[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15361-15362]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO DEAN KAMEN

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay 
tribute to an innovator of the ages, an artist of medicine, and 
technological visionary, Mr. Dean Kamen.
  As a prominent figure in the life and community of our State of New 
Hampshire we honor Mr. Kamen for his efforts and entrepreneurial spirit 
that have furthered the fields of science and technology in numerous 
ways with the

[[Page 15362]]

advent of his inventions. The improvements in several medical 
procedures and enhancement of the administering of various drug 
treatments have vastly improved the lives of individuals who suffer 
from a range of illnesses. Mr. Kamen holds over 150 national and 
international patents and is renowned throughout the country as one of 
the greatest inventors of this age. Among his credits include the first 
wearable infusion pump, the first insulin pump for Diabetics, and the 
HomeChoice/TM/ dialysis machine.
  Recently, Mr. Kamen was in New Hampshire to demonstrate to the 
Environment and Public Works Committee, his latest technological 
improvement, the Segway Human Transporter, an environmentally friendly 
and fuel-efficient mode of transportation for the 21st century. In 
attending this demonstration I was able to witness first-hand the 
incredible and impressive talent and vision of Mr. Kamen.
  Dean Kamen accomplishments are well-recognized and his many awards 
include the Kilby Award for extraordinary contributions to society, the 
Heinz Award in Technology, and the National Medal of Technology given 
to him in 2000 by President Bill Clinton for inventions that have 
advanced medical care worldwide. In addition, Mr. Kamen was honored by 
the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as ``2002 Person of the 
Year'' for work related to the research and advancement of diabetes 
treatment for youths.
  Dean Kamen deserves to be recognized for his exceptional efforts at 
spreading the excitement of science and technology to the world at 
large. His advances for medical technology have been blanketed in the 
notion that technology can be of virtue and practical in our society, a 
proposition that is admirable and worthy of merit. Thank you, Dean, for 
all your efforts to aid others through the advancement of medicine and 
technology. It is an honor to represent you in the U.S. Senate.

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