Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and achievements of Donnell D. Etzwiler, M.D.

My home state of Minnesota lost a true hero for people with diabetes on April 6 when Dr. Etzwiler passed away, but his legacy lives on. Dr. Etzwiler touched countless lives with his commitment to improving the quality of care for Americans with diabetes.

A graduate of Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Etzwiler served for four decades as a pediatrician specializing in diabetes care at the Park Nicollet Clinic in Minneapolis. He is perhaps best known as the founder of the International Diabetes Center (IDC) in Minnesota, where he served as President and Chief Medical Officer until 1996. The mission of the IDC is to ensure every person with diabetes or even at risk of developing diabetes receives the best possible care.

Throughout Dr. Etzwiler's three decades of leadership, the IDC delivered on that promise. The IDC has trained over 20,000 health professionals, including hundreds from countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Poland and Russia. Because of his dedication to the children he cared for, the IDC organized and hosted the First International Symposium on Diabetes Camps in 1974. This important group helped establish standards and accreditation for diabetes camp programs.

In 1976 and 1977, Dr. Etzwiler served as President of the American Diabetes Association. Later, he spent over twelve years as a Principal Investigator for the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial at the National Institutes of Health. This groundbreaking study demonstrated that keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible in people with diabetes slows the onset and progression of complications like eye, kidney and nerve disease.

Dr. Etzwiler's commitment to improving diabetes care transcended national boundaries. He served as Chairman of the Diabetes Collaborating Centers for the World Health Organization. The Russian government officially recognized his work by awarding Dr. Etzwiler a Peace Award for co-founding and co-directing the International Diabetes Programme in Russia.

Most recently, Dr. Etzwiler received the National Institute of Health Policy's Health Care Leadership Award for his outstanding record of service.

As if all these landmark accomplishments were not enough to occupy his time, Dr. Etzwiler was also heavily involved in professional medical associations, serving in many leadership positions. He was a member of the Institute of Medicine. He received over 30 honors and awards from professional and civic organizations. He was a professor of medicine for over 40 years and published over 200 articles and abstracts about diabetes care.

Dr. Etzwiler's commitment and compassion has literally saved and improved the lives of countless people across the globe, especially

children with diabetes. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the millions of Americans with diabetes and their friends and family, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Donnell D. Etzwiler.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a son of Minnesota who died tragically this weekend while embedded with the 3rd Army Infantry Division in Iraq.

NBC news reporter David Bloom was a native of Edina, Minnesota, in the Third Congressional District which I am privileged to represent. David's parents, Harold and Laura Bloom, and his brother, John Bloom, are residents of Edina.

David distinguished himself at an early age as a champion debater and hockey player at Edina West High School. David was also an avid fan of his beloved Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Twins, and he often touted his hometown teams on national television.

David Bloom's meteoric rise as a journalist was nothing short of spectacular. As his NBC colleague, Katie Couric, said, ``David was always there for the story and not the glory. He was a reporter's reporter.'' Another NBC colleague, Matt Lauer, said, ``David personified energy, passion, compassion, and balance.''

With his engaging personality, sound intellect, high level of energy, and great sense of humor, David Bloom's 10-year career at NBC News always drew rave reviews. From his early years at the network in Chicago and Los Angeles to his years as White House correspondent and co-anchor of Weekend Today, David Bloom always got the story.

As NBC Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert said, ``David was first and foremost a competitor. He was very resourceful, stretching every deadline he ever met. One marvels at how much he did and how well he did it.''

Mr. Russert and many other close friends and colleagues also have said that David loved his wife, Melanie, and his three daughters more than anything. When Russert gave him the nickname ``Bloomster'', David readily told them it was his second favorite nickname. His favorite nickname was ``Dad.''

Madam Speaker, David Bloom was well-liked and respected by everyone who knew him. That was evidenced by the lofty praise that has filled the airwaves and the newspapers across America since his tragic and untimely death at age 39.

David Bloom was a great credit to his native Minnesota, his beloved family and friends, and his profession. As his co-anchor, Soledad O'Brien, put it, there was not a dry eye anywhere at NBC. I know my colleagues here in the House of Representatives feel the same profound sadness at the loss of David Bloom. Our thoughts and prayers go out to David Bloom's family, his wife, Melanie, and daughters Nicole, Christine, and Ava, as well as David's parents, Harold and Laura, and his brothers, John and Jim.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support our brave troops in harm's way, as they fight to disarm Saddam Hussein of his weapons of mass destruction.

My gratitude and prayers are with the 270,000 brave American troops at war to protect the American people, including 2,512 Minnesota National Guard and Reserve Troops.

Mr. Speaker, politics stops when war starts. It's time for all members of this body to take off their political hats and put on their American hats in support of our troops. At time of war, there are no Republicans, no Democrats and no Independents, only Americans.

As Americans, we have the will power and the staying power to accomplish this mission and bring our troops home safely.

Thanks to our brave troops, I am confident we will be successful at disarming this brutal and murderous dictator of his weapoons of mass destruciton. And for that, Mr. Speaker, they deserve our deepest gratitude, respect and prayers.

May God bless our troops and our Commander-in-Chief, and may God bless America!

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate National Peace Corps Day and recognize the Peace Corps for its stellar record of achievement throughout the past five decades. The Peace Corps has become an enduring symbol of our nation's commitment to encourage progress, create opportunity and expand

development at the grass-roots level in the developing world.

Since 1961, more than 168,000 Americans responded to our nation's call to serve by becoming Peace Corps Volunteers in 136 countries. There are currently 29 volunteers from my district alone who are deployed all over the world, from Kyrgystan to Guatemala.

Mr. Speaker, Peace Corps Volunteers have made significant and lasting contributions around the world in agriculture, business development, education, health and the environment, and have dramatically improved the lives of individuals and communities around the world.

Peace Corps Volunteers have strengthened the ties of friendship and understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries for 42 years.

President George W. Bush has issued a call to service for all Americans--both at home and abroad. The President seeks to double the number of Peace Corps Volunteers throughout the world, from the current level of 7,000 to 14,000 volunteers in FY07.

Mr. Speaker, Peace Corps Volunteers, enriched by their experiences overseas, have brought their communities throughout the United States a deeper understanding of other cultures and traditions, thereby bringing a domestic dividend to our nation.

National Peace Corps Day recognizes the work of returned Peace Corps Volunteers as they bring their experiences to work, school, places of worship and recreation, sharing with colleagues, friends and community members how their volunteer service changed and shaped their lives.

Mr. Speaker, National Peace Corps Day honors its Volunteers, past and present, and reaffirms our country's commitment to helping people help themselves throughout the world. I would like to congratulate them for the tremendous, and far too often thankless, work they do to improve the human condition.