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QU: OHOLD-EOT
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B'i: PC
;06/27,10:13 OP: JtlJUST;06/28,19:13 FR: OHOLD-ED'l' ;06/28,10:04
NOTE: Oped/Foster{Sun/jj
PRINTED: 19:16 28-JUN-95
Dr. Foster, Please note some bri-af queries preceded by "'*· could we have any
additions or changes written on the galley and faxed back by 2 p.m. tomorrow?
Thanks very much, Julie Just {212) 556-1936; fax: 556-4100.
Dr. Henry Foster is [**hOW shoUld i.d. re.ad?)
<gfbyline>Dr. Henry Foster[MC]
<ws>W<gfsmcap>ASHINGTON[MC)
<gfdm>M(MC)y father used to tell me,
"'t>lhen one door is closed,
another one opens.'' That is
my personal postscript to the events
of this past week. On consecutive
~
days, 57 senators - a strong major~
ity - voted to confirm my nominaU
tion to be surgeon I;Jeneral. But a
small minority, through the wily use
of senate rules, prevailed, and the
mattet· was not allowed to come to a
vote.
The question posed to me most
often in the last few days is, ~·Are
you bitter?'' And my answer is always No. But I am deeply disappointed in the process.eR~ within 72
hours of my nomination by· President Clinton in February, groups opposed to abortion.were mobilizing to
atop me simply because I support a
woman'a right to choose.
I found the attacks on my character especially repugnant. People and
publication$ like this newspaper who
didn't know me from Adam took a
misstatement -· my unde.rastimate
of the number of abortions I had
performed in a 38~year career - eR~and
inferred that I was some kind of
shady character. In my entire professional life, aa a doctor, teacher
and administrator, never once has
my credibility been an issue.
During the early days of the media
onslaught following n1y nomination,
if I misspoke, thore was no intent to
'JF'. :
�APR-28-' 95 18:11
ID: 1-IY TiMES: OP/ED
TEL N0:212-556-4100
SLUG: 02FOST
deceive, and I repeatedly apologized
for the mistake. Where I come from,
a man is given th$ benefit of the
doubt. But in Washington a simple
s1ip of memory can be fatal, so I've
learned.
I also found the politicization of
the nomination deeply disturbing. I
accepted the nomination for one reason. I wanted to do something about
improving the health of millions of
Americans, especially children and
young people who are suffering simply because of a lack of education
and access to adequate care.
Unfortunately, the process degenerated into an arm-wrestling match
among Presidential hopefuls who
apparently believe that the only way
they can reach the White House is to
demonstrate to the anti-choice
movement how tough they are. It is
an interesting comment on politics
and the media that the crowned winners of this process are the politicians who made the cleverest use of
Senate rules. I was hoping the victors might instead be the millions of
Americans who need a surgeon General to speak out on ways to stop the
sprea~ of AIDS, drug abuse, violence
and teen pregnancy.
I want to urge the young people in
this country, however, not to lose
faith in· the system or in the honor of
public service. When I was growing
up, **whel!e~ we a.lways had a copy of the
constitution in our home. My father
often told me that my freedom and
justice were locked inside the Constitution - and that the key to unlocking it ,;rae an educated mind.
I still have faith in tnosa words
and in this country. Good came from
this process. Despite all the rioise, we
were able to bring the crucial issue
of teen pregnancy to the forefront.
Every day, almost 2,000 girls ** aeeerain~-~e-whe~~-
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babies. That's a dead-end dream,
and it's got to ba replaced with a
dream of unlimited achievement.
So, we must offer young people
three things. First, ba&ic information about health, human sexuality
and drug and alcohol abuse. They
need to understand the consequence
of earlY sexual activity and other
risky behavior.
Second, we must make available
an array of adolescent health serviceG, with suport from the community and parents. we must stress abstinence from sexual activity, but for
taens who chose to be sexually active
we must provide birth control. To do
otherwise is irresponsible.
Third and roost important, we
must help young people improve
their options by improving not just
their job skills but their self-reliance
and sense of values. Projects like
helping teen-agers start businesses
in their neighborhoods can address
both these goals at once.
The important thing to remember
is that each community must find its
own way. What works in Nashville
may not work in Chicago or in.Newark. There is no monopoly on good
ideas. What is needed is national
coordination in the sharing, testing
and evaluation of local efforts so we
can decide what worlc:s.
Preventing teen pregnancy was
going to be the focal point of my
work as surgeon General. The President and I are discussing another
platform that would allow me to
pursue this mission. I stand ready to
serve, though I know I don't have all
the answers. Another door is opening, and we will have to walk through
it together.
<ws>[OBX)
(END)
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3
get pregnant. In 1990, **a~e-£ig~~e~-ava!iabie-fe~-a-Mere-reeeft~-yea~~more
than 1 million girls between the ages of 15 and
19 became pregnant. This is bad for
the girls - and the boys who may
unwillingly becoma fathers -**eoMe-s~eh~ and
even worse for their children. We
know that children born to teenagers are more likely to have serious health problems, and are more
likely to be poor. About 80 percent of
children born to teen-age parents
who dropped out of school live in
poverty.
If we want to prevent teen pregnancy, and reduce the number of
abortions in this country, we must
start at the source. We must provide
young people with a good education,
comprehensive health services and
more employment opportunities.e*? As
the President likes to say, ··we must
give them something to say yes to.''
That is the core idea of the ''I
Have a Future'' program,
pis-briefiy-deseribe-wha~-pregram-eens*s~ed-e£
which I started in Nashville, Tn., in 1987 and
which is thriving today.**eerree~r-seiii-~o!ng~ The pro•
gram has proved so successful that
it was recognized as one of President
Bush's ''Thousand Points of Light''
in 1992. Former participants in the
program are attending college in
unparalleled numbers.** ee~~area-~e-~he~r-~eere-er-fiew-~ea8~red-~~nparaileied~9-
**
Thare is no reason the successes
of this program cannot be duplicated
nationwide. But the problem cannot
be approached from the top down.
All decisions should be carried out at
the local level, and everyone has a
role to play - parents, grandparents, clergy, business leaders, volunteers.
·
One thing any program must do,
however, is. build self-esteem among
young people and give them a positive vision of the future. Too many
children today believe their tuture
holds nothing for them but having
�I
Draft 4/27/95
11:15 a.m.
;''
STATEMENT BY DR. HENRY
W~
FOSTER
U.S. SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE
SENATE AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE
MAY 2, 1995
Thank you,_Senator.Kassebaum and members of the committee
for this opportunity to talk with you about my qualifications and
~isiori 1 for the roie of U.S: Surg~on Gen~ral.
I also want to
p~ .~t-.
·.
thank those committee members with whom I have met prior to these
~-
'
'
hearings.
And most importantly, I want to thank my wife Clair,
my daughter Myrna, my son and his wife, Wendell and Arm,· and all
'
'
of the many hundred3 of former patients and ordinary- citizens who
called, wrote, and spo}<;e out on my behalf these past three
months.
Since the President nominated me on Febru~ry th~·second,
th~re
has-been some confusion created about who I am and what I
stand for.
Today, I want to set the record straight, m'lce and
for all.
Let me begin by
~ellin·g
you a little about how I
grew up and
how my upbringing influenced the development of my values.
I was.
fortunate to have had two· very strong and loving parents who
shared a deep and unshakable faith in America as a nation of
equality and justice for all.
"> ..
As far bac'k as I can remember
had a copy of. the American Constitution in our home.
''
I
we
My father
�often told my sister and me that our freedom and justice were ·
locked inside the Constitution.
and say,
And then he would tap his temple
"The key to unl·ocking it is an educated mind."
·Before his death, my father's faith in America was· rewarded\.
He.lived'to see the armed forces integrated by President Truman.
He witnessed the famous Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education·
decision.
And-he saw me accepted into the _University of Arkansas
School of.Medicine
~-
I
the only African American student in my
class-of 96 students.
My paternal grandmother, Grandma Hattie, also had a great·
influence on me.
She was born just 16 years·after slavery ended
in this country.
I doubt if she ever had any formal education.:
As a· young schoolboy, I wondered why her script was poor, ·but as
I grew older and wiser, I came to
intelligence and character.
apprec~ate
her great
Grandma Hattie· was not educated, but
without a doubt, she understood'its value and its power. ·
She worked as a domestic, scrubbing floors on her hands and
~nees
to make sure that her two children would earn college
degrees.
Arid she succeed.ed.
My father is now deceased, but his
s'ister, my Aunt Mary Foster Cheatham, still.lives independently
in Pine Bluff'· Arkansas, at the age of 92.
By the dignity and power 'of their lives, my mother and
2
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I
I
�father arid my Gr~ndma ~atti~ taught me the values 1 of edycation,
hard work, and integrity.
.
.
Thes~
.
are. the values that have
.
researcher; and mentor for high-risk youth.
So
t
come tb this·
challenge fully committed .t·o be· a strong, tireless, and ethical
educator and advocate for the good health of the American people.
It. is important that this.· committe,e and the American people
.
