on the part of Congress and the administration.
  Our goal is very simple--to preserve, strengthen, and protect the 
Medicare Program. Today 37 million disabled and elderly Americans rely 
on Medicare for their health care. For their sake and for the millions 
of Americans who will rely on this program in the future, we need to 
take action.
  And that is exactly what Senator Gregg has done. The bill that he has 
introduced not only preserves and protects the current Medicare 
Program, it also strengthens the program to move it successfully into 
the 21st century.

  Mr. President, as I have said many times in this Chamber, the United 
States has the best health care system in the world. There is no other 
nation that compares to the quality of care delivered by our providers, 
our technology, and our innovation. Although Medicare has provided 
invaluable health care services to millions and millions of Americans, 
in some areas it has not kept pace with many of the advances in health 
care delivery enjoyed by the private sector.
  The bill introduced by Senator Gregg restructures Medicare so that 
its beneficiaries receive the same range of choices and possibilities 
that those with private insurance receive today. At the same time, it 
leaves traditional Medicare completely in place for those Medicare 
beneficiaries who are happy with the care and services they receive 
today.
  Mr. President, Senator Gregg deserves a great deal of credit for the 
leadership he has demonstrated on this very complex issue. As Congress 
is about to begin a very serious debate on Medicare reform in the 
coming weeks, the work of Senator Gregg will no doubt be an invaluable 
benefit.

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