His voice still missing, Jamie Dupree honored for ‘distinguished reporting’ in Congress

Washington, D.C. — Over two years after his voice disappeared due to a rare neurological disorder, veteran Cox Media Group reporter Jamie Dupree was honored Wednesday night by his Capitol Hill colleagues with a 'Career Achievement Award for Distinguished Reporting on Congress,' as a House lawmaker labeled Dupree, 'a shining example of determination and perseverance.'

"When life said to be quiet, Jamie found a way to speak louder than ever before," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). "He is an example for every American faced with overwhelming adversity."

The award from the Radio and TV Congressional Correspondent's Association, which helps credential reporters who cover Capitol Hill, recognizes, "rare, exceptional careers and signifies the admiration of the many broadcasters who follow behind and benefit from the work of the recipient."

VIDEO:  Watch Jamie Dupree receive the Career Achievement Award

Dupree now uses a special voice app developed by a company in Scotland, CereProc, which allows him to use a simple text-to-speech program to generate news reports in his old voice.

"Jamie is not one to step down in the face of adversity," added Ros-Lehtinen, who used a House floor speech in 2017 to raise awareness about Dupree's medical plight.

Others echoed Ros-Lehtinen's sentiments.

In remarks delivered for him by CNN correspondent Dana Bash, Dupree urged his Capitol Hill colleagues to move past the broader political debate about fake news and the media, and concentrate more on their daily work.

"My advice is simple - ignore that talk. Work harder. Do your jobs even better," Dupree said, making the case that the best course remains a story built on solid detail.

"Smother your viewers with specifics. Overwhelm your listeners with facts.

Drench your readers in details," Dupree added.

"What’s remarkable about Jamie’s career is the not the stability or longevity, but the sustained excellence," said Jon Sonnheim, who heads the Washington Bureau for Cox Media Group.

"Month after month, year after year, Congress after Congress, Jamie is at the top of his game," Sonnheim added, calling his radio correspondent a 'walking encyclopedia' about the ways of Capitol Hill.

The 54 year-old Dupree has been reporting on Capitol Hill since 1986, but has been around the Congress much of his life.

Dupree said he was lucky in that two of the local lawmakers he covered for radio stations owned by Cox ended up rising to become Speaker of the House - Newt Gingrich, and John Boehner.

"Most of the members I have covered did their jobs with little fanfare," Dupree said.

"And then a handful of my local lawmakers also ended up in prison," drawing chuckles from the crowd.