[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 122 (Tuesday, July 13, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S4857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 299--COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
               NATIONAL CENTER FOR TOXICOLOGICAL RESEARCH

  Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself and Mr. Cotton) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 299

       Whereas, in 1971, President Richard Nixon established the 
     National Center for Toxicological Research (referred to in 
     this preamble as the ``NCTR'') in Jefferson, Arkansas, as 
     part of the Food and Drug Administration (referred to in this 
     preamble as the ``FDA'')--
       (1) to provide scientific proof that United States 
     consumers are protected from toxic chemicals, drugs, and 
     other agents; and
       (2) when appropriate, to determine safe levels of 
     substances in consumer goods;
       Whereas the FDA is responsible for--
       (1) regulating domestically produced and imported food, 
     cosmetics, drugs, vaccines, blood, biologics, medical 
     devices, radiation-emitting products, animal and veterinary 
     products, and tobacco products; and
       (2) overseeing--
          (A) the safety of every life in the United States; and
          (B) more than $1,000,000,000,000 worth of consumer 
     goods, which are estimated to include $466,000,000,000 in 
     food sales, $275,000,000,000 in drug sales, $60,000,000,000 
     in cosmetic sales, and $18,000,000,000 in vitamin supplement 
     sales;
       Whereas the NCTR is a research institution--
       (1) housed in more than 1,000,000 square feet of 
     facilities, including 123 laboratories across 30 buildings, 
     in Jefferson, Arkansas;
       (2) that has 680 employees who reside in 17 counties across 
     the State of Arkansas; and
       (3) that contributes approximately $70,000,000 to the 
     local, State, and national economies, including investments 
     of approximately $10,000,000 annually via construction, 
     maintenance, and renovation projects that stimulate the local 
     economy;
       Whereas, in 2011, the FDA and the State of Arkansas 
     composed a framework for a formal working relationship to 
     foster stronger partnerships, leverage vital resources, and 
     operate collaboratively to promote efficiency that has been 
     continually renewed and supported by both parties;
       Whereas the NCTR has a long history of providing scientific 
     advice and training to researchers in government, academia, 
     and industry at local, State, national, and international 
     levels, which is exemplified by--
       (1) training Ph.D. candidates and other researchers from 
     universities in the State of Arkansas;
       (2) collaborating with university researchers throughout 
     the State of Arkansas; and
       (3) providing millions of dollars in funding for university 
     research throughout the State of Arkansas;
       Whereas the mutual benefits between the NCTR and the State 
     of Arkansas can only continue if the NCTR remains robustly 
     supported by the Federal Government;
       Whereas the benefits of the NCTR were heightened during the 
     coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when the 
     Director of the NCTR, Dr. William Slikker, worked with the 
     State of Arkansas to rapidly provide critical COVID-19 
     testing equipment to the Arkansas Department of Health; and
       Whereas the NCTR will hold a 50th anniversary celebration 
     on August 11, 2021, in Jefferson, Arkansas: Now, therefore, 
     be it--
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the National 
     Center for Toxicological Research; and
       (2) recognizes the significance of the contributions made 
     by the National Center for Toxicological Research and its 
     relationship with the State of Arkansas.

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