'
'
understand that_ as Surg.eon General, I will focus on the full
range of health challenges affecting this nation:
These include
cancer, HIV/AIDS, heart disease, maternal and.child health,
m.ental health, aging, substance abuse, violence, and of course,
:the epidemic of teeri pregnancy.-- an issue with which I have had
some success and which the President specifically asked me to
confront.
But there are two issues which have clouded my·nomination
that I wish to deal ~ith right up front.
The first is th~
attempt,
by l some,
.. to say that this nomination is about abort.ion,
.
.
.
It is not.
And the second is_the issue ·of my credibility.
)
First of all, I am a baby doctor.
My life's work has been
devoted to bringing healthy life into this world, to making sure
Y<;mng people get a healthy start in life, and to ensuring that
they have _access to quali:ty' health care throughout adulthood.
3
�I have dedicated my career to taking all appropriate medical
steps to meet the health needs of my patients, and that includes
'
'
performing legal abortions.
I believe in the right of
~
woman t6
.
''
choose.
.
And I support the President's belief that abortions
·should be safe, .legal and
r~re
.. But', again, my life's. work has
been dedicated .to making sure that young people don't have to
face the choice of having abortions.
Now, as to my credibility, let me be clear:
When I was
initially asked about the·nmpber of abortions·! have performed, I
relied on' my memory, without !eviewing ~my entire record, and this
certainly was a mistake.
But, it was an honest mistake.
I am a
doctor, not a poli'tician, and I had never experienced anything_r
like, t·he media scrutiny I received upon my arrival in Washington.
Frankly, I was .a bit overwhelmed.
So in my desire to provide
instant answers tp the barrage of questions coming at me,
without having. all the· facts at my disposal
intent, t? deceive.
~~
.
.
'
There was never any
~ ;'((,~ 'vrl.~ ~~
.'% ~ ~ .~ f~'e~£7;; k
'
I spoke
~ ~.Cv.1 pc'.:!lf·~
'
I have an impeccable record of credibility and ethical
conduct ..· And I am proud of the fact that I was appqinted to the
Ethics Advisory Board for President Carter's Secretary .of Health
and I .am currently serving my second term on the Ethics Committee
of 'the Nashville Academy o~ Medicine..
So the issue' of my
nomination is not abortion or credibility.:
have the right stuff to be Surg~o~ Gerieral.
4
The issue is do I
That is what ~ am
j
�here tb di~cuss with you~
I believe that my trc:lining and
to take on this task.
1972~
~xperiences
I have .been an
educ~tor
have prepared me
In 1
for 21 years.
I had .the good fortune to become one of the youngest people
eVer inducted·in the Institute of Medicine of the National
Academy of Sciences.
In 1973, I was 'asked to chair the
Department of obstetrics/gynecology at Meharry Medical College in
Nashv-ille.
Over the
cours~
of two decades, I taught more than
1500 young men and women who. have gone on to be doctors.
During
my 20-year association with Meharry, I have served as Acting
P:r;esident of.the ·School of Medicine, Vice President of Health
Services, Dean of Medicine, and Chairman of ,the Department. of
Obstetrics· and Gynecology.
Currently, I· am on sabbatical-as
senior scholar in residence at th~ ~ssociation of Academic Health
-Centers.
)
But, of all my experiences, none compares to my service as a
practicing OG-GYN.
I have personally'delivered thousands and
....
thousands of"babies. ·So W:hen people ask me why I want to be
(
ans~er.
Surgeon General, I have a strong
_When you've had the ,
good fortune to participate in the miracle of birth as many times
a~ I-have, it.is difficult to stand ori the sidelines and watch so
mahy_people ~asting the precious gift of life.
It is diffic~lt
to.look around Amer,ica today and see so much needless suffering
because of the lack of kno~Iedge ~botit p~eventibn ... or because of
5
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-- ...
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a lack. of access arid utilization of quality health care ... or
.
beeause of the lack of those.bas~6 family valu~s that prevent
,
violence or abuse of any kind from
taki~g
root.
_j;y
It is especially difficult as- q:a Afl::ico-n Ameriean physician
to see the disparities in heaH:h status in this country.
the finest-health care system in the world.
We have
The finest health
care professionals, the best technology, the best facilities, the
.best training.
But there· are places all across thi_s country that
_do not have access to that excellence.
you get should not depend on
or rural, black or white.
~hether
What kind of· health care
you are rich or poor, urban
And as a doctor,
r have
deliberately
chosen to work in places where there are serious health problems
but little health care.
-
'In ruralAlabama and inner city Nashville, I served people
whom others had
for~otten:
In the 1970s, I headed the Maternity
arid Infant Care Program at Tuske~ee Instit~te -- bringing
comprehensive health care'to rural pregnant women, many of whom
had never seen a doctor.
In the early 80s, I ran a national program w~ich provided
health services-to mor~ than 300,000 yourig people li~ing in areas
characterized by high rates of teen pregnancy,_
alcohol abuse, and mental illness.
6
violenc~,
drug and
�'1
'
And in 1987, I began the "I Have a Future" teen pregnancy
reduction program in the housing projects of
Tennessee.
Nashville,~
The philosophy bepind that program is that if parents
and a broad cross-section of community leaders come together to
give young people constructive guidance and positive outlets for
their energies, they will not throw away their futures through
· earli seX and othei riiky behaviors.
~ !fll-.
The program is working.
Just last· year, 24 of the ·program
participants graduated from high school.
And 16 of ·these·· young.
peC)ple are now in college, while four .others joined the Armed
Forces.'
In 1989, the American Me-dical. Association awarded us
their AdolescentHealth Award.
And in 1991, we had the honor of
being selected by President Bush as one of America's "Thousand
.
Points of
I
Light~"
I believe this kind of success is possible in every
_ · · ·_ An
.·~~·~~~
community. .And as Surgeon General, I will work to empower local
·
\
communities to develop comprehensive teen pregnancy programs that
fit their individual needs.,
I know that .what works in Nashville
may not wor!c completely in. Chicago or Charlotte.
'But I
hav:
faith that every community can make a difference.
I
In conclusion, let me say that I am proud of my record of
service and. my c9mmitment to making sure every American 'has
access to health care.
/
�In 1959, I was also called _on to serve my country,· when I
served two
y~ars.as
stationed at
a medical.officer at the rank pf captain,
L~rson
Air Force Base; Washington.
That experienqe
will he-lp me lead the men and women of ·the uniformed Public
Health_Service Commissioned Corps.
And my military- service also
statids as a m6del of the kind of patriotic and honoi~ble public
service I hope to provide.
·Again, I want to thank President Clinton for placing his
faith in me and for ssanding by me throughout this nomination.
only hope to repay him, you and the American people-by being the
finest Surgeon General in the history of this great country.
Thank you.
. '
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�Daniell (English-RSV)
See also: This chapter, Next chapter, KJV, Darby, YLT
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In the third year ofthe reign ofJehoi'akim king of Judah, Nebuchadnez'zar king ofBabylon came to Jerusalem
and besieged it.
And the Lord gave Jehoi'akim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and
he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.
Then the king commanded Ash'penaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal
family and of the nobility,
youths without blemish, handsome and skilful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding
learning, and competent to serve in the Icing's palace, and to teach them the letters and language of the
Chalde'ans.
The king assigned them a daily portion of the rich food which the king ate, and of the wine which he drank.
They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.
Among these were Daniel, Hanani'ah, Mish'a-el, and Azari'ah of the tribe of Judah.
And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshaz'zar, Hanani'ah he called Shadrach,
Mish'a-el he called Meshach, and Azari'ah he called Abed'nego.
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's rich food, or with the wine which he
drank; therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself
And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs;
and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear lest my lord the king, who appointed your food and your
drink, should see that you were in poorer condition than the youths who are of your own age. So you would
endanger my head ·with the king."
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief ofthe eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hanani'ah,
Mish'a-el, and Azari'ah;
"Test. your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's rich food be observed by you, and
according to what you see deal with your servants."
So he hearkened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.
At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who
ate the Icing's rich food.
So the steward took away their rich food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had
understanding in all visions and dreams.
At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs
brought them in before Nebuchadnez'zar.
And the king spoke with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hanani'ah, Mish'a-el, and
Azari'ah; therefore they stood before the king.
And in every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them
ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.
And Daniel continued until the first year ofKing Cyrus.
Gospel Communications Network
webmaster@gospelcom. net
�RADIO ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE NATION
GIBBS MAGNET SCHOOL
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
APRIL 1, 1995
THE PRESIDENT:
THE CLASS:
Good morning, class.
Good morning, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: What you just heard was the sound of
America's future.
I'm speaking to you this morning from the
Gibbs Magnet School for International Studies in Little Rock,
Arkansas. And I'm happy to be joined by the Principal, Dr.
~r~
Marjorie Bassa, members of her staff, and 30 of the most
~~· •
wonderful elementary students, and their parents, you could ev
v~
hope to meet.
This school and these people are living proof
the education reforms that were started when I was governo ,
that are continuing under the leadership of @pvernor Tucke
are
paying off.
The young people who attend this public school are getting a
headstart on the 21st century.
They are learning at an early age
that their future success and the future success of this nation
are dependent upon the kind of education and training that
es them to compete and win in the new global economy.
the kind of education they're getting here. And I want to
..~·
a few moments with you this morning to tell you why I think
~~ the education and training of all our young people is the most
~
important thing we can do to keep the American dream alive.
