[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 33 (Thursday, February 27, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H2004]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




MODERNIZING OUR DRUG AND DIAGNOSTICS EVALUATION AND REGULATORY NETWORK 
                               CURES ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Lance) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, this week we recognize the work of the 
tireless advocates for rare diseases. I had the honor of serving as the 
Republican chair of the Congressional Rare Disease Caucus. I consider 
it a very important responsibility as part of my service here and an 
honor to work for innovative treatments, new technologies, and to build 
an atmosphere of appreciation and understanding on Capitol Hill with 
the hard work of all the patient advocates. Their passion is often 
driven by the care of loved ones, and their personal stories are 
profiles in courage.
  Hearing from countless advocates, many of whom are here in Washington 
this week, gives the members of the caucus renewed energy and purpose. 
Events held during Rare Disease Week highlight what has been 
accomplished and what still needs to be done, and there is a lot to do, 
but we will do it together.
  I am working on important legislation in this area, the bipartisan 
Modernizing Our Drug and Diagnostics Evaluation and Regulatory Network, 
or MODDERN, Cures Act. It will update the Nation's drug evaluation 
process to encourage the discovery and development of new treatments 
for chronic and rare diseases. The measure will also create a system 
that rewards efficiency and effectiveness to the benefit of all persons 
with rare diseases.
  The MODDERN Cures Act will encourage the development of drugs 
abandoned in the development process. It will create a new category of 
drugs known as dormant therapies for compounds with insufficient patent 
protection, drugs that offer the promise to treat conditions with unmet 
medical needs.
  Updating regulatory networks such as patent reform will help open the 
pipeline for new innovations and therapies. Patients with degenerative 
conditions, cancers, and rare diseases await the genius of these new 
solutions. While we do not know the cause or cure of many of these rare 
diseases or cancers, we do know that awareness is the best protection, 
information is the best tool for innovation, and well-rounded care 
during and after treatment is the best therapy. That is our mission in 
the caucus: to work together to find solutions that make a lasting 
difference.
  I again thank the families and the advocates whose challenges we may 
never completely understand, but whose commitment to their loved ones 
is unyielding and inspiring. The caucus pursues its mission in their 
name.

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