The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) announced today its selection of Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN) as a Legislator of the Year for 2016. Senator Donnelly receives the award in conjunction with today’s BIO Legislative Day Fly-In. “Senator Donnelly has been a steadfast champion on the issues that matter to our industry. BIO thanks Senator Donnelly for his support of biotechnology in human and animal health, in food and agricultural production, and in generating renewable fuels and bio-based products,” said BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood. “Through his seats on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, the Senate Special Committee on Aging and the Senate Committee on Armed Services, the Senator is a strong and effective leader for the innovation community. We thank him in particular this year for his efforts to find a bipartisan federal solution to prevent a state-by-state patchwork of bioengineered food labeling laws that would upend the American food value chain.”
“As a champion for the thousands of Hoosiers working in the biotechnology industry, Senator Donnelly has demonstrated leadership on issues vitally important to our state and the nation,” said Kristin Jones, President and CEO of the Indiana Health Industry Forum. “The life science industry in Indiana provides an enormous economic impact and provides jobs, both directly and indirectly, for over 57,000 people. We thank Senator Donnelly for his engagement and dedication to the innovative capacity and job creating potential of life science companies, and congratulate him on receiving this award.”
More than 200 biotechnology industry representatives from over 40 states, representing hundreds of thousands of American workers, will participate in hundreds of meetings with Members of the House and Senate during the BIO Legislative Day Fly-In. Participants will discuss issues critical to the biotechnology industry including, drug development, discovery and delivery reforms, targeting abuses of the U.S. patent system while protecting innovation, providing adequate reimbursement for vital therapies under Medicare, FDA funding, tax policy, support for science-based GMO food labeling solutions and capital formation issues relevant to biotechnology companies.