~~
6-~~~·
convened a regional econo
conference
~
at Emory University i Atlanta, where a group of ~~.Q.;I...AJ;,;j....
~~~conomists '• business leaders, and working Amer · ans discussed
·ways to strengthen our economy and ensure a etter future for our
children.
W -~~tJh~e~r~e~wa~~lf~at~~~~~¥-Ld~~@4~~~~em~
disagr~emeM-r 1the one thing we all a
ed on was that the
countries that do the best job of
veloping the full capacities
of every one of their citizens
11 be the most successful in the
21st century.
is~
We all agreed that
e fight for education and training
the fight for the Am lean dream.
That's why my Administration
worked hard to rna
last year the best year in 30 years for
education refor . expanding Head Start; passing Goals 2000 which
sets world-c ss standards and gives parents and teachers the
resources o meet them; establishing a School-to-Work
.1
apprent' eship program to prepare young people who don't go on to
colle e to get high paying jobs; and making college loans more
af rdable for millions of students.
~Was·ington is in the midst of a great debate today about the
proper role of government.
On one side is the old view that big
one-size-fits-all government can provide the answers to all our
problems.
On the other is the view that government is the source
�: :....-
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.
..
�of all our problems.
In the real world, that is a false choice.
I believe we
must chart a new course between the old way of big government and
the new rage of no government.
I believe we need a government
that expands opportunity and demands responsibility; one that
shrinks the underclass and expands the middle class. And one
that empowers peo~!~'\through education and training, to make the
most of their live~
As we change and cut yesterday's government, we must
remember there is a wrong way and a right way.
Some want to cut
education to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. We want to cut
taxes to pay for education for hard working, middle class
families.
Yes, the United States Department of Agriculture must
be shrunk.
But we think the right way is to close agriculture
field offices and to reduce subsidies after worldwide
negotiations, not to cut school lunches for the ptudents of Gibbs
and other schools across this country.
We don't need to
we
to
if
~~'-
away from young people if
government.
We don't have
up on safe and drug-free schools
Educating our children and preparing for a strong future are
goals that should have bipartisan support -- just like the line- ,
item veto which has been passed by both the House and the Senate,~~
and just like the bill I signed last week limiting the ability of
Congress to pass laws imposing unfunded mandates on state and
local governments.\
Americans have\always found common ground on behalf of the
common good, and in this debate about education, I am confident
our better angels will again prevail.
Gibbs Magnet School is a reflection of what we ought to be
doing in America. We n~ed to begin when they are ~
kindergarten, training our people to succeed. And we must
~pare our ~oung people for a lifetime of learning.
The
students and parents who are with me today hold our future in
their hands.
If we fail them, we fail the American dream .
~~ 0-4.1.......;.._ ~u...u. ~
WI'hanks ~or listening.
~f
.......------
~-
�05-09-95 01:25PM
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Office of tl'le Assistant Sec:tetary
for Public Affairs
',
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DALE BLUMENTHAL KAUFMAN
Speechwriter
.
.
Room 631E, H.H. Humphrey Bldg.
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
wa,hington. oc 20201
(202) 690·7470
F•l( (202) 69Q-7318
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�05/05/95
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HHS CONT IMP PRG
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Public Health Service
D~VARTMENT Of HEALTH&. HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Assistant Secretary
for Health
Washington DC 20201
Memorandum to; Mr. John Podesta
Assistant to the President
Staff Secretary, West Wing
Subject:
commencement Addre:s:.;
Hampton University, Haxnpton, Virginia
May 14,
199~
Herewith enclosed is a copy of my commencement
address which 1 will aeliver. at the 12Sth
Commencement of Haxnpton University~ The speech is
written such that it will occupy approximately 10-12
minutes in time.
Please peruse this and advise if you feel it contains
any political pitfalls and it so, let's audres5 them
mutuallY·
\
11-ttaohment
HWF:Jjh
Henry
w.
Foster, Jr., M•D-
�05/05/95
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"THE EXHILARATION OF LEA.'RNING
THE fULFILLMENT FROM SERVING 11
Thnnk you VQry much, Dr. Harvey, for your gracious introduction.
It is very much appreciated. My very best wishes qo to you the
graduates, your families, President Harvey,· faculty, trustees,
students and friends. It is indeed an esteemea nonor to h~ve
been asked to de!iver your ~25th Commencement Address. ~here
nave been few if any reque$ts m~n~ of me that are more
meaning-ful.
The title of my talk for you today is, "The
Exhilaration of Learning, the Fulfillment from Serving."
Today I am elated by having been oskea to ue~iver this
commencement: aduress but my greater elation emanates from
witncesing each of your individual and collective
accomplishments,-the fulfillment your families feel and the great
contributions you can make to a society with an incr~asing need
for trained minds. You are here today because of your
dedication, your work ccnic ana yo"r sense of self. You could so
easily have been misdi~ected; ~o doubt you are aware that today
for Af~ican American males your age, roore of you are in the penal
'·
system than are in college. I salute you one and all, men and
women, for reaching this educational milestone.
During the remainlng time I will speak to you on three salient
themes: (1) The power. and the rewa~ds of reading -- the key to
all learning, (2) the challenge, the necessity and the benefit of
life-long-learning and (3) societal obligations beyond one's
vocation.
Realling is the key to all l?nucation. Let me share with you one
of my favorite quotes which reads as follows:
~003
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"Education· is t:.:o.:.•mpl1n:i.on which no mis;fortuna can
depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate,
no despotism can enslave .. At hollle a friend, abroad an
introduction, in solitude a solace and in society an
ornament. It ch;:tl:>tens vice.; i t 9uides virtue; it
gives, at once, grace and government to genius.
Without it, wnat .l:i> man? A ::rplcndid slaV~;!, a reasoninq
savage."
~L
~t-
...pt~4lJ.r-
~11.
f{a«A 1
This quote was written by Juseph Addison and appearP.d in the
n
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nearly
300
years ago. :f
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We as African Americans particularly should have an insatiable
appetite for reading and learning. . Please recall our his~ory as
Afr~can
AJnericans on this continent. Ke~nly aware of tha po"''er
'
of education, ~o Laach ~laves how to read ~nd write was virtually
an capital offens~ -- a status which ignobly held de facto
existence for 300 years. One might ask why am I emphasizing
reading to those soon to have conferred upon them graduate and
~ost graduate degrees -- I can name two major reasono quit~
quickly.
,1\
.
l.n
November of 1711 --
·
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First, your future e!feGtivenc~c in your chosen
vocatl<>na will be hi9hly d ..p~n~ent upon your ability to acquire
nQW knowledge as it rapidly flows through the cybernetics
information hiqhway. More about this momentarily.
The second strident reason tor your ne~d to further emphasiz~
reading in your o~n liv~s is the fact that most of you likely
will bcoome parent~- .As such, your children ultimately will
become the guardians of the future. I implore, therefore that
each of you develop in your homes the habit of reading and I mean.
No~ only will you be
enriched by this nabit out lt al~o sets critical s;t_t;~ndards for
your children. When you dn becorr.e parents you will quickly learn
the reading of scholarly materials.
that chi.ldren pay much more attention to what you
you sax.
~ than to what
�-"--·
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3
Just for a
mo~ent,
let
m~
ask your
indulgenc~
in speakinq to
anothar value-:zotting activity that does not relate directly to
readingon a personal level, from the time my own children were
just infants, it was virtually a family ritual that tqe four ot
us, my wife, our t1No children and I, would all taKe our dinner
meal together with TV sets turned otf. ouch a setting provides
an ideal milieu for families to address a full array of issues
from th~ serious to the comical.
Even with the fast pace of life
with all of its demands, this time for oUr family was sacrosanct.
If you graduates remember nothing else from my address today, do
remember this.
Now let me turn to
th~
second of my three themes -- the
benefit of life-long learning,
or stated another way, it has to do with ongoing professional
accountability. In almost no profession can one, as ln the pn:st,
earn a c:legree with no turther structured requiremont fo'Y' keeping
one's sKills current. First and foremost, you cannot view this
reGponsibility of continued le~rning as a burden but rather it
must be·v~ewed as an opportunity. The opportunity to make you
the very best you'~can be in your chosen fields. Isn't this a
fair expectation? When boarding a commerclal aircrnft I fe~1 it.
is reasonable to assumt= that you, as I, wan+: the pilots to be
able to function at thA'r hiqhest level of proficiency.
Lik~"t~~~ise, physicians are now required to take period
~certification examinations to d~nonstrate the currency of their
cornp~tence.
As no doubt you are aware this type of
recertification is also being r~quired more and more for school
teachers and in ~o m~ny other fi~lds. You must relish this
responsibility as the opportunity it truly is.
Life-long learning will not only make you a better professional,
but will also enrich your life .. It strengthens your sense of
challenge, the necessity and the
\
�05/05/95
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4
self', thus reducing your ll?vRl of amdetv and stress and all of
its ucoompanying adverse health and social 0ffects.
Live to
learn and learn to live.
Now let me speak to my last theme
one's vocatlan.
