[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 18 (Thursday, February 12, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E173-E174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO MR. ROBERT A. PERREAULT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 11, 2004

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. 
Robert A. Perreault, who retired o January 2, 2004, after more than 30 
years of service in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  A veteran of the United States Navy, Bob Perreault began his VA 
career as a Medical Administrative Assistant in 1974 at the VA 
Outpatient Clinic in St. Petersburg, Florida. Bob rapidly progressed in 
his career, in VA field activities at a managerial and executive level, 
and in a number of key executive positions in VA Central Office. Among 
his notable assignments, he served in Washington as Director of the 
Medical Administration Service; Executive Assistant to VA's Chief 
Medical Director [now Under Secretary for Health]; and Director of 
Health Care Reform during the

[[Page E174]]

Clinton Administration. Mr. Perreault also served as Chief Executive 
Officer in Medical Centers in Newington, Connecticut; Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina. While in 
Atlanta and Charleston, he served in a dual role as VA's service line 
executive for primary care for a network of VA providers throughout 
Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. Throughout his distinguished VA 
career, Bob Perreault eagerly and enthusiastically assumed challenges 
and provided leadership to VA programs, with his eye always fixed 
squarely on the health care needs of veterans.
  In May 2002, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs appointed Mr. 
Perreault Chief Business Officer of the Veterans Health Administration 
(VHA). He was recruited to this key role because of his wealth of 
experience in field facilities and Central Office. In this new role, he 
brought invigorated leadership to VHA business functions to include 
improved eligibility determinations, significantly higher first- and 
third-party collections activities and improved patient administration 
policy. Mr. Perreault coordinated VHA's implementation of the Health 
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), aided the 
establishment of the new ``VA Advantage'' Medicare coordination 
program, improved management of the fee-basis and contract care 
programs, and provided more focused direction to VA's CHAMPVA program, 
among a myriad of activities within his jurisdiction or persuasion.
  Mr. Perreault twice was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Rank 
Award for career senior executives, and received numerous other 
national recognitions and performance awards during his career. 
Employing his vast institutional knowledge and business acumen, Robert 
Perreault has proven time and again he is a true and loyal friend to 
America's veterans.
  On behalf of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I want to thank 
Robert Perreault for his steadfast and intrepid service to the Nation's 
veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

                          ____________________