[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 109 (Thursday, July 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN MEMORY OF DR. ROBERT N. BUTLER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ALAN GRAYSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 22, 2010

  Mr. GRAYSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. 
Robert N. Butler, the father of modern gerontology. Dr. Butler, a 
Pulitzer Prize-winning author, researcher, and psychiatrist, died at 
the age of 83 on July 4th at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. 
Dr. Butler was known for coining the phrase ``ageism'' to describe the 
discrimination against the elderly. He made it his life work to help 
create a health care system in which Americans would grow old with 
dignity and respect. I was honored to be a co-founder and to serve on 
the Alliance for Aging Board with Dr. Butler. It is truly a privilege 
to recognize the leading advocate for the treatment and care of the 
elderly.
  Dr. Robert Butler was born in 1927 in New York, and raised by his 
grandparents on a chicken farm in southern New Jersey. His close bond 
with his grandparents sparked his passion and interest in the strength 
and determination of the elderly.
  After serving in the U.S. Maritime Service, Dr. Butler attended 
Columbia University, where he received his undergraduate degree in 1949 
and medical degree in 1953. He studied psychiatry and neurology as a 
resident at the University of California; later joining National 
Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland as a research 
psychiatrist. He studied the central nervous system in elderly people, 
and helped investigate problems in nursing homes. Dr. Butler was a U.S. 
Public Health Service surgeon from 1955 to 1962. During the 1960's he 
maintained a private practice, while he was a researcher and 
gerontologist at the Washington School of Psychiatry. He also taught at 
several medical schools, including Georgetown, Howard, and George 
Washington Universities.
  In 1976, Dr. Butler became the founding director of the National 
Institute on Aging at the National Institute of Health. During his time 
there, he successfully pressed Congress to increase research funding, 
particularly for Alzheimer's disease. Later, he established and led one 
of the first comprehensive geriatrics departments at an American 
medical school at Mount Sinai Hospital. His efforts lead to an overhaul 
in the treatment of the elderly by improving the education of doctors.
  Throughout his career, Dr. Butler authored hundreds of articles and 
various books about the biology and sociology of aging. He wrote his 
most famous book in 1975 titled, ``Why Survive? Being Old in America'', 
which won him the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. Since its 
founding in 1986 until his death, Dr. Butler was the Vice Chair and 
served on the Board of the Alliance for Aging Research. This non-profit 
based in Washington, DC is the nation's leading citizen advocacy 
organization for promoting a broad agenda of medical and scientific 
research to improve the health and independence of older Americans.
  Madam Speaker, Dr. Butler's accomplishments are very personal to me. 
I help found the Alliance for Aging Research and served as an officer 
for 22 years. I worked closely with Dr. Butler, as he provided guidance 
and inspiration for the organization's mission. I am deeply saddened by 
the loss of a true medical pioneer, and a true friend. Dr. Butler 
always believed that if you love what you do and can contribute to 
society, then there is work to be done. He worked until three days 
before his death. He will be remembered for his groundbreaking work in 
the field of gerontology, which has changed the medical landscape and 
will greatly impact the lives of every American.

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