S6444 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 19, 2012 

North Country. These accolades include the USDA Rural Development 

New Hampshire Partner of the Year in 

2002, the Federal Home Loan Bank-Boston Partner of the Year, and the Citizens Bank Champion in Action in 2005. 

In addition to his full-time responsibilities at AHEAD, David has served 

on the Board of the New Hampshire 

Community Development Finance Authority for 20 years, spending four of 

them as its chair. He has been an active member of the National Neighbor 

Works Association and spent 6 years on 

the Advisory Council for the Federal 

Home Loan Bank of Boston. David has 

also been a crucial voice in Housing 

Action New Hampshire’s advocacy efforts to promote affordable housing 

across our State. 

These impressive accomplishments 

demonstrate David’s dedication to improving the lives of families in Coos 

and northern Grafton Counties. I am 

sure that David will modestly attribute 

this success to his talented and dedicated team of staff and supporters, but 

it was his vision for community development that led to the founding of 

AHEAD. His belief in stable families as 

the foundation of a vibrant community 

resulted in projects like the McKee Inn 

in Lancaster and Littleton Town & 

Country Family Housing. Because of 

his commitment to this cause, hundreds of families in New Hampshire 

now have access to safe, warm, and affordable homes. 

Put simply, Mr. President, David has 

made New Hampshire a better place to 

live and raise a family. I know that the 

great energy and spirit with which he 

has led AHEAD for the past 20 years 

will endure at this enormously successful non-profit organization. I congratulate David on all his achievements and 

wish him the best in his retirement.

f 

∑ 

RECOGNIZING BLUE CROSS BLUE 

SHIELD OF MASSACHUSETTS 

∑ Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, today I 

would like to recognize the accomplishments of Blue Cross Blue Shield of 

Massachusetts (BCBSMA), a company 

that has provided affordable health insurance options for families in the 

Commonwealth for the past 75 years. 

As our Nation’s health care system 

has evolved, BCBSMA has remained a 

leader in the industry by focusing on 

the principles of service, leadership, 

and innovation. In fact, it was the first 

organization of its kind to offer statewide insurance coverage for hospitalization—providing all working 

families a financially realistic option 

so they could afford a hospital stay 

when it was needed. And decades later, 

BCBSMA was instrumental in helping 

to create several of the State’s bestknown health maintenance organizations (HMOs). 

BCBSMA has been actively working 

to improve the health of their members 

through an innovative benefit design 

that focuses on prevention and customized wellness programs, encourages 

community-based care, and improves 

care coordination. 

Additionally, they have been national leaders in payment reform by 

designing an innovative model that has 

demonstrated the ability to improve 

the quality of patient care while simultaneously slowing the growth of health 

care spending. In 2008, BCBSMA created a new payment system called the 

Alternative Quality Contract (AQC). 

This model rewards physicians and hospitals for the quality and outcomes of 

the care they provide to patients. Providers receive a global budget for their 

patients and are responsible for any excessive spending and are rewarded for 

quality. This combination of the global 

budget and pay-for-performance incentives establishes provider accountability for both the quality and cost of 

care. 

BCBSMA isn’t just committed to its 

members; they are leaders in the community with a distinct focus on corporate citizenship and civic engagement. They spend countless hours 

working within the community to 

make a measurable and sustainable impact on issues such as child development, healthy environments, and family nutrition. During the last year, 

BCBSMA associates volunteered to perform more than 26,000 hours of community service throughout Massachusetts. 

In their tradition of supporting the 

work of not-for-profit organizations, 

BCBSMA is commemorating their 75th 

anniversary by providing grants to 

community stakeholders working to 

advance the health and nutrition of 

families facing economic hardship. 

BCBSMA founded the Blue Cross 

Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation in 2001, one of the largest healthfocused private philanthropies in New 

England, to expand access to health 

care. The Foundation played an important role in the passage of Massachusetts health reform in 2006 by providing 

reliable data and objective analysis to 

policy-makers and convening stakeholders for sessions of public debate. 

Massachusetts now has the best health 

care coverage rate in the Nation with 

98.1 percent of residents having health 

insurance, including 99.8 percent of all 

children. 

Not only did BCBSMA work to expand health care coverage in the Commonwealth, they were a leader in the 

national effort to expand health care 

coverage to all Americans. BCBSMA 

was the only health plan in the Nation 

to file an amicus, or ‘‘friend of the 

court’’, brief in support of the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act 

when it was considered by the Supreme 

Court earlier this year. They believed 

the health reform law was critical to 

ensure that all Americans have the 

same health care benefits and protections that Massachusetts residents 

have known for years. 

As we continue to implement the Affordable Care Act, I am confident that 

BCBSMA will be there every step of the 

way. They are rated among the nation’s best health plans for member 

satisfaction and quality and their commitment to both exceptional and affordable health care is clearly evident 

to their nearly three million members 

in Massachusetts. 

