[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 65 (Thursday, April 30, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1036]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       TRIBUTE TO IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY'S OFFICE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 30, 2009

  Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Office of 
Biotechnology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa on their 25-year 
anniversary.
  In 1984, Vice President of Research Daniel Zaffarano appointed a 
Biotechnology Council comprised of five colleges at the university: 
Agriculture, Engineering, Home Economics, Science and Humanities, and 
Veterinary Medicine. Despite facing early skepticism by some, within 
two years the Iowa General Assembly backed the biotechnology program 
with $17 million in funding after the Council convinced the public of 
the benefits.
  Over the last 25 years, the Office of Biotechnology has provided 
critical support to many of the university's academic colleges and to 
K-12 outreach programs. The office has also helped provide research 
funds to new faculty and equipment and resources to 28 different 
service facilities at the university.
  I congratulate Iowa State University's Office of Biotechnology on 
this historic anniversary and for its great contributions to science 
and the State of Iowa. It is an honor to represent current director 
Walter Fehr, as well as each current and past member of the Office of 
Biotechnology in the United States Congress and I wish the Office great 
success in the future.

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