[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 96 (Wednesday, June 11, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5296-H5300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1915
CAROLINE PRYCE WALKER CONQUER CHILDHOOD CANCER ACT OF 2008
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1553) to amend the Public Health Service Act to advance
medical research and treatments into pediatric cancers, ensure patients
and families have access to the current treatments and information
regarding pediatric cancers, establish a population-based national
childhood cancer database, and promote public awareness of pediatric
cancers, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1553
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Caroline Pryce Walker
Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Cancer kills more children than any other disease.
(2) Each year cancer kills more children between 1 and 20
years of age than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and
AIDS, combined.
(3) Every year, over 12,500 young people are diagnosed with
cancer.
(4) Each year about 2,300 children and teenagers die from
cancer.
(5) One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before age
20.
(6) Some forms of childhood cancer have proven to be so
resistant that even in spite of the great research strides
made, most of those children die. Up to 75 percent of the
children with cancer can now be cured.
(7) The causes of most childhood cancers are not yet known.
(8) Childhood cancers are mostly those of the white blood
cells (leukemias), brain, bone, the lymphatic system, and
tumors of the muscles, kidneys, and nervous system. Each of
these behaves differently, but all are characterized by an
uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells.
(9) Eighty percent of the children who are diagnosed with
cancer have disease which has already spread to distant sites
in the body.
(10) Ninety percent of children with a form of pediatric
cancer are treated at one of the more than 200 Children's
Oncology Group member institutions throughout the United
States.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
It is the purpose of this Act to authorize appropriations
to--
(1) encourage the support for pediatric cancer research and
other activities related to pediatric cancer;
(2) establish a comprehensive national childhood cancer
registry; and
(3) provide informational services to patients and families
affected by childhood cancer.
SEC. 4. PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH AND AWARENESS; NATIONAL
CHILDHOOD CANCER REGISTRY.
(a) Pediatric Cancer Research and Awareness.--Subpart 1 of
part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 285 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 417E. PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH AND AWARENESS.
``(a) Pediatric Cancer Research.--
``(1) Programs of research excellence in pediatric
cancer.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the Director of
NIH and other Federal agencies with interest in prevention
and treatment of pediatric cancer, shall continue to enhance,
expand, and intensify pediatric cancer research and other
activities related to pediatric cancer, including
therapeutically applicable research to generate effective
treatments, pediatric preclinical testing, and pediatric
clinical trials through National Cancer Institute-supported
pediatric cancer clinical trial groups and their member
institutions. In enhancing, expanding, and intensifying such
research and other activities, the Secretary is encouraged to
take into consideration the application of such research and
other activities for minority, health disparity, and
medically underserved communities. For purposes of this
section, the term `pediatric cancer research' means research
on the causes, prevention, diagnosis, recognition, treatment,
and long-term effects of pediatric cancer.
``(2) Peer review requirements.--All grants awarded under
this subsection shall be awarded in accordance with section
492.
``(b) Public Awareness of Pediatric Cancers and Available
Treatments and Research.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may award grants to
childhood cancer professional and direct service
organizations for the expansion and widespread implementation
of--
``(A) activities that provide available information on
treatment protocols to ensure early access to the best
available therapies and clinical trials for pediatric
cancers;
``(B) activities that provide available information on the
late effects of pediatric cancer treatment to ensure access
to necessary long-term medical and psychological care; and
``(C) direct resource services such as educational outreach
for parents, peer-to-peer and parent-to-parent support
networks, information on school re-entry and postsecondary
education, and resource directories or referral services for
financial assistance, psychological counseling, and other
support services.
In awarding grants under this paragraph, the Secretary is
encouraged to take into consideration the extent to which an
entity would use such grant for purposes of making activities
and services described in this paragraph available to
minority, health disparity, and medically underserved
communities.
``(2) Performance measurement, transparency, and
accountability.--For each grant awarded under this
subsection, the Secretary shall develop and implement
metrics-based performance measures to assess the
effectiveness of activities funded under such grant.
