[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H588-H590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        GLOBAL HOPE ACT OF 2019

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5338) to authorize the Secretary of State to pursue public-
private partnerships, innovative financing mechanisms, research 
partnerships, and coordination with international and multilateral 
organizations to address childhood cancer globally, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5338

       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 ``Global Hope Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Approximately 300,000 children aged 0 to 19 years old 
     are diagnosed with cancer each year.
       (2) The most common categories of childhood cancers include 
     leukemia, brain cancer, lymphoma, and solid tumors, such as 
     neuroblastoma and Wilms tumor.
       (3) Most childhood cancers can be cured with generic 
     medicines and can be cost-effective for all income levels.
       (4) In the United States, the survival rate for children 
     diagnosed with cancer is over 80 percent. In many developing 
     countries, the mortality rate of children diagnosed with 
     cancer is around 80 percent. In some parts of Africa, the 
     mortality rate reaches 90 percent.
       (5) In September 2018, the World Health Organization 
     announced a new effort--the Global Initiative for Childhood 
     Cancer--with the aim of reaching at least a 60-percent 
     survival rate for children with cancer by 2030, thereby 
     saving an additional 1,000,000 lives.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress as follows:
       (1) The work of the United States on infectious disease 
     remains the core tenet of United States work on global 
     health.
       (2) As the United States and international partners 
     continue to succeed in lowering incidences of infectious 
     diseases, global mortality rates of non-communicable diseases 
     will become an increasing burden that must be addressed.
       (3) The United States should work to support the goals of 
     the World Health Organization Initiative for Childhood 
     Cancer, helping increase survival rates for children with 
     cancer.

     SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       The United States shall seek to--
       (1) increase political commitment for childhood cancer 
     diagnosis, treatment, and care globally;
       (2) support efforts to increase the survival rate of 
     children with cancer globally;
       (3) support efforts to train medical personnel and develop 
     the capabilities of other existing healthcare infrastructure 
     to diagnose, treat, and care for childhood cancer;
       (4) improve access to affordable and essential medicines 
     and technologies that treat childhood cancer;
       (5) elevate and prioritize efforts to reduce the mortality 
     rate of childhood cancer in international organizations such 
     as the United Nations;
       (6) pursue research and research partnerships with 
     international institutions to identify low-cost interventions 
     and best practices to diagnose, treat, and care for childhood 
     cancer in the United States and globally; and
       (7) improve partnerships with international health 
     ministries and pharmaceutical companies to facilitate efforts 
     for broader, global clinical trials for medicines to treat or 
     care for childhood cancer in the United States and globally.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION.

       The Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of 
     relevant Federal departments and agencies, is authorized and 
     encouraged to--
       (1) pursue public-private partnerships, other research 
     partnerships, and innovative financing mechanisms to address 
     childhood cancer globally; and
       (2) coordinate with appropriate agencies of the United 
     Nations and other relevant multilateral organizations to 
     address childhood cancer globally.

     SEC. 6. REPORT.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
     and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report 
     that includes the following:
       (1) An assessment of opportunities for United States 
     engagement in global efforts to increase the worldwide 
     survival rate of children with cancer.
       (2) An assessment of efforts taken by the United States to 
     support efforts to increase the worldwide survival rate of 
     children with cancer.
       (3) An assessment of existing programs funded by the United 
     States that could be expanded to support efforts to increase 
     the worldwide survival rate of children with cancer.
       (4) An assessment of how such increased international 
     engagement could positively affect--
       (A) survival rates of individuals with childhood cancer in 
     the United States; and

[[Page H589]]

       (B) reductions in the rates of infant and pediatric 
     morbidity and mortality.

     SEC. 7. COST LIMITATION.

       No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out the provisions of this Act.

     SEC. 8. CHILDHOOD CANCER DEFINED.

