[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 29, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E102]]
 TRIBUTE TO DR. THOMAS GORRIE ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM JOHNSON & JOHNSON

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 29, 2008

  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Thomas 
Gorrie, Johnson & Johnson's Corporate Vice President for Government 
Affairs & Policy on his retirement from the company.
  Johnson & Johnson has a long history as a New Jersey-based company, 
starting as it did making bandages and emerging over the years to 
become the world's largest health-care company. I am proud to represent 
many thousands of Johnson & Johnson's employees, including Dr. Gorrie, 
who is also a friend and neighbor. He has informed me of his plan to 
retire from Johnson & Johnson on March 1, 2008 after a productive 35 
years of service, and I want to take a moment today to pay tribute to 
his lifetime of service and accomplishments.
  My colleagues here in the House may be familiar with Dr. Gorrie's 
work, even if they have not personally met him. Under his leadership he 
brought Johnson & Johnson to Congress by establishing the Johnson & 
Johnson Day on the Hill, where new pharmaceuticals, breakthrough 
technology and medical devices are on display for Members and staff to 
learn about and in the case of the iBOT, a power wheelchair, take it 
out for a spin.
  Born and raised in New Jersey, Dr. Gorrie received his bachelor of 
arts degree from Rutgers University and his masters and doctorate 
degrees in chemistry from Princeton University.
  After completion of post-doctoral studies at the Swiss Federal 
Institute of Technology in Zurich, Dr. Gorrie began his career with 
Johnson & Johnson in 1972 as a senior research scientist in the medical 
device area. He subsequently held positions of increasing 
responsibility in marketing, sales, and general management, including 
Company Group Chairman and Worldwide Franchise Chairman of Johnson & 
Johnson Medical, Inc., and member of the Consumer Pharmaceuticals and 
Professional Operating Group. He then worked with the Johnson & Johnson 
Development Corporation before assuming his current position as world-
wide head of government affairs and policy in 1999.
  Tom is an active member of his community and currently serves on 
numerous non-profit boards. He is Chair of the Duke University Health 
System, a member of the Board of Directors of Duke University, and a 
Trustee Emeritus of the Board for the Hun School of Princeton. He is a 
member of the Board of the National Committee for U.S.-China Relations 
and Vice Chair of the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign 
Investment (CAEFI). Finally, he is an adjunct professor at one of our 
state's finest educational facilities, the Rutgers Business School.
  The way that Dr. Gorrie imbues all of his work with admirable ethics 
is reflected in this book he edited a few years ago, ``Ethics and the 
Pharmaceutical Industry.'' For the book Dr. Gorrie brought together 
representatives of industry, government, NGOs, and leading thinkers in 
medicine, health ethics and economics to propose solutions and 
safeguards to the many ethical challenges facing the pharmaceutical 
industry. The book touched on such topics as the ethical demands and 
economic constraints of drug research, the right of patients to 
participate in clinical trials, the regulation of prescription drugs 
and intellectual property rights. I was pleased to write a chapter on 
how government should regulate stem-cell research. As Congress 
continues to debate many of the issues the book explores, I recommend 
its scholarship to my colleagues.
  Madam Speaker, Johnson & Johnson is one of America's leading and most 
innovative pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device and consumer 
healthcare companies. I commend Dr. Gorrie's service at Johnson & 
Johnson. I know we have all benefited from Dr. Gorrie's leadership 
during the past 35 years, and as he continues to increase his civic 
participation, many will continue to benefit from Tom's vision and 
talents.

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