``(3) Informational requirements.--Any information made
available pursuant to a grant awarded under paragraph (1)
shall be--
``(A) culturally and linguistically appropriate as needed
by patients and families affected by childhood cancer; and
``(B) approved by the Secretary.
``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall
be construed as being inconsistent with the goals and
purposes of the Minority Health and Health Disparities
Research and Education Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 202 note).
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For purposes of
carrying out this section and section 399E-1, there are
authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2009 through 2013. Such authorization of appropriations
is in addition to the authorization of appropriations
established in section 402A with respect to such purpose.
Funds appropriated under this subsection shall remain
available until expended.''.
(b) National Childhood Cancer Registry.--Part M of title
III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280e et seq.)
is amended--
(1) by inserting after section 399E the following:
``SEC. 399E-1. NATIONAL CHILDHOOD CANCER REGISTRY.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
shall award a grant to enhance and expand infrastructure to
track the epidemiology of pediatric cancer into a
comprehensive nationwide registry of actual occurrences of
pediatric cancer. Such registry shall be updated to include
an actual occurrence within weeks of the date of such
occurrence.
``(b) Informed Consent and Privacy Requirements and
Coordination With Existing Programs.--The registry
established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be subject to
section 552a of title 5, United States Code, the regulations
promulgated under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, applicable
Federal and State informed consent regulations, any other
applicable Federal and State laws relating to the privacy of
patient information, and section 399B(d)(4) of this Act.'';
and
[[Page H5297]]
(2) in section 399F(a), by inserting ``(other than section
399E-1)'' after ``this part''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, we're here today to consider H.R. 1553, the Caroline
Pryce Walker Cancer Act of 2008.
Between infancy and 15 years of age, cancer is the leading cause of
death by disease among children in the United States. In 2007,
approximately 10,000 new cases of pediatric cancer were diagnosed in
children ages 0 to 14 years.
Although the incidents of invasive cancer has increased slightly over
the past 30 years, mortality has declined dramatically for many
childhood cancers. Despite these advances, treatments for some
childhood cancers are inadequate. Negative effects resulting from
current pediatric cancer therapies indicate a need to strengthen
Federal support for activities leading to an enhanced understanding of
childhood cancers and treatments that are less toxic and more
effective.
H.R. 1553 would strengthen the Federal investment in pediatric cancer
research and reassert Congress's commitment to conquering childhood
cancer. This legislation directs the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to continue to enhance, expand, and intensify pediatric cancer
research and other activities related to pediatric cancer. Furthermore,
this legislation directs HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to enhance and expand infrastructure to track the
epidemiology of pediatric cancer into a comprehensive nationwide
registry of actual occurrences of pediatric cancer.
I want to thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee
for working together in a bipartisan fashion to get this important
legislation to the floor today. I would also like to commend, in
particular, Representative Chris Van Hollen and also Representative
Deborah Pryce, whose diligent work and commitment to this issue are the
reason we're here today.
This legislation, Madam Speaker, is named in memory of Representative
Pryce's 9-year-old daughter Caroline who tragically lost her valiant
battle against a rare form of cancer, neuroblastoma, on September 4,
1999. I can't think of a more fitting tribute to Caroline Pryce Walker
than to see her mother's legislation overwhelmingly pass the House
floor today.
I encourage all of my colleagues in the support of this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise with Ranking Member Joe Barton and all of our
Energy and Commerce colleagues in enthusiastic support of H.R. 1553
which is called appropriately the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer
Childhood Cancer Act of 2008.
I would like to thank my friend from Ohio (Ms. Pryce) for introducing
this important piece of legislation. I want to thank Chairman Dingell
and Subcommittee Chairman Mr. Pallone for working in such a bipartisan
manner as we moved this bill through our Energy and Commerce Committees
Because of the bipartisan efforts of all of those involved in this
legislation, I'm proud to say that the legislation before us today will
now work in conjunction with the NIH Reform Act of 2006, and I believe
that this bill should serve as a model for others that seek to improve
a particular field of research at the NIH.
As my colleagues are no doubt aware, I firmly believe that it is our
responsibility as Members of Congress to ensure that the NIH has the
latitude and flexibility to continue its research in all areas of
health care.
