[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 1549]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              APPOINTMENT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair, on behalf of the Democratic leader, 
after consultation with the members of the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on Aging, pursuant to 
Public Law 100-175, as amended by Public Laws 102-375, 103-171, and 
106-501, appoints the following individual as a member of the Policy 
Committee to the White House Conference on Aging: the Honorable Harry 
Reid of Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Every 10 years, the President convenes a White House 
Conference on Aging--WHCoA. It conducts extensive work to understand 
and develop policy recommendations on issues of critical importance to 
our seniors.
  The WHCoA is made up of a Policy Committee recommended by Congress 
and the President from the public and private sector. The work of the 
committee culminates in the October WHCoA which will be attended by 
12,000 delegates and other officials. The theme of this year's 
conference, ``The Booming Dynamics of Aging: From Awareness to Action'' 
will deal with a broad range of issues from workplace opportunities for 
older workers to health care and access to affordable prescription 
drugs.
  Following the October meeting, WHCoA formulates a series of policy 
recommendations for Congress and the President.
  Senator Daschle was gracious enough to place me on the policy 
committee because of my strong interest in the topics it would 
consider. Many of those issues are of critical importance to Nevadans. 
In particular, I assumed a position on the Health and Long Living 
Subcommittee because its work will focus on access to care and 
affordable prescription drugs, disease prevention and quality of care.
  Today, I have decided to pass the torch of this important post to my 
friend and colleague, Thomas E. Gallagher. These issues are near to his 
heart. Tom will be an important voice on the WHCoA for Nevadans and all 
Americans.
  Tom's extensive private sector experience will be a great asset to 
the conference as it works to formulate recommendations to Congress. 
Through his work as chief executive officer--CEO--chief administrative 
officer and general counsel of several Fortune 500 Companies, Tom 
became intimately familiar with the health care challenges facing the 
business community.
  For example, as President and CEO of Park Place Entertainment--now 
Caesars Entertainment--Mr. Gallagher reached a historic contract with 
Nevada's Culinary Union resulting in fully paid health care and free 
prescription drugs for employees, as well as retiree benefits for 
seniors.
  Prior to his corporate management work, Tom was a partner in Gibson, 
Dunn & Crutcher, specializing in corporate finance, mergers and 
acquisitions. He graduated magna cum laude from the College of Holy 
Cross in Worchester, MA in 1966. He graduated from Harvard Law School 
with honors in 1969 and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Journal 
on Legislation.
  I plan to work closely with Tom as he works on the WHCoA on meetings 
to help ensure that the issues and view of Nevadans are explored in the 
listening sessions, solution meetings and other WHCoA events.

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