Past Legislative Award Winners
The NRHA annually presents the NRHA Legislative Award to members of Congress and their staff at the NRHA Policy Institute. This award is presented for their dedication and commitment to the health of rural Americans. Listed below are the past recipients of the award.
2008
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Representative Dave Obey (D-WI)
Representative John Peterson (R-PA)
Courtney Rowe, Rural Outreach, Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee
Erin Tuggle, Offices of Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY) and Senator John Barrasso (R-WY)
2007
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI)
Lindsey Henjum, Office of Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Jeff Vorberger, Office of Representative John Peterson (R-PA)
2006
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Representative Greg Walden (R-OR)
Ashley Thompson, Senate Finance Committee (R)
Melanie Rhinehart, Office of Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND)
2005
Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Representative Tom Osborne (R-NE)
Peggie Rice, Office of Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Valerie Henry, Office of Representative Greg Walden (R-OR)
2004
Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA)
Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)
Representative Doug Bereuter (R-NE)
Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND)
Bruce Lesley, Office of Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Kim Keymer, Office of Representative Jerry Moran (R-KS)
2003
Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Representative Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
Adam Gluck, Office of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Michelle Spence, Office of Representative Doug Bereuter (R-NE)
2002
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Representative John Peterson (R-PA)
Lisa Kidder, Office of Senator Larry Craig (R-ID)
Cindy Brown, Office of Representative Ron Kind (D-WI)
2001
Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Representative John Tanner (D-TN)
Representative Wes Watkins (R-OK)
Neleen Eisinger, Office of Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Linda Rouse, Office of Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY)
Linda Fishman, House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee (R)
Chris Pollack, Office of Representative Jim Nussle (R-IA)
Special Recognition:
Claude Earl Fox, M.D., Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration
Wayne Myers, M.D., Former Director, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
2000
Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA)
Collective Award:
Representative Marion Berry (D-AR)
Representative Jo Anne Emerson (R-MO)
Representative Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
Representative Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Representative Jim Nussle (R-IA)
Representative Charlie Stenholm (D-TX)
Pat Bousliman, Office of Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Serena Lowe, Office of Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO)
Special Recognition:
Rural Health Panel, Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI)
1999
Senator Max Baucus, (D-MT)
Representative Jim Nussle (R-IA)
Sahira Rafiullah, Office of Senator Thomas Daschle (D-SD)
David Gillies, Office of Representative Glenn Poshard (D-IL)
Special Recognition Award:
Mary Wakefield/Capitol Area Rural Health Roundtable
1998
Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY)
Representative Glenn Poshard (D-IL)
Tom Walsh, Office of Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA)
Christine Pellerine, Office of Representative Henry Bonilla (R-TX)
1997
Senator John D. Rockefeller (D-WV)
Representative Doug Bereuter (R-NE)
1996
Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-KS)
Representative Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D-AR)
Ted Totman, Office of Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA)
Heidi Cashman, Office of Representative Pat Roberts (R-KS)
1995
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Representative L.F. Payne (D-VA)
Representative Pat Williams (D-MT)
Carrie Billy, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Rima Cohen, Office of Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD)
Susan Nestor, Senate Finance Committee
Dr. Marty Sieg-Ross, Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee
Maureen Testoni, Office of Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Elliot Wiener, Office of Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Eric Fox, Office of Representative Henry Bonilla (R-TX)
Corinne Hudleston, House Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee on Labor-Management Relations
1994
Senator Thomas Daschle (D-SD)
Kate Kellenberg, Senate Special Committee on Aging
Lisa Potetz, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health
1993
Representative Steve Gunderson (R-WI)
Val Dunn, M.D., Office of Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
Rebecca Tice, Office of Representative Charlie Stenholm (D-TX)
1992
None given as the Policy Institute was not held due to the Annual Conference being held in Washington, DC.
1991
Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Representative Dave Obey (D-WI)
Representative Charles Stenholm (D-TX)
Jane Williams, Office of Representative Tom Tauke (R-IA)
1990
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Representative J.J. “Jake” Pickle (D-TX)
1989
Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX)
1988
Senator Quentin N. Burdick (D-ND)
Senator Robert Dole (R-KS)
Senator Dave Durenberger (R-MN)
Representative Mike L. Synar (D-OK)
Representative Thomas J. Tauke (R-IA)
No legislative awards were given prior to 1988.
