[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 140 (Thursday, October 9, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8810-H8811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO THOMAS R. BROWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Rodriguez] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Thomas R. 
Brown, Chief of Recreation Therapy Service at the Veterans 
Administration Medical Center in San Antonio and national advisor to 
the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, for receiving the 17th annual 
Olin E. Teague Award for outstanding work with disabled veterans. The 
Teague Award, named for the late Texas Congressman Olin E. ``Tiger'' 
Teague, is given once a year to the VA employee or group of employees 
whose work benefits veterans with service-connected problems.
  Mr. Brown has been involved with recreational therapy at the VA since 
1976. A world-class athlete in his own right, he served from 1986-89 as 
Chairman of the VA's National Sports and Recreation Committee, which 
oversees the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, the Disabled Veterans 
Winter Sports Clinic, the National Veterans Golden Age Games, and the 
National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. Each year, these events 
inspire thousands of veterans to get out of the hospital and be active 
and competitive in the community. Mr. Brown continues to serve as 
national advisor of the Wheelchair Games, which he helped found in 
1980.
  Mr. Brown's work in the daily therapy of veterans at the VA Medical 
Center and his leadership in organizing events for disabled veterans at 
the national level serve as an inspiration, not only to disabled 
veterans, but to all of our citizens. In dealing with those who have

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suffered injury while in the service of our Nation, Mr. Brown stands as 
a beacon to take the road less traveled, and we commend him for his 
initiative and industriousness.

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