[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 11694-11695]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TO JAN OMUNDSON AND PAM ELJ

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, on many occasions in the past year 
and a half, I have come to the floor on behalf of steelworkers and 
their families who live on Minnesota's Iron Range in northeastern 
Minnesota. Like other steel-producing regions, the Iron Range

[[Page 11695]]

has been hard hit by unfair foreign imports, devastating the United 
States steel and iron ore industries. And last year, Minnesota's Iron 
Range economy was rocked by the bankruptcy and closure of the LTV Steel 
Mining Company in Hoyt Lakes.
  When the LTV Steel Mining Company closed, 1,400 employees were thrown 
out of work. Many of these men and women had dedicated their entire 
working lives to LTV. They are hardworking people with families and 
bills to pay. In addition to the layoffs, 1,700 retirees lost portions 
of their pensions and all of their health insurance and life insurance.
  But if you know anything about Minnesota, you understand that in hard 
times we pull together and we persevere. This is especially true about 
the hardworking people of the Iron Range.
  Today, I'd like to recognize two very unselfish Minnesotans, Jan 
Omundson and Pam Elj, who have gone above and beyond the call of normal 
duty to help the people hurt by the LTV closing.
  For the past 3 months, Jan and Pam traveled more than 160 round-trip 
miles each day, from the Cities of Duluth and Virginia respectively, to 
help hundreds of displaced LTV employees and retirees understand their 
health care options. When an economic tragedy like this strikes a 
community, it's often a very painful, stressful, and confusing time for 
the families affected. Thanks to Jan and Pam, people affected now have 
a much better understanding of their benefits and their rights.
  In her role as coordinator of the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging's 
State Health Insurance Assistance Program, Jan Omundson led this team 
effort by organizing dozens of informational meetings to educate 
displaced LTV workers and retirees regarding their options. She was 
assisted by Pam Elj, who is a counselor with the Arrowhead Economic 
Opportunity Agency's Senior Insurance Advocacy Program. Together, they 
met with hundreds of retirees, displaced workers, and their families 
and outlined detailed and valuable information about options for health 
care coverage.
  Jan and Pam were key to the success of this effort and it would not 
have been possible without the support and resources of the Arrowhead 
Regional Development Commission, the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity 
Agency, the Hoyt Lakes Community Credit Union, the City of Biwabik, and 
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota.
  I thank them all for their dedication and assistance during this very 
difficult time.

                          ____________________