[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 7 (Monday, January 22, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S86-S87]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               DEAN KAMEN

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to 
honor Dean Kamen of Bedford, New Hampshire, whose dedication to the 
field of technology has earned him the admiration and gratitude of his 
state and nation. As a testament to his many extraordinary 
achievements, Dean was awarded the National Medal of Technology by 
President Clinton in 2000 for inventions that have advanced medical 
care worldwide. His innovative spirit and imaginative leadership have 
awakened America to the excitement of science and technology.
  Dean's remarkable career as an inventor began while he was still a 
college undergraduate, when he invented the first wearable infusion 
pump. This device rapidly found uses in such diverse medical 
specialties as chemotherapy, neonatology, and endocrinology. Since then 
Dean has played a leading role in many major advances in healthcare, 
such as the insulin pump for diabetics. He was also instrumental in the 
development of IBOT, a personal transporter developed for the disabled 
community, which is capable of climbing stairs, traversing sandy and 
rocky terrain and raise its user to eye-level with a standing person.
  Nearly a decade ago, Dean founded FIRST (For Inspiration and 
Recognition of Science and Technology) to motivate America's youth to 
learn about science and technology, and has personally recruited many 
of the top leaders of industry, education and government in this 
mission. He has been recognized for his efforts by prestigious 
publications such as Smithsonian Magazine and the New York Times, which 
labeled him a ``New Kind of Hero for American Youth.''
  Dean's passion for technology and its practical uses has changed the 
face of healthcare and inspired a love of science in a generation of 
American children. Because of his extraordinary achievements, we have a 
new understanding of ourselves and the world, as well as a renewed hope 
for the future. It is an honor to represent Dean in the

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United States Senate, and I wish him all the best in his 
endeavors.

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