Our focus in Congress should be on ensuring that the NIH, along with
other relevant Federal agencies, receive the necessary funding to carry
out their missions; and I believe that Congress must also strive to
avoid micromanaging the NIH unless we want to inadvertently hamper the
very scientific discoveries that we all want to see come to fruition.
Deborah Pryce is a committed mother and a dedicated, tireless
advocate for ending the dreadful curse of childhood cancer in our great
Nation and throughout the world. Through this legislation, she is
honoring not only the memory of her daughter but also the memories of
all the children and families who have suffered from cancer. As a
parent, I can't imagine anything more tragic and devastating to see
your child go through that.
So we've worked so hard to help improve the research capacity of the
National Institutes of Health. Always keep in mind that it is my
sincere desire that these efforts would lead to fewer parents knowing
this awful feeling of loss.
We will all greatly miss Representative Pryce after her retirement
from the House at the end of this Congress. Without question, she is
leaving both a legacy for her work on behalf of the people of Ohio as
well as further leadership of the Republicans in the House of
Representatives.
Again, I thank my colleagues for their efforts, Mr. Pallone, Mr.
Dingell, Mr. Barton, and encourage all of my colleagues on this side of
the aisle to support this legislation.
With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I would yield 4 minutes to the lead
Democratic sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van
Hollen).
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I thank my colleague.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, the Caroline
Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008, and I want to first
and foremost thank my colleague, Deborah Pryce, for her leadership and
commitment on this very important issue that affects so many children
and families around our Nation. We're all very grateful to her for
working to prevent other people and other families from facing the same
tragic loss that she and her family experienced with the loss of a
child, and I'm honored to have worked with her on this bipartisan piece
of legislation.
I also want to thank Chairman Dingell, Chairman Pallone, Ranking
Members Barton and Deal and their staffs for working to bring this
legislation to the floor today and for their commitment on this very
important issue.
I think that the title of this bill is a fitting tribute not only to
Deborah Pryce's daughter, Caroline Pryce Walker, but also to the other
millions of children who have courageously fought pediatric cancer and
those who are bravely fighting pediatric cancer today as we speak on
this floor.
I have had the opportunity to meet with many of those children and
their families who are struggling with childhood cancer. One of them,
Matthew Grossman, was diagnosed at the age of 13 with a very rare brain
tumor. Before his diagnosis, he was a soccer player, a swimmer, a
talented young musician from Bethesda, Maryland. Matthew underwent 7
months of chemotherapy, brain surgery, 6 weeks of daily radiation to
the brain and spine, and two bone marrow transplants.
This brave young man has been in full remission since January 2006.
He went back to school and rejoined his class, despite having been out
of school for a year and a half. He recently celebrated his 17th
birthday and continues to play guitar, perform in a band, and sing in
his school's choir.
Matthew is one story out of thousands. Unfortunately, there are many
children who are not as fortunate as Matthew. Cancer remains the number
one killer of children under the age of 15 who die from disease in this
country. Pediatric cancer, including brain tumors, comes in many
variations. Each year there are about 12,000 new cases of pediatric
cancer. And while the incidents of pediatric cancer has increased, the
causes are largely unknown.
[[Page H5298]]
Thanks to past funding in childhood cancer research, we know that 78
percent of childhood cancer patients overall are now able to survive
the disease. Forty years ago, it was a much different story. Cure rates
for children with cancer was lower than 10 percent. This shows that
biomedical research and funding that we've been able to do has saved
lives, and it's also why we're here today to say we need to finish the
job and continue the commitment because currently, the NIH has not
received the funds it needs.
We know that the President's proposed budget this year has once
again, unfortunately, been flat funded for NIH. Since the doubling of
the NIH budget in the year 2003, that funding has not kept pace with
biomedical inflation, and that has impeded our ability to delay and do
the research we need into the onset of many diseases. If we fail to
invest in innovative research at NIH, we will forfeit the opportunities
to make ground-breaking, life-saving work to save lives.
