title: Fifty years of federal legislation and programs affecting PM&R.
abstract: The accomplishments of 50 years in matters of federal legislation and programs affecting PM&R were made possible in large part through the dedication of specialists in PM&R who, first and foremost, were advocates of measures which would serve best the interests of the nation's handicapped and disabled. The contributions of certain individuals have been mentioned throughout this article, but a few have provided the essential continuity of effort in federal advocacy for the handicapped and PM&R. In my experience, this distinguished list of advocates has included Rusk, Kottke, Lowman, Lehmann, Spencer, Ditunno and Materson. These individuals were either defacto or dejure chairs of Academy of ACRM legislative and health policy committees from the 1960s to the present. They devoted endless hours of volunteer work on behalf of the handicapped and PM&R. In addition, Rusk and Betts have been magnificent in attracting the public's attention to the needs of the disabled. The dedication, passion, sense of justice and persistence of all these men have served PM&R, the handicapped and the public admirably. The field of PM&R will always produce leaders of such quality, given its basic commitment to the needs of the handicapped and disabled and its passion for patient advocacy and social justice. It is my wish to dedicate this article, to the extent it is accurate, intelligent and well written, to Edward Lowman, MD, now deceased, who was a key link in the chain of advocacy. If the article is not perceived as described, it would not be appropriate to dedicate it to this man. Dr. Lowman was always all of those things.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: White, Fine and Verville, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Verville
mesh_terms: D049673:History, 20th Century; D007883:Legislation, Medical / Q000266:history*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006278:Medicare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000266:history* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States