I congratulate Andrew Dreyfus, 

President and Chief Executive Officer, 

and all the employees at BCBSMA who 

work together to advance the availability of quality health care on this 

remarkable milestone. I look forward 

to the innovation and leadership you 

will deliver over the next 75 years for 

the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

f 

∑ 

RECOGNIZING THE LOWELL 

MILKEN CENTER 

∑ Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, today 

I wish to commemorate the Lowell 

Milken Center’s 2012 National Projects 

Kick-off. Located in Fort Scott, KS, 

the Lowell Milken Center discovers, 

develops, and communicates the stories 

of unsung heroes who have made a profound and positive difference on the 

course of history. The Lowell Milken 

Center was opened in 2007 as an international nonprofit organization focused on creating a better future by developing projects that teach respect 

and understanding. This approach has 

been built upon student-driven, 

project-based learning so that Americans and people around the world may 

learn that each of us has the responsibility and the power to take actions to 

improve the lives of others. 

During its 6 years of operation, the 

center has hosted over 15,000 visitors 

and reached over 550,000 students in 

5,000 schools by telling inspiring stories 

of unsung heroes to influence change in 

behaviors and attitudes. In May, I had 

the pleasure of visiting the Lowell 

Milken Center. During my visit, I was 

able to meet the center’s visionary and 

founder Norm Conard and its program 

director Megan Felt. Both are outstanding Kansans who have helped 

shape the way we approach history and 

learning. Ms. Felt has been honored nationally and internationally for her 

projects with students, and she is the 

founder of the internationally acclaimed work, ‘‘Life in a Jar: The Irena 

Sendler Project.’’ 

Irena Sendler was a devout Catholic 

who helped save the lives of 2,500 children during the Holocaust in Poland. 

She smuggled children out of a Warsaw 

ghetto and placed them with families 

not threatened by the Nazis. Toward 

the end of the war, she was arrested, 

severely beaten, and almost died for 

her actions to save these children. 

In 1999, three high school students 

from Uniontown, KS, uncovered the remarkable story of Irena Sendler after 

Uniontown High School teacher Norm 

Conard tasked his students to compete 

in a National History Day contest. The 

students investigated an article published in 1994 mentioning Sendler and 

uncovered a heroic story that had gone 

virtually unreported. The students 

eventually met their hero and began 

exchanging letters. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with SENATE
September 19, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6445 

This relationship inspired the students to write a play about Sendler’s 

life and work. ‘‘Life in a Jar: The Irena 

Sendler Project’’ continues to be performed in Uniontown, KS, and has been 

preformed across the U.S. and in Europe. Fortunately, this project brought 

Sendler much overdue national attention in Poland, and in 2007 Sendler was 

nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. In 

2008, Irena Sendler passed away at age 

98. 

The Lowell Milken Center continues 

to pursue those often missed in history 

books and to promote cross-cultural 

understanding in the world. It is an 

honor to represent the Lowell Milken 

Center in the United States Senate, 

and I commend their efforts to promote 

the unsung heroes who changed the 

world through the 2012 National 

Projects Kick-off.

f 

∑ 

TRIBUTE TO KRISTEN MCGONIGLE 

∑ Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, today 

I wish to honor a remarkable citizen, 

Kristen McGonigle of Concord, NH. On 

June 9, 2012, Kristen saved the life of a 

fellow runner during a local road race. 

Every June, Portsmouth, NH hosts a 

10K road race in conjunction with Market Square Day, an annual celebration 

honoring the renovation of one of the 

historic city’s vibrant downtown areas. 

Kristen was participating in the race 

when she noticed another runner, 

Steve Whitney, showing signs of a significant heart attack. 

As a cardiac care nurse at Concord 

Hospital with more than 16 years of experience, Kristen immediately recognized Steve’s symptoms and took swift 

action to save his life. Kristen possessed the skills necessary to keep 

Steve alive until paramedics arrived. 

In fact, Kristen continued to perform 

chest compressions even after the arrival of emergency medical technicians. Her quick action ensured that 

Steve safely reached the qualified 

health care providers at Portsmouth 

Regional Hospital. 

According to the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, heart disease 

is the leading cause of death in the 

United States. Sadly, nearly every 

American knows an individual impacted by heart disease, and all too 

many people suffer a catastrophic cardiac event similar to the one Steve 

Whitney experienced. 

Nursing professionals dedicate their 

working lives to caring for those in 

need, providing the comforts and necessities required for their patients to regain strength and recover good health. 

The frequent acts of heroism performed 

by these men and women often go unnoticed, but it is impossible to overvalue the work they perform. The daily 

efforts of nurses for the betterment of 

others serve as an invaluable bridge to 

care between doctor and patient. 

I applaud and thank Kristen for her 

devotion to those in need. She has 

spent her career helping others while 

also caring for her family, including 

her husband Kirk and her two children, 

Camden and Ally. Her exemplary behavior gives her family, her workplace, 

her community, and the State of New 

Hampshire great pride. 

