Michael Burgess: “being from Texas, I am frequently asked, are things truly bigger in Texas? And the answer, of course, is yes. As you…”

“being from Texas, I am frequently asked, are things truly bigger in Texas? And the answer, of course, is yes. As you work your way down that list of cattle farms and oil wells, put a big checkmark next to biomedical research. Mr. Speaker, in the State of Texas, the 15 members of the University of Texas system in the year 2004 contributed almost $13 billion to the economy of the State. They created over 111,000 jobs between them. Now, one of six medical research institutions in Texas is the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Back in World War II when Baylor College of Medicine left for Houston, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School was started in an abandoned Army barracks; and from those humble beginnings, they have become a powerhouse in medical education, patient care, and research. Mr. Speaker, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School boasts four Nobel Laureates. They have a new medical research tower which is being completed, and advances in medical imaging are going to be housed in that tower, as well as a new alliance for cellular signaling, to investigate how cells talk to each other will be housed in that building. With the acquisition of Zale Lipshy Hospital and St. Paul Hospital and the historic association with Parkland Memorial Hospital, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School has a total package. So biomedical research, not only bigger, but better in Texas. ____________________”