[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 136 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11565-S11566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        DR. JOE CARROLL CHAMBERS

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I would like to recognize today a 
man who has given selflessly to his community and profession, Dr. Joe 
Carroll Chambers. He will be retiring on October 11, 1996 and we are 
very sad to see him go. Dr. Chambers is a graduate of the University of 
Tennessee College of Medicine, interned at the Baptist Hospital in 
Nashville, and completed a masters in public health at the University 
of North Carolina. He is the recipient of many awards, including the 
James Hayne Award by the SC Public Health Association for meritorious

[[Page S11566]]

achievements in public health over an extended period time and the 
American Lung Association's John Martin Medal for significant 
contributions. I wish him and his wife, Bettye Ann, the best as they 
take on the slower pleasures and pace of retirement. I ask to have 
printed in the Record a synopsis of Dr. Chambers' accomplishments as 
director of the Charleston County Health Department.
  The synopsis follows:

                     Joe Carroll Chambers, MD, MPH

       Dr. Joe Chambers was named Health Director of the 
     Charleston County Health Department in 1977 after having 
     served in the same capacity for Aiken County. Since that 
     time, Charleston has seen improved public health, grown in 
     services, increased activity in preventing potential 
     environmental hazards and, in general, an increased awareness 
     of the need for preventative health measures.
       The CCHD Public Health Nursing Division is accredited by 
     the National League for Nursing as is the Home Health 
     Services Program. Home Health visits have continued to grow 
     for the past several years as the public has become 
     increasingly aware of this service for those in need.
       The Women, Infants and Children Food Program serves 
     pregnant, breast feeding, postpartum women, infants and 
     children under five. The Charleston program serves the 
     largest number of patients, who are at nutritional or medical 
     risk, in the state.
       One of the County Health Clinics recently received the 
     Distinguished Volunteer Award from the Charleston County 
     School District.
       Environmental Health programs have prevented the spread of 
     communicable disease through control of the environment. 
     Annually, the food protection program inspects over 1,700 
     food service establishments.
       Think about this health department that sponsors rabies 
     clinic throughout the county vaccinating 10,000 animals 
     annually, handling more than 4,000 relative activities 
     through its Solid Waste/Litter Control Program and being 
     nationally recognized for its Lead Poisoning Prevention 
     Program. All these have had skillful leadership of fine 
     teams, headed by Dr. Chambers.
       Certain health conditions serve as a barometer of the 
     health status of the community. In Charleston, as the 
     immunization of children under two continues to improve, the 
     infant mortality rate improves. Because early and continuous 
     prenatal care services have been promoted by Dr. Chambers, 
     results are positive. Dr. Chambers is recognized as an 
     advocate for prevention initiatives that protect and improve 
     the health of our community.
       The Charleston County Board of Health recognizes and 
     congratulates Dr. Joe Carroll Chambers for his vision, 
     knowledge and leadership as Director of the Charleston County 
     Health Department. Through his tenure, we have witnessed a 
     safer Charleston, a growth in needed health services and an 
     increased awareness of environmental risks. This Tri-County 
     area, Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester Counties, has been 
     fortunate to have enjoyed better community health due to Dr. 
     Chambers' diligence, dedication and foresight. He has given 
     attention to every facet of this area's well being that 
     touches on good health and disease prevention. All of this he 
     has done with skill, grace, kindness and 
     understanding.
 Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, everyone should have one--a Poot, 
that is. And maybe everyone does have one. The important thing is I do.
  We all have our causes. It's just that some of us are more assertive 
than others. In my business we're all assertive. So I engage in combat 
every day with my adversaries who, although I love each and every one 
of the misguided souls, would sell our country and everything we hold 
dear for one more social program.
  Mr. President, they look the other way as we strip our Nation of its 
vital defenses, leaving us vulnerable to both conventional and missile 
attacks--and hope desperately the people don't find out the truth. They 
load up our system with unbearable burdens of overregulation and wonder 
why we are not globally competitive. They bleed the very lifeblood from 
our veins in the form of taxes until we are too weak and disheartened 
to produce--and then come after that last drop--all to support their 
insatiable appetite to render their control of our lives absolute. They 
give dancing lessons to hardened criminals--punishment, heaven forbid--
and then turn them lose to plunder again.
  And so I do combat every day with every fiber of my being, leaving no 
doubt in my mind that the fate and the very essence of Western 
civilization is absolute in its dependence upon my actions, wisdom and 
performance.
  That is, until--until I see Poot. And I realize that while she is 
tolerant of my priorities, hers are not the same. Not even close. She 
wants the same thing I want but she doesn't worry about it because she 
assumes I'll do it. And that lets her keep close to the ones she loves, 
which is everybody, and stay in touch with them to the extent that she 
knows every birthday, wedding date, draft status and social security 
number. She, along with her diary, is a data bank with the chip 
capacity of the Congressional Record--that's her priority.
  And in addition she is the control center for compassion. For her 
family, yes, but also anyone else who stumbles along. No matter who is 
in trouble or in need, she is their counselor and companion--that's her 
priority.
  But all the while her capacity for enjoyment will never be 
challenged. There's not a Broadway show she hasn't both seen and 
memorized--that's her priority.
  So, Mr. President, you should be so lucky to have a Poot like I do. 
Just when you begin to believe that you are so important, you have no 
one to put you back in perspective. I do. And when you forget the 
street address where you lived when you were 6 years old, you don't 
have anyone to call. I do. And when you cast a vote that makes everyone 
hate you, you don't have anyone who understands. I do--in fact she even 
agrees with me.
  So Mr. President, I've got the No. 1 70-year-old Poot in the Nation, 
a beautiful and compassionate consolidation of the pioneer woman, 
mother Teresa, and hello Dolly. So maybe, Mr. President, she's right 
and we're wrong. Anyway, you should be so lucky. Amen.

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