As a
con~equenee
:.>ocietnl obligations: beyt:md
of t:he education you have
obtained from this historic center of ·higher learning that has
contributed so uniquely to American education for 128 years, you
are destined to become a part of the emerging African American
middle class. Attendant to this ascendancy is your ab$oluto and
incontrovertible respon~;Lbility to build for the fllture.
Sp~cifically,
first and for!Z!most, you absolutely must financially
support Hampton University. It is obligatory that you do so.
This school must_ persist for another 128 years, remain
academically solid and be availabl~.in perpetuity to your
children, grandchildren and beyond. Vour giving t'o Hampton must
be reqular and commensurate with your income. The school clearly
realizes that now, in your professional formative years, you
.\
cannot make sizable financial contributions, but Hampton must
receive some level of your financial support .irre::;pectivs of its;:
size. Be reminded, my yooa graduute~, wh~n Dr. Harvey and
member~ of hie fundraisinq team approach foundations for support
of your soon-to-be. Alma Mater, one of the very first questions
put to them is,
11
what percentage of your graduates support your
inst i.tution financially? 11 :Rarely do they first ask, "now 1nucn?"
If a school's own graduates won•t sl.lpport it, how thQn caJ"' one
Meet your responsibility to
Hnmpton s:tartinq this year and making it a life-long commitment.
logically expect
other~
to do so.
Hampton deserves no less.
one other closing and most important responsibility must be
emphasized; As mentioned earlier, you ar~ Qe::;tined to become a
�05105/95
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5
part of that growing African A~P-rican middle class, which has
materiallzed mostly since the end of World war II. consequently,
you must now actively reach back to assist other African
Americans who are less fortunate than yourselves -- particularly
our youth. And, let me be very clear. l am not tulking only
about money; raLhex-, I am t~lking also <lhout something in the
future that may hR more difficult to give than money and that is
to give of yourselves and of your time. Involve yourselves in
the growth and development of your communities. The initiative
for addressing the problems of African Americans rlgntfu1ly mu~t
einana.te from educated 1\tri(.;dll American:;.
Again, my genuine congratulations to each and every one of you
graduates. Go forth and attack each challenge with intelligence,
energy and integ~ity thus brinqing honor to yourse~ves'and tu
your Alma Mater. I hold not the slight~st reservn~icn as to ynur
ability to accomplish thia end. Thanks for inviting me to share
this special time with you. As you go forth from this place at
this juncture of your lives I wish for you Godspeed.
\
Thank you very much.
�05-09-95 10: l2AM
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Thank you, Ms.
Amand~
Murray [Director of
F~eahman
Studies).
I am especially pleased to join you here today -- during
your first month in college.
This is a fascinating place to go to school -- The area and
school are steeped in the history of our people ...
From Poiht Comfort
he~e
in Hampton, where in
~619
th9
fi~st
Africans were brought in chains to North America ...
••. To the annual Hampton Jazz Festival where world
reknowned musicians come every year to perform ...
••. To the legacies of great Hampton graduates like Booker
T. Washington and Chicago Defender publisher 3ohn Sengstacker.
Now is the time to open yourselves to new growth and
possibility -- to history, to new friendships here at Hampton,
and to the part we all must play in solving today's most
diff:i.oult problems.
I bring greetings from the secretary of Health and Human
services, Donna Shalala.
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Secretary Shalala shares with me a deep concern for tho
health and welfare of all citizens all across our country.
At HHS, we have a very serious responsibility for the health
of African Americans.
We've all heard. the old saying, "When America catches a
cold, the Black community gets pneumonia."
Well, the American health care system is now in the
intensive care ward -- so you know where that puts us.
Because, the truth is, just about every health care problem
in this country is exacerbated in Black America.
From TB to teen preqnancy.
From violence to AIDS.
From too
many babies dying to too many college students postponing a
doctor 1 s visit until they need the emergency room.
The statistics are shocking:
Black infant mortality is more than double the rate for
White babies.
Forty percent of Black women receive no prenatal care in the
first trimester.
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Our rates of cancer, diabetes, hyperten5ion, and HIV/AIDS
are unacceptably high.
And, Black men and women have significantly shorter life
expectancy rates than Whites.
What we are talking about is our very lives -- and the lives
of our mothers and fathers, our sisters and brothers, our friends
and neig'hbors.
And, it•s not just physical health we're concerned about:
More than 10
p~reent
of African Americans your age use
illegal drugs, according to the most recent reports.
Four percent are heqyy alcohol users.
And, more African-American males are in prison than in
college.
When The Children's Defense Fund surveyed African-A:nu!!!rican
adults recently about their outlook for our·children, 65 percent
said times are especially tough.
They saw violence plaguing our children, drugs creating
lives of despair, and psychic distress wasting our strength.
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We muat
re~eave
the rich fabric of the A!rican American
community that sustained us in times of slavery and oppression.
We must tap into our historic tradition of community
empowerment and political struggle for change.
And we must put our bodies and souls into the great moral
crusade to create a healthier African American community.
You are our future leaders.
I • ve come her.e today to talk with you about solutions
ways to make sure that we live healthy lives -- prospering fully
and enjoying the blessings of freedom just as much as every other
group in America.
First, we need to reform our health care. system.
Some of you probably think that nothing matters in
Washington, D.c.
partisan bickering.
that it 0 s all scandals, gridlock, and petty
But, let me tell you, what we are doing up
in the nation°s Capitol does affect your lives -- dramatically.
The Clinton Administration is committed to providing health
security to all Americans -- and although the special
intere~ts
have blocked some of our efforts, the battle is not over yet.
�05-09-95 10: 12AM
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5
I
be~ieve,
and Secretary Shalala believes,
ooo
••• and the President believes,
that health care reform is especially important for African
Americans and other ethnic and racial minorities, because, after
all, we
~re
the communities le65 likely to have health insurance.
In fact, currently more than one in five African Americans
is uninsured.
The cornerstone of our real reform efforts must be
guaranteed private health insurance for all Americans -- whether
you qo to school, change jobs, have a pre-existing condition, or,
get sick.
Health care that can't be taken away
healthful. lives --greater access to care
and that means
~ore
and real preventive
services -- for millions of people who historically have been
left out.
If·you don•t know a lot about this issue, you need to read
up on it because our health care
and your careers.
syst~m
will affect your lives
�05-09-85 10: 12AM
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In fact, you belong to the most underineured age group in
the country.
Last spring,
20
percent of this country's college qraduates
lost their insurance when their college plans expired or they no
longer qualified as dependents on their parents 1 policies.
And one-half of the younq adults in the United states find
themselves withoQt heQlth insurance for at le4st a brief period
of time.·
These aren't just numbers -- they're young lives like
youre -- the
futu~e
of our country.
one way around these statistics is to have more diversity in
the health professions.
The African American community needs more black
professionals -- people who know on a personal level the special
health needs of our community.
Why is diversity so important?
Let me tell you about
~
group of African American and
Hispanic health .aduoators in Ne'-1 York \Who understood where their
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coxn:munities get information and designed a truly innovative AIDS
prevention program.
The group is called "Women in Crisis."
It is made up of
women who canvaea beauty salons, talking about AIDS.
They talk with clients who are getting their hair done and
their nails painted 0 and they provide AIDS prevention brochures
to beauty salon ownera.
It 6 s a brilliant idea.
Since 1988, "Women in crisisn has·
talked to thousands of women about protecting their lives -- in
the privacy of women-only environments.
We need more health professionals like these -- but,
unfortunately, right now African Americans make up only about 3.6
peroent of Americavs doctors and dentiata, and only 7 percent of
registered nurses, even though we make up 12 percent of the
population.
That's why this Administration has targeted fundinq
specifically for minorities choosing careers in science and
medicine.
�-----------c----------------------
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And, thatas why I hope many of you will consider careers as
health professionals.
You'll do a lot of good, and go home from
work every day with a profound feeling of satisfaction.
The third thing we have to do to promote better health in
our community is to learn more about why some diseases
disproportionately affect African Americans 8 such as asthma,
breast caneero and hypertension, and to learn more about how to
treat
prevent them.
~nd
The Department of Health and Human Services is sponsoring an
exciting array of new research projects in the area of minority
health.
Everythin~
from investigating kidney disease and
hypertension to testing interventions for reducing infant
mortality.
But -- and I want to emphasize this -- the quality of this
research which may save your lives, or your children 1 s lives, is
only as high as the caliber and commitment-of our researchers.
Maybe some of you will follow in the traditions of Charles
Orew, Daniel Hale Williams, or George Washington Carver, great
African American scientists who were responsible for scientific
breakthroughs.
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If you have ever dreamed of being the scientist who finds
the the cure for cancer or AIDS or sickle cell anemiao now is the
time for big goals and big dreams. -- Remember, we need you to
succeed.
And that brings me to my final point -- the biggest thing we
have to do to promote the health and well-being of our African
American sisters and·brothers all over the country:
We must take
personal responsiblity for lifting up each other, empowering our
community, and realizing the dream of equal opportunity.
That's the single most important message
I
want you to hear
today.
