>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. AND WELCOME TO NIH'S JOHN EDWARD PORTER NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER. [APPLAUSE] YES! THERE IS NO SHUTDOWN, AND IT'S NOT SNOWING, AND WE HAVE A GORGEOUS DAY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF AN HISTORIC OCCASION. FUNCTION BLEND SEAMLESS IN THIS BUILDING, CREATING BEAUTY AND ENERGY-EFFICIENCY ALREADY. THE HOME OF CUTTING EDGE SCIENCE AND SOON TO HOUSE THE GROUND BREAKING WORK OF MORE THAN 800 SCIENTISTS IN 85 LABORATORIES, SUPPORTD BY NO LESS THAN 10 NIH INSTITUTES AND CENTERS. TODAY'S DEDICATION TOOK A LOT OF WORK AND PREPARATION. I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF AND MANY OTHERS WHO WORKED WITH THEM AND I PARTICULARLY WANT TO THANK MARIA PRAYER AND CHARLIE SANDERS AND EVERYONE AT THE FOUNDATION FOR NIH WHO HEND GREATLY WOULD BE THIS BE EVENT, AS WELL AS OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS, WHOSE NAMES ARE LISTED IN YOUR PROGRAM. TODAY, AS WE CELEBRATE THE OFFICIAL DEDICATION OF THE RESEARCH CENTER, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE OF NEWUROSCIENCE WITH A SPECIAL SIM POYMPOSIUM THAT IS BEING HELD RIGHT OVER THERE, BEGINNING THIS MORNING AND GOING THROUGH TOMORROW. FEATURING A HOST OF SCIENTISTS FROM NIH AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I'M DELIGHTED THAT MANY OF THOSE SCIENTISTS ARE NOW JOINING US HERE ON THE MAIN FLOOR OR ON THE VARIOUS BALCONYS UP ABOVE. THIS IS A GREAT SPACE FOR HAVING AN EVENT. THAT'S FOR SURE. I CAN TELL WE'RE GOING TO USE IT A LOT. BUT I'M SHUL PLEASED NOW TO DO SOME RECOGNITIONS OF PEOPLE SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE, BEGINNING WITH OUR GUEST OF HONOR, A TIRELESS CHAMPION OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN GENERAL OF NIH IN PARTICULAR, THE HONOR ABLE JOHN EDWARD PORTER, WHOSE HERE TODAY WITH MANY NUMBERS OF HIS FAMILY. SO JOHN, RAISE YAOUR HAND AND LET ME SEE ALL THE FINALLY MEMBERS. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] YES! I GATHER YOU ALL ARE A LITTLE SLEEP-DEPRIVED. I HEARD THAT JOHN HAD TO GET UP 3 TIMES DURING THE NIGHT WITH 11 CHA GRAND CHILDREN TO TELL THEM TO STOP PLAYING PING-PONG. SOMEBODY TOLD ON ME, JOHN. IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE ALSO TO RECOGNIZE AND WELCOME CURRENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. SENATOR TOM HARKINS, WHOM YOU WILL HEAR FROM SHORTLY. WAVE TO THE PEOPLE THERE. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] CONGRESSMAN APPLAUSE [APPLAUSE] AND CONGRESSMAN ANDY HARRIS, A FIPHYSICIAN AND FORMER NIH GRANTEE GRANTEE. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO ARE HERE IN ALPHABETA ORDER. THE HONOR ABABLE NORM DICK. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] SOMEWHERE ABOUT. OVER HERE, BOB MICHAEL. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] THE HONOR ABABLE CONNIE MORRELLA. PLAITS APPLAUSE AND I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM YET, BUT I HOPE HE'S HERE. THE HONOR ABABLE LIEEWIS STOKES. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] AND I HAVE FORMER SENATOR JOHN WARN EER. APPLAU[APPLAUSE] ALSO HAPPY TO RECOGNIZE TWO FARM CABINET MEMBERS, THE HONOR ABABLE NORMAN MINUTETA. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] AND FORMER SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, LIEWIS SUL SULLIVAN. APPLAU NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE TO TURN THE PODIUM OVER TO 3 OF THE NIH IN INSTITUTE DIRECTORS WHO WILL FLOURISH IN THIS BEAUTIFUL NEW BUILDING. LAND IS, TOM AND JANE AND THEY WILL INTRODUCE TWO SPECIAL GUESTS AND NIH ANNUM LYE, JERRY FISHBACK AND STEVE JAIHYMAN. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] >> THIS IS AMAZING. IF YOU LOOK ABOVE YOU, YOU WILL SEE, WE HOPE, A FEW OF THE FUTURE, AS WELL AS THE PRESENT. THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME TO BRING TOGETHER SO MANY FRIENDS OF NIH, AS WELL AS SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE. AS YOU CAN SEE, AND I THINK AS YOU'VE JUST HEARD, THIS IS A SPECTACULAR NEW BUILDING. BUT IT'S MUCH MORE THAN A BUILDING FOR US. THIS IS A NEW CULTURE FOR THE WAY THAT WE DO SCIENCE. NEWUROSCIENCE BY ITS VERY NATURE IS INTERDISCIPLINARY. IT BRINGS TOGETHER FIPHYSIOLOGISTS PHYSIOLOGISTS, BIOKEMISTS, IORISTS, A WHOLE RANGE OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SCIENCES. BUT THIS BUILDING IS MORE THAN JUST INTERDISCIPLINARY. IT BRINGS TOGETHER, AS FRANCIS SAID, 85 SCIENTISTS FROM 10 DIFFERENT INSTITUTES. AND SO THE BUILDING IS NOT ORGANIZED BY INSTITUTE. IT'S ORGANIZED BY THE QUESTION YOU ARE ASKING, BY THE COMMONALITY THAT YOU NEED, BY THE PROBLEM YOU ARE TRYING TO SOLVE. AND IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM ACROSS ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT INSTITUTES TO TRY TO CAT LIES DISCOVERY IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN, WHICH IS BY WORKING SIDE BY SIDE, CLINT IING, SHARING, AND PUSHING SCIENCE AHEAD IN WHAT WE THINK WILL BE ABSOLUTELY THE BEST SPACE AND THE BEST PLACE TO DO THAT. SO FOR US, THIS IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY, NOT ONLY FOR THE BUILDING, BUT FOR THE NEW SCIENCE THAT WILL COME AND FOR SOME SPECTACULAR THINGS THAT WE HOPE YOU WILL ALL HEAR ABOUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. JIM? >> YEAH, I'M JIM DOWDY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL IN INSTITUTE ON DEAF NENESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS AND I AM PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE THE OPENING OF THIS BUILDING HAS ALLOWED ME TO MOVE ROUGHLY HALF OF MY INTRAY INTRAMURAL PROGRAM FROM AN EXPENSIVE LEASE SPACE 12 MILES A AWAY FROM CAMPUS BACK ON TO THE CAMPUS. AND I KNOW FROM TALKING TO ALL OF THEM, THEY ARE THRILLED TO BE HERE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] SO, THIS IS A WONDERFUL OWE OCCASION AND A FANTASTIC BUILDING AND THE SCIENCE THAT GOES ON HERE WILL BE EVEN BETTER THAN THE OCCASION AND THE BUILDING. SO IT'S MY HUGE PLEASURE TO WELCOME DR. FISHBACK TO THE PODIUM. HE IS CURRENTLY THE CHIEF SCIENTIST AT THE FOUNDATION AND STEVE IS NOW THE DIRECTOR AT THE BRODE INSTITUTE. BUT IN 1999 AND IN 2000, THEY WERE THE DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF NEWER LODGEICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE AND THE FISHINATIONAL INSTITUTES OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THEY DEVELOPED A VISION OF A NEWUROSCIENCE BUILDING ON THE NIH CAMPUS THAT WOULD BRING TOGETHER INVESTIGATE INVESTIGATORS FROM MANY DIFFERENT INSTITUTES. THESE INVESTIGATORS WOULD BE LOCATED, ACCORDING TO THEIR RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND NOT THEIR INSTITUTE AFFILIATION AND THEREFORE READILY SHARE SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND A APPROACHES TO ACCELERATE PROGRESS AND SCIENCE. AND THEY ARE GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS, THEY PROMISED, ABOUT THEIR SLINGS FOR THE PORTER BUILDING AND TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF THE CENTER AND ITS DEDICATION. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] >> THIS IS REALLY AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE. THIS SPEAKS NOT AS A DREAM IN 19 1999 WITH STEVE. AND WE REMEMBER VERY CLEARLY OUR THOUGHTS, WHICH WERE SO CLEARLY ENOOUANCE NUNCIATED BY A STORY BY JIM. IT REALLY IS BRING IING TOGETHER SCIENCE FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT INSTITUTES, WHICH HAVE THEIR OWN MISSION, BUT THEY HAVE IN COMMON CERTAIN ASPECTS OF BASIC SCIENCE AND I DON'T THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT ONE WILL BENEFIT FROM ANOTHER. STUDIES OF AUTISM WILL BENEFIT FROM STUDIES OF SKITS PHRCHIZOPHRENIA AND THEY WILL ALL BENEFIT FROM STUDIES OF DEAF NENESS AND CANCER BIOLOGY. AND THIS BUILDING HAS A CHANCE OF BRING IING IT TOGETHER. SO IT'S ONE THING TO DREAM. IT'S ANOTHER THING TO GET THINGS DONE. AND THE COLLABORATION THAT WAS FORMED AND MAINTAINED BY TOM, STOW AND JIM, HAVE REALLY BEEN EXTRAORDINARY. ADOPTED THIS IDEA IMMEDIATELY AND ENTHUSIASTICICALLY PRESENTED TO ALL WHO WOULD LISTEN, AND THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY RUTH AND NOW FRANCIS. IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE THAT DREAM. IT'S ANOTHER TO GET IT DONE. AND I AM AMAZED AT BEING ABLE TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT'S ALL PUT TOGETHER. AND IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY BUILDING BECAUSE IT HONORS JOHN PORTER, WHO IN MANY WAYS HELPED THE NIH REACH A NEW LEVEL OF FUNCTION IING, THROUGH HIS LEADERSHIP IN CONGRESS, HIS DEEP INTEREST IN THE SCIENCE, BUT MIDDLE EAST ALL FOR ME, AS A ROLE MODEL, A ROLE MODEL FOR ME, FOR SCIENCE -- SCIENTISTS, FOR FAMILIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. HIS SUPPORT HAS REALLY BEEN EX EXTRAORDINARY. SO THIS IS A WONDERFUL MOMENT FOR ALL OF US. