U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, who will be leaving the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of his term, attended an appreciation breakfast last week with UNMC and University of Nebraska System leaders.
The event was intended to thank Rep. Bacon for his support of UNMC and the university over his tenure in Congress.
UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, called Rep. Bacon a stalwart champion for the university.
“Every time I came to D.C., you were always very warm in receiving us,” Dr. Davies said. “Far more importantly, we want to thank you for what you’ve done for UNMC. You’ve been a stalwart supporter in so many different ways and areas.”
Dr. Davies noted that the university has received millions of dollars in federal money just over the past few months, including $6 million to support the federal Infectious Disease Air Transport Training Facility that will be built on the UNMC Omaha campus.
“We want to thank you for the supportive relationship,” he said.
Chris Kratochvil, MD, vice chancellor for external relations for UNMC and vice president for external relations for the University of Nebraska System, also spoke about Rep. Bacon’s role in UNMC’s emergence as a national force in infectious disease training and treatment.
“After Ebola hit in 2014, we were partnering with our federal delegation regarding the National Ebola Training Education Center as it was called at that time, working to develop that infrastructure — and then the layers started building,” Dr. Kratochvil said. “If you look at what’s happened throughout Congressman Bacon’s tenure, the health security focus has been remarkable and wouldn’t have happened without him.”
Dr. Kratochvil mentioned Rep. Bacon’s support for:
- The Training Simulation Quarantine Center, which set the stage for Nebraska’s role in the Hantavirus and COVID response
- The Regional Disaster Health Response System
- The work with the Uniformed Services University
- C-STARS, the team Col. Elizabeth Schnaubelt, MD, leads at UNMC, now including 16 Air Force personnel and two contractors on the Omaha campus
- The development of the Infectious Disease Air Transport Training Facility
- The Office for the Advancement of Military Medicine.
“You have done amazing things for Nebraska and our country,” Dr. Kratochvil told Rep. Bacon.
Rep. Bacon thanked Dr. Davies and the other UNMC leaders. He said that when he was first elected, before he had even taken office, a prominent community leader called him for a quick meeting.
“He told me, ‘You are now the champion of the University of Nebraska,’” Rep. Bacon said. “That was the meeting.”
Bacon said UNMC should be the capital of the country for cancer research, Alzheimer’s/Parkinson’s research and military partnerships.
“I’ve appreciated the partnership with the chancellor, the university team, all of you,” he said. “It’s been a win-win, and it’s been great for the community, great for our country.”
