[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 208 (Thursday, December 2, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMENDING THE LEADERSHIP OF DAN FINCH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 2, 2021

  Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commending the leadership 
of Dan Finch, Texas Medical Association Vice President of Advocacy, 
upon his retirement after 39 years of exemplary work on behalf of 
patient care and the physician practice of medicine.
  Daniel ``Dan'' Thomas Finch was born on November 16, 1952, reared on 
the outskirts of Washington, D.C., the eldest of seven children, and 
the son of a Navy veteran. He moved to Texas in 1982, to work for the 
Harris County Medical Society before heading to Austin in 2006 to join 
the public affairs advocacy team of the Texas Medical Association.
  Dan's commitment to hard work and serving others began early in life 
in Catholic school as an altar boy and later with his first job out of 
University of North Carolina as a bus driver. These early life 
experiences molded Dan's leadership, communication, and navigation 
skills which serendipitously led him into a medical association 
communications position with the North Carolina Medical Society, and 
then a brief stint with the American Medical Association in Chicago, 
before heading to Houston where he began a 24-year stint with the 
Harris County Medical Society, and eventually to Austin where he has 
served the past 15 years with the Texas Medical Association.
  Dan's rapid trajectory and success professionally in the field of 
medical association communications and advocacy was matched only by his 
private life as a Renaissance man who developed keen interests as a 
guitarist, singer, photographer, golfer, motorcycle enthusiast, world 
traveler, cigar afficionado, Astros baseball fan, home gardener, and 
outdoor grill master.
  Dan has been equally well grounded as a dedicated husband to his 
loving wife, Becky, for the past 41 years, as a caring father to their 
daughter, Liz, and son, Nate, and as the loving ``Pops'' to all of his 
grandchildren. He has offered his many talents to the community, 
including being a member of his church band in Houston which performed 
every Sunday in their Hawaiian shirts. His respect among his working 
peers, his dedicated service to the more than 53,000 member physicians 
in the Texas Medical Association, and his public affairs 
accomplishments in both the Texas Legislature and in Congress led to 
his ascension as Vice President of Advocacy for the Texas Medical 
Association.
  Texas is a better and healthier State in part to Dan's steadfast 
commitment to the highest standards and quality of patient care in 
Texas, protections for physician autonomy in caring for their patients, 
common sense health insurance reforms which put patients before 
insurance profits, and medical liability protections which prevent 
lawsuit abuse.
  Dan's most memorable advice to his younger colleagues was, ``A doctor 
long ago told me if we do what's right for patients, we'll do what's 
right for physicians, and that's always been my guiding light.''
  Dan and Becky are now replacing the rolling Texas Hill Country of 
Austin with a retirement home closer to their grandkids in the rolling 
hills of Manhattan, Kansas (which is much preferable to that other 
Manhattan).
  I ask that my fellow Members join me in saluting the life, work, and 
accomplishments of Daniel ``Dan'' Thomas Finch, on behalf of the Texas 
Medical Association, for a healthier Nation. I am humbled to formally 
declare Dan a ``great American'' who has earned his retirement spurs 
and a ``great Texan'' (even if he's not in Texas anymore).

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