       In this Act, the term ``childhood cancer'' means cancers 
     formed or diagnosed in individuals under the age of 20.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 5338.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, the measure before us is a wonderful bipartisan bill 
written by Ranking Member McCaul and supported by Chairman Engel.
  Every year, more than 300,000 children from all around the world are 
diagnosed with childhood cancer, and their lives are instantly turned 
upside down.
  Among them is my very own daughter, Pia, who was diagnosed with 
Hodgkin's lymphoma when she was 14 years old. While she has since been 
cured and is among the very lucky ones, as a father, I know all too 
well the horror that devastates way too many families around the world 
every single day.
  The Global Hope Act works to leverage the resources developed in the 
United States to explore public-private partnerships in the fight 
against childhood cancer all around the globe.
  It calls on the Secretary of State to coordinate these activities 
across the executive branch on this very important initiative and to 
submit a report assessing current efforts and future opportunities to 
end such heart-wrenching suffering.
  This is a good and very commonsense bill to expand the global fight 
against childhood cancer. I commend the ranking member for his 
outstanding work on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting it.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, the Global Hope 
Act. I am proud to have introduced this bill with my good friend, 
Chairman Eliot Engel. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Phillips) for his strong support and his personal story. I also thank 
the co-chair of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, Jackie Speier, for her 
tireless work with me in the caucus to help these children.
  I have been a tireless advocate for these children with cancer since 
I first came to Congress. In 2010, I helped found the Childhood Cancer 
Caucus really to give a voice to patients, advocates, and the children.
  This endeavor is deeply personal for me, as well. Growing up in 
elementary school, my best friend passed away from leukemia. Back then, 
it was a death sentence.
  Since founding the caucus, we have been very successful. Congress 
passed bipartisan legislation to improve cancer treatment options, 
boost research opportunities, and address health issues of the nearly 
500,000 long-term childhood cancer survivors.
  Today, childhood cancer is largely treatable with an 80 percent, 5-
year survival rate in the United States.
  Unfortunately, in developing countries, the opposite is true. 
Children diagnosed with cancer in developing countries have an 80 
percent mortality rate.
  Madam Speaker, in sub-Saharan Africa, the mortality rate of children 
diagnosed with cancer is as high as 90 percent. This says nothing of 
the tens of thousands of cases that are believed to go undiagnosed 
every year.
  I truly believe that a child's birthplace should not determine their 
fate from cancer. That is why I introduced the Global Hope Act.
  My bill authorizes the Secretary of State to pursue public-private 
partnerships, increase access to treatment options, train health 
professionals, and, ultimately, improve care for children with cancer 
in developing countries. These partnerships will leverage decades of 
U.S. investments to strengthen health infrastructure and build the 
capacity of health ministries.
  This legislation does not take away funds from other critical global 
health interventions and infectious disease efforts. Rather, these 
public-private partnerships will build on existing programs to improve 
childhood cancer survival rates.
  Organizations such as Texas Children's Hospital and St. Jude, private 
sector partners such as Bristol-Myers Squibb and Teva, and nonprofits 
such as ACCESS are already starting this important work and are now 
seeing results in Botswana and other nations. These efforts are also 
supported by the World Health Organization's Global Childhood Cancer 
Initiative.
  Launched in 2018, the WHO aims to build political support and 
institutional capacity to treat childhood cancer in developing 
countries. The initiative set a goal of saving an additional 1 million 
lives by 2030.
  For the past two decades, the United States has been a global leader 
in funding health programs around the world, and I am proud to support 
this lifesaving work.
  Most recently, we passed a resolution affirming the U.S. commitment 
to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and secured 
robust funding in the fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill.
  Our work to fight HIV/AIDS and eradicate other infectious diseases is 
far from over. But there is a critical opportunity to build on the 
successes of these global health programs and integrate projects aimed 
at improving childhood cancer care and available treatment options.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important, 
lifesaving measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Speier), my friend and co-chair of the Childhood 
Cancer Caucus.
  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for 
granting me the time.
  To my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
McCaul), let me say that this will be the most significant piece of 
legislation that you can take great pride in having authored, as your 
career continues in this august body. I can't begin to say how grateful 
I am to be working with you, not just on this bill but on our Childhood 
Cancer Caucus and the great work that you have done.

  This particular bill, the Global Hope Act, will have a profound 
impact on children around the world who have been diagnosed with 
cancer, 80 percent of whom die because of that diagnosis, while here in 
the United States, 80 percent of those children now live.
  This is a remarkable effort that we must embrace wholeheartedly on 
both sides of the aisle.
  The Chinese effort, the Belt and Road Initiative, where they are 
investing in concrete around the world, says something about their 
values. This shows that we, in this country, are investing in people, 
particularly in children around the world, to save their lives.
  I join my colleague, again, in saying how important this legislation 
is, how enthusiastically I support it, and how, as we move forward, we 
can recognize that this is the kind of leadership that will bring peace 
around the world.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself 
such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, let me thank my dear friend, Jackie Speier, for her 
leadership on this issue and as the co-chair of the caucus. I think we 
can prove that, in this toxic, partisan, difficult time in this 
Congress, we can work across the aisle, Republican and Democrat, but 
most importantly as Americans, to get good things done for not only the 
American people but for the world and save the children of the world.
  I think Congresswoman Speier is correct. We passed a lot of bills 
together that have saved lives, but I

