[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 96 (Thursday, July 1, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S8160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PIONEER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to express my warmest 
congratulations to Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Viborg, SD.
  Pioneer Memorial Hospital is celebrating 40 years of dedicated 
service to the residents of Viborg and the surrounding area. It is an 
outstanding example of continued excellence in the delivery of health 
care services to rural South Dakota.
  In an era when the high cost of medical care has driven a wedge 
between the patient and the provider, small, rural hospitals like 
Pioneer Memorial Hospital remind us of the true ethic of medical care; 
compassion, commitment and dedication to those in need. There is no 
reward great enough for the hard work and long hours that the staff at 
Pioneer Memorial Hospital have sacrificed on the behalf of others. They 
have brought into the world the newborn babies of friends and neighbors 
and cared for those who have lived long and noble lives. Perhaps most 
importantly, they should be recognized for the hand that they extended 
to those whom they did not know but reached out to in times of need.
  Therefore, it is with great honor that I recognize Pioneer Memorial 
Hospital for its dedication to service and excellence in providing 
quality medical care to Viborg and the surrounding area. I applaud the 
efforts of every individual involved with the hospital throughout the 
years and offer my best wishes for another 40 years of service and 
excellence.

                          ____________________