La Jolla Patch - Califonia Healthcare Institute Honors Reps. Scott Peters and David Valadao

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By Michelle Mowad

On Wednesday, California Congressmen Scott Peters (D-52) and David Valadao (R-21) were honored by the California Healthcare Institute (CHI) for their leadership in promoting thoughtful policies to advance biomedical research, investment and innovation over the past year.

CHI is a nonprofit, public policy research organization, representing leading academic and nonprofit research institutions and biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics and pharmaceutical firms.

Congressmen Peters and Valadao each received the 2014 Visionary Award presented by CHI President and CEO Todd Gillenwater at CHI's Inspiring Biomedical Innovation program held at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. The program was attended by nearly 150 leaders in the life sciences, public policy and patient advocacy communities.

"Representatives Peters and Valadao have established themselves, in their first year in office, as dedicated advocates for the broad biomedical ecosystem centered in our state and across the nation," said Todd Gillenwater, CHI president and CEO. "We are proud to bestow them with CHI's 2014 Visionary Award for their efforts to advance sound public policy and legislation for a sector that employs more than 270,000 Californians in pursuit of new medicines and technologies for patients in need around the world."

"San Diego represents one of our country's leading clusters for biomedical innovation and research; doctors and scientists in my district are committed to finding new treatments and helping grow a healthier population," said Congressman Peters, who represents California's 52nd Congressional District. "I am humbled by this award and look forward to continuing my work with CHI and my congressional colleagues on a bipartisan level. We must continue to advance policies that strengthen our biomedical innovation ecosystem for the future and ensure that the United States stays ahead of our global competitors."

"I wish to express my gratitude to CHI and California's biomedical sector with whom I have worked with closely during my time in Congress," said Congressman Valadao, who represents California's 21st Congressional District. "I am deeply committed to making sure that these high-quality and high-paying jobs stay in our state so that they can continue to develop the life-saving medicines and technologies patients and their families depend on."

For more information about CHI or the biomedical field, please visit: www.chi.org.

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