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PAN Mourns the Loss of Former Nebraska Congressman Peter Hoagland

The Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) mourns the loss of former Nebraska Congressman Peter Hoagland, who passed away on Tuesday, October 30 at the age of 65. He fought a valiant five-year battle with Parkinson's disease. “The PAN community would like to express its deepest sympathies for Congressman Hoagland’s entire family,” said PAN Chief Executive Officer Amy Comstock Rick. “Peter was a tremendous friend of PAN and was an active advocate.  He will be sorely missed.” PAN is honored to have worked with Hoagland over the past two years.  He attended PAN's Annual Research & Public Policy Forum last February and participated in several meetings on Capitol Hill with PAN advocates including Monnie Lindsay, PAN's Nebraska State Coordinator and member of the PAN Board of Directors.  The Vietnam veteran also attended PAN's annual Morris K. Udall Awards Dinner on October 3, 2007. Former Nebraska Congressman Peter Hoagland speaks with Michael J. Fox at this year’s Morris K. Udall Awards Dinner. The Omaha native served in the House of Representatives as a Democrat from 1989-95, after serving as a Nebraska State Senator from 1973-88.  He also served on the Ways and Means committee.  Throughout  his terms in Congress, Hoagland was a strong advocate for the environment policies. Since leaving Congress, Hoagland had worked in law in Washington, D.C. until his death. Congressman and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) remembers Hoagland fondly:  "For those of us who had the opportunity to serve for an extended period of time with Peter Hoagland, for those of us who knew Peter after he left the Congress of the United States, this is a sad day. It is an appropriate day, however, to remember, as Mr. (New York Congressman Eliot) Engel said, a gentleman who had nothing bad to say about any of our Members on either side of the aisle; a Member who was positive in his approach; a Member who was gracious to all; a Member who cared deeply about his country, about his State, and about his service in this institution." He is survived by his wife, Barbara and five children.