I
see before me hundreds of success stories:
Young men and
women who worked hard in high school while·holdinq down
jobs~
who helped younger brothers and sisters with their homework,
and now are inspiring them to go to college,
and who saw love ana commitment in the faces of their
parents, and determined early on to make them proud.
You
a~e
the pride of our community -- our best and our
briqhtest -- and our future leaders.
And in a society where too
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many stereotypes still
exist~
you are some of
~he
unacKnowledged
heroes on the African American landscapeo
The next four years will be a major turning point.
at a time in your lives when -- ir you
You're
xeep working hard --
~he
world will open up for you.
As ¥'ou start your colleqe education and start thinking about
majors and ultimately careers, I challenge you to see that your
choices affect the lives of those around you.
I challenge you to make a difference for the brothers and
sisters who will follow in your footsteps.
I'm talkinq about simple and decisive choices --
.•• drawinq a line in the sand .•.
like not letting your friends drink and drive,
like eatinq riqht and stayinq away from cigarettes,
like preventing AIDS,
and like raqisterihg with the National Bone MarrQW Oonor
proqram and perhaps saving someone else's life.
�05-09-95 10: 12AM
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I also want to challenge you to make another kind of
choice -- to exercise another kind of leadership -- and that is
to give back to our community just as our community has given to
you.
There are many different community service projects on this
campus -- and they all need you.
Alpha KappaAlpl'la has an outstanding program in which
students tutor and befriend younqsters in the community.
Riqht
now. there's a 7-year old girl who needs a big sister to help her
with her math -- and needs a positive role model who will show
her why college and a career.make more sense than dropping out.
or, you could qo to the Doris Miller Community Center in
Newport News, and ask about volunteering in the women's shelter.
Right now, there•s a single-parent family that could use your
help as try to put their lives back together.
or, contact the student Christian Association here at
Hampton.
I hear that
they~re
planning a program to work with
homeless people in Newport News, which will give you a chance to
learn· how a' service program gets built from the ground up.
I·~
talkinq about making a contribution and holding big
dreams about what you can achieve in this world.
�05-09-95 10: l2AM
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Becau~e
AEericans on the whole -- and our community 1n
particular -- need your ideas, your energy, your determination#
and your leadership.
Your education here at Hampton is not just about ~:
about Y§
It's
and it•s about the better and more just world that
together we can make.
With your ideals and your energy, we can renew that timeless
vision of Dr. Xing, who once said:
"I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can
have three meals a day for their bodies; education and culture
for their minds; and diqnity, equality, and freedom for their
spirits.
I believe that what self-centered men have torn down,
other-centered men and women can build up."
Brothers and sisters, you can be those other-centered
leaders,
and togother you can move a nation and create bright new
worlds.
Thank you.
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TRANS1vfiSSION
Dcpctlli<M flfHcabb IIACl H"''!M" Services
Of5ce of lbe Secremry
DATE: _.H:...,..:-e~'-!!-5...,.·- - - - - - - - - - -
PHONE:
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....
CS-=TC:C,
01Tiee of the Assistant Secretary
',
!!
\~
FROM~
U. S. Dept. of Ht•tth end Humtn Service•
.I
;:
;a.,.
for Public Affair&
'
··········
DALE BLUMENTHAL KAUFMAN
Speechwriter
.
Room 631E, H.H. J.lumphtey Bldg.
200 Independence A'llenue. S.W.
Washington. CC 20201
(202) 890-7470
Fal( (2021 690-7318
.. .....
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�05-09-95 10: 12AM
FROM OASPA NEWS DIV
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First Blake to enter No,
Jamestown (1619)
American came
P002/016
through Virginia
in
Jamestown settletment
lst qroup of Blacks arriving at Pt.Comfort--pt of entry for coming
to VA--in Hampton, VA
captured by a dutch ship, in bondage
WILLIAMSBURG
CHAMBE~
OF COMMERCE-- 804-229-6511 --info re the area
Hampton programs:
Alpha Xappa Alpha sponsor tutoring sessions every sat at community
centers
student leadership -- area High School
1. Kecoughtan High School
2. Dunbar-Irving Elementary school
Hampton grads = ~eachers in area
3. Hampton H.S>
Nursing Dept at Hampton --runs health clinics at Hampton Harbor
130 differnt
activities
student
organizations -- many
Communities in Hampton, Newport News
Dunbar--Irvinq Elementary School
Doris Miller Community ctr inNewport News
STUDENT ACTIVITIES --804-727-5691
involved
in
stud
�.
'
,II
I
I
:
I
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DATE
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08/29/94
RESTRICTION
P6/b(6)
COLLECTION:
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Speechwri ting
Terry Edmonds
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FOLDER TITLE:
6-22-95 Dr. Henry Foster Statement (and op-ed) Edison, NJ [2]
2006-0462-F
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�05-09-95 10: 12AM
FROM OASPA NEWS DIV
TO 94565709
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S12B269B7318
P.&:l1.
Facsimile Cover Sheet
To: DALE KAUFMAN
Company: HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ·
OFFICE
Phone:
Fax: AO~
b9b 731?
From: JIMMY F ROBINSON JR
Company: ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY,.
INC ........ - -
764-762~
Phone: 804
Fax: 804 764-·o667
__.,,.,)
Date: -·S720194·· --·
Pagas including this
cover page: 3
Comment&;
DALE
PE.R YOUR REQUEST, I AM FAXING YOU INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAIN FOCUS OF
OUft SEMINAR. I WILL FAX TO YOU 0111 TOUORR.OW NAMES OF PEOPI E IN OUR
COUUUNrN DIREC'TlV AFFEe'TED FN THE aoNE MARROW TRAUMA, AND A FEW
SHOf<T SiOR!ES OF StlUE OF THESE PEOPLE. I WAS UNAE!LC TO OBT~IN THIS
INFORMATION OVER THE wa:KENO, BUT I W\U. DEFINITeLY GET IT TO YOU.
lrYOU NI:E:DANVTH!NG C.SE.GIVE MEA CAll AT HOME. !'M l..EAVING Tl£ OFFICE
AJGHT AFTF..R I FAXlHI$ TOYOUA.NDYou CAN EITHER CALL ME AT HOME OR PAGE
ME.
HOME • L:l.li)J§.l==:l
PAGER 604 88S 9C06
LODI]
�05-09-95 !0: l2AM
FROM OASPA NEWS DIV
TO 94565709
P004/0l6
1
Remarks
Walter Broadnax
Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services
at
Hampton University
September 21, 1994
�Draft 4/27/95
11:15
~.m.
STATEMENT BY DR. HENRY W• FOSTER
U.S. SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE
SENATE AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE
MAY 2, 1995
T~ank
you,· Senator Kassebaum and members of the commit tee
for this opportunity to talk with you ·about my qualifications and
vision f6r
t~e
role of U.S. Surgeon General .. I also
w~nt
to
r
·thank those committee members with whom I have met prior to these
'
hearings.
And most importantly, I want to thank my wife Clair, .
my daughter Myrna, my son and his'wife, Wendell and Ann, ,and all
of the many hundreds of former patients and ordinary citizens who
'.·
called, wrote, and spoke out on my behalf these past three
months.
Since the President nominated me on February the second,
there has been some confusion created abopt who I am and what I
stand for.
. Today
I
I want to ·set the recor,d straight
I
once and
for all.
L~t
me begin by telling you a·little about how I grew up.qnd
I
-.
how my upbringipg influenced the.· development of my values.
I was
I
fortunate to .have had two very strong and lovi~~ ~aren~~ ~wh<t.\ .. ru.;;.,...-t~,.,,bd'.
~
.
.
'
~~-~1-(fr~. 12, ~~ ~~----
share<f._ a d~ep_~}}~ ~ns~h_pka~ ~a»th in=-Am.ea-Ga·-~XOR<i:..~d:..... · ·
~~~e:;(k_~'"""
equality and justice f·or all.
had
a
F
-
·,
As far back as I can remember, we
copy of the American Constitution in our home.
My father
' '
_,_'
·
�often told my sister and me that our freedom and justice were
locked- inside the Constitution.
and say,
·And then he would tap his temple
"The k~y ~o unlocking it is an educated mind."
Before his death, ·my father's faith in America was rewarded.
He lived to see ~he armed forces integrated by President Truman.
He witnessed the famous ·Brown.vs. Topeka Board of Education
decision.
And he saw me accepted into the University of Arkansas
School of Medicine -- the C?nly African American student in my
class of 96 students.
My paternal grandmother; Grandma Hattie, also had a great
influence on me.
She was borri ju~~· 16 years after slavery ended
i_n this country.
I doubt if she ever had· any formal education.·
\
As a young schoolboy, I' wondered why.her script was poor, but as
I grew older and wiser, I came to appreciate her great
.intelligence and character.
Grandma Hattie was·not educated, but
without a d6ubt, she understciod its value and its· power.
She worked as a
d~mesti~,
scrubbing flo6rs on her hands and
knees to· make sure that her two children would earn.cQllege
degrees.
And she succeeded.
My father is now deceased, but his
sister, my Aunt Mary Foster.Cheatham, still lives independently
in Pine Bluff,
Arkansa~,
at the age of 92.