[[Page H590]]

think this one probably is the most profound one. It is very difficult 
to pass a bill in the Congress, much less get it signed into law, but 
when you pass a bill and see it saving lives, that is perhaps the most 
remarkable and gratifying experience I have personally had in my eight 
terms in Congress.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman so much for her friendship.
  Madam Speaker, in closing, I remember being in Texas Children's 
Hospital in September 2018 to hear from the President of Botswana about 
the project Global HOPE initiative inspired by Baylor College of 
Medicine and their early work against HIV/AIDS and the epidemic in 
Africa. Global HOPE is starting to deliver childhood cancer care in 
sub-Saharan Africa, as I speak.
  At the event, when I met the President of Botswana, where the Global 
HOPE Act was recently constructed in a new pediatric facility in 
Botswana, which I will be visiting next month with my little, childhood 
cancer survivor, Sadie Keller. It is starting to train a new generation 
of Botswanan oncologists.
  What I was most impressed by was when he told me about the legacy of 
PEPFAR and what we did as a Nation. He said: PEPFAR saved a generation 
of my people from extinction--from ``extinction.''
  It is my hope that this bill saves a generation of children from this 
dreaded disease. I believe that childhood cancer can be the next 
successful Global HOPE initiative that will save lives.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank, particularly, Dr. Poplack, who was 
the chief oncologist at Texas Children's. He is the one who is 
responsible for this initiative. We are taking their initiative and 
turning it into law in the Congress. I will be there next month to 
commemorate International Children's Cancer Day.
  Madam Speaker, I do want to reference, too, my little childhood 
cancer fighter and survivor, Sadie Keller. She came into my office, and 
there are a lot of lobbyists in this town, but the children had no 
voice. They had no power. That is why Jackie and I formed the Childhood 
Cancer Caucus, to give them a voice.

                              {time}  1400

  When she entered my office--she is 7 years old here--in her pink 
dress, I knew I had met somebody very special. I canceled my calendar, 
my schedule for the rest of the day, and I took her on a tour of the 
Capitol.
  Here we are looking--we had no idea they were even taking pictures--
but I took her to the Rotunda in the Capitol. I remember we spun around 
and looked at the top of the Capitol.
  Then I took her out to the Speaker's balcony, one of the most 
beautiful views in this Capitol building. Looking out on the horizon 
toward the future, seeing the ominous dark clouds, but also a ray of 
sunshine. The sunshine that is coming in, the sunshine that little 
Sadie has brought to my life, the sunshine that we are trying to bring 
to all these children out there who have gone through some really tough 
experiences. I have met many of them, like the Congressman from 
Minnesota's daughter, and it is very heartbreaking to see them in the 
hospitals. Some survive, and some don't.
  But this effort will take it to the next step, to take our fight 
against this dreaded disease. We have done so much to help children in 
the United States. The FDA's approval of CAR T, which takes your own 
immune system and attacks your own cancer through your own T cells, 
rather than injecting chemo--which is really a derivative of World War 
I mustard gas, which has been banned from the battlefield, which kills 
the cancer just before it kills you.
  You can imagine the survivorship issues with these children, because 
they have the rest of their lives, if they survive, to deal with.
  So, I want to thank all those friends of mine on the other side of 
the aisle for helping me move this forward. This is a momentous day for 
our fight against childhood cancer. It is a momentous day to take it 
global and take the fight globally.
  I look forward to this bill's passage in the Senate and it being 
signed into law.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume for the purpose of closing.
  Madam Speaker, childhood cancer is devastating; yet, many types can 
now be treated effectively and at relatively low cost. It is incumbent 
on all of us to make sure the United States' policy is working toward 
this end and doing what we can to stop the suffering.
  The Global Hope Act is a good measure that leverages the resources 
developed here in the United States to explore public/private 
partnerships to fight childhood cancer all around the globe.
  I am very grateful to Ranking Member McCaul for his dedication and 
tireless work on this cause.
  I am proud to support this, and I urge all my fellow Members to do 
the same.
  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 Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5338, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________