[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book II)]
[October 21, 1998]
[Pages 1828-1829]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Senate Action To Confirm Jane E. Henney as Commissioner of 
the Food and Drug Administration
October 21, 1998

    I am extremely pleased that today the Senate, with strong bipartisan 
support, overwhelmingly voted to confirm Dr. Jane E. Henney to be the 
next Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. I am confident 
that as the first woman and first oncologist to be confirmed as FDA 
Commissioner, Dr. Henney will live up to the trust the Senate has placed 
in her.
    The Nation now has an FDA Commissioner who is committed to assuring 
that Americans have safe food, safe and effective drugs and medical 
devices, and improved public health. Dr. Henney has blazed many trails, 
and no one is more qualified to lead the FDA. She has served four 
Presidents and helped guide some of America's finest academic health 
centers. Her expertise in science and technology and lifelong dedication 
to individual patients will enable her to strike the important balance 
between the need for timely approval of prescription drugs and medical 
devices, while maintaining safety and quality.
    I commend the Democrats and Republicans who worked to give Dr. 
Henney a full and fair hearing and help expedite this confirmation. I 
also want to thank representatives of consumers,

[[Page 1829]]

physicians, nurses, and the industry for their steadfast and strong 
support for Dr. Henney. Their combined leadership made a vital 
contribution toward assuring we have the right person to lead the FDA 
into the 21st century.