I wish to thank Kristen McGonigle 

for her service and her actions on June 

9, 2012, and commend her kindness, 

compassion, and dedication to her field 

and her fellow citizens.

f 

∑ 

RECOGNIZING YALE CORDAGE 

∑ Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, it is no 

secret that my home State of Maine 

boasts an expansive coastline, unmatched in beauty. With its numerous 

bays and inlets, this coastline provides 

endless opportunities for the many industries that have come to be known as 

quintessentially Maine, including commercial fishing, shipbuilding, and 

pleasure boating. One excellent example is Yale Cordage of Saco, ME, a 

small business dedicated to manufacturing quality products used by industries throughout Maine and the world. 

Founded in 1950 by O. Sherman Yale, 

Yale Cordage introduced synthetic 

fiber to the commercial fishing industry when it began manufacturing 

ropes. For 20 years its focus remained 

on commercial fishing; however, it expanded its product line to provide ropes 

for the pleasure marine marketplace 

when Yale’s son Tom, an avid sailor, 

joined the company. From there, Yale 

Cordage began building its reputation 

as a leader in the pleasure marine industry by introducing technologically 

innovative products and, through 

Tom’s leadership as President of the 

Cordage Institute, influencing industry 

standards. Moreover, in 1983 Australia 

II won the America’s Cup for yacht 

sailing using all Yale Cordage rigging. 

But Yale Cordage’s desire to seek new 

markets did not stop there. 

Recognizing certain limitations of 

the pleasure marine market, Yale 

Cordage sought new ways to use its 

products in different industries. Now, 

Yale Cordage’s products are not only 

found on boats but throughout the 

world and in a variety of capacities. 

For example, Central Maine Power uses 

Yale Cordage’s products to string new 

power lines while Bath Iron Works uses 

them in the destroyer class of naval 

warships. You can find Yale Cordage 

products in the ocean for use with offshore oil rigs, beneath the Earth’s surface in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, in the sky on the Hood Blimp, at 

the tops of trees with arborist climbers, and recently at Niagara Falls when 

Yale Cordage rope was used in the 

hoisting and securing process for the 

world’s first tightrope walk directly 

over the falls. The National Data Buoy 

Center trusts Yale Cordage products to 

moor weather buoys critical in the 

tracking of storms, including the recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Even our armed services have taken 

advantage of Yale Cordage’s quality 

products: the U.S. Army uses Yale 

Cordage ropes to remove tanks from 

ditches in Afghanistan, and the Navy 

SEALs use it when rappelling from helicopters. 

Through hard work, ingenuity, and 

determination, Yale Cordage has 

evolved from a commercial fishing rope 

supplier to a $20 million company that 

manufactures rope for a wide range of 

industries. It now operates a state-ofthe-art facility, and provides jobs for 75 

people in my home State. Yale Cordage 

is a shining example of the entrepreneurial spirit of Maine. I am proud to 

commend everyone at Yale Cordage on 

their success and offer my best wishes 

for the future.

f 

∑ 

TRIBUTE TO PETER J. FOS 

∑ Mr.VITTER. Mr. President, today I 

wish to recognize Dr. Peter J. Fos. In 

January, Dr. Fos was named the sixth 

leader and first president of the University of New Orleans. A New Orleans 

native and graduate of UNO, Dr. Fos 

received his degree in biological 

sciences and a doctor of dental surgery 

from LSU Health Sciences Center. He 

also earned his masters of public 

health and doctor of philosophy in 

health care decision analysis from 

Tulane University. 

Prior to being selected as president, 

Dr. Fos served as a professor and program director of health policy and systems management at LSU Health 

Sciences Center where he oversaw curriculum development and assessment 

and student and faculty professional 

development. 

He also served as provost and executive vice president for 3 years at the 

University of Texas at Tyler and spent 

4 years as dean of the College of Health 

at the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Fos has also held positions 

at the Mississippi State Department of 

Health, the University of Nevada, Las 

Vegas School of Dental Medicine, 

Tulane University School of Public 

Health and Tropical Medicine, and 

Tulane University Department of 

Health Systems Management. 

In addition to increasing enrollment 

under new admissions standards, Dr. 

Fos also has both short and long-term 

goals which include improving communication both on and off campus and 

reconnecting UNO to the local business 

community. 

At a time when Louisiana’s higher 

education system is being asked to do 

more with less, it is important that 

those tasked with guiding our universities into the future do so in ways that 

will not compromise the educational 

value provided to Louisiana’s students. 

With his long career educating our 

youth, I am pleased for Dr. Fos that he 

has been selected to lead UNO, and I 

congratulate him on this great honor.

f 

∑ 

MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT 

Messages from the President of the 

United States were communicated to 

the Senate by Mr. Pate, one of his secretaries. 


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