[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1293-E1294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO MR. DAVE SALLENGS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 3, 2009

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Dave Sallengs, a Kentuckian whose efforts to fight the scourge of drug 
addiction throughout Kentucky have made huge strides towards stopping 
this horrific epidemic. His extensive knowledge of scheduled 
prescription drug trends has impacted the method in which doctors 
prescribe

[[Page E1294]]

scheduled narcotics, how pharmacists track and fill orders, and the way 
law enforcement agencies fight the drug problem throughout Kentucky.
  As the manager of Kentucky's Drug Enforcement and Professional 
Practices Branch, Dave Sallengs is responsible for operating the 
Kentucky All-Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) 
monitoring program, as well as enforcing the Kentucky Controlled 
Substances Act. With the leading prescription monitoring system in the 
nation, Mr. Sallengs has made it his mission to train a broad range of 
authorized users on KASPER.
  Under the leadership of Mr. Sallengs, the number of KASPER users 
tripled in merely two years. On average, the number of individuals 
participating in KASPER continues to grow by an astounding two percent 
each month. This growth is a testament of his effort to promote and 
educate health care providers and law enforcement officers to the 
tremendous impact KASPER can make on people's lives. The KASPER system 
is one of the best weapons we have in the war against prescription drug 
abuse and trafficking in the Bluegrass State.
  Mr. Sallengs' passion for eliminating drug abuse and addiction is 
evident by his continual efforts to promote KASPER to all those 
agencies who benefit from this important program. A graduate of the 
University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Mr. Sallengs spent 12 years 
as an owner and operator of an independent retail pharmacy before 
gaining in-depth experience in the wholesale drug and pharmacy computer 
industries. In addition to being a registered pharmacist, Mr. Sallengs 
has served his community as a law enforcement officer.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
Pharmacy Association of Kentucky's ``Pharmacist of the Year,'' Mr. Dave 
Sallengs. The award recognizes those who use their profession to 
benefit those both in the profession and the community. In my opinion, 
there is no one more deserving of this award in our state, or in our 
country, as his work is now part of a national model to end 
prescription drug abuse.

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