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] >> WELL, I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THAT NEWUROSCIENCE WAS BORN INTO DISCIPLINARY, AS TOM TODASAID, FROM PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF BACKGROUNDS MOVING INTO TOGETHER. BUT IN 1998, WHEN JERRY AND I WERE HERE, AS YOU'VE ALSO HEARD, NEWUROSCIENCE WAS ORGANIZED BY WHAT INSTITUTE YOU BELONGED IN. AND IT NOT ONLY IMPEDED INTELLECTUAL COLLABORATION, IT ALSO WAS DUPLICATEIVE PURCHASES OF COMMONALITIES AND ALL KINDS OF UNFORTUNATE DEFECTS. WE REALLY HOPED, BUT I DON'T THINK WE COULD BELIEVE THE WONDERFUL OUTCOME OF THIS BUILDING. I'VE JUST BEEN THRILLED TO SEE IT TODAY. AND MORE THAN THAT, I'M REALLY THRILLED TOER THAT -- HEAR THAT TOM'S STORY AND JIM AND THEIR COLLEAGUES AND FRANCIS COLLINS, REALLY VERY DEEPLY GET THIS BUILDING. IN FACT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS OFTEN YOU HEAR YOU CAN'T GET ANYTHING DONE IN THE GOVERNMENT. BUT ACTUALLY, IN MANY WAYS, THIS IS THE VERY CUTTING EDGE, THE BLEEDING CUTTING EDGE EDGE OF HOW SCIENCE IS ORGANIZED TODAY, BASED AROUND PROBLEMS, SHARED INTELLECTUAL INTERESTS. AND I THINK THIS WONDERFUL CENTER WILL SHOW THE WAY. AND MAYBE THE MOST THRILLING THING IS SEEING ALL OF THE YOUNG SCIENTISTS AND A FEW GRAY HAIRS STANDING AROUND LOOKING AT US. BECAUSE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO THE WORK. NOW, AS WE PROPOSE THE BUILDING TO HAROLD, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALL BELIEVED IN WAS NOT ONLY FAIR AND OPEN SPACE BUT THAT THE BUILDING SHOULD BE BEAUTIFUL AND IT SHOULD HAVE NATURAL LIGHT IN BRING IING THESE PLANS FORWARD. AFTER HAROLD LEFT, RUTH TOOK ME ASIDE AND IN A GRANDMOTHER LY YOU ARE GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE" TROUBLE." BUT IN FACT, I THINK THE LIFE, THE BEAUTY, THE OPEN SPATESS ARE GOING TO BE -- SPACES ARE GOING TO BE REMARKABLE Y POSITIVE FOR SCIENCE. AND FINALLY, TO HE CECHO WHAT A NUMBER OF US HAVE ALREADY SAID, IT'S ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL TO HAVE THIS BUILDING IN HONOR OF JOHN PORTER, WHO WAS SUCH AN AMAZING STAL WART OF NIH AND ALSO A MENT OR TO ME WHEN I START STARTED TOO YOUNG AND TOO GREEN AS AN INSTITUTE DIRECTOR. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH MUCH. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JERRY. THANK YOU, STEVE. NOW MY GREAT HONOR IS TO INTRODUCE A TRUE CHAMPION OF NIH AND A PERSONAL FRIEND OVER MORE THAN TWO DECADES. TOM HARKIN. INITIAL LY ELECTED TO THE HOUSE IN 1974, HE SERVED THERE FOR TEN YEARS AND THEN RAN FOR THE SENATE IN 1994 AND REPRESENTED THE STATE OF IOWA EVER SINCE. IT IS WITH CONSIDERABLE PLEASURE THAT I INTRODUCE HIM TODAY KNOWING THAT THIS IS HIS FINAL TERM IN THE SENATE SINCE HE HAS DECIDED TO RETIRE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. THROUGHOUT THESE 40 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, GOVERNOR HARKIN HAS BEEN A THOUGHTFUL, COMPASSIONATE AND HIGHLY EFFECT EFFECTIVE LEADER. HE'S A SENATOR NOT JUST FOR IOWA IOWA. BUT FOR ALL OF AMERICA. MAYBE EVEN THE WHOLE WORLD. HE'S ALWAYS HAD A HEART FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OR LEFT BEHIND. HIS SIGNATURE ACHIEVEMENTS, THE AMERICANS ARE DISABILITIES ACT, HAS TRANSFORMED THE WAY IN WHICH AMERICA HAS TREATED AND RESPECT RESPECTED THOSE MILLIONS AFFLICT AFFLICTED WITH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL LIMITATIONS. SENATOR HARKINS HAS ALWAYS HAD AN INTENSE COMMITMENT TO THE PROMISE OF BIOMEDICAL LARCH, WITH WHETHER IN RARE DISEASE OR COMMON ONES, WHETHER IN BASIC SCIENCE, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENTS, OR PERHAPS HIS FAVORITE, PREVENTION. HE HAS FOUGHT TIRELESS LY TO SUPPORT NIH'S STILL AHEEADY MARCH FOR ALL OF OUR NATION'S PEOPLE CAN HOPE TO EXPERIENCE A LIFE FREE OF DISEASE OR PREMATURE TOGETHER DEATH. TOGETHER WITH HIS LEGEND AARY SENATE PARTNERS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, MARK HATFIELD AND ARTICLEN SPECT EER, AND IN WONDERFUL COLLABORATION WITH A NUMBER OF THE HOUSE, IN WHOSE HONOR WE DEDICATE THIS BUILDING TODAY, CHAIRMAN JOHN PORTER, SENATOR HARKIN PROVIDED THE MOMENTUM THAT LED TO THE BUILDING BETWEEN 1998 AND 2000 2003. AND NOW HE FIGHTS TO SUSTAIN THAT MOMENTUM IN THE FACE OF SERIOUS FISCAL CHALLENGES. HE IS NOTHING LESS THAN A HERO TO ALL OF US HERE AT NIH. I COULD GO ON AND ON. BUT YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM HIM AND NOT FROM ME. SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOME IING SENATOR TOM HARKIN. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. DR. COLLINS FRANCIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH O FOR THAT VERY KIND AND OVER LY GENEROUS INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION. AS MARK TWAIN ONCE SAID WHEN HE WAS INTRODUCED A LOT OF PRAISE, HE SAID "SIR, YOU'LL GO TO HEAVEN FOR YOUR JEN ROGENEROSITY", THAT WAS VERY GENEROUS OF YOU AND I APPRECIATE IT. FRANCIS COLLINS, THE GREAT SCIENTIST, A GREAT PUBLIC SERVANT AND A GREAT FRIEND, AS YOU SAID, GOING BACK TO WHEN YOU WERE JUST OVER AT THE INSTITUTE ON HUMAN GENOMICS. I ALWAYS TOOK SOME PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT I WAS VISITED ONCE AND STARTED THE FUNDING FOR THIS BEFORE IT BECAME AN INSTITUTE AND AS THEY SAY, THE REST IS HISTORY. I REMEMBER WHEN FRANCIS TOOK IT OVER AND WE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE 15 OR 20 YEARS, AND WE ACTUALLY GOT IT DONE IN ABOUT 10? SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. LOW BUDGET, BUT GOT IT DONE. SO I ALWAYS ADMIRED THAT AS BRILLIANT AS HE IS, SE NEVER TALKS DOWN TO HIS AUDIENCE. HE CAN CONVERSE AS EASILY WITH A LAYMAN AS WITH A KNNOBEL PRIZE RE RESCIPIENT AND THAT'S BECAUSE HE WANTS EVERYONE HE MEETS TO BE AS EXCITED ABOUT BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IS AS HE IS. AND ALL THE -- IN ALL THE YEARS THAT I'VE KNOWN FRANCIS, I'VE NEVER ENDED A CONVERSATION WITH HIM WITHOUT FEELING MORE ENLIGHT ENLIGHTENED AND MORE HOPEFUL FOR THE FUTURE. OUR NATION IS SO FORTUNATE DOVE A SCIENTIST OF YOUR COL KABCALIBER AT THE HELM OF THIS GREAT RESEARCH INSTITUTE. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] [TO HAVE A SCIENTIST OF YOUR KABCALIBER. AND I WOULD ALSO PAY MY RESPECTS TO THE DIRECTOR WHO WAS HERE WHEN THIS NEWUROSCIENCE LAB WAS SIST FIRST ENVISIONED AND STARTED BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONE WHO LAID THE GROUNDWORK AND WENT A LITTLE WAYWARD AND LEFT HERE FOR A WHILE. NOW HE'S BACK SCAAND HEAD OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE, DR. HAROLD VARMUS. THANK YOU. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] AND ALL MY FORMER CLEARS -- COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE. I WOULDN'T SAY THEM ALL BUT MY DEAR FRIEND JOHN WESTERN ER, WHOM I -- WARN EER WITH WHOM I SERVED FOR SO MANY YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. AND BOB MICHAEL, MY GREAT FRIEND FRIEND, WE GET TOGETHER FOR BREAKFAST. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY TODAY. WE'VE GATHERD TODAY TO DEDICATE THIS VERY IMPRESSIVE JOHN EDWARD PORTER NEWUROSCIENCES RESEARCH CENTER. I AM PROUD TO SHARE THE DED DEDICATION OF THIS BUILDING WITH IN CONGRESSMAN PORTER'S HONOR. I WAS JUST TALKING WITH CONNIE MORRELLA AND SHE SAID "LOOK, THIS PLACE EVEN HAS SKY BOXES." LAUGHT[LAUGHTER] AT NIH. LAUGHT[LAUGHTER] DID YOU GET ONE OF THOSE, JOHN? LAUGHT[LAUGHTER] FU SEEK OUT THIS PUBLIC SERVANT'S LEGISLATIACY, YOU WILL NOT FIND IT HERE IN THE BRICKS AND MORTAR. YOU WILL FIND IT IN THE LEGISLATILEGACY, THE COUNTLESS MEDICINES, THERAPIES, TREATMENTS THAT HAVE FLOWED FROM DAZZLING DISCOVERIES HERE AT NIH. YOU WILL FIND IT IN SHARON LY LOWER DEATH RATES FROM HEART DISEASE AND STROKE AND CANCER. SHARPLY. YOU WILL FIND IT IN THE TIRELESS TIRELESS, SUSTAINED, EFFECT YIIVE AFFIDAVIT KADVOCACY FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARC H ACROSS 3 1/2 DECADES IN SCAMAND OUT OF GOVERNMENT BY JOHN EDWARD PORTER. DURING HIS LAST 6 YEARS IN THE HOUSE FROM 1995 TO 2001, JOHN WAS CHAIR OF THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH HUMAN SERVICES AND EDUCATION, WHICH FUNDS THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. I WAS ON THE SENATE SIDE, ARTICARLEN SPATECTER WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS COUNTERPART AT THAT TIME AS CHAIR, AND I WAS RANK IING MEMBER. I'D BEEN CHAIR BEFORE. THEN THERE WAS ELECTION AND INS RANK IING MEMBER. THEN I BECAME CHAIR AND I AND I BASEBALL RANK IG BOUNCED BACK SCAAND FORTH QUITE A FEW MINUTTIMES. BUT WE WORKED TOGETHER. SO YOU MENTIONED HATFIELD AND SENATOR HATFIELD AND SENATOR SPECT ER, MYSELF, JOHN PORTER IN THE HOUSE, DAVE OBEY IN THE HOUSE. AS PART OF THAT WHOLE TEAM, I PERHAPS HAVE A UNIQUE PERCENT PERSPECTIVE ON JOHN'S FINE WORK. PARENTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE FAVORITES AMONG THEIR CHILDREN AND ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IMPARTIAL ALSO. BUT SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY WHEN OUR NATIONAL PRIORITIES ARE SO OBVIOUS, APPROPRIATEORS JUST CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES. IN CONGRESS, JOHN ALWAYS