E1586 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 21, 2012 

IN HONOR OF THE HONORABLE 

JUDGE DONNA CONGENI FITZSIMMONS 

HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 

honor of the Honorable Judge Donna Congeni 

Fitzsimmons, who is the recipient of Recovery 

Resources’ Community Challenge 2012 Exemplar Award. 

Recovery Resources is a community-based 

nonprofit organization with a mission of helping people triumph over mental illness, alcoholism, drug and other addictions. The Exemplar Award, established in 2006, celebrates 

members of the local community who have 

demonstrated a long and distinguished record 

of exemplary service and support for Recovery 

Resources’ Community Challenge program. 

Judge Fitzsimmons graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and earned 

her law degree from George Washington University in 1976. She began her career in public service in 1977 as an Assistant Cuyahoga 

County Prosecutor. In 1980, she became the 

first woman to be appointed as Special Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Organized Crime Strike Force in Cleveland. During 

her tenure as Special Attorney, Judge Fitzsimmons served as the lead prosecutor in the 

U.S. v. Lonardo, Gallo, et al case, in which 

she successfully convicted the former Cleveland Mafia boss, Angelo Lonardo in 1983. In 

1984, she was appointed Deputy Counsel to 

President Reagan’s commission on Organized 

Crime in Washington, DC and served in this 

position until 1985 when she entered private 

practice at the law firm of Atter & Hadden. 

On January 1, 1994, Judge Fitzsimmons assumed the role of Judge of the Rocky River 

Municipal Court and has been serving on the 

bench since. In 1997, she was appointed 

Chair of the Cuyahoga County Violence 

Against Women Act Committee and as the 

Municipal Court representative to the Cuyahoga County Criminal Justice Supervisory 

Services Board. As her career continued, 

Judge Fitzsimmons would be appointed to the 

Ohio Supreme Court’s Court Security Committee, Criminal Procedure Committee and 

Jury Service Committee. 

In addition to her career, Judge Fitzsimmons is an active member of the Northeast 

Ohio community. She has served on Fairview 

Hospital’s Community Advisory Board, as a 

trustee for Community Challenge, charter 

member of the Fairview High School Alumni 

Hall of Fame and an honorary chair for the 

Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence’s 

Annual Break the Silence Luncheon. She also 

established the Stalking Victim Support Group 

and was a member of the Board of Trustees 

for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 

Throughout her career, Judge Fitzsimmons 

has been recognized numerous times. She 

has been named Cleveland’s Italian Heritage 

Committee Public Service Honoree 2011, 

‘‘Gem of Cleveland’’ by the Junior League of 

Cleveland, and has received the Columbian 

Award from the Federation of Italian-American 

Societies of Northern Ohio. She has also been 

recognized by the Women’s Center of Greater 

Cleveland. 

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me 

in congratulating Recovery Resources’ Community Challenge 2012 Exemplar Award winner, the Honorable Judge Donna Congeni 

Fitzsimmons. 

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RECOGNIZING MIKE FLYNN, RECIPIENT OF THE WASHINGTONIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD 

HON. ADAM SMITH OF WASHINGTON

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I 

rise to congratulate Mike Flynn on being honored with the Washingtonian of the Year 

award from the Association of Washington 

Generals. This annual award is given to a citizen of Washington State for outstanding community service. 

Mr. Flynn worked for 24 years as the editor 

and publisher of the Puget Sound Business 

Journal. In that position, he was widely recognized throughout the region’s business community. He led the newspaper with a vision of 

not only reporting on the business sector, but 

using the print medium to foster valuable relationships throughout the community. 

In 2006, Mr. Flynn retired from the Puget 

Sound Business Journal and turned his focus 

to community and non-profit causes. In that 

time, he has served on the boards of various 

community organizations. He continues to be 

dedicated to building relationships, helping 

start-up entrepreneurs, and expanding opportunities in rural areas. 

Each year, the Association of Washington 

Generals awards the Washingtonian of the 

Year award to someone who has shown special dedication to serving Washington State. 

The Association is proud of the unique characteristics of Washington State—ranging from 

our State’s outstanding physical beauty to the 

people who strive to make Washington a better place to call home. The Washingtonian of 

the Year embodies the Association’s devotion 

to improving our State’s communities. 

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize Mike Flynn. His dedication to serving 

our community is an inspiration to others. 

f 

CONGRATULATING ANNETTE 

STASSI 

HON. RODNEY ALEXANDER OF LOUISIANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. Speaker, it is with 

great pride that I rise today to congratulate 

Annette Stassi for being selected Queen 

Evangeline of the International Acadian Festival in Iberville Parish. Annette is a 17-yearold senior at St. John High School in 

Plaquemine, La. 

The International Acadian Festival is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Council 

#970 of Plaquemine, which is the third oldest 

Council in Louisiana. 

It is always outstanding to see the diligence 

with which the young students of Louisiana 

work to give back and better their communities. I have the highest confidence that Annette will succeed in whatever endeavors she 

pursues. 

I ask my colleagues to join me in passing 

good wishes to Annette Stassi, her family, and 

the entire International Acadian Festival. Annette is truly deserving of this recognition. 

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PERSONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. KEVIN BRADY OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 585, I was unavoidably detained and 

could not be present for last night’s rollcall 

vote on H.R. 5044, the Andrew P. Carpenter 

Tax Act. I am a cosponsor and strong supporter of this legislation, which would provide 

tax relief from any amounts of private educational loans forgiven for service members 

who lost their lives in the line of duty since the 

beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom in 

October of 2001. Had I been present, I would 

have voted ‘‘yes.’’ 

f 

IN SUPPORT OF WORKERS AND 

THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE 

TO MEDICARE PATIENTS 

HON. LAURA RICHARDSON OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to 

commend America’s home healthcare workers 

who provide services to millions of patients, including many Medicare beneficiaries, who are 

homebound and require skilled care. These 

skilled and dedicated workers are among the 

unsung heroes in the effort to contain the cost 

of healthcare without sacrificing the quality of 

service provided to patients. Today, there are 

more than 40 million seniors in the United 

States, 12 percent of the population. In 20 

years, that number will increase to 70 million, 

or 20 percent of the population. More than 27 

million of these individuals are over age 70, 

and more that 1 million are over the age of 80. 

Further, more than 43 million people in the 

United States, 19 percent of the population, 

provide care for an elderly family member or 

friend. 

Mr. Speaker, many healthcare treatments 

that were once offered only in a hospital or a 

physician’s office can now be safely, effectively, and efficiently provided in patients’ 

homes by skilled clinicians. Home healthcare 

is generally less expensive, more convenient, 

and as effective as care provided in a hospital 

or skilled nursing facility. Home healthcare can 

serve as an intermediate level of care for patients who have difficulty accessing outpatient 

care or who need intensive assistance with an 

acute or chronic health problem. 

Skilled home healthcare services funded 

under Medicare Part A and B are safe, effective, affordable, clinically advanced, and patient preferred. 

A case study conducted by the Veterans’ 

Administration (VA) illustrates the benefits of 

home healthcare. The VA has provided comprehensive primary care services to veterans 

in their homes since 1972 in an effort to keep 

patients in their homes and reduce inpatient 

hospital days. The program was specifically 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS