WASHINGTON—August 12, 2010—Research!America responded to the news of the death of Ted Stevens, seven-term Senator from Alaska.
According to Research!America's president and CEO Mary Woolley, "The loss of former Senator Ted Stevens is felt throughout the research community. He was an outspoken champion for medical research for our nation and his state of Alaska. His contributions to strong federal funding for medical research through the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense and other agencies are a continuing inspiration to us all."
As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee from 1997 to 2005, Stevens oversaw the doubling of the National Institutes of Health budget (1998-2003). A cancer survivor, he helped create the congressionally-directed Medical Research Program for Prostate Cancer at the Department of Defense, which has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars to prostate cancer research.
Woolley added, "Senator Stevens received Research!America's 2001 Edwin C. Whitehead Award for Medical Research Advocacy for his strong support of research funding. Our deepest sympathies go out to Mr. Stevens' family. Research!America's members and all stakeholders in research feel the loss of his legacy as a champion for strong research funding."
Research!America is the nation's largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority. Founded in 1989, Research!America is supported by member organizations representing 125 million Americans. Visit www.researchamerica.org.