The NCI currently spends approximately $170 million a year on
pediatric cancer research. Much of this now goes to laboratory and pre-
clinical testing. We also need to do the important work to invest in
clinical trials. An NCI peer review group of scientists in 2002
recognized this and recommended $54 million in funding for pediatric
cancer clinical trials. That level was never funded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman's time has expired.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, if I could yield the gentleman an
additional minute.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman.
That level was never fully funded, and since then, this funding has
been cut.
Because Federal funding for pediatric research continues to drop,
many critical trials have been put at risk. As many as 20 studies has
been put on hold and enrollment in new clinical trials has decreased by
more than 400 children. This is taking us in the wrong direction.
This act will enhance and expand pediatric cancer research activities
at the NIH, establish a pediatric cancer registry, and increase
educational informational and support services to patients and families
affected by childhood cancer.
Madam Speaker, we can do better in our fight against pediatric
cancer. Let's help give our children and their families the future they
so deserve by passing this bill. I urge my colleagues, and once again,
thank our colleague, Deborah Pryce, for leading by example in this very
important area.
Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield as much time as she
may consume to the author and the grand gentlelady from Ohio (Ms.
Pryce).
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. I thank the gentleman for yielding very much.
Madam Speaker, I believe today we stand on the cusp of something very
significant, and that is the chance to spare families forevermore from
having to hear the words ``your child has cancer.'' Today, after many
hard years of work by staff here on Capitol Hill, by people in the
administration, by grassroots groups across the country, by concerned
citizens everywhere, we will consider a bill that will make a historic
difference in the lives of more than 12,000 children a year who are
diagnosed with cancer.
I would like to thank my colleagues, especially Chairman Dingell and
Chairman Pallone, Ranking Members Barton and Deal, my cosponsor Chris
Van Hollen who just spoke, a great supporter on my side of the aisle,
Mike McCaul, and for a new friend that I have found here in Congress,
Joe Sestak, who also knows the issue far too well and who also has
heard the words ``your child has cancer.''
Madam Speaker, some of us that I have just named are rivals of the
highest degree and the strongest of adversaries when it comes to
politics and even some issues. But as for the issue of cancer, we have
a unique way of transcending the political and tapping into what is
uniquely human among us.
{time} 1930
I would also like to thank my friend Darlene Hooley and my very dear
friend Lois Capps, also on the committee, and also Mrs. Capps has been
one of those sad Members of the club who has heard the words, ``Your
daughter has cancer.'' I want to thank them for their thoughtfulness,
that they suggested that this bill be renamed in honor of my daughter,
Caroline, who as it was mentioned lost her courageous battle with
cancer 9 years ago.
In the years that I've been working on this legislation, my friends
have been with me every step of the way, as has Caroline, making sure
that her little promise to help those other kids that she played with
in their fights and so all the kids who come after her won't have to go
through what she did. Madam Speaker, Caroline would have graduated from
high school last Friday. This is our graduation gift to her.
So, yes, this bill is very personal to me, and it should be very
personal to everyone because there is not a single American who hasn't
been touched by this dreadful disease called cancer. Unfortunately,
there are far, far too many, and we must know that a Nation with our
resources or a Nation with our scientists, our committed doctors and
oncologists and our fighting spirit, we can and we will do more to
defeat this disease that attacks our children and put an end to their
suffering.
You know, cancer is no longer the mystery that it once was. The
scientific and medical communities continue to crash through barriers
every day to unlock cancer's deadly secrets. We will continue to cut
this opponent down to size, but we continue to lose one in every five
children diagnosed. Each and every school day, 46 children, more than
two classrooms, will be diagnosed with cancer; 2,300 of them will die
from it. We can and we will do better.
The bill before us today provides the lifeblood necessary to continue
our advancements in pediatric cancer research, $30 million annually
over 5 years. It is a very small price to pay for the life years that
will be saved.
This bill creates a national database on childhood cancers to help
researchers detect trends in these diseases, variables like genetics,
geography and environmental influences that may be sources that are
possibly causing these diseases which we can't figure out.
