[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 119 (Thursday, September 19, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1621-E1622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE 2002 OLIN E. TEAGUE AWARD RECIPIENTS DR. DOUGLAS 
                     NOFFSINGER AND DR. RORY COOPER

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 19, 2002

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, in a ceremony on Wednesday, 
September 18, 2002, in the Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing room, 
Dr. Douglas Noffsinger, Chief, Office of Audiology and Speech 
Pathology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, 
California, and Dr. Rory Cooper, Director, Rehabilitation Research and 
Development Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, 
each received an Olin E. Teague Award for their efforts on behalf of 
disabled veterans.
  The Teague Award is presented annually to a VA employee (or 
employees) whose achievements have been of extraordinary benefit to 
veterans with service-connected disabilities, and is the highest honor 
presented by VA in the field of rehabilitation.
  Dr. Noffsinger was selected to receive this prestigious award in 
honor of his significant contributions to the rehabilitation of 
veterans with hearing loss, one of the most common disabilities 
resulting from military service. His efforts have been multi-faceted 
and include cutting-edge research, establishing national practice 
algorithms for selecting and fitting hearing aids, and developing 
guidelines to assure that all veterans needing hearing aids have equal 
access to treatment. Dr. Noffsinger is commended for his leadership 
role in formulating national clinical practice guidelines for selecting 
and fitting hearing aids that have been accepted as official policy by 
the professional associations that represent all private and public 
sector audiologists.
  Rory A. Cooper, Ph.D., was recognized with a Teague Award for his 
major contributions to

[[Page E1622]]

the rehabilitation of paralyzed individuals, in the design of the 
modern wheelchairs, for his promotion of the understanding of secondary 
disabilities among wheelchair users, and for his persistent efforts to 
improve the availability of high quality products and services to 
veterans who use wheelchairs. Dr. Cooper's work has affected thousands 
of veterans by elevating the quality of the wheelchair produced by 
manufacturers and provided by the VA and other third party payers. Dr. 
Cooper is one of the world's foremost authorities in wheelchair design 
and technology. His impact on the lives of people with disabilities has 
been, and will continue to be, truly profound.
  Mr. Speaker, the name Olin E. ``Tiger'' Teague is synonymous with 
exemplary service to the Nation's veterans. The late Congressman Teague 
served on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs for 32 years, 18 of those 
years as its distinguished chairman. No one who worked with him on 
veterans' issues ever had to ask why he was called ``Tiger.'' He set 
the standards by which we can best serve all veterans. I know my 
colleagues join me in offering our deep appreciation to Dr. Noffsinger 
and Dr. Cooper for their concern, dedication, and innovation in meeting 
the special rehabilitation needs of veterans. We congratulate Dr. 
Noffsinger and Dr. Cooper for the excellence of their work and for the 
distinguished award they received.

                          ____________________