i am confident as dr. helms that we will have a comprehensive health reform measure passed and signed into law this year and i'm also confident that we have an opportunity with that piece as well as these initiatives in technology and prevention and wellness and a new way to look at health in america to make some really transformative changes that will yield a more prosperous, healthier nation over the next decade. now, another new course that we have in the department is our effort to build a 21st century food and drug safety system. and it is again a charge that the president has given to us. and we take very seriously given the fact that our marketplace looks very different than it did 25 years ago. we need a regulatory structure that looks very different than it did 25 years ago. and i'm just delighted that you're going to hear from another of our great new leaders at hhs dr. peggy hemberg whom we were able to steal from new york and convince to be here with us. but thank you all for being here today. thank

dr. john hamre took the helm. the csis board at that time chairman was ann armstrong, another great patriot, first woman ambassador to the court of st. james and chairman of the president's foreign intelligence advisory board, helped us raise the funds for the abshire lecture. and we did something unheard of and surprised dave by announcing the creation of this lecture during one of the csis round table meetings. the late beloved ambassador armstrong, bill taylor and many of you here today along with other csis staff and friends did this all behind dave's back. not surprising long after, senator sam nunn and, yes, dave, his side burns were quite long, nunn, gave the inaugural lecture in march of '83. since then lee hamilton, the duke of westminster among those who have given this esteemed lecture. perhaps admiral mullen can be persuaded to give a future one. i hope you have a better understanding of how these traditions began. having left washington to run our family foundation, i remain actively involved in two o