Recognizing Dr. John Rugge As the 34th Annual J. Walter Juckett Award Honoree

Floor Speech

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Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Dr. John Rugge, this year's recipient of the Annual J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award. Dr. Rugge is the founder of Hudson Headwaters Health Network, a community of 21 health centers dedicated to providing medical services to communities across Upstate New York and the North Country.

Dr. Rugge began work as a supervising physician at the Glens Falls Hospital in 1974. He originally intended to stay at the post for only six months, but when he noticed the need for consistent medical care in many North Country communities, he realized he had found his life's calling. That year, he established the Hudson Headwaters Health Network, and today, the network provides medical services to over 150,000 patients in Northeastern New York.

Under Dr. Rugge's dutiful leadership, Hudson Headwaters quickly became an example for other medical providers. Over the course of his career, he partnered with policymakers from over 40 different government advisory panels, task forces, and councils to address how best to improve the quality of healthcare available to underserved communities across the country.

Dr. Rugge's dedication to his community and passion for providing accessible medical care have made him a pillar of Upstate New York. On behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District, it is my honor to celebrate the 34th Annual J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award recipient, Dr. John Rugge.

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