By the dignity and power of their lives, my mother and
;-
2
�~-----------
'•
father and my Grandma Hattie taught me the values of education,
hard work, and integrity:
These are.the values that.have
sustained and guided me throughout almost four. decade·s as a
teacher, .university leader,· practicing obstetrician/gynecologist,
re~earcher,
and mentor for high-risk youth.
So I come tothis
I
)
challeh~e
-fully committed to be a stro~g, tireless, and ethical
. .
educator and advocate for the
- :Jllh-
~~h
.
of the American people.
It is important that this committee and the American people
understand ·that as Surgeon General, I will focus on the I.full
'
range of health challenges affecting this nation.
~hese
include
·cancer, HIV/AIDS, .heart disease, maternal and child health,-mental health, aging, stibstance
ab~se,
violence, and of course,
the epidemic of teen pregnancy -~ an issue with which ~ have had
some success and which the President specifically askedme to
confront.
But there are two ·issues which have clouded my nomination·
that I wish to deal with right up front.
at tempt,' by SOme
It is not.
I
The first
i~
the
tO say that this nomination is about 'abortion •
And the second
is~
the. issue of my credibility.
First of all, I am a baby doctor.
My Jife' s work has been
devoted to bringing healthy life :into t!1is world, to making· sure
young people get a pealthy start in life, and to ensuring, that
they
hav~
access
t~
quality health care throughout adulthood.
3
(
�/
I have dedicated .'my career to taking all appropriate medical
st1eps to meet the health. needs of my patients, and that includes
performing legal a}Jort-iohs.
c~oose.
I believe in the right· of a woman to
And I support the President's belief that abortions
should be safe, legal and rare.
But·, again, iny life's work has
been dedicated to making sure that young people·don't have to
face the choice of having
Now, as to my
initially asked
abo~tions.
credibility~
~bout
let me be. clear:
When I was
the number of abOrtions· I have performed, I
relied on my'memory, without reviewing my entire record, and this.
certainly was a mistake.
But, it was an
hone~t
mistake.
I am a
doctor, not a politician, and I had never experienced anything
like the media scrutiny I received upon my arrival in Washington.
'
Frankly, I was a bit overwhelmed.
So in my desire to provide
p.
instant answers' to the barrage of questions coming at me,
Without having all the facts at my disposal.
intent to
d~c~
I spoke
v:as never
I have an impeccable record of credibility and ethieal
conduct.
'/
/
Presi<::lent ·carter /$.ecretary of
'
And I am proud of the fact that I was a:ggointed to· the
. . .
Ethics Advisory Board for
·.
Health
and I am currently serving my second term/on the Ethics Committee
of the. Nas'hville Academy of .Medicine.
~
the issue .of my, .
nomin'~tion is not abortion or credibility ..
have the right
~tuff
to. be
Su~geon
General.
The issue is do I
That is what I am
4
.
(
'
�.
-,
/
here to ·discuss with you.
I believe that my training and experiences have prepared me
to take on this task.
I have been an educator for 21 years·:
In
I
1972, I had the good fortune to become one of the, youngest people
.-
ever inducted in the Institute of 'Medicine of the National
Academy of Sciences.
In 1973, I was asked to chair the·
Department of obstetrics/gynecology at Meharry Medical College in
Nashville.
Over the course. of two decades,··. I .taught more than
- 150o•young men'and women who have gone on to be doct:;ors.
During
my 20-year association .with Meharry, I have served as Acting
President
ot
tbe
School of Medicine, Vice President of Health
Services, Dean of Medicine, and Chairman of the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology.
~urrently,
I
am on sabbatical as
senio~ schol~r in residence at the Association of ~cademic Health
I
Centers.
But,· of alL my experiences,· none compares to my service as a
practicing· OG-GYN.
thousands of
babi~s..
I have personally delivered thousands and
So
wh~n peopl~
ask me why I want to
·surgeon General, I have a strong answer.
b~
When you've had the
good fortune to participate in the miracle of birth as many times
·as I have, it is diffic~lt to stand on the sidelines arid watch so
many people wasting the precious g'i·ft of life.
It is difficult
to look around America today and see so much needless suffering
becaus~
of the lack of kn6wledge about prevention ... or because of
(
5
�-
------
-----;--~·
a lack of access and utilization of quality health care ... or
because of the lack of those ·basic family values that prevent
'violence or': abuse of any kind from taking root.
It is especially
.
to see the
difficull-a.s~~-~~~a~- r? ~.
'
dis~arit~es
•
~
I
-
(
in this country. We have
·world~ The finest ~ealth
in health status
1
the finest he~lih 6are sybtem in,\he
care professionals, the best technology, the best facilities,· the·
best training.'
But there are places all acrossth~s. country that
.~
. I.
do not have access to that excellence.
What kind of health care
/
. you get should not depend on whether you are rich or poor, urban
I
or rural, black or white.
And as a doctor, I have deliberately_
chosen to work in places where there are serious health problems
but little health care.
In rural Alabama and inner city Nashville, I served people
whom othe!s
h~d
forgotten.·
In the 1970s, I headed the Maternity
and Infant Care Program at Tuskegee Institute
-~
bringing
comprehensive health care' to rural pregnant women, many of whom
had never seen a doctor.
Ih the early 80s, I ran a national program which provided
health services to more than 300,000.young people living in'areas
characterized by high rates of.teen pregnancy,
alcohol abuse, and merttal illness.
.
I
6
violenc~,
drug and
�. And in 1987, I began the "I Have a Future"
teen~pregn~ncy
reduction program in the housing projects of Nashville,
Tennessee.
The philosophy behind that program is that if parents
and a broad.cross-section of community leaders come together to
.give young people-constructive guidance and-positive outlets for
their en~rgies, they_will not throw ~way their futures through
early sex and other· risky, behaviors.
\
The program is working.-
~
Just last year, 24 of the prog::(am
participanti graduated from high school~
'
And 16 of these young
people are now in college, while four others joined the Armed
Forces.
In 1989 ;_ the American Medical1 Association awarded us
their Adolescent Health Award.
And.in 1991, we had the honor of·
being selected by President Bush as one of America's "Thousand
~_-
-
...
J_--
~ ~·
·d~~~~·
~/ U
Points of Light."
.
I believe this kind of success?ossible in evpry
community..
And as Surgeon General, I will ·work to empower local
communities' to develop comprehemsive teen pregnancy programs that
fit their individual heeds.
I know that what works in Nashville
may not work completely in Chicago or Charlotte.
But I have
faith that every community can make a difference.
In conclusion, let me say that I· am proud of my r·e.cord of
service and- my commitment to making sure every American has
,_
access to health care.
7
I ..
/
�/
In 1959, I was also called on to serve my country,, when I
'
\
served two years as a medical officer at the rank of. captain,
stationed at Larson Air Force Base, Washington.
That
~xperience
will lielp'me lead the men and women of the uniformed Public
,.i.:::·
Health Service. Commissioned Corps ..
And my military service also
stands as' a model-of the kind of patriotic and honorable public
service I hope to p·rovide.
Again, I want to thank.President Clinton for placing his
faith in me and for stariding_by me throughout this nomination.
I
only hope to repay him, you and the American people by being the ,
finest Surgeon General in the history of this great country ..
Thank you.
)
8
�8
~~eneral's
~o
the
relationship to the health of the American people and
Pu~!ic
Health
Servic~ Gomm~~sioned
Corps.
---~~wr~ ~~~~ -1"-~~ ~~- ~~
.
I have 1=he,t:e:fore reached my profess1onal stat1on as I appear
before you today by believing in the American system, following
~--~---------------·the rules, and working very, very hard.
accomplishments.
students
a
I am proud of my life's
I have earned the respect of my patients, ~
~
an~teers. I ~am-ftow-~v.,i.ng-m'f-l.OJ;l) ~~~y_g_a"-:~ \II"~
~---1=-he-Na.shY..i ll._e__ Academy.-e·f-=Mea·1GJ,.:r:le"-s-...Et.hic.s.._Col!lfll...Uli,ee.
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-as~I-wft]n 19 s 9~r·'');;;~;~'~-;><·Ai~F~--;~;-$~£f"i~·;~~~~:' capacity I dispatched my duties faithfully and
honorabl~~
chosen as this nation's next Surgeon General, I will approach
this new challenge in the same manner that I have approached all
others in my life; that being the application of intelligence,
energy and integrity.
Senator Kassebaum and committee members, I thank you for
your indulgence.
....--.......
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�THE NOMINATION OF DR. HENRY FOSTER, JR.
TALKING POINTS
·April25, 1995
''Dr. Foster is a good man with a good record as a family doctor, as someone who has
helped thousands of mothers to give birth to their children, and as an academic, and
as someone who has supported policies that are pro-family and pro-child. .. I will say
again: He is a distinguished physician. He is a good man. He has a good record . .He
should be confirmed." [President Clinton, 4/18/95]
DISTINGUISHED 38- YEAR CAREER -A LIFELONG RECORD OF SERVICE:
• Dr. Foster is highly qualified. He has the experience, the background, and the vision to
be an outstanding Surgeon General. He has practiced medicine for 38 years. He has
dedicated his life to improving the health of the women and children in his care. He has
delivered thousands of babies and trained hundreds of young doctors. He has worked
tirelessly in underserved areas to reduce infant mortality, improve pre-natal health
care, and work hand-in-hand with these communities to solve their health problems.
