[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HAROLD BENGSCH AWARDED 2001 HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ROY BLUNT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 20, 2001

  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a dedicated civil servant who 
is working daily to improve the health of residents in the Seventh 
Congressional District of Missouri.
  Earlier this month, Harold Bengsch, the Director of the Springfield-
Greene County, Missouri Health Department, was awarded the 2001 
Humanitarian of the Year Award, established by the Community Foundation 
of the Ozarks. The recognition comes with a $5,000 cash award that is 
to be divided between the recipient and the charities of their choice. 
Mr. Bengsch, true to the reasons why he was so honored, gave the entire 
amount to charity.
  Harold received the award for three decades of outstanding work 
improving the area's public health. His dedication and vision were 
instrumental in cutting the number of children testing positive for 
elevated blood lead levels in Greene County from 28 percent to 15 
percent. Under his leadership, immunization rates for children at two 
years of age has increased from less than 50 percent to more than 90 
percent. As director of the local health department, Harold has 
conducted research, had his studies published in professional journals 
and is responsible for the ongoing management of the ever growing city-
county public health programs. These programs include disease control, 
preventive and environmental health and medical services.
  Harold is a proven problem solver. He is a master at bringing people 
together--those who need the service and those who provide it. His 
soft-spoken manner, intelligence and broad experience in public health 
issues makes Harold Bengsch an invaluable resource to his community and 
well respected throughout the state of Missouri.
  The unreasonable actions of government bureaucrats are regularly 
criticized on the Floor of the House. In this case I want my colleagues 
to know there is at least one bureaucrat who is doing an outstanding 
job of serving the public. I can assert without hesitation that the 
public health of Springfield Greene County and Southwest Missouri is 
better today because of the work, effort and vision of Harold Bengsch.

                          ____________________