SAW NIH AS THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF BIO BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH NOT ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES BUT GLOBAL LY, WITH MORE THAN 80 KNNOBEL PRIZES AWARDED FOR NIH-SUPPORTD RESEARCH. AND THERE WAS NO DOUBT IING HIS PASSIONATE COMMITMENT TO DOING EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THIS IN INSTITUTION'S LEADERSHIP. OF COURSE, I SHARED THAT PASSION AND COMMITMENT. AS I SAID, AS DID ARTICLEN SPECT EER AND JOHN PORTER'S DEMOCRATIC COUNTERPART OBEY. WORKED SHOULDER TO SHOULDER AND AS A BIPARTISAN TEAM WE WENT TO WORK. AND THANKS TO JOHN'S LEADERSH DURING THE FINAL YEARS OF YEARS IN THE HOUSE, WE BEGAN THAT PROCESS, THAT SUCCEEDED IN DOUBLING APPROPRIATIONS FOR NIH. IMAGINE THAT, IN FIVE YEARS. BUT TO TRULY APPRECIATE JOHN'S COMMENT, HOWEVER, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THE CONTEXT. THE REPUBLICANS GAINED CONTROL OF CONGRESS IN JANUARY OF 1995, WITH NUT GINNIBEGINNING GRICH AS SPEAKER AND DETERMINED TO MAKE DEEP CUTS TO DISCRETION AARY SPENDING AND JOHN HAD A -- THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGING THE LABOR HHS APPROPRIATIONS BILL, WHICH WAS TARGETED FOR THE LY LION'S SHARE OF CUTS, NEARLY $9 BILLION OUT VITEOF THE $70 BILLION DOABILITY. IN THE FACE OF IMMENSE PRESSURES AND CONFLICT, AND I WATCHED HILLEN CLOSELY THAT THE TIME, HE FOUGHT COURAGEOUSLY TO PROTECT THE NIH, AND HE PREVAILED. INDEED, NOT ONLY WERE NOT THERE ANY CUTS. HE SUCCEEDED IN INCREASING FUNDING FOR NIH. SO I THINK WE ARE PROUD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF DOUBLING FUNDING FOR NIH EVEN AS WE MAINTAINED FUNDING FOR EDUCATION AND HEAD START WITH AL SAFETY NET PROGRAMS, OTHER IMPORTANT HUMAN NEEDS. I'LL NEVER FORGET THE WORDS OF THE LATE SENATOR DAN, ON THE COMMITTEE ON THE SENATE SIDE AND ALSO CHAIR OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEFENSE. ONE TIME DURING A MARKUP SESSION SESSION, I REMEMBER THE SENATOR REMARKED HE SAID "I CHAIR THE COMMITTEE THAT DEFENDS AMERICA. SENATOR HARKIN CHAIRS THE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT DEFINES AMERICA." THAT'S THE SUBCOMMITTEE. THE THAT JOHN PORTER CHAIRED IN THE HOUSE, AND JOHN WAS ALWAYS DETERMINED TO DEFINE AMERICA AS A COMPASSIONATE SOCIETY, WITH OPPORTUNITY, INCLUDING CAN HEAD START, QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, A STRONG SAFETY NET AND A ROBUST PROGRAM OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN ORDER TO FIGHT DISEASE, RE RELIEVE SUFFERING. JOHN HAS ALWAYS HAD A CLEAR SENSE OF THE MISSION OF THIS GREAT INSTITUTION, THE FISHINATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. IT IS TRUE THAT UNLESS BASIC RESEARCH IN THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES IS FUND BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MOST OF IT WILL NOT GET DONE. CONGRESS PURPOSELY NAMED DHOOTHS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, NOT NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF BASIC RESEARCH. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF GOVERNMENT FUNDED BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IS NOT JUST DISCOVERY FOR THE SAKE OF DISCOVERY, BUT DISCOVERY FOR THE SAKE OF BETTER HEALTH, FIGHTING DISEASE, AND SAVING LIVES. OVER THE DECADES, I'VE LEARNED THCAN STAGE THE TRUE PASSION OF A SENATOR OR A REPRESENTATIVE BY WATCHING WHAT KIND OF WORK THEY DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO AFTER THEY LEAVE CONGRESS. AS WE ALL KNOW, HIS RETIRING FROM THE HOUSE IN EARLY 2001, JOHN HAS BECOME ONE OF AMERICA'S FOREMOST AFFIDAVDVOCATES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR INVESTMENT IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH, AS CHAIR OF RESEARCH AMERICA, AND VICE CHAIR OF THE FOUNDATION FOR NIH. I CAN TELL YOU THAT SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE THE HOUSE OR -- YOU DON'T SEE THEM AGAIN. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF JOHN PORTER. LAUGHT[LAUGHTER] SINCE 2001, WHEN THOSE APPROPRIATION BILLS ROLLED AROUND, HE COMES TO REMIND US OF THE NECESSAITY OF MAKING SURE WE FUND THE FISHINATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. WHEN I THINK OF MY GOOD FRIEND JOHN PORTER, I'M REMINDED OF AN OLD SAYING. "IN TIMES OF GREAT CHANGE, THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF LEADERS. THERE ARE THOSE WHO OIVEN ER -- YOU SHAUSHER OUT THE OLD, AND THEY ARE CALLED THE PAUL BALLBEARERS. AND THOSE WHO YOU SHAUSHER IN THE NEW, AND THEY ARE CALLED THE PORT BEARERS. ACROSS THE DECADES, JOHN PORTER HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST AM AMBITIOUS AND ACCOMPLISHED PORCH BEARERS FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH, AND IT IS FITTING THAT THIS MAG ANY OF SENT NEWUROSCIENCE RESEARCH BUILDING NOW BEARS HIS NAME. TO MY LONGTIME AND DEAR FRIEND JOHN PORTER, CONGRATULATIONS, WELL-DESERVED AND WELL-EARNED. THANK YOU. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, SENATOR, FOR THOSE WONDERFUL LY STIRRING WORDS WORDS. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A BRIEF VIDEO FROM SENATOR MARK KIRK OF LINOIS, WHO COULD NOT BE WITH US IN PERSON TODAY BUT WANT TED TO SEND GREETINGS TO ALL GATHERD HERE. SERVING LLE FIVE TIMES IN THE HOUSE STARTING IN 2000, HE WON ELECTION S S IN SENATE IN THE 2010. SENATOR KIRK HAS A SPECIAL CONNECTION TO TODAY'S EVENTS, HAVING SERVED AT AN EARLIER TIME IN HIS CAREER AS A STAFF MEMBER, TO NONE OTHER THAN JOHN PORTER. AND KIRK HAS ANOTHER POIGNANT CONNECTION TO THE SCIENCE RESEARCH. HE SUFFERED A MAJOR STROKE IN SURGERY AND STENEXTENSIVE ANUARY OF 2012, UNDERGOING RABEHABILITATION OVER TEHE NEXT YEAR. SO ON JANUARY 3, 2013, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE CHEERED AS HE WALKED UP THE CAPITOL STEPS TO RETURN TO WORK. SO PLEASE LISTEN TO SENATOR KIRK'S THOUGHTFUL WORDS AS WE ROLL THE VIDEO. >> I REALLY WANT TO CONGRATULATE MY OLD BOSS JOHN pPORTER FOR AHAVING THIS CEREMONY IN HIS HONOR AND COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS SUCH A DISTINGUISHED AND PUBLIC SERVANT. I'M SO HAPPY THIS IS A BUILDING DEDICATED TO A NEWUROASCIENCE AS A STROKE SURVIVOR. I'M THRILLED THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE HELPING OTHER AMERICANS. JOHN PORTER IS A PERSON WHO SHOULD BE REMEMBERED FOR DOUBLING FUNDING FOR THE NIH AND STARTING THE ANTI-AGE NATIONAL PROGRAM. TWO OF THE GREATEST HEALTH EVENTS HAVE BEEN IN -- IN HISTORY THAT IS EXCITED ABOUT DOING WHAT I WOULD CALL THE PORT PORTER LEGISLATIACY OF ACCELERATED AND CONDITION AL FUNDING FOR NIH. AMERICA'S GIFT TO MANKIND AND THE FUTURE. APPLAU[APPLAUSE] >> AND NOW IT'S MY OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THE MAN OF THE HOUR HOUR. IT'S A GREAT PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE CONGRESSMAN JOHN EDWARD PORTER. YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD MANY STIRRING WORDS ABOUT CONGRESSMAN PORTER FROM HIS FRIEND, SENATOR HARKIN. AND SO YOU WILL KNOW THE DISTINGUISHED RECORD AND THAT HE HAD IN THE CONGRESS, ONE THAT HE HAS CONTINUED SINCE THEN IN WAYS THAT HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH. HE APPOINTD AS CHAIR THE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. HE DEVELOPED INTO ONE OF OUR NATION'S MOST SKILLFUL TRANS TRANSLATORS OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE INTO PUBLIC PARLIAMENTS. AND INTO LANGUAGE THAT PERSUADED HIS COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS WORK. AS YOU HEARD BACK IN 1995, IN HIS INSTRUCTION TO CUT NIH'S BUDGET. BY THE TIME HE MADE HIS CASE AND BROUGHT TOGETHER AN IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION OF CEOS AND ACADEMIC LEADERS, HE ONLY STAVED OFF THE CUT BUT MANAGED TO TURN THAT CORNER, SETTING THE STAGE FOR THIS UNPRECEDENTD DOUBLING OF THE NIH BETWEEN 1998 AND 2003, WORKING OF COURSE WITH HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE OTHER HOUSE, WITH SENATORS HARKIN AND SPECT ER. A DREAM CAME TRUE. MR. PORTER, WOULD YOU CONSIDER COMING BACK TO THE CONGRESS? SENATOR HARKIN, WOULD YOU CONSIDER CHANGING YOUR PLANS ABOUT LEAVING? I PERSONALLY REMEMBER VISITING WITH CHAIRMAN PORTER IN THE MID 1990S, THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT WAS STILL EARLY IN ITS COURSE BUT WITH ENORMOUS POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM MEDICINE. I HAD SOME ENTRANQUILLITY FROM SENATOR HARKIN ABOUT THIS AND HE COULD SEE THE VISION. BUT I KNEW IT WAS FAIR TO SAY THE PROJECT HAD NOT RECEIVED A COMPLETELY WARM WELCOME ACROSS THE BOARD IN THE HOUSE AND IN BOTH PARTIES. SO I MET WITH MR. PORTER. SOMEWHAT NEW TO MY JOB AND UN UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE WAYS OF POLITICS AND PRESENTED SOME OF THE SCIENTIFIC OPPORTUNITIES. WE DISCUSSD THE SCIENCE AND HE PROBED ME WITH SOME THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND I KNEW I'D MET SOMEONE WITH REAL VISION. SO BOLDLY MR. PORTER, I SAID WITH MY HEART IN MY MOUTH "WILL YOU HELP US? WILL YOU BE A WHITE KNIGHT FOR THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT?" THOSE ARE THE WORDS I USED. PRETTY BRAVE, WASN'T IT? AND WITHOUT HESITATION, HE SATID YES, I WILL. THAT IS A PROFOUND TURNING POINT FOR ME PERSONALLY. I HAD THE SENSE THIS COULD ACTUALLY WORK SCAAND WE COULD ACTUALLY MAKE SOMETHING WONDERFUL HAPPEN HERE. AND JOHN PORTER WAS ALONG NOT FOR THAT DAY OR A MONTH AFTER BUT FOR THIS WHOLE AMAZING RIDE, OF BRING IING IN THAT PROJECT TWO YEARS EARLY ND $100 MILLION UNDER BUDGET. THERE MR. PORTER RECEIVED THE AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE IN 2000 2000. BUT AS YOU HEARD, HE CONTINUES HIS LEADERSHIP BOTH FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH IN MULTIPLE WAYS, PARTICULARLY FOR RESEARCH AMERICA, VICE CHAIR FOR THE FOUNDATION OF NIH'S BOARD AND A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE IN INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE. THE LEGISLATIACY OF HIS LEADERSHIP CAN BE SEEN HER HERE TODAY IN THIS VERY SCOMBLTH NEW HOPE FOR PATIENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. SO PLEASE JOIN ME NOW IN WELCOME WELCOMING THE TORCH BEARER HIMSELF, CONGRESSMAN JOHN EDWARDS PORTER. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] >> AND HE SAID -- AMY SAID I SHOULDN'T CRY UP HERE SO I AM GOING TO TRY NOT TO. FRANCIS, WHAT A PLEASURE IT HAS BEEN TO WORK WITH YOU AND TO TRY TO GET US BACK TO WHERE WE WERE AND GIVE YOU THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED TO CONTINUE AND GROW THIS WONDERFUL INSTITUTION THAT CONTRIBUTES SO MUCH TO HUMAN HEALTH AND SO MUCH TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD ABOUT US. AND THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TO CELEBRATE SCIENCE AND TO CELEBRATE THIS MAG KNIFE MAGNIFICENT BUILDING. MY PRINCIPAL PURPOSE WILL BE TO THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE HELPED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. MY COLLEAGUES AND OTHERS WHO PUT UP WITH ME ALL THESE YEARS AND WORKED WITH ME SO CLOSELY TO MOVE SCIENCE AHEAD. IF I LEAVE ANYONE OUT. I AM GOING TO TAKE SOME EXTRA TIME, I'M SORRY, TO TELL ALL OF. YOU IF I LEAVE ANYONE OUT, IT'S SIMPLY BY INAD VERIVERT ENCENCE AND NOT ANYTHING ELSE. LET ME START WITH STEVE JAIHYMAN AND JERRY FISHBACK. I REMEMBER THE TIME THAT YOU CAME IN SCAAND SAID "WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RECEPTION", YOU SHOWED ME FRENCH ASH TECT WAS THERE FOR THIS PART OF THE BUILDING, AND HE HAD A RENDITION OF IT, A MODEL AND IT'S STILL IN MY OFFICE ON THE WALL. AND THAT GOT US ALL STARTED, JERRY, AND STEVE. AND THEY SAID DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A DEDICATION NOW AND I SAID NO, LET'S WAIT. AND SO WHEN PORTER 1 WAS PARTIAL PARTIALLY COMPLETED, AFTER 9/11 HAD OCCURRED AND WE'D GOTTEN INTO TWO WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, THEY SAID, WELL, IT'S GOT GOT TO STOP BECAUSE WE'VE RUN OUT OF MONEY. SO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THE DED DEDICATION NOW. I SAID NO, LET'S WAIT UNTIL IT'S FINISHED. SO I HAVE TO HONE UP -- OWN UP TO THE DELAY. THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO THE SECOND TIME AROUND. AND I HAD SOME -- I REALLY DID. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. IT'S BEEN MY FAULT. IN JULY OF LAST YEAR, KATHY HUD HUDSON, THEY ALL SAID THIS THING IS REALLY GOING TO BE FINISHED SOON AND BEGAN THE PLANNING FOR THIS DEDICATION. AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THEIR INVOLVEMENT, ALL THEIR HARD WORK IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN. AND I WANT TO THANK JOHN BERKLO. JOHN HAS BEEN THE IMPRESS ARIO OF THIS EVENT. HE'S PROBABLY GOTTEN ABOUT 1,000 E-MAILS FROM ME AND MY FAMILY. LAUGHT[LAUGHTER] HE'S DONE CALLS. HE'S HAD TO FOCUS ON EVERY DETAIL. I'M SURE AT SOME POINT IN ALL THIS PROCESS HE SATID "BOY, THIS GUY IS A REAL PAIN IN THE SIDE." BUT JOHN, YOU DID IT ALL AND IT'S JUST WONDERFUL HOW YOU'VE ORGANIZED IT. THE SHUTDOWN OCCURRED. WE HAD IT PLANNED, AS YOU PROBABLY REMEMBERED, FOR OCTOBER 22ND. THE SHUT DUNE OCCURRED, AND JOHN TURNED IT OVER TO MARIA PRIERA AND HER STAFF OVER AT THE FOUNDATION FOR NIH TO GET OUT THE MAILINGS. AND WHY? BECAUSE NIH WAS SHUT DOWN. EVERYBODY ON THIS CAMPUS WAS DEEMED NON-ESSENTIAL. WHAT NONSENSE. THIS IS THE MOST ESSENTIAL PLACE THAT WAS DEEMED NON-ESSENTIAL AND MARIA AND HER TEAM GOT EVERYTHING ORGANIZED AND MADE THIS HAPPEN. TOM HARKIN, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY GREAT JOYS IN CONGRESS IN WORKING WITH YOU. TOM WAS HERE BEFORE I WAS HERE. TOM WAS HERE AFTER I WAS HERE. AND I JUST -- WHEN I HEARD THAT YOU WERE RETIRING, I SAID "OH, MY GOD, THAT'S A DISASTER," FOR OUR COUNTRY AND FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH." AND TOM AND I WORKED TOGETHER IN VERY CLOSE WAYS TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. SO WHEN HE SAYS IT'S ALL ME, NO, NO, IT WAS TOM. IT WAS ALSO ARTICLEN SPECT EER AND DAVE. BUT ARTICLEN SPECTER, WE MISS HIM. ARTICLEN WAS A GREAT SURVIVOR, AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT ARTICLEN WOULD SURVIVE ANYTHING, BECAUSE HE KEPT SURVIVING REALLY SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS. AND WHEN HE GOT SICK THIS LAST TIME, I THOUGHT I'D GO UP TO SEE HIM IN ITSELF AND I SAID WELL, HE'S GOING TO SURVIVE ANYWAY AND HE DIDN'T SURVIVE THIS TIME AND WE MISS HIM. ARTICLEN AND TOM REALLY COHORALD $10 BILLION, INCLUDING FOR THE FACILITY'S ACCOUNT TO HAPPEN AND THAT'S WHY THE BUILDING GOT BUILT. SO TOM AND I ARE OLD FRIENDS AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE FRIENDS. WE'RE GETTING BOTH GOING TO BE RETIRED FRIENDS. I WANT TO THANK THE RESEARCH FACILITIES. IS DAN HERE? WELL, I AM GOING TO THANK HIM. THE PROJECT OFFICER OF THE BUILDING FRANK COLACK. I KNOW HE'S HERE. THE ARCHITECT FOR THIS NEW BUILDING -- FRANK, STAND UP AND TAKE A BOW. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] HE'S THE ONE WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF GETTING THIS WHOLE THING DONE FROM A PHYSICAL STANDPOINT. THE NEW BUILDING, THE NEW PART OF THE BUILDING IS PERKINS AND WILL, THE ARCHITECTS AND THEY'RE FROM CHICAGO, AND WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THEIR BEING FROM CHICAGO. I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY APPROPRIATE, SINCE I'M FROM CHICAGO. WHITE IING TURN EER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, JENKINS, JACOB FACILITIES, GRAY HATCH -- ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WORKED SO HARD TO COMIC GULLING WHAT IT IS AND WHAT A MAG KNINIFICENT JOB THAT THEY DID. GIJ TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE AND I AM GOING TO BEGIN WITH MY WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL WIFE AMY, WHO HEADED NIH FOR -- NOT NIH, SORRY -- LAUGHT[LAUGHTER] FOR EIGHT YEARS, A PRED SAECESSOR TO MARIA PRIERA AND NOW HEADS THE FISHINATIONAL OFT OOROSIS FOUNDATION. AND TOO DELL YOU HOW MUCH NIH IS IN BOTH OF OUR DNAS, IS MAG GERI HIRE? THERE SHE IS WAY IN THE BACK. SHE'S THE COUNSEL FOR NIH. SHE IS THE LAWYER. AND SHE WAS THE -- IN OUR WEDDING IN WILLIAMSBURG IN 2007. AND SO WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE NIH AND TO THE NIH FAMILY AND BARBARA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] NOW I WOULD LOVE TO NAME EACH ONE OF THEM, BUT I HAVE 12 GRAND CHILDREN, 11 OF WHOM ARE HERE, AND I CAN'T DO IF. WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE CHILDREN, AND THEN AMY'S ON AND HIS WIFE ARE HERE. AND BY THE WAY, SHE'S EXPECTING, SO THAT WEEK -- MAKE 13. I WANT THEM ALL JUST TO STAND UP TO BE RECOGNIZED. WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY THEY ARE ARE. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] WHEN YOU'RE A PUBLIC ELECTD OFFICIAL, THERE IS GREAT SACK SACRIFICE BY YOUR FAMILY. THERE REALLY IS. AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY ALLOWED ME TO RUN FOR CONGRESS, TO BE ACTIVE AND TO DO THE THINGS THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO IN CONGRESS AND AFTER AND I CAN NEVER THANK MY FAMILY ENOUGH. THEY'RE JUST ALL WONDERFUL PEOPLE. AND I MIGHT SAY MY CHILDREN ARE FAR BETTER PARENTS THAN I EVER WAS, UNFORTUNATELY, FOR ME. FORMER DIRECTORS OF NIH, I UNDERSTAND ELLIOTT COULD NOT BE HERE, BUT HAROLD IS HERE AND HAROLD WAS THE NIH DIRECTOR FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THAT I WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE. AND WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER. AND I AM GETTING THESE INSIGHTS ABOUT HOW GOT INTO A NEWER NEUROSCIENCE BUILDING RATHER THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW ACTUALLY. BUT NOW I DO. AND HAROLD WAS SO WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH, AND I THINK WE MADE SOME VERY GOOD PROGRESS. FRANCIS, OF COURSE, HAS BEEN HERE. WE BEGAN WORKING TOGETHER, AS HE SAID, ON THE HUMAN GENOMIC PROJECT. GENE -- TIM WATSON CAME IN AND SAID "YOU ARE GOING TO -- THIS PROJECT"Y AND IT WAS THE BEST MONEY WE EVER SPENT, BECAUSE THINK OF HOW IT SET THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL THAT