The bill provides for education and information services to patients
and families to ensure that they are aware of and have access to
appropriate clinical treatment, as well as the array of needed support
services. Madam Speaker, nothing equates to the fear and uncertainty
felt when a parent hears a cancer diagnosis for their child. This will
give them somewhere to turn.
What this bill will help us learn about pediatric cancer will likely
yield breakthroughs in our understanding of other diseases and
treatments. And pediatric cancer research is leading the way in
clinical advancements.
You see, last year, roughly 1.4 million people were diagnosed with
cancer; yet, a measly 3 percent of those patients were enrolled in
clinical trials. Now, by contrast, clinical trials are now part of the
standard of care for pediatric cancer, and the vast majority of
children diagnosed are enrolled in these trials.
And we're learning so much because of these enrollments. We're
learning more about the trials than we thought possible. We're learning
how to successfully handle survivorship issues. We're helping these
kids live longer, and more importantly, we're inching closer to a cure.
For the past few weeks, hundreds of thousands of people filled the
streets of our Nation's cities in the National Race for the Cure. It is
an emotional, humbling and awe-inspiring experience to bear witness to
this sea of pink humanity, women, men, and children from all walks of
life, united by the common goal of defeating breast cancer.
Today, with this bill, we have a chance to capture that same spirit
and resolve, to reclaim the many hundreds of life years lost, to save
countless families the grief and despair of this sickness and death of
a little one, and to one day look back upon this moment as a true
catalyst that led to the end of childhood cancer.
I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation, and I urge them
to urge our Senate colleagues to support this legislation, as we look
forward to seeing the end of this plague upon our children.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I would yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).
[[Page H5299]]
Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague.
Madam Speaker, I rise in very strong support of H.R. 1553, the
Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. It is very fitting that we have named
this legislation in memory of Caroline Pryce Walker, daughter of this
bill's champion, my dear colleague, Deborah Pryce.
This bill is going to take necessary and important steps to address
specific needs of pediatric cancer in at least three significant ways.
It will ensure that we have enough qualified pediatric oncologists and
nurses. It will improve clinical trials for the treatment of cancer in
children. Finally, it would also conduct more public awareness about
treatment options and support for children with cancer and their
families.
As one of the co-chairs of the Cancer Caucus, along with my colleague
from Ohio, I am so proud to see this bill, which was one of our
priorities, and a personal priority as we all know, moving forward.
I want to share a bit about how the momentum behind this bill has
already spurred people across the country into action.
Just this past Saturday, I attended an event in my town of Santa
Barbara called ``Kids for a Cure.'' Amazingly, it was organized by
Madison Lewandowski, an 8-year-old constituent of mine, who, despite
being so young, knows that she can make a difference in the lives of
others. I told my young friends who were gathered last Saturday that I
was going to share this story as a testimony to this legislation and to
what is happening across this country.
Madison organized a wonderful charity event, with proceeds going to
the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara's pediatric research fund. We all
enjoyed a day of story telling, face painting, a silent auction, and
this amazing rummage sale in which children and their families brought
used toys to share with other children and their families and raise
money in the process, and that money all going to raise awareness for
pediatric cancer. I can think of nothing more powerful than the sight
of children advocating on behalf of other children.
I know our colleague from Ohio in these past 9 years has spearheaded
a number of community events around the country actually and in this
city to raise awareness for childhood cancer and to raise the necessary
funds to be added to the funds, which our legislation will hopefully
make possible for pediatric cancer.
So whether it's through community organizing or comprehensive
legislation, we are all working together in this country to fight
pediatric cancer.
I am honored and proud to be a part of this effort, particularly on
this day, to honor my colleague and friend as well because of the
dedication she has provided for this House in leading us to this point.
I thank the leadership of our committee that has brought us to this
point as well and the work that we will do with our colleagues to make
sure this legislation is passed and signed into law.
Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentleman from Texas.
Mr. McCAUL of Texas. I thank the gentleman.
Madam Speaker, every now and then, as Members of Congress, we have
one of those moments, a moment when we feel like we can truly make a
difference. This, in my view, is one of those moments, and I want to
thank Congresswoman Deborah Pryce for her leadership, her perseverance
in this issue.
