A team of power players in the state's bioscience industry now has a captain for its road trip to Boston.
U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., announced Tuesday that he would lead the Kansas delegation during the BIO 2007 convention, which runs Friday through Monday in Boston.
The international event is billed as the world's largest bioscience convention, intended to educate the public and policymakers about biotechnology, showcase the latest in bioscience innovations and provide states with an opportunity to promote their bioscience strengths.
"Kansans have a rich history of embracing and leading innovation, and our work at BIO 2007 will demonstrate to the world that we are committed to aggressively moving this industry forward," Roberts said.
KansasBio, a bioscience booster organization, an-nounced last week that it would field a team of seven "Big Thinkers" for the conference. The group includes Val Stella, a distinguished professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at Kansas University.
In keeping with Kansas' theme for this year - "Big League Bio" - Roberts will throw out the ceremonial "first pitch" as the delegation opens its pavilion at the convention.
Tom Thornton, president and chief executive officer of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, praised Roberts' leadership - including his work on a potential $451 million federal laboratory that could be in Leavenworth or Manhattan.
"Through his leadership of Kansas' efforts to secure the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, Sen. Roberts continues to demonstrate unwavering support of the biosciences in Kansas," Thornton said.
Angela Kreps, president of KansasBio, said the delegation also would focus on Kansas' strengths in specific bioscience sectors, including biofuels, pharmaceuticals and animal health.
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Machiavelli_mania (anonymous) says…
This is massively scary. I don't trust Roberts anymore.
I don't want Roberts on anything that influences the nation's health. I do not trust him to care about this nation's health.
Roberts failed this country twice on intell oversight. Once on 9-11 and the second on the leadup to the Iraqi Invasion. He was part of the lying spin-up for the invasion of Iraq.
Note that Roberts is no longer on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Wonder why.
Roberts is a massive part of this nation's disatisfaction with the US Congress.
The Roberts guy is a now real loser. Keith Sebelius would be ashamed of him!!
Roberts is NOT a traditional GOP member. He is a Bushie.
Roberts is no longer a Centrist. He has been voting 97% ( !!! ) with Bush.
dagopman (anonymous) says…
And Boyda votes 98% of the time with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
Machiavelli_mania (anonymous) says…
I have not seen that. Gotta link?
dagopman (anonymous) says…
Here is a link to Boyda's voting record:
www.govtrack.us/congress/votes.xpd?pe...
nobody1793 (anonymous) says…
While I'm not a huge fan of Sen. Roberts, compared to Brownback he's the Dalai freakin' Lama.
Machiavelli_mania (anonymous) says…
Pat Roberts is a major Bushie. I don't see that changing, except for election purposes.
I dunno. While I am as pro-choice as it gets, so bad I can taste it (!), I have to say that Brownback has presented some real surprises. He publically came out, even in this paper, about how there wasn't enough intelligence to invade Iraq. He drug his heels on this issue, but then later, much to my chagrin, caved to Bush's wishes.
Roberts, in the position to know if the intell was false or not, simply marched the Bush line and aided (!) in ridicule for those who didn't march the Bush line. In MY book, that makes Roberts so much worse than Brownback. Leagues worse. Because of the position that Roberts held and the leadership he was supposed to be maintaining.
Thanks for the link, dog-something. There is no Boyda vote there that I have problems with, and I am NOT a Pelosi fan. I have called Boyda's office and let them know that she doesn't have to toe/tow the Pelosi line.
AND I don't hate Pelosi. She would be a much better president than the clowny one sitting in the Oval Office today.
Machiavelli_mania (anonymous) says…
Speaking of the Dalai Lama, he is visiting Madison, Wi, for his fourth visit there. I found that fascinating. Just absolutely wonderful. It is a nice drive to Madison, especially this time of year. All but 30 miles with 4 lane traffic, when taking the short-cut on 151.
blackwalnut (anonymous) says…
Can't wait to replace this Bush enabler, apologist and stonewaller of the 9/11 investigation.
Another Republican who needs to be thrown out of office.
WendiM (anonymous) says…
Ah Machiavelli man...keep your friends close and your Moveon.org talking points closer? You can't even stay on topic for longer than 4 sentences without reverting back to "Bush lied, people died". You just can't help yourself.
What does any of this have to do with the development of the bioscience business in Kansas? It was Gov. Sebelius that appointed Sen. Roberts to chair the NBAF committee. Maybe other dems should follow her lead and not let pure blind Bush-hatred get in the way of helping our state.
If we get that lab - and all the jobs and revenue that comes with it - it will be in no small part due to the hard work of people like Sen. Roberts. If we get that lab, it will be a fantastic victory for the state of Kansas, but I sense that people like yourself would rather cut off your nose to spite your face.