HAS OWE OCCURRED IN MEDICAL RESEARCH SINCE. AND IT'S BEEN A JOY TO WORK WITH YOU. AND DIANE, HIS WIFE, JUST A CLOSE FRIEND OF BOTH OF AMY AND I, AS FRANCIS IS. AND IT'S JUST BAIN WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH ME SOME MORE. MY FORMER COLLEAGUES IN CONGRESS CONGRESS. I WAS HOPING WOULD STILL BE HERE HERE. I GUESS HE'S NOT. CONNIE MORRELLA IS HERE. MONETA, I THINK IS HERE. I HAD SUCH WONDERFUL PEOPLE TO WORK WITH ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. AND IT WAS A JOY FOR ME TO SERVE IN CONGRESS FOR THESE KINDS OF PEOPLE. AND NOW A MEMBER EV CONGRESS CURRENTLY THAT HIVE CHANCE TO WORK WITH, AND HE IS A REAL LEADER ON MEDICAL RESEARCH AND PARTICULARLY ON NEWUROSCIENCE RESEARCH. SO ANY HELP YOU NEED ANY TIME, WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE TO HELP YOU. SULLIVAN. LOU SULLIVAN IS AN OLD FRIEND WHO WAS APPOINTD BY GEORGE H.W. BUSH TO BE THE SECRETARY OF HHS. AND WHEN I WAS HE WAS, MY SON DAVID CAME TO WORK IN HIS SIXTH FLOOR OFFICE AT THE HUMPHREY BUILDING. THEY HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL FRIENDS EVER SINCE. EVERY TIME I SEE LOU, HE SAYS HOW IS DAVID. THAT RELATIONSHIP IS VERY CLOSE. IS RONNIE HERE? RONNIE LAN KACASTER WAS A COLLEA OF DAVID'S IN HIS OFFICE AND I HAVE TO SAY, LOU, THAT LOU JUST GAVE ME -- ARRANGE ED D TO GET ME AN HONOR AARY DEGREE FROM THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE. AND HOW SPECIAL IS THAT? THANK YOU. CHARLIE IS HERE. THERE HE IS. HE'S OVER THERE. CHARLIE IS THE CHAIR. HE IS THE BEST CHAIR, AND I'VE SERVED ON A LOT OF COMMITTEES IN A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS, ALL NON-PROFITS. CHARLIE'S THE BEST THERE EVER WAS AND STILL IS. AND AS MARIA MENTIONED EARLIER, HE WORKS WITH MARIA AND THEY HAVE A WONDERFUL STAFF. RESEARCH AMERICA. MAYRY, I SEE YOU BACK THERE. MAYRY IS TEHE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AMERICA. SHE IS THE PRESIDENT FOR 21 OF THE LAST 25 YEARS, AND SHE IS AN ICON OF AFFIDAVIT KASDVOCACY IN WASHINGTON AND ALL AROUND THIS COUNTRY AND ALL AROUND THE WORLD. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] IF YOU WANT TO DO ANYTHING RIGHT IN AFFIDAVIT KADVOCACY, THERE SHE IS. AND THANK YOU, MAYRY. PAULA HERE? THERE SHE IS WAY IN THE BACK. PAULA KERRINGER IS THE PRESIDENT OF PBS, THE PUBLIC BROADCAST IING SERVICE. AND SHE IS ANOTHER ICON IN HER AREA. I SERVED ON THE BOARD OF PBS FOR FOR, I THINK, IT WAS EIGHT YEARS YEARS, UNTIL CHAIR FOR THE LAST TWO AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HER AND SHE IS ANOTHER LEADER MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR THIS COUNTRY AND FOR THE THINGS SNOWBALLS AND WE ALL BELIEVE IN AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, PAULA. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] MEL SIS ESER ONONE, THERE HE IS. HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. FOREMOST SCIENCE ORGANIZATION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY RECENTLY, NOT ONLY TO GET TO KNOW RALPH BETTER BUT TO DO WORK WITH HIM. AND WE ARE HOPING TO DO EVEN GREATER THINGS IN THE YEARS AHEAD. THAT'S TO COME. BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] NOW THE PEOPLE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE ON THE GROUND. I HATE TO TELL YOU ABOUT -- TELL YOU THIS, BUT I'M JUST GETTING WARMED UP HERE. LAUGHT[LAUGHTER]. FIRST, MY FORMER CAMPAIGN STAFF. SOME OF THEM ARE HERE. THERE SHE IS. TOM GOOD IING AND HIS WIFE JOSE. THEY ARE WAY IN THE -- JOYCE. THEY ARE WAY IN THE BACK. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. BRIAN WHALEEN AND HIS WIFE SHE'ILA. IS BRIAN HERE? THERE HE IS. I'VE GOT MORE TO DELL YOU ABOUT BRIAN -- TELL YOU ABOUT BRIAN AND TOM. AND PAT. INTO THERE SHE IS. PAT STARTED WORKING ON MY CAMPAIGNS IN 1982 AND WAS THERE FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE. SHE'S COME ALL THE WAY HERE FROM FLORIDA. AND THANK YOU, PAT, FOR BEING HERE. IT'S VERY, VERY SPECIAL TO ME THAT YOU'RE HERE. NOW LET ME GO TO THE DC STAFF. MY FORMER DC STAFF. THERE IS QUITE A FEW OF THEM HERE. RAISE YAOUR HANDS . STAND UP. THERE YOU GO. LOOK AT THEM ALL. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] DOUG, WHERE ARE YOU? THERE HE IS. ALL RIGHT, HE WAS MY CHIEF OF STAFF IN WASHINGTON FOR TEN YEARS. AND HE HAD TO PUT ONE ME. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR LEADING THE STAFF. MY CHIEF OF STAFF IN THE MID '80S COULD NOT BE HERE BECAUSE HE JUST UNDERWENT A SERIES OF OPTION FOR PAN CRACREATIC CANCER AND IS IN THE RECOVERY MODE NOW. A YOUNG MAN, A 5, MAYBE 56 YEARS OLD. AND WE MISS HIM. I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH WE MISS HIM. MY FORMER APPROPRIATIONS STAFF, TOM MCCANN. WHERE ARE YOU? WAY BACK THERE. TONY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IN THIS ROOM ARE ALL KINDS FOF PARTNERS AND AFFIDAVIT KADVOCACY FOR BIO BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. PEOPLE FROM FM. PEOPLE FROM AACR. PEOPLE FROM AHAAS, I WANT YOU ALL TO STAND UP, ALL OF YOU. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] MY PARTNERS, WHERE I HAVE BEEN SINCE I RETIRED FROM CONGRESS. JOHN WARN EER, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. BOB MICHAEL, WHOM I HAVE LUNCH WITH PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY. 91 YEARS OLD, THE REPUBLICAN LEADER FOR 14 YEARS. I'LL HAVE MORE DO SAY ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE. AND A NUMBER OF OUR COLLEAGUES AT HOGAN ARE HERE AS WELL AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THEM BEING HERE. MY ASSISTANT -- THE BIGGEST A ADJUSTMENT FOR A MEMBER OF CONGRESS WHEN YOU'RE RETIRED IS THAT YOU GO FROM A STAFF OF 20. AND JOHN YOU PROBABLY HAD TWICE THAT MANY OR MORE. AND SOME SOMEHOW YOU'RE DOWN A STAFF OF ONE. AND PAT IS A REAL ADJUSTMENT. JOHN AND I HAVE WONDERFUL ONES REALLY LOOK AFTER US AND I WANT -- WANDA JACKSON AND PAUL FRENCH. I CAN'T SEE THEM, BUT I KNOW THEY'RE THERE. JUST STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] THERE THEY ARE. SEVERAL OF MY DISH APPRECIATE THEIR BEING HERE FROM NORTHEASTERN -- NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AND JONATHAN NEHAM. THERE THEY ARE. COME ON, STAND UP. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] BY THE WAY, IS HANK SIP ERT HERE HERE? THERE HE IS. ALL RIGHT. WHEN I RETIRED FROM CONGRESS, I HAD SOME MONEY LEFT OVER IN MY CAMPAIGN FUNDS AND I SAID I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE THIS FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH AT NORTHWEST UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY CREATED A JOHN EDWARDS PORTER CHAIR OF BIO BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HANK, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. INSTALLATION A COUPLE YEARS I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING AT AGO. HE IS THE CHAIR THERE AT NORTHWESTERN. AND BILL WEBER, THE FISHINATIONAL DISEASE RESEARCH INTERCHANGE DISH DON'T SEE HIM. THERE HE IS. HE'S IN THE BACK THERE. A FORMER VICE CHAIR -- VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AMERICA. AND BILL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL. ALL RIGHT, I HAD A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL TIME WORKING WITH PAUL AND NIH IT DIRECTORS AND A LOT OF THEM ARE HE OR SHE. AND I HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE A WONDERFUL WORKING RELATIHIP WITH THEM AND A RELATIONSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP AND THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR MEDICAL Y SINGLE DAY FOR THE HEALTH RESEARCH, MAKING A DIFFERENCE OF EVERY ONE OF US AND WE ARE GREATLY IN YOUR DEBT. THEY'RE ALL HERE. AND JOHN GANLEY AND ROGER GLASS AND IT HAS BEEN, FOR ME, FOR 33 YEARS, A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH BRUNT -- BRILLIANT PEOPLE LIKE THE LEADERS AT NIH AND ALL THE PEOPLE AT NIH. AND WE USED TO HAVE -- I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY HERE. WE USED TO HAVE HEARINGS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WHEN I WAS CHAIR. YEAH, FRANCIS IS SAYING YEAH, WE USED TO HAVE HEARINGS. WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF WEEKS OF HEARINGS AND HEAR FROM THE DIRECTOR OF NIH AND ALL OF THE IC DIRECTORS AND CENTER DIRECTORS AND REALLY LEARN ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MEDICAL RESEARCH AND BE EDUCATED AS TO HOW THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR JOB, AS APPROPRIATEORS, WAS, AND TO BE BROUGHT UP TO SPEED ON WHAT PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE ON MEDICAL RESEARCH. TODAY I THINK THEY HAVE TWO HOURS OF HEARINGS FOR THE WHOLE OF NIH, VERY FEW. IT'S A TRAVESTY. I THE JOB OF THE APPROPRIATEOR IS TO HAVE HEARINGS, LEARN ABOUT THE IMPORTANT PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNTRY, SEE WHAT WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK AND PUT THE MONEY WHERE THINGS ARE DOING THE BEST FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING HEARINGS. I REALLY DON'T. THEN WE HAD D, BECAUSE WE FOLLOWED THE MODEL OF BILL NATCH ER, WHO WAS THE CHAIR WHEN I WAS MAINLY ON THE COMMITTEE, BILL NATCH ER WOULD BRING IN EIGHT OR NINE KNNOBEL LAUREATES FOR AN ENTIRE DAY OF THE COMMITTEE AND WE'D SIT DOWN AND LEARN FROM THEM WHAT IT WAS THAT WAS IMPORTANT. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE LAST TIME WE HAD THEM IN WHEN I WAS CHAIRMAN, THE QUESTION WAS ASKED "IF YOU HAD MONEY FOR ONLY ONE AREA OF RESEARCH, WHERE WOULD YOU PUT IT?" AND EVERY ONE OF THEM SAID WE KNOW A THE LOW ABOUT THE BODY BELOW THE NECK. WE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE BODY ABOVE THE NECK AND FU JUST HAD -- THIS IS WHERE YOU'D WANT TO PUT THE MONEY. SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME TO LEARN THAT AND I CAN SEE THIS HAS WORKED OUT AWFULLY WELL AND HE'S GETTING TIRED HERE. LAUGHT[LAUGHTER] AND I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN WARMED UP. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED BY SCIENCE. I HAD SOME EARLY EXPLOSION TO IT THAT LASTED ALL MY LIFE. I ALWAYS WANT TED TO GET THE PAPER IN THE MORNING AND I ALWAYS TURNED TO SCIENCE ARTICLES. AND WHETHER THEY MIGHT BE ABOUT ANTHROPOLOGY OR ABOUT THIS MORNING'S PAPER WAS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE VICTIMS OF THE BUB ONIC PLAGUE IN THE 13 HEENS IN ENGLAND. FASCINATING STUFF. AND 1300S. BUT BY MY UPBRINGING AND UNDERSTANDING HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT, IT'S ALWAYS THE THINGS THAT WERE IN MY BLOOD AND NOT REALLY POLITICS. I'M NOT A VERY GOOD POLITICIAN. BUT DID ALL WORKED OUT. AND BY GOOD FORTUNE AND BY INTENTION, THESE THINGS, THE INTEREST IN SCIENCE AND MY UP UPBRING IING CONCURRED. MANY IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES HAD BEEN MADE BY MEN OF ORDINARY TALENT BECAUSE CHANCE HAD PUT THEM TO THE PROPER TIME AND THE KE THE SCIENTIST, HE DESCRIBES." DESCRIBES, I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVATION. I WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THE STORIES ABOUT THE CHANCES, INCLUDING GETTING ELECTD TO CONGRESS, GETTING ON THE COMMITTEE, BECOMING CHAIRMAN AND DOUBLING NIH. IT WAS TOTAL MOTIVATION. THIS INVOLVES FAMILY HISTORY. SO I WANT MY GRAND CHILDREN TO HEAR ABOUT IT. I WAS BORN IN 1935, PART OF THE SILENT GENERATION. PROBABLY THE GREATEST GENERATION AND GREW UP, WAS BORN DURING THE DEPRESSION AND GREW UP AS A YOUNG CHILD DURING WORLD WARE II II. AND DURING THAT TIME, ALL THE ADULTS IN THIS COUNTRY WERE WORKING FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY, WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY. THOSE PEOPLE WERE THE PEOPLE WHO LED THE COMMITTEES AND WERE THE SPEAKER AND LEADERS OF CONGRESS WHEN I GOT TO WASHINGTON. THEY WERE ALL BETTERVETERANS OF WORLD WAR II WHO WERE USED TO WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY. THAT IS ALL -- THAT HAS ALL GONE GONE, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ALL GONE. DURING THE DEPRESSION, MY FATHER'S FAMILY LIVED WITH MY MA MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER IN HER HOUSE AND THEN IN OUR HOUSE, BECAUSE MY FATHER COULDN'T BUY A HOUSE. AND MY MOTHER WAS A BAPTIST BY UPBRING IING AND MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST WHO CONVERTD FROM ROMAN CATHOLICISM. TALK ABOUT A BIG LEAP. THAT WAS CERTAINLY A BIG LEAP. AMY'S FAMILY HISTORY WAS VERY MUCH THE SAME. SHE WAS RAISED A CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST BY HER STEPMOTHER AND WE SHARE MANY, MANY THINGS IN COMMON. HER FATHER WAS BORN IN 1900. AT 18 MONTHS OF AGE HE CONTRACTD POLIO AND WORE A BRACE ON HIS LEG, HIS RIGHT LEG HIS ENTIRE LIFE. MY FATHER'S FATHER WAS A TAILOR. WAS MARRIED AND TO A VERY WISE WOMAN. AND WHEN MY FATHER WAS BORN, SHE SAID "THIS CHILD CANNOT EARN HIS LIVING WORKING WITH HIS HANDS, HE HAS TO EARN HIS LIVING WITH HIS BRAIN." AND THEY SENT HIM TO A PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. THEY SENT HIM TO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AS WELL, WHERE HE SPOKE SPANISH, FRESH, ITALIAN, BECAUSE HE TAUGHT ENGLISH ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS AND THEY CAUGHT TAUGHT HIM ITALIAN SO WHEN HE TOOK THE COURSE, IT WAS REALLY EASY. HE WAS THE FIRST COLLEGE GRADUATE IN OUR FAMILY. I WENT TO HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, GRADUATED IN 1924. BY AGE 29, ENS A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE. BY AGE 32, HE WAS ELECTD JUDGE OF A MAJOR COURT OF RECORD AND SERVED FOR A40 YEARS ON THE TRIAL BENCH IN OUR AREA. IN 1952, THE VACCINE WAS DISCOVERED, AND FU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CHRISTIAN SCIENCE, YOU REMAINED IN SUNDAY SCHOOL UNTIL YOU'RE 18. I WAS 17. I FINISHED AND MY CLASSMATES ALL SAID "OH, I DIDN'T GET VACCINATE VACCINATED. THAT'S NOT RIGHT." AND I THOUGHT, THIS IS CRAZY. AND I LEFT THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE RELIGION. I THINK VERY HIGHLY OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED AND I THINK ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT VALUE MEDICAL RESEARCH IS NOT THINKING CORRECTLY. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE MY MOTIVATION MOTIVATION, . MY FATHER WAS A VICTIM OF POLIO. MEDICAL SCIENCE HAD SHOWN THAT IT COULD BE PREVENTED. AND THAT REMAINED WITH ME, OF COURSE, ALL MY LIFE. IN 1970, AT AGE 35, MY FATHER S WITH A JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY AND HE WANT WANTED ME TO BE PART OF THE JUDICIAL TEAM WITH HIM. IT HUMORED HILLEN BUT I TOOK THE CAMPAIGN SERIOUSLY AND CAMPAIGNED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY COUNTY. IT'S ABOUT 6 MILLION PEOPLE THEN THEN. A PRETTY BIG COUNTY. I ENLISTED ALL MY SOCIAL FRIENDS AND YOUNG REPUBLICANS. BOB-BAR WAS A PRINCIPAL PERSON. AND BY THE WAY, THE YOUNG REPUBLICAN CLUB HAD ABOUT 450 MEMBERS. IT WAS THE LARGEST ONE MAYBE IN THE COUNTRY, CERTAINLY IN THE STATE. CANDIDATES, REPUBLICAN WOULD ENT OF THE PRIMARIES. COME TO THE CLUB FOR THEIR EN AND WHY WAS THAT SO? BECAUSE IT WAS THE CONSERVATIVES WHO WANT TED TO PACK THEIR PEOPLE INTO THE CLUB AND THE MODERATES WHO WANT TED TO PACK THEIR PEOPLE INTO THE CLUB TO GAIN CONTROL. SO THIS THING ABOUT CONSERVATIVES AND MODERATES HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST 50 YEARS AND MAYBE A LOT LONGER. AND IT IS RIDICULOUS. THANK YOU. IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS. ANYWAY, I CAMPAIGNED THROUGHOUT COOKE COUNTY. I RECEIVED ALL THE ENDORSEMENTS OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION. THE TRIBUNE AND SUN TIMES AND THE PAPERS IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS IN THE SUBURBS, BASED PRIMARILY I THINK ON MY FATHER'S REPRESEUTATION. AND I WAS NEXT-TO-LAST ON THE JUDICIAL BALLOT AND RAN SECOND OF ALL OF THEM. SIXES OF THEM WERE CANDIDATES. I GOT 769,000 VOTES. IT SOUNDS REALLY IMPRESSIVE UNTIL YOU HEARD THAT MY OPPONENT GOT 839,000 PRETTY ANDS LOST THE ELECTION JOY.^ WENT BACK TO YEAR LATER AT THE END OF 1971, MY FATHER DIED VERY SUDDENLY OF A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK. WHAT THEY HAD TO TREAT A PERSON WITH HEART DISEASE IN THOSE DAYS WAS NITROGLIC ECERINE TABLETS WHICH HE POPPED. THAT WAS ALL THAT THERE WAS, APPARENTLY. 1971 WAS A DISTRICT IING YEAR IN I WILL NOIS. THE REPUBLICANS, ACROSS THE COUNTRY HELD BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNORSHIP. AND PRESIDENT PRO-TEM OF THE I WILL NOIS SENATE HAD A STROKE AND WAS IN A COMA. GHON KNEW IF HE COULD RUN FOR ANOTHER TERM. I WILLINOIS. AND WHAT THE REPUBLICANS DID IS THEY DREW A LEDGISLATIVE DISTRICT AROUND HIS HOUSE UP AND TO THE NORTH FOR SAFE REPUBLICAN TERRITORY SO THAT IF HE COULD RUN, HE WOULD BE ASSURED OF WINNING WITHOUT ANY DOUBT. IT HAPPENED THAT I LIVED ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENT PRO-TEM AND I WAS IN HIS RE REDISTRICT. AND AS IT TURNS OUT, HE COULDN'T RUN. THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE DISTRICT DECIDED TO RUN FOR HIS SENATE SEAT, AND THAT LEFT AN OPEN SENATE SEAT IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT WAS IN A VERY SAFE DISTRICT. MY FATHER, IF HE HAD LIVED, WOULD HAVE TALKED ME OUT OF EVER RUNNING FOR LEDGISLATIVE OFFICE. I KNOW HE WOULD. BUT HE WASN'T THERE TO TALK ME OUT OF IT. ALL MY SOCIAL YOUNG REPUBLICAN FRIENDS HAD JUST HELPED ME RUN FOR CIRCUIT JUDGE AN EARLIER EARLIER AND I DECIDED TO RUN FOR A HOUSE SEAT THAN GOOD AND SAFE TERRITORY. WE HAD A HUGE PRIMARY. TOM WAS MY FIRST CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN. AND JOYCE AND WE ONE -- WON THAT PRIMARY AND SERVED FOR SIX YEARS IN THE I WILLINOIS HOUSE. BY 1977, I WAS PRACTICING LAW AND SERVING IN THE GENERAL ASSEM ASSEMBLY AND I SAID "THIS IS I JUST CAN'T BE BOTH -- I'LL LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT ME TO PRACTICE LAW OR TO BECOME A LEDGISLATOR. I ANNOUNCED FOR CONGRESS ON JULY 4TH, 1977. A REPORTER FOR THE CHICAGO TRI TRIBUNE IN THE AUDIENCE THERE WAS A FELLOW NAMED DAVID AX ELROD AXELROD. HAVE YOU HEARD OF HIM? A YOUNG REPORTER FROM THE " "CHICAGO TRIBUNE," COVERING