It's been a long, hard fight, but we got here. It's going to pass,
and this is a great day. It's a great day for those who have suffered.
It's a great day for those who have been in pain. It's a great day for
the victims.
This bill provides a beacon of light. It provides a voice for the
innocents who don't have a voice, for children whose eyes we have
looked into who are dying from this dreaded disease, for victims of
this disease like my constituents Tim and Donna Culliver who lost their
son Adam at the age of 4, to Caroline who lost her life at the age of
9.
I think of my own daughter, Caroline, my five children, the countless
other children out there who could be a victim of this dreaded disease.
This bill will lead the path towards a cure for cancer.
And this is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is an American
issue. It's an issue for the children, and it's a fitting tribute to
you, Congresswoman Pryce, and your daughter, Caroline, for all the hard
work and the efforts you've put into this.
I've been through the pediatric hospital, as many of us have, and
there's nothing more painful than to look into the eyes of a child who
is dying from this disease, who's afflicted with this disease, whose
parents look at you as a Member of Congress and say: Isn't there
something you can do? Can you stop this?
I watched my best friend in grade school die from cancer, and we have
all been touched, as Deborah Pryce said, by this disease in some way or
another. But this is a real monumental moment, a moment where we truly
can make a difference. They often say the measure of a man's life or
woman's life is the, do I leave this world in a better place than it
was before I came in. I can truly say that with the passage of this
bill, that this Congress and this brave Congresswoman, through her
leadership and her legacy, will leave this world a better place.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Sestak).
Mr. SESTAK. Madam Speaker, 12,000 children will be diagnosed with
cancer this year; 2,000 will not make it with their cancer to the end
of this year. But there's no real face to those numbers until you've
had it happen to you. As my new, wonderful friend from Ohio had it with
her beautiful daughter, Caroline, or I did with my 4-year-old daughter
Alex, nothing in my 31 years in the military, whether it was the
ravages of being in war or whether it was the challenges of a cold
peace, ever prepared for me for those words ``tumor,'' ``cancer,'' the
words that need to be removed from our vocabulary by eradicating it
from the lives of our children.
When you live in a cancer ward and oncology ward, you see such hope
as a child, your child, holds your hand and puts all that hope in you
as a parent, knowing that you're going to make it all right. And at the
same time, as you so well know, you see such hopelessness at times in
the oncology ward when there's nothing else to be done.
{time} 1945
I came down today to speak of you. You really do take that wonderful
dictum of Hubert Humphrey to fruition, that ``the moral test of a
government is how well it does take care of those in the dawn of life,
the children, so that they might see the twilight of life as seniors.
The only sad thing about today is that you won't be here next year.
In the Bible, Jonathan and David, as they departed, the two great
warriors, for the very last time, Jonathan said to David, ``Tomorrow
thou shalt be missed because thy seat shall be empty.'' Your seat won't
be empty because you have left such a wonderful legacy behind for my
daughter, so she will have a chance in the future, if it does come
back. Because you all will, in this legacy, not only for her, but for
so many, have given them the opportunity, those in the twilight of
life, to know the dawn of life, to see the twilight of life as seniors.
So thank you for her that, yes, we, as parents, can make it all right.
I urge all my colleagues to support this bill. And thank you very
much.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, it is a great privilege this evening to rise in
support of H.R. 1553, the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood
Cancer Act of 2008, and to thank my beloved colleague from Ohio, from
our Buckeye State, Deborah Pryce, a loving mother and a very, very able
Congresswoman, for taking her grief and helping place it here, and in
memory of her beautiful daughter, taking that struggle forward for the
sake of the future of our country.
I suppose one could say, ``for every season there is a purpose,'' and
Caroline's season forever will be spring; and that what you lived
together you shared with the country. And the personal became political
in the best sense so that we could make it better for those who will
come after us. And after all, is that not what we are here to do?
[[Page H5300]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional minute to the
gentlewoman.
