[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 15, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE SERVICE AND LEGACY OF DR. DEBORAH FRANK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, today I am here to recognize the career of 
a colleague whose work has always been an inspiration, not just to me, 
but to countless healthcare providers, students, advocates, and 
patients alike, Dr. Deborah Frank.
  Dr. Frank is a woman of many talents and passions. Notably, she has 
served as a professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of 
Medicine.
  One of Dr. Frank's most impactful community contributions began in 
1984, when she founded the Grow Clinic for Children at Boston Medical 
Center. The Grow Clinic is an outpatient clinic that produces 
comprehensive specialty medical, nutritional, developmental, social 
services, and dietary assistance to children.
  She is also the founder and principal investigator of Children's 
Health Watch, the Grow Clinic's outreach and research arm, which is a 
network of pediatric and public health researchers who, like Dr. Frank, 
are committed to improving child health in America.
  The Grow Clinic serves a diverse patient population of mostly low-
income families from some of Greater Boston's poorest communities. But 
what made the Grow Clinic an essential part of the community is not 
just its dedication to the underserved and underprivileged; it was Dr. 
Frank's commitment to gaining a deeper understanding about the social 
determinants of her patients' health.
  Her patients knew that they could go to her for their needs beyond 
physical health. She cared about whether they had housing or warm 
clothing. She cared about whether they had healthy and nutritious food 
to eat and whether they were getting enough of it. She even started a 
food pantry at Boston Medical Center to address her patients' needs.
  Dr. Frank knew that there is more to health than metrics and vitals. 
It is also your environment and support system. Part of what makes Dr. 
Frank's legacy remarkable is that she found a way to become part of 
that support system.
  She came into this line of work with a vision and purpose and, in the 
process, has changed countless lives in Massachusetts and beyond.
  Dr. Frank has testified many times before Congress on numerous 
occasions, raising awareness on the growing problem of national hunger 
and its effects on children. She has literally spoken truth to power. 
Her work will continue to shape the way that healthcare professionals 
and policymakers understand the correlation between children's 
nutrition and health.
  Whether she is teaching medical students about ``failure to thrive,'' 
making sure her patients have food, or advocating against the 
criminalization and stigmatization of addicted mothers, Dr. Frank is a 
true fighter.
  She may say she retired, but, honestly, I don't believe it. Her 
life's work of enriching the health and well-being of those around her 
will not only continue through the organizations that she has worked in 
her entire life and her entire career, but also through the lives of 
the children and the families for whom she has advocated. I am sure 
that she will continue to stand up for what she believes in, and I 
thank her for her service to her community and to our country.
  Finally, I also thank her for her friendship. She is one of my 
heroes. She is an inspiration to me and to so many other people, and 
she is a believer that we can change the world. With her leadership and 
her inspiration, I believe we can do great things like end hunger in 
this country once and for all.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I want to say to Dr. Frank, on behalf of all my 
colleagues, thank you for the incredible work that you have done, and 
we look forward to continuing to work with you and to be guided by your 
values and your passion.

                          ____________________