MY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR CONGRESS. THE REPORTER FOR THE "SUN TIMES" WAS SWEET. SHE IS NOW BUREAU CHIEF OF THE SUN TIMES AND HAS BEEN FOR SOME YEARS. FOR THE NEXT 17 MONTHS, WE WOULD RETURN GATHER AROUND JACK AND JENNY'S LIVINGROOM TABLE. AND STRATEGIST ABOUT WINNING THE ELECTION, AND THAT WAS EVERY START SATURDAY MORNING. STRAT GEIZE. ONE OF OUR CHIEF CAMPAIGN STRATEGIST WAS THERE, HIS WIFE SHE'ILA. JACK IS NO LONGER WITH US. JACK MANAGED MY FIRST CAMPAIGN. AND I WAS RUNNING AGAINST AN IN INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT CAN THAT HAD BEEN ELECTD TWICE BEFORE AND WAS RUNNING FOR HIS THIRD TERM IN OUR DISTRICT. HIS NAME WAS ABNER NICKBA. THE LAWYERS WHO ARE HERE WILL RECOGNIZE THAT NAME BECAUSE HE HAD A VERY, VERY LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER. IT WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE RACE IN AMERICAN HISTORY. SPENT $5 HOSTAGE,000 -- $500,000 $500,000. NOTHING TODAY IN A CAMPAIGN. BUT IT WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE RACE UP TO THAT TIME. WE USED RADIO, ADVERTISING AND CARTOPS MAINLY. NOBODY EVEN KNOW WHAT A CARTOP IS ANYMORE. BUT WE DIDN'T USE TV UNTIL THE LAST 10 DAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN. NICKBA HAD A TV AD FOR HIM THAT WAS CUT BY NONE OTHER THAN HENRY FONDA. SO HERE I WAS RUNNING AGAINST THE INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT, WHO WAS A VERY ABLE GUY I LOST THAT RACE BY 650 VOTES OUT OF 190,000 CAST CAST. BUT THE IDEA IN POLITICS IS TO GET UP OFF THE MAT AND FIGHT ANOTHER ROUND. EVEN THOUGH MY CONSTITUENTS, MY PROCESPECTIVE CONSTITUENTS DECIDED I SHOULD CONTINUE TO PRACTICE LAW. I THOUGHT I'D GIVE IT ANOTHER CHANCE. EBB IMMEDIATELY WENT TO SEEK A POSITION ON THE FEDERAL BENCH. HE WAS APPOINTD, CONFIRMED, AND RESIGNED HIS SEAT FOUR MONTHS AFTER HIS ELECTION. AND A SPECIAL ELECTION WAS CALLED, WHICH I WON. AND THEN WON 10 MORE SDWRIERJSZ WITH THE HELP OF PEOPLE LIKE PAT KEN MOMORE. THEN THE NORTH SHORE, THE SOUTHWEST SUBURBS OF CHICAGO AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY GOING UP NORTH. IT IS A HIGHLY -- WAS. BUT IT'S A HIGHLY HE HEDUCATED, A AFFLUENT. BUT NOT EVERYONE BEING AFFLUENT, THINKING, INDEPENDENT VOTERS. IT'S A MAG KNINIFICENT DISTRICT TO REPRESENT. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT AND THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING SO. I GOT THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST BRIGHTEST. TALK ABOUT THE BEST TEAM TO WORK FOR ME IN MY OFFICES AND THEY JUST WERE WONDERFUL IN MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. AND CHANCE INTERVENED HERE AGAIN AGAIN. I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. THE 1980 SPECIAL ELECTION THAT I WON MADE A DEMOCRATIC SEAT TURNING A REPUBLICAN SEAT. CONGRESS HAD TO ADJUST THE RATIO RATIOS BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. I GOT A COUPLE OF MINOR COMMITTEES OUT OF THAT. BUT IN 1981, BOB MICHAEL WAS ELECTD REPUBLICAN LEADER, AND HE WAS RANK IING MEMBER ON THE LABOR AGE SUBCOMMITTEE, A VERY HIGH- HIGH-RANK IING MEMBER OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. AND HE HAD TO GIVE THAT SPOT UP BECAUSE NOW HE WAS GOING TO BE THE REPUBLICAN LEADER. AND THAT WAS IN I WILLINOIS SPOT SEAT. AND I WI I WAS THE NEWEST I WILLINOIS REPUBLICAN AND HE WAS IN A POSITION TO HELP AND I PROBABLY TOOK BOB MICHAEL'S SEAT ON LABOR LABORH. CHAIRMAN THEN. HE SERVED AS CHAIRMAN AND SO HE -- UNTIL HE DIED IN 1994 AND THAT'S ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO TO THE DAY, AND OF COURSE THE NATCH ER BUILDING RIGHT OUT HERE IS NAMED AFTER HIM. IN THOSE YEARS I STARTED ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE. THROUGH REDISTRICT IING I MOVED UP AND WHEN MCGILL DIED I WAS RANK ING MEMBERS. BOB MIKE HELLO BEEN 30 13 YEARS BEFORE. ON HIS DEATH DAY BECAME CHAIR. REPUBLICANS ALWAYS THOUGHT HE WAS VERY GILT WORK WITH. YEAH, DAVE. DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH. YEAH, DAVE. I GOT ALONG WITH HIM WONDERFULLY AND WE WERE A GOOD TEAM ON THE HOUSE SIDE, AS TOM HARKIN AND ARTICLEN SPECT EER WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE. THEN ALONG CAME THE 1994 ELECTION. DEMOCRATS HAD CONTROLLED THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THEN FOR 40 STRAIGHT YEARS. AND I GOT A CALL ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION FROM A FELLOW NAMED NEWT GINGRICH, WHO WAS A HOUSE WHIP BY THAT TIME. SAID "JOHN, WE'RE GOING TO GAIN OVER 50 SEATS, AND WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS ELECTION AND CONTROL THE HOUSE." I REMEMBER PUTTING DOWN THE ZONE AND SAYING "I WONDER WHAT HE'S SMOKING." HE WAS RIGHT, THOUGH, AND WE WON THE ELECTION. GOING FROM RANK IING MINORITY MEMBER TO CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE FIRST THING HE CONCERTD IS WHAT TOM HARKIN MENTIONED, A REPUBLICAN BUDGET IN THE HOUSE THAT CUT EVERYTHING EVERYTHING, INCLUDING NIH CUTS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE 25% -- 5% FOR FIVE YEARS FOR A TOTAL CUT OF 25%. I THOUGHT THAT WAS INSANE, ABSOLUTELY INSANE. AND IN WORKING WITH OTHERS, THEY PUT TOGETHER A PANEL OF PHARMACEUTICAL CHAIR AND SCIENTISTS AND I MADE IT A POINT WITH NEWT GINGRICH, WHICH HE GRACIOUSLY SEND, TOOK THEM ALL IN. HE LISTENED TO THEM FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND AT THE END OF HIS TIME SO HIS -- TO HIS CREDIT, HE SAID I THINK WE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE AND I AM GOING TO DO MY BEST TO CORRECT IT. HE HAS BEEN A SUPPORT ER OF BIO BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH EVER SINCE. I DON'T AGREE WITH HIM A LOT. I DON'T WANT TO CARRY THIS TOO FAR. LAUGHT[LAUGHTER] SO THEY DECIDED THE LEADERSHIP HAD NO IDEA HOW TO RUN THE HOUSE, BECAUSE THEY'D NEVER RUN IT FOR 40 YEARS. SO THEY MADE IT UP AS THEY WENT ALONG. AND FIRST THING THEY DID IS SAY OKAY, YOU COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN, YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR MARK AND THEN BRING IT IN TO US FOR LEADERSHIP AND GET US TO AGREE TOO IT BEFORE YOU CAN MARK UP THE BILL IN YOUR SUBCOMMITTEE AND GET IT DONE. SO I WENT IN WITH A MARK THAT GAVE NIH A 5.7% INCREASE AND THEY GAVE A SMALL ONE TO CDC. EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE BILL WAS EITHER ZEROD OUT OR FLAT-FUNDED OR DEES DRYSD IN ORDER TO MAKE ROOM FOR THOSE CHANGES BECAUSE WE HAD A 12% CUT IN OUR AL ALLOCATION. MY STAFF ARE BRILLIANT. THEY SAID TOOK THIS TO THE FLOOR FLOOR. WE TOOK BILLS TO THE FLOOR AND ACTUALLY VOTED ON AMENDMENTS, A LOST ART. THEY SAID TOOK TAKE THIS TO THE FLOOR. EVERY AMENDMENT WILL BE TAKEN AND PUTTING IT IN OTHER PRIORITIES AND YOU WILL NEVER GET THE INCREASE THAT YOU WANT FOR NIH. SO I SAID WELL, WHAT DO WE DO WI ABOUT THIS? HE SAID WE'LL WORK ON IT AND THE STAFF WORKED ON IT AND WE DECIDE DECIDED WE SHOULD PUT IT INTO ANOTHER BILL THAT MUST PASS. JUST APPROPRIATION FOR NIH AND THE APPROPRIATION FOR CDC. SO I TOOK THIS TO THE SPEAKER, NEWT GINGRICH, AND I SAID THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO. HE SAID OKAY, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO TALK TO DAVE SCAAND BOB ARTICLLEN SPECK SPECT ER, TOM HARKIN, BOB DOLE, MARK HATFIELD, ALL THE LEADERS THAT HAD A SAY IN THERE THIS AND I TOOK IT AROUND AND ASKED EACH ONE OF THEM WOULD THEY AGREE TO DO IT AND THEY ALL AGREED. WE PASSED THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR NIH AND CDC AND THE C RCHR, WHICH IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO PASS. AND IT WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT CLINTON. AND WHEN I TOOK THE BILL TO THE FLOOR LATER ON THERE WAS NO FUNDING FOR NEITHER NIH OR CDC SO NO TARGET WAS LEFT. I CALLED DAVID THATCH ER, WHO WAS THE NEW APPOINTEE BY BILL CLINTON AS THE HEAD OF CDC AND TOLD HIM WET JUST PASSED A BILL GIVING HIM A SMALL INCREASE, WHERE EVERYTHING ELSE WAS CUT. AND I COULD FEEL THE ICY FEELING ON THE PHONE. HE WAS THE REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN CALLING THE DEMOCRATIC APPOINTEE APPOINTEE. I KNEW WHEN I HUNG UP THE PHONE HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME. BUT HE FOUND OUT IT WAS TRUE, AND WE BECAME GREAT FRIENDS EVER SINCE. HE WAS A MASTER POLITICIAN. HE FIGURED OUT THAT WE WANTED TO INCREASE NIH, HE COULD WITHDRAW HIS PRESIDENTIAL BUDGETS BY GIVING NIH A SMALL INCREASE AND KEEP PEOPLE HAPPY. AND AT THE LAST CHRISTMAS PARTY AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THE PRESIDENT SAID TO ME, HEY, JOHN, WE REALLY DID HAM AND EGG ON NIH, DIDN'T WE? I SAID OH, YEAH, MR. PRESIDENT, WE REALLY DID." IN THE YEARS AFTER THAT, WHEN WE WERE MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR LABORH, CAME TO ME JACK LOU WHO WAS HEAD THE OMB AND SAT IN NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND HE OF COURSE IS NOW THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. BUT I CAN REMEMBER BOB BYRD COMING IN, THE SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA, WHO WAS A GREAT CON CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR, PLEADING WITH US NOT TO ALLOW THIS -- HE'S A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. HE SHOULD BE OUT IN THE HALL. YOU ARE IN THE CONGRESS AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO IT. AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT HE WANTS TO. AND ACTUALLY IT WENT AHEAD FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS. AFTER WE INCREASED IT BY 5.7% THE FIRST YEAR WAS A I WAS CHAIRMAN, WE INCREASED IT TO 6.9 6.9% THE NEXT YEAR AND 7.1% THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THESE ARE NIH IN INCREASES. AND THEN THE ECONOMY WAS IN SUR SURPLUSES AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE RIPE. WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF DOUBLING DOUBLING, WHICH WAS 15% INCREASE INCREASES FOR 5 STRAIGHT YEARS. THAT DOUBLES THE FUNDING. BASELINE WORKING WITH TOM AND ARTICLEN SPECT EER, WE WORKED FROM $ $13.5 BILLION AND $27 BILLION AND TEN YEARS LATER IT'S NOT BETTER $27 BILLION WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE BIOMEDICAL PRICE IN INDEX. REGULAR ORDER, HEARINGS, MAKING JUDGMENTS ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD AS AND BAD BASED ON EVIDENCE IS ALL GONE. WHEN I FOUND MYSELF IN THAT TIME AND PLACE WITH PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARED, PEOPLE WHO WERE LEADERS, THAT ALLOWED, UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, WHO WERE DOING THE BEST WE POSSIBLY COULD TO FUND NIH AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH RESEARCH. SERVED SIX YEARS IN THE CHAIR AND WAS TERM-LIMITED. WHEN I RETIRED, MIKE KIRK SCLEREX HAD BEEN MY CHIEF OF STAFF AND JUST DID THE VIDEO, HE WON THE SEAT FOR TEN YEARS AND WAS ELECTD IN 2010 AS THE -- ONE OF THE SENATORS FROM I WILLINOIS. WHEN I RETIRED, I COULD HAVE HAD THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF ANOTHER SUB SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT I WANT TED TO CONTINUE MY COMMITMENT TO MEDICAL RESEARCH. AND PAUL ROGERS, ALL OF YOU AT NIH KNOW THAT PAUL ROGERS PLAZA, JUST A MARVELOUS HUMAN BEING. WE MISS EVERY DAY. PAUL SAID "YOU HAVE TO COME TO HOGAN AND HARTSEN" AND I GBEGAN TO PARTNER WITH THEM AND NOW WHERE I'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST 13 AND A HALF YEARS. I WAS PREVIOUSLY SURROUNDED WITH BRILLIANT SCIENTISTS AND NOW I'M SURROUNDED WITH BRILLIANT LAWYERS AND IT IS A JOY FOR ME TO BE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL GROUP OF ATTORNEYS. I AM NOW WORKING AT THE FIFRM AND I GET TO HAVE LUNCH WITH BOB MICHAEL AND JOHN WARN ERER AND OTHER WONDERL AMERICANS WHO HAVE MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR THIS COUNTRY. THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT CAME ALONG. WE THOUGHT ORIGINALLY THAT WOULD BE A FAIR CONTRIBUTION, OUGHT TO CONTRIBUTE TO BRING IING DOWN THE DEFICIT. THEN CAME ALONG THE SKIVER -- SEQUESTER. $2.3 TRILLION OVER TEN YEARS. THERE IS NO COURAGE IN CONGRESS TODAY. AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM OUGHT TO TAKE THIS TO HEART TO LOOK AT ENTITLEMENT AND TAX REFORM THAT WE KNOW HAVE TO BE REFORMED, NOT RADICAL LY CHANGED BUT REFORMED. AND WE'RE 676% OF -- 66% OF FEDERAL SPENDING OCCURS AND OF THE OTHER 34% OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS, HALF OF THAT IS DEFENSE. SO THE CONTRIBUTION BEING MADE ON THE APPROPRIATED SIDE ON ENTITLEMENTS, TAXES IS NOTHING. SO WHAT DO WE DO? THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. NIH GETTING ALONG BUN VERY WELL. CUTS IN PURCHASING POWER THAT HAVE BEEN HUGE OVER THE LAUGHEST 10 YEARS. TO ME NOW IS THE TIME. NOW IS THE TIME TO IMPACT CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION AS NEVER BEFORE. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE SCIENTISTS, NOT THE SCIENTISTS FROM NIH, BECAUSE WE HAVE THEY HAVE A PARTICULAR PROBLEM BY LAW FOR LOBBY IING FOR NIH ITSELF. BUT THEY CAN CERTAINLY DO A LOT. SCIENTISTS HAVE TO REALIZE THAT AFFIDAVIT INDICATES HERE IN THE CAPITAL CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. WE WORK EVERY DAY AT IT. WE DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN CAN, BUT WE DON'T VOTE IN OUR DISTRICTS. WE AREN'T RESPONSIBLE VOTERS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEM PERSONALLY. AND THAT IS A PROBLEM. SCIENTISTS ARE THE MOST RESTRICT RESTRICTED PEOPLE IN AMERICA. THEY LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY THROUGHOUT STATES AND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS ALL I OFFER THE COUNTRY. THEY'RE FUND BY NIH IN LARGE PART, AND THEY WILL BE LISTEN ED TO IF THEY ONLY ENGAGE WITH THEIR MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND THEY SHOULDN'T AVDVOCATE IN TERMS OF THEIR CAREER. YOU DON'T WANT TO TELL THEM YOU NEED THE MONEY FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. BUT BECAUSE YOU CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HUMAN HEALTH. IT'S ALL ABOUT HUMAN HEALTH UP ON THE HILL. AND PEOPLE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT. WHEN I SAY FU DON'T DEFEND SCIENCE, IF SCIENTISTS DON'T DEFEND SCIENCE, IF YOU DON'T DO SO, HOW CAN YOU EXPECT OTHER PEOPLE TO DO SO? YOU CAN'T. YOU HAVE GOAT OUT THERE AND GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND IM IMPACT DECISIONS MADE ON THE HILL. THERE IS LOTS OF WAYS TO DO IT. RESEARCH AMERICA WILL CERTAINLY SHOW YOU HOW. IF YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I DID WHEN I RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. I GOT OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE. THIS MAG KNINIFICENT BUILDING ALLOWS SCIENTISTS TO DO GREAT THINGS. IT WILL ALLOW THEM DO CAN CLOCK THE SECRETS OF THE BRAIN, PERHAPS TO CURE STROKE AND ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH AS A HIGH NATIONAL PRIORITY AND SO MUCH MORE. BUT IT CANNOT BE DONE WITHOUT RESOURCES. WE WILL ANNOUNCE A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN. WE WILL REACH OUT AS BEEFST WE CAN WITH RESOURCES TO REACH ALL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PRIORITY FOR OUR COUNTRY. BUT WE NEED THE HELP OF EVERY AMERICAN WHO CARES ABOUT GOOD HEALTH, LIVING LONGER, AND HEALTHIER LIVES AND INCREASING THE GROWTH RATE OF OUR ECONOMY, WITH BECAUSE MEDICAL RESEARCH ALWAYS WILL CONTRIBUTE A GREAT DEAL TO THAT. EACH ONE OF US HAS TO BE INVOLVED. LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO PUT SCIENCE AND RESEARCH AT OUR COUNTRY'S HIGHEST PRIORITY. NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT. NOW IS THE TIME. FRANCIS AND HIS COLLEAGUES AT NIH AND ALL THE SCIENTISTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, PUT THOSE RESOURCES TO AWFULLY GOOD USE FOR ALL OF US. SO THANKS TO EVERYONE HERE WHO HAVE GIVEN MEANING TO MY LIFE AND CAREER. LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE THINGS WE BELIEVE IN. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] >> IN A MOMENT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATIONS. BUT LET ME ASK MRS. AMY PORTER PLEASE COME AND JOIN US ON THE STAGE. SENATOR HARKIN HAD TO RUN TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT VOTE SO HE SENDS HIS REGRETS. TWO THINGS TO PRESENT TO YOU. ONE IS A DEDICATION, WHICH I'LL READ, WHICH WILL GRACE A PLAQUE THAT WILL BE IN THIS BUILDING. THAT EVERYONE WHO WORKS HERE BE ABLE TO SEE. "IN SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH S S IN NEWUROSCIENCE WILL REVOLUTIONIZE OUR UNDERSTANDING AND ENHANCE THE LIVES OF MILLIONS. THROUGHOUT HIS 21 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, CONGRESSMAN JOHN PORTER WAS A TO OUR IING CHAMPION AND VISION AARY FOR ADVANCING PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH WITH PASSION AND SKILLFUL AFFIDAVIT KADVOCACY. LE THE BUDGET OF THE HE LED THE PARTISAN EFFORT TO NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, SETTING THE COURSE FOR AN UN UNPRECEDENTD ERA OF DISCOVERY AND INNOVATION. THESE PIONEER INING EFFORTS WERE RECOGNIZED BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS ON DECEMBER 21, 2000, TO BE HERE AUTHORIZING THE RESEARCH CENTER AFTER HIM. CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] AND ONE OTHER THING WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU. YOU SAID YOU HAD A RENDERING IN YOUR OFFICE. WELL, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE AND IT'S GOING TO BE OF THE WHOLE ORDER OF SCIENCE CENTER. SO AMY, WILL YOU HELP ME, AS WE UNVEIL. APPLAU [APPLAUSE] BRAVO. AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM HAPPY TO INVITE YOU TO A RE RECEPTION, WHICH GOING TO BE HELD RIGHT OVER HERE BEHIND THOSE BLUE CURTAINS. PLEASE COME AND JOIN US. THERE WILL BE SOME TOASTS OFFERED UP IN HONOR OF MR. PORT PORTER IN THIS WONDERFUL BUILDING. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN A TOUR OF THE BUILDING, AROUND 5:00 GATHER THERE AND SOMEBODY CAN SHOW YOU AROUND IN THE ORANGE POD SOME OF THE FACILITY BECAUSE IT REALLY IS AN AMAZING PLACE. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. LET'S GO TO THE RECEPTION. [APPLAUSE]