Diary Prequel Package — page 111

I am extremely proud of the work we did together at America's Department of Compassion. President Bush set forth an ambitious agenda for our Department. And I love a big challenge. Since the day I walked through the doors of this building, we have worked tirelessly to better the health and well-being of the American people and our neighbors throughout the world. Thanks to your work, * We delivered on our promise to modernize Medicare with prescription drug coverage - the most historic improvement to Medicare since it was created in 1965. Now seniors and the disabled will get substantial help paying for the modern medicines and preventive services that extend and enhance their lives. * We're spending more in medical research than any time in our history. And the President opened the door to federal funding of groundbreaking stem cell research. * We're investing in our long-neglected public health system, making our nation better prepared to fight disease or biological attacks. We're improving the safety of the food we eat and import. * We're developing the new medicines and vaccines to protect our citizens from disease or bioterrorism. * Our children are healthier than ever, with health coverage and immunization rates at record highs and childhood drug usage going down. * We turned America's attention to disease prevention, motivating Americans to eat better and exercise more in order to improve their health and quality of life. * And we're waging a bold new global fight against HIV/AIDS, committing an unprecedented $15 billion toward eradicating this scourge. This will be a jewel in the President's legacy - and our years at HHS. Together, we also faced challenges that were unpredictable and unimaginable. * HHS was among the first on the ground to care for New York City residents and assist in the aftermath of 9/11. * From the day I arrived, we spoke of the need to better prepare for bioterrorism, and together we helped this nation weather the first biological attack on its people with the anthrax letters. * We expanded our cache of smallpox vaccine, so we