[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 19 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 19

   To express the sense of the Senate that the Federal investment in 
  biomedical research should be increased by $3,400,000,000 in fiscal 
                               year 2002.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 13, 2001

  Mr. Specter (for himself, Mr. Harkin, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Frist, Mr. 
  Schumer, Mr. Sarbanes, Ms. Collins, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Hutchinson, Ms. 
   Snowe, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Santorum, and Mrs. Murray) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             Appropriations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   To express the sense of the Senate that the Federal investment in 
  biomedical research should be increased by $3,400,000,000 in fiscal 
                               year 2002.

Whereas past investments in biomedical research have resulted in better health, 
        an improved quality of life for all Americans and a reduction in 
        national health care expenditures;
Whereas the Nation's commitment to biomedical research has expanded the base of 
        scientific knowledge about health and disease and revolutionized the 
        practice of medicine;
Whereas the Federal Government represents the single largest contribution to 
        biomedical research conducted in the United States;
Whereas biomedical research continues to play a vital role in the growth of this 
        Nation's biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical industries;
Whereas the origin of many of the new drugs and medical devices currently in use 
        is based in biomedical research supported by the National Institutes of 
        Health;
Whereas women have traditionally been under represented in medical research 
        protocols, yet are severely affected by diseases including breast 
        cancer, claimed the lives of 40,800 women last year; ovarian cancer 
        claimed another 14,000 lives; and osteoporosis and cardiovascular 
        disorders;
Whereas research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health is responsible 
        for the identification of genetic mutations relating to nearly 100 
        diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, Huntington's 
        disease, osteoporosis, many forms of cancer, and immune deficiency 
        disorders;
Whereas many Americans still face serious and life-threatening health problems; 
        both acute and chronic;
Whereas neurodegenerative diseases of the elderly, such as Alzheimer's and 
        Parkinson's disease threaten to destroy the lives of millions of 
        Americans, overwhelm the Nation's health care system, and bankrupt the 
        Medicare and Medicaid programs;
Whereas one in one hundred Americans is currently infected with the hepatitis C 
        virus, an insidious liver condition that can lead to inflammation, 
        cirrhosis, and cancer as well as liver failure;
Whereas 320,000 Americans are now suffering from AIDS and hundreds of thousands 
        more with HIV infection;
Whereas cancer remains a comprehensive threat to any tissue or organ of the body 
        at any age, and remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality;
Whereas the extent of psychiatric and neurological diseases poses considerable 
        challenges in understanding the workings of the brain and nervous 
        system;
Whereas recent advances in the treatment of HIV illustrate the promise research 
        holds for even more effective, accessible, and affordable treatments for 
        persons with HIV;
Whereas infants and children are the hope of our future, yet they continue to be 
        the most vulnerable and under served members of our society;
Whereas prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and 
        last year 31,900 men died from prostate cancer;
Whereas diabetes, both insulin and non-insulin forms, afflict 16 million 
        Americans and places them at risk for acute and chronic complications, 
        including blindness, kidney failure, atherosclerosis and nerve 
        degeneration;
Whereas the emerging understanding of the principles of biomimetrics have been 
        applied to the development of hard tissue such as bone and teeth as well 
        as soft tissue, and this field of study holds great promise for the 
        design of new classes of biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, diagnostic and 
        analytical reagents;
Whereas research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health will map and 
        sequence the entire human genome by 2003, leading to a new era of 
        molecular medicine that will provide unprecedented opportunities for the 
        prevention, diagnoses, treatment, and cure of diseases that currently 
        plague society;
Whereas the fundamental way science is conducted is changing at a revolutionary 
        pace, demanding a far greater investment in emerging new technologies, 
        research training programs, and in developing new skills among 
        scientific investigators; and
Whereas most Americans show overwhelming support for an increased Federal 
        investment in biomedical research: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as the ``Biomedical Revitalization 
Resolution of 2001''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE SENATE.

    It is the sense of the Senate that funding for the National 
Institutes of Health should be increased by $3,400,000,000 in fiscal 
year 2002 and that the budget resolution appropriately reflect 
sufficient funds to achieve this objective.
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