[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 150 (Tuesday, October 20, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO DR. DANIEL VASELLA, RECIPIENT OF THE 1998 AMERICAN JEWISH 
                      CONGRESS HUMANITARIAN AWARD

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                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 20, 1998

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleagues to join me 
in recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of my friend Dr. Daniel 
Vasella, the recipient of the 1998 American Jewish Congress 
Humanitarian Award. Dr. Vasella is the President and Chief Executive 
Officer of Novartis AG, which is one of the most prestigious 
pharmaceutical companies in the world. He has a record of service that 
extends well beyond the business sphere, and his leadership in the 
areas of medical research and the pursuance of peace is a reflection of 
the decency and moral fiber of a truly remarkable human being.
  As the recipient of the AJC's Humanitarian Award, Dr. Vasella joins 
some of the most outstanding men and women of the latter half of the 
twentieth century. The American Jewish Congress (AJC), which for the 
past eighty years has led the Jewish community in fighting for human 
rights and against all forms of discrimination, has bestowed its 
Humanitarian Award upon statesman and pioneers who have fought 
tirelessly to improve the quality of life of all the world's citizens. 
From Harry S. Truman to Coretta Scott King, from David Ben-Gurion to 
Robert F. Kennedy, the roster of recipients represents a Who's Who of 
the champions of humankind.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Vasella's achievements more than merit this 
distinguished honor. Under his inspired leadership, Novartis has 
emerged at the forefront of the pharmaceutical industry in the area of 
``genomics,'' which involves research into ``disease genes'' as targets 
for new drugs. Related ventures have contributed to medical advances in 
a wide variety of vital areas, ranging from the treatment of 
Alzheimer's disease to Parkinson's disease to diabetes to cancer. In 
honor of Dr. Vasella's notable dedication to curing such afflictions, 
the AJC will use the proceeds of the 1998 Humanitarian Award Dinner (to 
be held on Thursday, October 22, at The Waldorf-Astoria in New York 
City) to further its significant work into the high genetic 
susceptibility of Ashkenazi Jewish women to breast and ovarian cancer, 
as well as for other medical projects involving the health and welfare 
of women.
  In addition to his medical successes and his numerous philanthropic 
activities, Dr. Vasella has contributed enormously to efforts to 
further the cause of peace in the Middle East. He is an active member 
of the International Board of Governors of the Peres Center of Peace in 
Israel, an organization founded last year by former Prime Minister and 
Nobel Laureate Shimon Peres to further economic and other areas of 
cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. Furthermore, Dr. Vasella 
and Novartis have provided guidance and substantial financial backing 
to Seeds of Peace, a foundation that creates conflict resolution and 
peacemaking programs for youth in the Middle East and other tumultuous 
regions around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleagues to join me in 
commending the AJC and its outstanding President, Jack Rosen, on their 
exceptional choice of Dr. Daniel Vasella as the recipient of the AJC's 
1998 Humanitarian Award. I can think of no individual more deserving of 
this eminent honor.

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