Dear Friend,

On Wednesday, September 3, 2008, at 2:30 p.m., it is my privilege to host FDA Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach at one of my official town hall meetings which will be held in Room MSB 3.001 of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. We all know and admire this good man from his outstanding leadership over three decades at the Texas Medical Center as a physician, surgeon, oncologist, and as Chairman of the Department of Urologic Oncology, Executive Vice President, and Chief Academic at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. In September 2005, President George W. Bush appointed him as Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

Commissioner von Eschenbach is here at my request to see some of the latest research being done at the Medical Center, to meet with the heads of these great institutions, and to answer your questions in a town hall meeting format.

My principal goals on the Appropriations Committee are doubling funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, and providing the funding that NASA needs to preserve our leadership role in space exploration. I know how important these investments are for the future of our nation, and I also know that Houston and the Texas Medical Center institutions will win a significant share of any objective, peer-reviewed grant funding because of the unparalleled quality of our researchers, scientists, and doctors.

Dr. von Eschenbach's personal experiences at M.D. Anderson and as Director of the National Cancer Institute give him an invaluable prespective leading the FDA and understanding your needs, concerns, and advice based on your work and experiences at the Texas Medical Center. I sincerely hope you can join me for this rare opportunity to speak directly to the FDA Commissioner, and to thank him for his commitment to modernizing the agency, speeding up the drug approval process, and for his devotion to Houston and our magnificent Texas Medical Center.

Parking will be at The University of Texas Physicians Professional Building Parking Garage, across the street from The University of Texas Medical School. Valet parking is recommended; the entrance is off Main Street between North MacGregor and University Boulevard. Signs and University of Texas Health Science Center hosts will direct guests to the Medical School.

Sincerely,
John Culberson
Member of Congress