[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12273]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING NATIONAL UOFL DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN A. YARMUTH

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2007

  Mr. YARMUTH. Madam Speaker, I have the distinct privilege of rising 
in recognition of National UofL Day, which honors the University of 
Louisville for its outstanding academic achievements, tremendous growth 
in recent years, and exceptional contributions to the Louisville 
community.
  In the last decade we in Louisville saw unprecedented strides for our 
premier University, as it grew into one of the foremost research 
institutions in the country.
  At Louisville's Jewish Hospital, doctors on the UofL faculty 
implanted the nation's first successful artificial heart and performed 
the first three hand transplants, while Louisville scientists Ben 
Jenson and Shin-je Ghim discovered the first cervical cancer vaccine, 
and three year-old Chase Ford became the first child to regain the 
ability to walk after a spinal cord injury using ground-breaking 
rehabilitative therapy, developed by UofL researcher Susan Harkema.
  Due to these and other accomplishments, the school has experienced 
the most growth in National Institute of Health funding of any 
institution, and the number of endowed chairs at the University has 
more than doubled.
  UofL's student body has seen their average A.C.T. scores increase by 
nearly four points and the graduation rate rise by over 10 percent.
  The University's commitment to the betterment of our community 
manifests itself in every facet of Louisville life, from its alliance 
with Project Women to its work with Partnership for a Green City to the 
new Signature Partnership Initiative, which will provide resources to 
areas of the city that need them most.
  The landmark Cardinal Covenant program, which made UofL the first 
public higher learning institution in Kentucky to promise a debt-free 
education to students from low-income families, reaffirms a commitment 
that I share with the University: providing a world-class education to 
all capable, hard-working students.
  Though the recent achievements are astounding, President James Ramsey 
continues to set goals for the future that are loftier still. Under the 
leadership of Dr. Ramsey, the pursuit of excellence can be seen each 
day in the students, faculty, administration, and alumni and the 
competence with which they chart the school's course guarantees many 
more milestones in the coming years.
  And so, for the great distance that has already been covered, and for 
displaying the vision and capability to excel in the future, I am proud 
to share the Cardinal spirit by recognizing National UofL Day and 
thanking the University of Louisville for all it has done for our 
community.

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