[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 111 (Thursday, September 8, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S9823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO ELLIOTT BALBERT

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, more than 10 years ago I was proud 
to work shoulder to shoulder with Senator Orrin Hatch to pass the 
Dietary Supplement Health Education Act, DSHEA, to give consumers 
access to dietary supplements and truthful information about these 
products. That is one of the reasons it is my great pleasure to pay 
special tribute to Elliott Balbert, upon his retirement as the 
president of the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance.
  Elliott Balbert recognized the need to get the word out about the 
growing body of scientific support for dietary supplement use. So, 5 
years ago, he created a unique industry alliance of companies to focus 
on providing meaningful information about the health benefits and 
responsible use of dietary supplements.
  Starting a brandnew nonprofit organization is not easy. There were 
volunteers to recruit, a board to create, paperwork to file, and money 
to raise. But even though Elliott was still a full-time CEO of a large 
public company, he managed to build a solid foundation on which the 
Dietary Supplement Education Alliance can continue to grow.
  Elliott Balbert served as president of the board of trustees for the 
Dietary Supplement Education Alliance for more than 4 years. He planted 
the seeds, nurtured them, and watched them blossom into a thriving 
organization.
  I admire the fact that Elliott isn't afraid to put his money where 
his mouth is. He has provided ongoing philanthropic support to a number 
of health-related charities, including the Vitamin Angels, the Healthy 
Foundation, and other initiatives that provide health benefits to the 
underprivileged.
  As Elliott moves on to dedicate more time to his business, I want to 
take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the outstanding job 
he has done for the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance. We wish 
Elliott and his family all the best, and we salute his leadership in 
working toward a healthier America.

                          ____________________