[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 299 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 299

     Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Center for 
                        Toxicological Research.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 13, 2021

   Mr. Boozman (for himself and Mr. Cotton) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Center for 
                        Toxicological Research.

Whereas, in 1971, President Richard Nixon established the National Center for 
        Toxicological Research (referred to in this preamble as the ``NCTR'') in 
        Jefferson, Arkansas, as part of the Food and Drug Administration 
        (referred to in this preamble as the ``FDA'')--

    (1) to provide scientific proof that United States consumers are 
protected from toxic chemicals, drugs, and other agents; and

    (2) when appropriate, to determine safe levels of substances in 
consumer goods;

Whereas the FDA is responsible for--

    (1) regulating domestically produced and imported food, cosmetics, 
drugs, vaccines, blood, biologics, medical devices, radiation-emitting 
products, animal and veterinary products, and tobacco products; and

    (2) overseeing--

    G    (A) the safety of every life in the United States; and

    G    (B) more than $1,000,000,000,000 worth of consumer goods, which 
are estimated to include $466,000,000,000 in food sales, $275,000,000,000 
in drug sales, $60,000,000,000 in cosmetic sales, and $18,000,000,000 in 
vitamin supplement sales;

Whereas the NCTR is a research institution--

    (1) housed in more than 1,000,000 square feet of facilities, including 
123 laboratories across 30 buildings, in Jefferson, Arkansas;

    (2) that has 680 employees who reside in 17 counties across the State 
of Arkansas; and

    (3) that contributes approximately $70,000,000 to the local, State, and 
national economies, including investments of approximately $10,000,000 
annually via construction, maintenance, and renovation projects that 
stimulate the local economy;

Whereas, in 2011, the FDA and the State of Arkansas composed a framework for a 
        formal working relationship to foster stronger partnerships, leverage 
        vital resources, and operate collaboratively to promote efficiency that 
        has been continually renewed and supported by both parties;
Whereas the NCTR has a long history of providing scientific advice and training 
        to researchers in government, academia, and industry at local, State, 
        national, and international levels, which is exemplified by--

    (1) training Ph.D. candidates and other researchers from universities 
in the State of Arkansas;

    (2) collaborating with university researchers throughout the State of 
Arkansas; and

    (3) providing millions of dollars in funding for university research 
throughout the State of Arkansas;

Whereas the mutual benefits between the NCTR and the State of Arkansas can only 
        continue if the NCTR remains robustly supported by the Federal 
        Government;
Whereas the benefits of the NCTR were heightened during the coronavirus disease 
        2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when the Director of the NCTR, Dr. William 
        Slikker, worked with the State of Arkansas to rapidly provide critical 
        COVID-19 testing equipment to the Arkansas Department of Health; and
Whereas the NCTR will hold a 50th anniversary celebration on August 11, 2021, in 
        Jefferson, Arkansas: Now, therefore, be it--
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the National 
        Center for Toxicological Research; and
            (2) recognizes the significance of the contributions made 
        by the National Center for Toxicological Research and its 
        relationship with the State of Arkansas.
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