[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 72 (Thursday, June 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO LOUISE McKOWN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ZACH WAMP

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 7, 2006

  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Louise McKown of Oak 
Ridge, Tennessee, who was recently recognized here in Washington by the 
American Bar Association. She received the Paul G. Hearne Award for 
dedicating her personal and professional life to improving the lives of 
people with disabilities in her community.
  Thirteen years ago when she began to have trouble walking, Ms. McKown 
was diagnosed with a rare, degenerative neurological condition. It has 
grown increasingly worse over time and severely restricted her 
mobility, but anyone who knows her will tell you nothing can hold this 
very special woman back.
  Paul G. Hearne, for whom the award was named, was born with a 
connective tissue disorder that limited his growth and restricted his 
movement. But with hard work and determination, he fought through it 
and created opportunities for himself and others. Like Hearne, Ms. 
McKown's life is marked by similar achievements despite daunting 
physical setbacks.
  Since 1996, she has worked at the East Tennessee Technology Access 
Center in Knoxville as their public awareness coordinator and systems 
change advocate and analyst. The Access Center is the region's only 
nonprofit agency that helps people with disabilities gain knowledge of 
assistive technology. It serves people with disabilities in 24 
counties--helping them learn, work, play, and lead more productive, 
independent lives.
  A tireless spokesperson for the rights of people with disabilities--
whether they were born with a disability or became disabled through an 
accident, illness or old age--Ms. McKown has fought for their rights to 
live with dignity and choice. Her achievements on the behalf of the 
disabled are too numerous to list, but several deserve mention here on 
the House floor.
  In Anderson County, where she lives, she has served on the County 
Commissioner's Americans with Disabilities Act Oversight committee 
since its inception in 1995 and now serves as its chairwoman. Ms. 
McKown has also provided her expertise to the Tennessee Disability 
Coalition, the lead agency for 35 disability-related organizations 
statewide. Through her work with the Coalition's Project Vote, Ms. 
McKown helped drive improvements to polling stations that increased 
voting access for disabled citizens of Anderson and Knox Counties.
  Ms. McKown's energy and caring touch reached from Anderson County 
across the State of Tennessee. Because of her involvement with the 
Coalition, when the State rewrote the code governing the Department of 
Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities in 1999, she was asked to 
be one of five independent reviewers of the final draft. Her 
recommendation that group homes across the State for people with 
developmental disabilities should be less crowded was accepted. Now 
instead of eight people, they are only permitted to house half that 
many, greatly improving the quality of life for these physically 
challenged Americans.
  Ms. McKown's life is an example for other Americans, showing that 
nothing and no one can hold you back if you put your mind to achieving 
what you want. In the words of her friends, she is truly a woman on a 
mission and I am proud to stand here on her behalf today.




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