[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7] [House] [Page 9346] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]ISRAEL'S 60th ANNIVERSARY (Mr. PERLMUTTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Israel on its 60th anniversary. While Israel is frequently cited as a model of democracy in the Middle East, I would like to focus on Israel's advances in embryonic stem cell research. The United States is still trying to fully harness the potential of this valuable research. We aim to cure debilitating diseases like Parkinson's, diabetes, epilepsy, spinal injuries, and others. But for years at facilities like Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, the Weizmann Institute, and many others, Israeli scientists have blazed a path for the rest of the world to follow. For 60 years, Americans and Israelis have built a friendship embracing all that we share, and as the United States works to unlock the promise of embryonic stem cell research, we find yet another reason our friend Israel is so special. ____________________