•
His innovative I Have A Future program is nationally recognized and its approach to
addressing our nation's teen pregnancy problem was honored by President George Bush
who named it one of America's Thousand Points of Light. The program stresses
abstinence and self esteem -- and it works. Fewer teens are getting pregnant; more
young people are going to college. Dr. Foster just the kind of person America needs as
Surgeon General.
THOSE WHO KNOW HIM BEST ATTEST TO HIS LIFELONG COMMITMENT:
• The U.S. News and World Report headline said it best: ''In All The Controversy, The
Real Dr. Henry Foster Has Been Lost." (3/61951 Dr. Foster has been defined thus far in a
variety of ways by a variety of people-- most of whom don't know him and have no idea
what he's really about. In this week before the hearing, we will finally hear from
people who are far better able to tell us who Dr. Foster really is. We'll hear from the
students he's trained in his 20 years at Meharry Medical College. We'll hear from the
teenagers he's inspired in his award-winning I Have A Future program. Let these
people define Dr. Foster.
DR. FOSTER DESERVES A CHANCE TO TELL HIS STORY AND GET A VOTE:
• Dr. Foster has dedicated his life to giving people chances: giving women the chance to
have healthy babies, giving babies the chance to have healthy childhoods, giving teens
the chance for successful futures. He too deserves a chance. A chance to tell the Senate
Labor Committee what he's about. And a chance to be voted on by the entire Senate.
It's fair. It's what both Dr. Foster and the American public deserve.
•
In February, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole wisely agreed, refusing to play politics:
"Let's see what the testimony is ... We shouldn't shoot down somebody before they've even
had a hearing.... The general rule is that the President is entitled to his nominees, and
that's been the general rule around here forever" !Meet the Press, 215/95]
•
As the President has said: Dr. Foster i:s,,~Malified. He should be confirmed. He should
not be caught up in any kind of politics --presidential or otherwise.
�Fax Cover Sheet
TO:
Frank Greer
338-2334
.FROM:
1ennifer Dudley
NUMBER OF PAGES:
9
Sam:
1ohn asked me to get r:rank a copy of Foster's opening statement draft.
Jenny
10"d lOO"ON
9~:11
S6,9~
~d~
:ai
�.--
04120/96
I 4: Go
'U2U2 090 IH04
liDS COHT IIIIP mG
.....
statement of Dr. Henry
w.
Foster
u.s. surqeon General Nominee before the
senate Labor and Human Resource~ com~ittee
Hay 2, 1995
~O'd
lOO'ON lP:tt
S6,9~ ~dl:l
:QI
li!003
�04/20/95
9202 890 0 154 .
l (: 116 .
RKS OONT lMP PRQ
~004
April .19, 1995
D I A l T Ia
senator Kassebaum and Labor and Huaan
Reaou~c••
Committee
. Members;
I thank fCN for affoJ:'ding me this opportunity to interact
with you.
Also, I thank those of you ttho were al:Jla to meet with
ma prior to tbese hearinqs.
wife, St. Clair,
daughte~
And most importantly,
I
thank my
Myrna, our son and hia wife, Wendell
and Ann, and all of the aany hundreds of
oiti~ens
who ca11ed,
vrote and initiated writinq campaigns on ay behalf.
I am
grateful for this demonstration Q£ eupport and especially so for
that whioh has come frQm my patients.
First, let .a
and how they
very
sha~a
the
influe~oed
fortunat~
with you some fauets of my early lite
de~elopment
of
my
values.
I
was so
to have had two very atronq and lovinq parents who
ware well educated, both havin9 earned baccalaureate and
postqraduate degrees.
miqht
o~
inco~ectly
However, I ha5ten to disabuse any who
interpret this
com~ent
as suqgeatinq soma hint
an elitist attitude -- this would ba absurd.
Let:
ae explain.
Now I don't think of myaolf as reallY an old perdon,
certainly not an oetoqenarian, but appreciate thia fact if you
will.
'My paternal qrandmotbar, not my 91"8B:t-grandmothar, or If<"/
great~qreat
grandmother, rather ay father's aother, was born just
16 years.arter slavery
ended in America.
she ever had any f.ormal education.
wonde~ed
why
he~
script
~as
1 doubt seriously if
As a younq schoolboy, I
poor but as I
qre~
older and wiser, I
came to appreciate her ;reat intelliqence and character.
Hattie was not educated, but most
£0'd LOQ'ON lv:tl
56,9~ ~dtl
eu~ely
Grandma
aha understood its value
:QI
�O'll019S
l4:G7 .
Ia! 006
tt202 890 6184
2
and its power.
As an attestation to her saga insiqht, she worked
as a domestic scrubbing
tloo~s
~d
on her hands
knees to aseure
that her two children would earn oolleqe deqreas and beyond.
succeeded.
Fostor
My fathor is daceased but his
Cheatha~,
~ister,
She
my Aunt Mary
still lives indapandently in Pine Bluff,
Arkanaas, at the aqe of 92.
Another scenario, before t move to my professional career,
also speaks to the aoquisition of my.valuee -- valu. . derived
from my mother and father, •Y church and my wonderful achool
teachGrs who bel1eved so completely in me and my future that I
would have done almost anything not to disappoint them.
A most
important value imparted by my p~rents wa~ they never lost faith
in America and its potential tor aquity for all under law.
As
rar back as I can remember we had a copy of the American
Constituti~n
in our
bo~e.
Ny father
oftQn
~old ~y
eister and me
that our freedom and justice~:toekad in the Constitution and
t:hen ha would tap his temple and say.
it ie an educated ~ind."
11
b\lt the key to unlocld.ng
We beliavad him.
He demonstr~ted hie
belief in America by hid contribUtion to the World War II effort.
)
Bduoated as a Chemist, he served ae foreman of a unit at
Bluff arsenal that built
~cendiary bombs.
of
th~
Although he missed
ohanqe that followed World War II, and chanq•
had predicted, he did saa this nation'$ armed
by President Truman by •xacutlve order.
He
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Brown va. Topeka Board of EdQcation decision.
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Before his pramatura
death,. his belief in America was vindicated.
~uch
the
the famous
On a personal
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level, he saw
Medicine.
m~
accepted to the University- of Arkansas School
or
Alt.houqh 1 was the only African American student in my
class of 9e students, it clearly represented proqr•as
nonetheless.
/My p~rants
taught and lived reepeet for law,, hard work,
education and integrity.
I well recoqnize that tba strong family
support infrastructure that was present in my faMily 1• abe•nt in
far too many American homes
tod~y.
The
11
1 HaVA A Future" proqram
with which I am sure you hold some familiarity and about which
~ill
you
inquire, is structured precisely to provide an
environment where such values can be inculcated over tine into
the youth we serve.
Kow, as for mY professional education, I finiahad high
school in 1950.
That fall t entered Morehouae Colleqe and
graduated in 1954.
That same
year 1 was accepted and entered the
University of Arkansas School of Medicine-and
qradua~ed
in 1958.
I conducted an internship in Detroit, Michiqan, at the Detroit
Receiving Hospital.
I then
served 2 years in the Air Porca on
active duty at the rank of ceptain as a medical offioer stationed
at
La~aon
Air Force Baae, Washington.
Prom there I went to
Boston, Madaaohusetts and conducted a year of residency training
in general surgery.
A1so, while
I joinGd tho Air Force
Reee~e
in Boston, voluntarily
unit at Hansoomb Field.
consider this or similar ailitary
th~
s~ationed
~ackground
aB invaluabl~ £or
role o£ surqeon General.
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From Boston I went to Mebarry Medical Colleqa in Nashville,
'l'en~essee,
for the first t.lsale.
provided me
stella~ ~raining
I:t was. a :.:ich e'kperience and
in obstetriC& and gynecology.
The
program was well-structured with a sizable portion of its
clinical training occurrinq at the extremely active
Memorial Hospital at Tuskeqee InGtitute.
inde~ted
that
ti~•
Andrew
Faculty from the OBfGYN
Department of Emory University also helped
1 am particularly
Jo~n
guide our
tr~ininq.
to or. John Daniel Thompgon, who at
was Professor and Chairman of the·Department of OB/GYN
at Emory and was the one professional per&on who most influenced
my
d~clalon
to take charqe of the OB/GYN service At Tuskegee,
upon the completion of my OB/GYN residency in 1965.
The choice to qo back to
deliberate choice.
Ae a
Tu~kegee
~eaident
wa• a conscious and
physician, I had
wi~nassed
first-hand., the abject poverty that existed and the enormous
health services needed
the~e.
P~enatal
care was unknown to •o
many of the patients I ca~a to serve, acme of whom· never in their
lives had been oared fer by a phy.ician.
In cooperation with tha adainiatration of John Andrew
Hospital in Tusk•qea Insti~e, we developed a rsqionalized
perinatal healthcare network funded throuqh a Title V maternity
and Infant care grant.
.
.
,,_,_
. ,. ,.,. -
This model was succeusrul and as a
Medicine aa1ita
·yo..~~t:t'!
;_, .