Ms. KAPTUR. I also stand here this evening in memory of a young
gentleman by the name of Zachary Hebda from the State of Maryland, who
died at the age of seven of a childhood cancer. And at seven, that
child had such measure, just like an adult. And he faced, as your
daughter did, something that we, as adults, wonder if we could face.
And we never forget them because they hold us up in our own work with
their strength and their courage. We need answers. We need answers for
our children. We need to stem this disease, and we need to prevent and
we need to cure.
I want to thank Congresswoman Pryce for her years of service and
doing what is so wrenching, to continue after the loss of someone who
is so much a part of yourself and helping us better ourselves as a
country. I thank you for this exceptional piece of legislation.
I thank Chairman Pallone. I thank Congresswoman Capps and those who
have supported you in this effort. And I thank you for, most of all,
sharing Caroline with us as a most beautiful, beautiful memory and
tribute to her and to you.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Congresswoman Pryce and I came to the floor
as a mother, and certainly someone who has spent a good deal of time
working in the Women's Caucus. And we would be together in a time when
Democrats and Republicans would come together around issues of children
and women. And I know of your forceful voice. And so I come today to
thank you for this legislation and this tribute to Caroline because,
coming from Houston, we have the Texas Children's Hospital. And I have
visited the McDonald's House, which is a home that families are able to
use to be able to see the children who are with their family who are
suffering from cancer and obviously are in great need of pediatric
research. And you see the smiling faces, and you see the uniqueness of
their look, if you will--many of their heads are shaven--but you also
see love. And this is what this bill represents to all of us; it is a
testament of love, and the fact that children should have a future.
Caroline Pryce Walker, in the words Conquer Child Cancer Act of 2008,
is embodied in the love that you have for your daughter.
I just want to recount one or two of the findings, because I think it
is very important to note that cancer kills more children than any
other disease. Many of us don't know that. You would think of many
other elements that might kill. You don't know that cancer is the
number one killer of children.
Each year, cancer kills more children between one and 20 years of age
than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and AIDS. So I simply want to
close by indicating that I was in a committee hearing and we just
finished and I saw you speaking on the floor, and I was compelled to
just come and say thank you. Thank you for your leadership. And you
have entrusted in us the fact that we will carry on in your name and in
your daughter's name.
I ask for support of this bill, and I thank Chairman Pallone.
Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the rest of our time.
I've participated in some very intense debates on this House floor.
And these are times that, on a bill like we have before us today, where
truly we all come together. It's beyond bipartisanship, as people have
heard from the rather dramatic and emotional testimony from all of the
Members who have testified here today. Because there is nothing more
emotional than a child who has been diagnosed with a cancer. There is
just nothing more traumatic to a parent, to a family. And if there is
anything that we can do as a congressional body to try and alleviate
that type of pain a family could suffer in the future, we should
undertake that. And we've done it here today.
I want to thank Deborah Pryce for her strength, not only in her
testimony here on the floor today, but for the years that she has
continued to work this issue and push it forward to its House
conclusion today.
I also want to just thank Mr. Pallone and Mr. Dingell, who
participated in this bill and made sure that it moved through our
committee in a timely way and onto the House floor, as well as Mr. Van
Hollen and so many other supporters of this bill. Many thanks go out to
them.
So we should be proud, as Mr. McCaul and many speakers said, of our
efforts here today. I encourage every single member of our conference
on this side of the aisle to join me in supporting the Caroline Pryce
Walker Conquer Childhood Disease Act.
With that, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I would like to urge all my colleagues to support this
bill overwhelmingly. And I want to make a commitment to Congresswoman
Pryce, as she had urged, that we get this over to the Senate and get it
passed as quickly as possible so we can send it to the President.
I know that this is in memory of her daughter Caroline, and all the
different things that have been said here today is certainly a tribute
to you and all that you have done here in the House of Representatives.
I just want to say, I've watched you over the years. I know you were
the chairwoman of the Republican Conference, and as you said, we were
often battling. But in all of that, Congresswoman Pryce was always a
lady and really someone who was able to get along with people on both
sides of the aisle and work towards good government goals.
So this bill really is a tribute to her in memory of her daughter.
And I just want to thank her again for all that she has done.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1553, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________