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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 421 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 421

Commending the Biotechnology Industry Organization, the world's largest 
   biotechnology organization, for a successful annual convention in 
                      Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2005

   Ms. Schwartz of Pennsylvania (for herself, Mr. Dent, Mr. Brady of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. Payne, Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Mr. Sherwood, 
Mr. Castle, Mr. Holt, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Murtha, Mr. Larson 
 of Connecticut, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Holden, Mr. Kanjorski, Mrs. McCarthy, 
 Mr. Mollohan, Mr. Rothman, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Kind, Mrs. Tauscher, Mr. 
Crowley, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Gerlach, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Bishop 
   of New York, Ms. Harman, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Kildee, Ms. Solis, Ms. 
     Velazquez, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Weldon of 
 Pennsylvania, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. 
 Carnahan, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Hooley, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Moore 
of Kansas, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Ford, Mr. Davis of Tennessee, Mr. Scott 
   of Virginia, Mr. Olver, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. 
 LoBiondo, and Mr. Frelinghuysen) submitted the following resolution; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Commending the Biotechnology Industry Organization, the world's largest 
   biotechnology organization, for a successful annual convention in 
                      Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Whereas the Biotechnology Industry Organization (``BIO''), the world's largest 
        biotechnology organization, provides advocacy, business development, and 
        communications services for more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, 
        academic institutions, state biotechnology centers, and related 
        organizations across the United States and 31 other nations;
Whereas biotechnology research expands the boundaries of science to benefit 
        mankind by providing for better healthcare, enhanced agriculture, and a 
        cleaner and safer environment;
Whereas the convergence of systems biology, genomics, infomatics, proteomics, 
        nanotechnology, and personalized medicine bring us to the threshold of a 
        new era;
Whereas biotechnology therapeutics are used to treat many diseases, including 
        anemia, cystic fibrosis, growth deficiency, rheumatoid arthritis, 
        hemophilia, hepatitis, transplant rejection, leukemia, and other 
        cancers;
Whereas there are more than 300 biotech drug products and vaccines currently in 
        clinical trials targeting more than 200 diseases, including various 
        cancers, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, diabetes, multiple 
        sclerosis, AIDS, and arthritis;
Whereas biotechnology is responsible for hundreds of medical diagnostic tests 
        that keep the blood supply safe from the AIDS virus and detect other 
        conditions early enough to be successfully treated;
Whereas environmental biotechnology products make it possible to clean up 
        hazardous waste more efficiently by harnessing pollution-eating microbes 
        without the use of caustic chemicals;
Whereas industrial biotechnology applications have led to cleaner processes that 
        produce less waste and use less energy and water in such industrial 
        sectors as chemicals, pulp and paper, textiles, food, energy, and metals 
        and minerals;
Whereas industrial biotechnology also enables its users to harness enzymes to 
        convert plant waste to fuel and to biodegradable plastics, reducing our 
        dependence on foreign oil;
Whereas agriculture biotechnology allows its users to produce more and more 
        healthful foods, on a fixed amount of arable land, in a more efficient 
        manner, and these breakthroughs reduce soil tillage, fossil fuel use, 
        and runoff of agricultural pesticides into our lakes, streams, and 
        oceans;
Whereas BIO brought together more than 18,700 people from 56 countries and all 
        50 States at its annual international convention in Philadelphia, 
        Pennsylvania, from June 19 through June 22, 2005;
Whereas the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of Delaware, and the State 
        of New Jersey co-hosted the convention, known as the BIO 2005 Annual 
        International Convention;
Whereas more than 300 volunteers from this tri-State region and hundreds of 
        employees of the City of Philadelphia contributed to the Convention's 
        success;
Whereas the immediate economic impact of the BIO 2005 Annual International 
        Convention on the City of Philadelphia, including its hotels, 
        restaurants, and taxi operators, is estimated at more than $35 million;
Whereas the Convention put the local life-sciences community on the map 
        globally; and
Whereas the BIO 2005 Annual International Convention will allow for further 
        collaboration, advancement, and development within the field of 
        biotechnology: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives commends the 
Biotechnology Industry Organization for a successful 2005 Annual 
International Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in the 
City of Philadelphia.
                                 <all>
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