[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 108 (Monday, July 13, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1045-E1046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         21ST CENTURY CURES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 9, 2015

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 6) to 
     accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of 21st 
     century cures, and for other purposes:
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Chair, federal funding for biomedical research has 
been stagnant over the past several years, another victim of unwise and 
shortsighted sequestration and budget cuts that put deficit reduction 
before investments that can save lives.
  With no increase to counter the effects of inflation and increased 
cost of research, NIH has lost 22 percent of its purchasing power over 
the last decade. NIH has been forced to cut or deny funding for 
thousands of promising studies that could hold the key to incredible 
breakthroughs.
  We should do everything we can to bring cures to patients as quickly 
as possible. Far too many people suffer from rare, serious and deadly 
diseases, and its outrageous cures could be found except for the lack 
of funding. It's also important we make sure drugs are safe and 
actually do what they are intended to do. I have concerns with some of 
the proposed changes to FDA's approval process designed to speed drugs 
and devices to market. We need to be certain that the proposed changes 
will not subject patients to a high level of risk. I expect the Senate 
will review and fix those provisions when they take up the bill.
  HR. 6 does what Congress has been unable to do because the Republican 
majority refuses to understand a simple fact: Funding biomedical 
research, just like investing in our roads and bridges, is an 
investment, not wasteful spending.

[[Page E1046]]



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