[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 106 (Thursday, July 17, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S9582]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        OREGON HEALTH CARE HERO

 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to salute Ms. Janice 
Kane, an outstanding health care worker from my home State of Oregon. 
Ms. Kane is a model for all registered nurses, not just in the state of 
Oregon, but across the country. Her commitment to serving Oregonians is 
a shining example to us all.
  Like many in her field, Ms. Kane has gone above and beyond the call 
of duty to help patients in need. In addition to healing broken bodies, 
she has also worked to support the spirits of those in pain. Over the 
past two years, Ms. Kane has sewn over 6,000 multi-colored pillows to 
help comfort patients at the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in 
Corvallis.
  However, Ms. Kane's benevolence is not limited to Oregonians; she 
recently offered boxes of pillows to soldiers wounded in Operation 
Iraqi Freedom. Her gift to our country's soldiers is one of 
immeasurable value. By offering her time and talent to this cause, Ms. 
Kane has helped remind American soldiers abroad that their sacrifices 
are not being forgotten at home.
  Despite the hardships currently facing the nursing profession, Ms. 
Kane has not failed in her drive to serve those in need. All states are 
experiencing an increasing shortage of health care workers, and 
particularly, of nurses. Last year, the Senate passed the Nurse 
Reinvestment Act to better recruit and retain nurses. Nevertheless, we 
can and should do more. Our country's health care system needs more 
people like Ms. Kane, and we should do everything in our power to 
ensure that we support America's nurses.
  I salute Janice Kane for her exceptional work as a registered nurse 
and wish to dignify her contribution to our great state and to our 
nation by naming her an Oregon Health Care Hero.

                          ____________________