[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 131 (Wednesday, September 7, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1554-E1555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DRS. FAHIM AND NAEEM RAHIM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 7, 2011

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, at a time when relations between 
the US and Pakistan seem tense, I would like to take a moment as a long 
time friend of Pakistan to remind my colleagues of the tremendous 
contribution that Americans of Pakistani origin have made in this 
country. Today, I wish to bring my colleagues attention to the story of 
two of these exemplary individuals, Drs. Fahim and Naeem Rahim of 
Pocatello, Idaho. Their unparalleled contributions were formally 
recognized this past July when they were both awarded the prestigious 
Ellis Island Medal of Honor. The award, presented by the National 
Ethnic Coalition, is given yearly to American citizens of diverse 
ethnic origins whose contributions to our society inspire and touch the 
lives of people everywhere. In their journey from Peshawar, Pakistan to 
Pocatello, Idaho, the Rahim brothers have come to exemplify the 
American Dream.
  I was in pursuit of this dream that both brothers first arrived to 
the United States in the late 90's, completing their training in 
Nephrology and Internal Medicine at the New York Medical College in 
Valhalla, New York, finishing only one year apart. During this time, 
Fahim and Naeem would lay the foundation of what would become their 
legacy, driven by a relentless drive to fulfill the American dream 
while also building bridges between their native and adopted cultures.
  Their relentless drive and hard work soon brought the two brothers to 
little Pocatello, Idaho, where they would establish the first Idaho 
Kidney Institute in 2005. What began as a single facility in Pocatello 
has, through the desire, hard work, and clinical expertise of Fahim and 
Naeem, now become the largest provider for patients suffering with 
kidney disease in Southeast Idaho, with a service area that covers a 
population of 250,000. The Idaho Kidney Institute facilities provide 
hundreds of patients with a medical home for treatment of their kidney 
disease, delivering state of the art care and saving hundreds of miles 
of travel for rural Idahoans.
  In addition to their professional success as nephrologists, the Drs. 
Rahim are also members of the faculty at Idaho State University, giving 
their time to teaching tomorrow's medical residents, medical students, 
physician assistants in training, and nurses. Fahim and Naeem have also 
had commercial success creating their own consulting firm, Nephro 
Consultants, which aids new physicians in starting their own medical 
practices. Fahim was recently nominated (2008) by the local business 
community for the annual award, ``Overachiever Under 40.''
  Their journey serves as an irrefutable example that the American 
dream is still alive and well. Drs. Fahim and Naeem's noble service to 
others, and the community that they now call home, make them two 
shining examples of our unique American tapestry.

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