Representative Conyers Honored as BIO Legislator of the Year
Washington, D.C. (April 14, 2015) – The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) announced today its selection of Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) as a 2015 Legislator of the Year. Representative Conyers will receive the award this evening in conjunction with BIO’s Legislative Day Fly-In.
“Representative Conyers understands the value of Michigan's life science industry, not just on an economic scale, but through the benefit it delivers to patients facing devastating diseases," said BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood. “We applaud his commitment in leading the charge to protect patent owners from dangerous patent litigation reform and for continuing to be a champion of intellectual property policies that incentivize innovation.”
“As a champion for the thousands of Michiganders working in the biotechnology industry, Representative Conyers has demonstrated leadership on issues vitally important to our state and the nation,” said Dr. Stephen Rapundalo President & CEO of MichBio. "The life science industry in Michigan provides an enormous economic impact and provides jobs, both directly and indirectly, for over 205,000 people. We thank Representative Conyers for supporting the innovative capacity and job creating potential of life science companies, and congratulate him on receiving this award."
More than 300 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.
Photos of the award presentation are available upon request.