.a:a.IR~tfcd!ed J.Ak
~c.--~-~~.
youngest~ •t that ~i••·
consequence, it !pad to -..y
RObert Wood Johneon Vaundation funded a
the Institute of
FUrther, ths
~pilot
r•gionalime perinatal health services throughout the
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1
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vas invited by that foundation to serve on its advisory committee
for
tha~
national effort.
Regionalized perinatal health
ae~io~s
now exist in all 50 states.
In 191l, after spending a years in Tuakeqee, I accepted the
poaition of Professor and Chairman of the DapartmGnt of
Obstetrics and Gynecology at Meharry Medical Col~eqe, a position
$!1_(),..1~ ~ .~.~.,
whioh I held for 17 y~ars. Whlle iri this\position, I was
''1
"l\wr·
suce~ssful
in procurinq qrant fundlnq tc provide prenatal·care to
indiqent patients in Middle Tennessee and in the hou•inq projecte
of Nashville.
I
obtained~rom
the Tennessee
of Health to provide perinatal services throuqh a
entitled tha "Alcohol and substance
~so·
D~partment
;I
progra~
in Pregnancy Program."
This proqra• at the end of its l year runding from the State of
Tennessee, received
5
years continuation funding from CSAP
(Center for Substance Abuse Prevention). Lastly, in 1987, I was
· --H,fJ'~ft.fr~~~ (J'~C,..,.~flh '?i1 .14n-w.t.
auc:cezusful in<l:~.rlatoin'Aq f.aAdiA4'7::k! tne •I Have A JI'Ut\U"a 11 taan
preqn~ncy
prevention proqram,• wbich includ•s a coalition
comprised of parents, volunteers, churches,
busines~
media, local and state qovernment and others.
sal~
respect in
ou~
youth
l•aders, the
The program builds
by requiring perscnal responsibility
imbuinq them with the advanteqes of abstinence in preventing
pregnancy, DeXQally transmitted diaeases and
HI~~DS.
Discipline of this sort pronot.. self esteem and strenqthens
their capadity in accepting personal responsibility.
The
productivity of the more than 900 youth who have participated in
our progra~ far exceeds that of other youth in Nashville's ~.
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housing projects who have not bad the benefit of our
intervention ..
In 1890, I became Vice President for Health services tor the
Mebarry Health sciences center which is
c~mprised
of four schools
-- Medicine, Denti&try, Graduate studies and Research, •nd Allied
Health
frofession~.
IJ4~
Concomitant with this
~t)-
aee•~Dean
position IfBlSO
~ica
presidency
of the School of Medicine.
October of 1993, the Board of Trustees
o~
In
Meharry requested that
I head the University as its acting president, which I did until
July 1 last year when I
co~enoed
Wshinqton as senior scholar in
Academic Health Centers.
my
sa~batical
resid~ae
at the
studies hera in
A~aoeiation o~
My cabbatieal study topic is,
shift in the Physician Work ForcQ!
Gendar
ImplieationBfor Health
Reform. ••
On February 2, 1995, Prasident
intention
~o
Clinton announced his
nomin&te me tor the position of
As ror the position of
8
su~qeon Gener~l,
S~qeon
General.
x will ahara
wi~
you brierly some of my thou9hts rc9ardin9 the fubotion and future
of tbat office.
Firet
an~oremost,
advocate for the health of/
and nonpartisan.
I must be an
e~ucator ~nd
tt American people -- no exceptions
an
consanaua bUildinq has been central to the
progress of my professional career.
NQt unlike previous
surgeon~
General, x too will have an especial focus, that bein9 •fforte to
reduce the unequivocal epidemic of teen preqnanoi•s extant in
this country.
~
will challenge tb• American people to attack
this epidamio of teen pregnancy and I will give direction as how
t·o aceon\pliah. this end.
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General Luther Terry alerted Americans for the first t~a or the
causal relation&hip between cigarette smokin9 and lunq oancer.
surgeon General c. Everett Koop focussed on HrY/AIDS, sending
educational material to every houGehola in America.
I, a• they,
will concomitantly continue the assault on·othar pressing heal~
issues such as
oancer~eapecially
breast
canes~,
HIV/AIDS,
perinatal ~rtality, mental health, aging, alcoholism, drug
abuse, violence, and the myriad of oth~ important health iasuea
that face this nation.
As Surgeon Gen~ral, I must oo~municate to
the American people the enormous banefits of health
pro•otionfd\sease prevention.
As a Surgeon General with prior military service, I will be
a stronq and dediaated leader for the
commissioned corps.
u.s.
Public Health Service
However, even here, my role fundamentally is
that of ed':lcator and advoaate.
As I. u
sura the oolllmittae knows,
the surqeon General's staff 1s but 7 people, includinq the
surgeon General.
Tb~ an~ira bUdqGt ~or the
General is less than a million
dol~ars
Office of the surqeon
annually.
~ /n oonelusion, during this opening stat8l11ent, I have
provided an overview of ay formati~e years and how my fami1y 'and
community helped ~pe my values -- values which I feel should
imbue all youth.
I summarized my education, military service,
hi9hliqhts or ny professional career and my view of the Surqeon
General's relationship to the health of the Amerigen people and
to the Public.Health service CoDmissioned corps.
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X have therefore reQched my protesaionnl station a• I appear
before you tod~y by beliavih9 in the AQerioan systom, fo~lowinq
~~
the rules, and ~o~king hard.
sarve as
I
-..wes- in
<
w.s
1959
when
I hava1 been called on once aqain to
I
l:Jecau an Air Force o:tticar and·
served thia country faithfully.
If chosen aa thia nation'• next
Surgeon General, t will. approach this new oballenqe in th$
menne~
a~~e
that I have approached all others in •Y lifA; that bAinq
the application of intalli9ence. energy and inteqrity.
Senator Kaasabaum and committee members, I thank you for
your indulgenco.
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�Abortion and Dr. Henry Foster
"I believed that I performed fewer than a dozen pregnancy terminations,"
all of which " were primarily to save the lives of the women or because the
women had been the victims of rape of incest." [The Washington Post, Feb. 4, 1995]
Foster emphasized that he delivered more than 10,000 babies during that
time and probably performed fewer than a dozen abortions.
All of them were in hospitals "and were primarily to save the lives of the
women or because the women had been the victims of rape or incest," he said in
a statement.
Furthermore, he added, "if abortion is provided, my wish is that it be safe,
legal and rare. 11 [The Los Angeles Times, Feb. 4, 1995]
Officials last night said HHS officials misunderstood Foster's answer to a
question on whether he performed abortions and constued his answer to be one
abortion, and passed along the information. [The Washington Post, Feb. 7, 1995]
Eager to sink Henry Foster's nomination as surgeon general, conservatives
Monday issued a partial transcript seeming to contain an admission that he ·
performed many more abortions than he acknowledged.
Foster denied the accusation, and the single page did not furhter identify
"Dr. Foster," letting his backers question whether the statements attributed to
him are his." [USA Today, Feb. 7, 1995]
Initially, the White House had told Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum,
~epublican of Kansas, that Dr. Foster had performed only one abortion. Ms.
Kassebaum heads the committee that will review the nomination.
But in Friday's statement, the doctor said, "In that period of almost three
decades as a private practicing physician, I believe that I performed fewer than a
dozen pregnancy terminations." He added that " all were in hospitals and were
primarily· to save the lives of the women or because the women had been the
victims of rape or incest." [The New York Times, Feb. 7, 1995]
Adding to the firestorm: a medial journal article written by Foster, and
released Tuesday by abortion opponents, reporting on a study of a suppository
�used to induce abortion.
The suppositories were never marketed, but at the time of the study,
Foster was quoted in the Nashville Banner as saying there were
"revo1unt'wnary. " [USA Today, Feb. 8, 1995]
- Nightline Interview
Dr. Hemy Foster guaranteed even more controversy over his nomination
as surgeon general, admitting Wednesday night he has done 39 abortions.
Foster made the admission ABC's Nightline. He also said he won't bow to
criticism: "I'm a big fighter. I'm going to go with the process all the way .. .I feel
the president is totally committed to my nomination." [USA Today, Feb. 9, 1995]
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Terry Edmonds
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Speechwriting
James (Terry) Edmonds
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1995-2001
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36090" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7763294" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Identifier
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2006-0462-F
Description
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Terry Edmonds worked as a speechwriter from 1995-2001. He became the Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting in 1999. His speechwriting focused on domestic topics such as race relations, veterans issues, education, paralympics, gun control, youth, and senior citizens. He also contributed to the President’s State of the Union speeches, radio addresses, commencement speeches, and special dinners and events. The records include speeches, letters, memorandum, schedules, reports, articles, and clippings.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Extent
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635 folders in 52 boxes
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
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Paper
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Title
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6-22-95 Dr. Henry Foster Statement (and Op-Ed) Edison, NJ [2]
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Speechwriting
James (Terry) Edmonds
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0462-F
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 18
<a href="http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/assets/Documents/Finding-Aids/2006/2006-0462-F.pdf" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7763294" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
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Adobe Acrobat Document
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Reproduction-Reference
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12/9/2014
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42-t-7763294-20060462F-018-007-2014
7763294