[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 156 (Sunday, September 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING DR. REGINA BENJAMIN FOR WINNING A JOHN D. AND CATHERINE 
                   T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP

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                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise today to congratulate 
Dr. Regina Benjamin of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, for winning a 2008 John 
D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. As one of 25 
recipients of this year's prestigious ``genius grant,'' Dr. Benjamin's 
star is rising on the national level even as she continues to work 
daily to improve the lives of the people of south Mobile County and the 
State of Alabama.
  Dr. Benjamin, a lifelong resident of Alabama, has dedicated herself 
to serving the underserved--providing high-quality medical care to 
shrimping communities of the Alabama bayou. When Bayou La Batre was 
devastated by Hurricane Georges in 1998 and again in 2005 by Hurricanes 
Katrina and Rita, Dr. Benjamin rode from house to house in a pickup 
truck, caring for her patients one by one until her clinic could be 
rebuilt. Her dedication to serving her community stands out as an 
example for us all, and I am so glad she has been recognized by one of 
the world's truly prestigious foundations.
  The MacArthur Fellowship is awarded annually to individuals 
recognized for ``extraordinary originality and dedication in their 
creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.'' Fellows 
are awarded $500,000 with absolutely no strings attached, a complement 
to the virtues of creativity and self-direction recognized by the 
foundation. Though Dr. Benjamin has not yet decided how she will use 
her grant, she is considering a program to help lower-income students 
pursue careers in medicine. It would be a worthy use of this award and 
truly a gift that would keep on giving.
  Madam Speaker, on behalf of the proud citizens of the First 
Congressional District and the entire State of Alabama, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Benjamin on her MacArthur 
Fellowship. I know I speak for all my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives when I say we can't wait to see what she does next.

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