[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21155]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING DR. REGINA BENJAMIN ON HER NOMINATION AS SURGEON GENERAL 
                    OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 8, 2009

  Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Regina 
Benjamin on her nomination as United States surgeon general. Upon 
confirmation, Dr. Benjamin will become the third Alabamian to serve as 
the nation's chief health educator.
  A native of Mobile, Dr. Benjamin earned a bachelor's degree from 
Xavier University in New Orleans, and she attended the University of 
Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. Following the completion of 
her residency at the Medical Center of Central Georgia, Dr. Benjamin 
returned to south Alabama and founded the Bayou La Batre Rural Health 
Clinic. Dr. Benjamin also holds a masters of business administration 
from Tulane University.
  Founded in 1990, Dr. Benjamin's non-profit clinic strives to provide 
high-quality medical care for the uninsured citizens of Alabama's 
bayou. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Georges and Katrina, despite the 
devastation of her own clinic, Dr. Benjamin selflessly continued to 
serve her patients, making house calls in order to treat those who were 
isolated, injured, and unable to leave their homes.
  Dr. Benjamin's resume boasts an extensive list of accomplishments. In 
1995, she became the first African-American woman and first person 
under age 40 to serve on the American Medical Association board of 
trustees. In addition, as president of the Medical Association of 
Alabama, she was the first African-American woman president of a state 
medical society. In September 2008, she was one of 25 honored with a 
$500,000 ``genius award'' from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur 
Foundation Fellowship. She also previously served as associate dean for 
Rural Health at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and 
chair of the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States.
  Dr. Benjamin has received numerous awards throughout her career. In 
1998, she was the United States recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award 
for Health and Human Rights. Time magazine named her as one of the 
``Nation's 50 Future Leaders Age 40 and Under.'' She has been profiled 
by the New York Times and ABC's ``World News Tonight.'' She was named 
``Woman of the Year'' by both CBS ``This Morning'' and People Magazine. 
In 2008, U.S. News and World Report named Dr. Benjamin one of America's 
Best Leaders.
  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 this 
distinguished nomination.

                          ____________________