[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 64 (Thursday, May 1, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMENDING THE CENTER FOR RURAL HEALTH DEVELOPMENT FOR WEST VIRGINIA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 2003

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend an exceptional 
organization in West Virginia on its receipt of a prestigious 
certification of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
  The Center for Rural Health Development has been working since 1994 
to make sure that West Virginians in rural communities have access to 
the highest standards of health care services. Its dedicated Board of 
Directors and professional staff have worked effectively to bring 
essential infrastructure, equipment, technical assistance, and skilled 
health care providers of all types to rural counties in our beloved 
State.
  Ever mindful of the fact that a community's economic health is linked 
to the quality of its health care delivery system, the center has 
played a vital role in the growth and development of many rural and 
underserved areas, opening up opportunities for jobs, both in health 
care fields and in new businesses attracted to the high quality of life 
in West Virginia.
  Its loan partners in the private sector and sponsors, including the 
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson 
Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Appalachian Regional 
Commission and the State of West Virginia, have long recognized the 
financial expertise of the Center for Rural Health Development.
  It is now my pleasure to note that the U.S. Department of the 
Treasury, through its Community Development Financial Institutions 
Fund, has certified the Center for Rural Health Development as a 
``Community Development Financial Institution''. The CDFI designation 
is a testament to high standards of practice and exceptional results, 
and serves as a signal to financial markets and West Virginia 
communities that the confidence they place in the Center for Rural 
Health Development is well deserved.
  I ask that my colleagues join me in commending the Center for Rural 
Health Development and its Director, Ms. Sharon Lansdale, on its CDFI 
certification, and in expressing our appreciation for the vital role 
they have played in the lives of so many West Virginians.

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