[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING DR. HOWARD W. JONES, JR. PIONEER IN REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE

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                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2010

  Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, today, I raise in honor of Dr. Howard W. 
Jones, Jr., a pioneer in the field of reproductive medicine, whose 
revolutionary work alongside that of his late wife, Dr. Georgeanna 
Seegar Jones, led to the birth of the first American baby borne of in 
vitro fertilization nearly 30 years ago. Together Dr. Howard and 
Georgeanna Jones, and the procedure they perfected, offered hope and 
happiness to thousands of American couples struggling with diseases and 
conditions that stifled their dreams of building a family. Dr. Jones 
celebrates his centennial birthday this year and here, we salute his 
accomplished life.
   Today infertility affects 1 in 8 couples. But the in vitro 
techniques developed by the Jones' team, and the subsequent 
advancements in the field of reproductive medicine, have repeatedly 
proven to be safe and effective, producing millions of successful 
pregnancies, happy parents and healthy babies worldwide. Dr. Jones will 
be recognized at the 66th Annual Meeting of the American Society of 
Reproductive Medicine to be held in my state in late October and I am 
pleased to be able to salute his career here on the floor of the U.S. 
House of Representatives today.
   As my colleagues know, I have been a strong advocate in Congress for 
scientific advancement. I have worked to strengthen federal support for 
scientific research, including embryonic stem cell research, which 
potentially holds so much promise for the millions of Americans who are 
living with debilitating diseases such as Parkinson's, diabetes, and 
spinal cord injury. Federal funding of this vital research is in 
jeopardy, and I stand ready to work with my colleagues to remedy 
problems that undermine scientific advancement, just as Dr. Jones was 
willing and eager to ensure that groundbreaking research in the field 
of reproductive medicine was developed and employed.
   And so I thank Dr. Jones for the optimism and determination he and 
his wife exhibited in paving a path for scientific advancement and for 
the contributions he has made throughout his career in improving the 
lives of those suffering from infertility. Happy 100th Birthday, Dr. 
Jones.

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