[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 93 (Monday, June 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         ON THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE JUDGE RALPH M. BURNETT

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                        HON. ROSCOE G. BARTLETT

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 11, 2007

  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and 
memory of a great constituent of the 6th District of Maryland--The 
Honorable Ralph M. Burnett, Jr. Ralph M. Burnett was a Maryland 
district court judge and pioneer in the fight against prostate cancer. 
Judge Burnett died from the disease on May 9, 2007 at the age of 64.
  Judge Burnett was born in 1943 in Seneca Falls, N.Y., to the late 
Ralph M. Burnett, Sr., and Betty Burnett. He graduated from St. Paul's 
High School in 1961 and earned a BA from Dickinson College, in 1965. A 
Vietnam Veteran, Judge Burnett was sent to Korea and served as First 
Lieutenant in the U.S. Army until 1969. He then enrolled in the 
Baltimore School of Law and received a degree in 1972.
  Judge Burnett began practicing law in Oakland, MD, and served as 
Garrett County's State Attorney from 1974-1978. In December of 1993, he 
was appointed an associate district court judge. He was also a member 
of the Executive Committee of the Maryland Judicial Conference, and 
served on the Editorial Board of Justice Matters until his passing.
  Diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996, Judge Burnett became a 
devoted advocate for the prostate cancer community. He served as 
chairman of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, NPCC, from 1999-
2001. Under his leadership, federal funding for prostate cancer 
research doubled and the NPCC tripled in size.
  After stepping down as chairman, Judge Burnett stayed on as a board 
member and doggedly pursued more prostate cancer treatment options for 
patients. He was also an advocate for the Johns Hopkins University's 
Specialized Program of Research Excellence and served on several panels 
within the Department of Defense where he worked to leverage the DOD's 
investment in prostate cancer research and participated in discovering 
the lethal phenotype that causes the disease.
  Judge Burnett is survived by his former wife, Lucy Burnett, a son, P. 
Chase Burnett and his wife Jaime, three grandchildren, Ian, Eli, and 
Sophie Burnett, a daughter, Catherine Burnett, and one sister, Clara 
Tordella.
  Ralph M. Burnett's funeral was held on Saturday, May 12, at St. 
Paul's United Methodist Church in Oakland.
  On behalf of the residents of the Sixth District, I am honored but 
humbled to offer this token of appreciation for the distinguished 
service of Ralph M. Burnett to others and his many accomplishments. I 
hope that this simple testament provides some comfort to ease the grief 
of his family, neighbors and friends over his loss.

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