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January 29, 2015

Ranking Member Johnson’s Statement on the Passing of Charles Townes

(Washington, DC) - Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following statement regarding the passing of heralded inventor and scientist, Dr. Charles Townes. In addition to a long list of accolades, Dr. Townes won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1964 for his fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics.

“I join the entire scientific community in expressing my sadness on the passing of Dr. Charles Townes. As the inventor of the laser, his breakthrough work is utilized in almost every scientific discipline today and has had an immeasurable impact on our society. His life and devotion to fundamental science are also a perfect example of the value of prioritizing and funding basic research. Dr. Townes took an unrealized concept and employed scientific principles to create a life-changing innovation. Dr. Townes’ legacy as a researcher will live on in the next generation of scientists as they take his groundbreaking invention and research to new heights.”