The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TRIBUTE TO VIRGINIA SHEHEE” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Senate section on pages S10405-S10406 on Oct. 12, 2000.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO VIRGINIA SHEHEE
Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, on the evening of Friday, November 3, the people of Shreveport will gather to pay tribute to one of the most exceptional people the State of Louisiana has ever produced, Virginia Shehee. The tribute to Virginia is organized by the Biomedical Research Foundation of northwest Louisiana, whose establishment is but one of the remarkable achievements in the life of this remarkable woman.
It is my pleasure and honor to tell my colleagues in the United States Senate about my friend Virginia Shehee. She is a superb model for everything she has done: wife, mother, businesswoman, political leader, community activist and economic visionary. My former colleague, Senator Bennett Johnston, once said, ``In a state that is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, Virginia Shehee may be Louisiana's single greatest natural resource.'' I certainly know that is a view shared by many of those who know Virginia best and who have benefited from her lifetime of dedication to improve lives in Shreveport and northwest Louisiana.
Nothing better exemplifies her accomplishments than the creation of the Biomedical Research Foundation, and the construction of the Biomedical Research Institute that today stands proudly adjacent to the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport. It is an understatement to say that none of this would have been possible without the foresight, determination and hard work of Virginia, and other community leaders nearly 20 years ago.
Like so many advances in today's new economy, Shreveport's move into the world of biomedicine and biotechnology emerged from the difficulties caused by the decline of the old economy. In northwest Louisiana, where the steadily declining price in oil in the early 1980's caused community leaders to conclude that efforts had to be undertaken quickly to produce other economic sustenance for the area, they of course turned to Virginia Shehee.
In a matter of a few short years, Virginia had formed the Biomedical Research Foundation and gathered several million dollars in local support. She leveraged local dollars into a much larger state support and then converted that into significant support by the Congress and the Department of Energy. As a result, a 10-story, $40 million, state-
of-the-art wet-lab research facility was built that today houses world-
class researchers and serves as a growing economic engine, producing knowledge-based jobs for northwest Louisiana.
Beyond the work taking place in its own facilities, Biomed can point with great pride to the growing number of companies it has attracted to Shreveport's own technology park, InterTech, with technologies ranging from manufacturing and diagnostics to telemedicine and orthopedic devices. We in the Louisiana delegation often point to the success of Biomed as a textbook model of partnerships between Washington and local communities looking to build a better future for their citizens.
It is true, Mr. President, that Biomed has become a success because it has merit on its side. But all of us who have played some small part in this effort know that a big reason for the success is Virginia Shehee is someone who long ago learned not to take no for an answer. Her efforts have led to a mighty legacy in science and economic development in Shreveport. It is fitting the facility is now the
``Virginia K. Shehee Biomedical Research Institute,'' and it is fitting the community is gathering next month to say thanks. It is my pleasure to join so many in saying how blessed Louisiana is to have Virginia Shehee's generous service and how fortunate I am to have her friendship.
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