[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1553]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DR. RICHARD HOFFMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2001

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
honor Dr. Richard Hoffman, Colorado's chief medical officer and state 
epidemiologist. Richard recently resigned from his position at the 
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, after serving as 
state epidemiologist since 1987, and as chief medical officer since 
1998.
  Richard has remained active, professional, and reliable throughout 
his time with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. 
He has drafted laws, seen his writings published in over sixty peer-
reviewed journals, written for ten non-peer-review or public health 
publications, written two book chapters and five published letters.
  According to Dr. Sue Binder of the National Center for Injury 
Prevention and Control division of the United States Department of 
Health and Human Services, he also directed one of the division's most 
successful traumatic brain injury (TBI) surveillance projects. In 
addition, he helped to launch the Colorado follow-up registry. These 
efforts have ``led to the first credible estimate of TBI-related 
disability and health services usage prevalence in the United States.'' 
The Colorado TBI registry, wrote Dr. Binder, ``blazed the trail for our 
planned efforts to create spinal cord injury registries.''
  In addition, according to a draft of the Colorado Board of Health 
Resolution, Richard ``epitomizes public health leadership and leaves an 
indelible legacy of accomplishments.'' The resolution says, also, ``Dr. 
Hoffman's efforts have paved the way for significantly improving the 
health and welfare of our state's population.'' Jane Norton, the 
executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and 
Environment agrees; she wrote, ``The bottom line is that his efforts 
have translated into making Colorado a healthier place to live and 
raise a family.''
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Richard Hoffman's expertise, leadership, compassion, 
and hard work have improved the state of Colorado. I would like to 
thank him for his positive influence on Colorado's health care, and I 
wish him well on his future endeavors. His dedication is certainly 
deserving of this honor.

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