[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 174 (Monday, December 5, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S6683]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WORK BEFORE THE SENATE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, last week the House overwhelmingly 
passed the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, the medical innovation 
bill. Now it is the Senate's turn to move this bill forward and send it 
to the President's desk for signature.
  This legislation has earned wide support from both sides of the 
aisle, and it is one of the most important bills that will pass this 
year. It is not hard to see why. It will encourage investment in 
biomedical research to help deliver treatment and cures to patients. It 
will cut through redtape and burdensome regulations while also 
protecting safety, and it will build upon progress to support 
regenerative medicine and other innovative therapies.
  Cures also includes provisions to strengthen mental health programs 
and to provide much needed resources to help combat the opioid 
epidemic. It is legislation that could have an impact on each of our 
States and on each of our constituents.
  Later today, Senators will take the next step in advancing 21st 
Century Cures. With continued cooperation, we can pass this bipartisan 
bill very soon.
  The Cures legislation is just one key area where the Senate has been 
working to complete its work before the holidays. Negotiations are 
ongoing on a continuing resolution, which we will consider this week.
  This week we will also pass the Defense authorization conference 
report, and work continues to finalize other outstanding conference 
reports, including the Water Resources Development Act--the so-called 
WRDA bill--and the energy policy modernization bill.
  As these efforts continue, I thank all of those who have been working 
around the clock to reach a conclusion on these important issues. We 
will have a busy week ahead. Let's keep working together to get it 
done.

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