His words, which are now inscribed at the entrance to the Salk Institute, are as true now as when he spoke them many years ago.  In essence, we must have the courage and imagination to dream of new cures for the diseases that effect our families, our friends, and our community. 

But cures are not made of dreams and imagination alone.  Significant resources for building state-of-the-art facilities and purchasing cutting-edge equipment are necessary in order to make these dreams become a reality.  I have introduced a proposal in the Senate, on behalf of the Governor, that will go a long way toward producing the necessary funds to jump start a new age of discovery in Pennsylvania. 

The Jonas Salk Legacy Fund (currently Senate Bill 700 and House Bill 1142) is a $500 million investment that will accelerate the rate of medical breakthroughs to help cure disease and relieve suffering. Further, it will attract hundreds of high-level researchers to Pennsylvania and create thousands of new jobs in the process of strengthening our leadership role in a the very competitive industry of Life Sciences.  This investment will be matched by another $500 million from our research community, infusing $1 billion of new money for facilities and equipment that will attract top rate researchers.  None of that investment will come from increased taxes or unsecured indebtedness.

On top of this commitment, my legislation will redirect a portion of annual tobacco receipts for the purpose of seeding and sustaining the Health Venture Investment Account, a venture capital incentive fund, and the regional Biotechnology Research Centers, also known as Life Science Greenhouses.

These two initiatives have been dramatically successful programs created by the original Tobacco Settlement Act that wisely dedicated 100% of the state revenue from the Master Settlement Agreement with the tobacco companies to health related activities.  Each has aided in the creation of new high paying jobs and asset-producing companies that have helped to spur Pennsylvania to the forefront of the biosciences industry. 

The synergy of other exciting projects, such as the new MEDRAD manufacturing facility, the $200 million expansion of the Hillman Cancer Institute, and the $65 million wet lab research facility at the Second Avenue Technology Center are just a few of the many impressive research and development initiatives now underway in Pittsburgh and around the region.

I am proud to unequivocally support such an initiative alongside the esteemed research institutions in our region such as the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, Penn State, and Carnegie Mellon University.  I hope that my fellow legislators also see the wisdom in making such prudent investments and will join me in supporting the creation of the Jonas Salk Legacy Fund.

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