[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 136 (Tuesday, September 30, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A TRIBUTE TO HOWARD A. RIINA, MD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 30, 2003

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Dr. Howard A. Riina, in 
recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in the field of 
medicine.
  Dr. Riina was born in Brooklyn, New York. From 1982 to 1987, he 
earned two undergraduate degrees. He received a Bachelor of Science and 
Engineering in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania and a 
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology from Franklin and Marshall College. 
After earning his medical degree from Temple University, Dr. Riina 
earned a Master of Philosophy degree in Molecular Neurobiology from the 
University of Cambridge.
  Since 2001, he has served as an Assistant Professor of Neurological 
Surgery in Radiology and in Neurology at Weil Medical College of 
Cornell University. Additionally, he is an Assistant Attending 
Neurological Surgeon at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Chairman of 
Neurological Surgery at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, and NYP Hospital 
Consultant to HSS Orthopedic Surgery/Neurosurgery.
  Dr. Riina is also a member of several professional committees and 
associations as well including, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, 
the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, North American Skull 
Base Society, the Ethics Committee of the Weil Cornell Medical College 
and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Weil Cornell Physician 
Organization Professional Liability Premium Subcommittee. He is also an 
Associate Fellow for the American College of Surgeons, and on the 
Executive Committee Joint Section of Cerebrovascular Diseases, AANS/
CNS.
  In addition to his hospital affiliations with New York-Presbyterian 
Hospital, Hospital for Special Surgery, the Brooklyn Medical Center, 
and St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, NY, Dr. Riina has also found the 
time to contribute numerous scholarly articles and books in the field 
of neurology. He has also been awarded the Bayer Corporation 
Educational Grant.
  However, arguably, his most important accomplishment was saving the 
life of Peggy Haskins, a constituent of mine.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Howard A. Riina has reached the highest levels of 
medicine and he has used his expertise to improve and save the lives of 
those in his community. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving 
our recognition today, and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring 
this truly remarkable person.

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