[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 200 (Thursday, December 22, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H10025-H10026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHILDHOOD CANCER SURVIVORSHIP, TREATMENT, ACCESS, AND RESEARCH
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 4120) to maximize discovery, and accelerate development and
availability, of promising childhood cancer treatments, and for other
purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 4120
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 ``Childhood Cancer
Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research Reauthorization
Act of 2022'' or the ``Childhood Cancer STAR Reauthorization
Act''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZING AND IMPROVING THE CHILDHOOD STAR ACT.
(a) Children's Cancer Biorepositories.--Section 417E of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285a-11) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting before the period at
the end of the second sentence the following: ``, such as
collected samples of both solid tumor cancer and paired
samples'';
(B) in paragraph (9), by striking ``Childhood Cancer
Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research Act of 2018''
and inserting ``Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment,
Access, and Research Reauthorization Act of 2022'';
(C) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (11); and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
``(10) Report on researcher access to children's cancer
biorepository samples.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment,
Access, and Research Reauthorization Act of 2022, the
Director of NIH shall--
``(A) conduct a review of the procedures established under
paragraph (2)(C) and other policies or procedures related to
researcher access to such biospecimens to identify any
opportunities to reduce administrative burden, consistent
with paragraph (2)(D), in a manner that protects personal
privacy to the extent required by applicable Federal and
State privacy law, at a minimum; and
``(B) submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and
Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the
findings of the review under subparagraph (A) and whether the
Director of NIH plans to make any changes to the policies or
procedures considered in such review, based on such
findings.''; and
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ``2019 through 2023''
and inserting ``2024 through 2028''.
(b) Cancer Survivorship Programs.--Section 201 of the
Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and
Research Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-180) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Pilot Programs
to Explore'' and inserting ``Research to Evaluate''
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``may make awards to eligible entities to
establish pilot programs'' and inserting ``shall, as
appropriate, make awards to eligible entities to conduct or
support research'';
(ii) by striking ``model systems'' and inserting
``approaches'';
(iii) by inserting ``and adolescent'' after ``childhood'';
and
(iv) by striking ``evaluation of models for'';
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by inserting ``within the existing peer review
process,'' after ``practicable,''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B)(v), by striking ``in treating
survivors of childhood cancers'' and inserting ``in carrying
out the activities described in paragraph (1)''; and
(D) in paragraph (3)(B)(v), by striking ``design of systems
for the effective transfer of treatment information and care
summaries from cancer care providers to other health care
providers'' and inserting ``design tools to support the
secure electronic transfer of treatment information and care
summaries
[[Page H10026]]
between health care providers or, as applicable and
appropriate, longitudinal childhood cancer survivorship
cohorts''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in each of paragraphs (1) and (2), by striking ``date
of enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``date of enactment
of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and
Research Reauthorization Act of 2022''; and
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (C);
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (A);
and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) recommendations for enhancing or promoting activities
of the Department of Health and Human Services related to
workforce development for health care providers who provide
psychosocial care to pediatric cancer patients and
survivors.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on S. 4120.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kildee). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of S. 4120, the Senate companion to H.R. 7630, the
Childhood Cancer STAR Reauthorization Act. Last night, this bill passed
in the Senate by unanimous consent, and I am glad that we are now
considering it under suspension.
Mr. Speaker, cancer is the leading cause of death in American
children, yet only 4 percent of the National Cancer Institute's budget
is dedicated to childhood and adolescent cancer research.
Since its original implementation, the STAR Act has provided
resources for State cancer registries to identify and track pediatric
cancer incidence, enhance research on childhood cancer survivorship and
innovative treatment models, and support the pediatric cancer
workforce.
The bill before us reauthorizes the STAR Act for 5 years at $30
million per year, requires a report on researcher access to cancer
biorepository samples, and expands research to evaluate survivorship
and treatment approaches in children and adolescents with cancer.
I thank the House and Senate sponsors and families across the country
who have advocated for this important reauthorization.
I look forward to the STAR Act passing and adding on to the Energy
and Commerce Committee's efforts in the 117th Congress to enhance
pediatric cancer research, such as the Gabriella Miller Kids First
Research Act 2.0 and ARPA-H.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 4120, the Childhood Cancer
STAR Reauthorization Act led by Mr. McCaul. This program at the
National Institutes of Health is integral to the fight against
childhood cancers and also helps inform how best to care for those who
are childhood cancer survivors.
The Childhood Cancer STAR Act, enacted in 2018, has been fully funded
each year and has led to new standards of care for childhood cancer
survivors, increased the ability for new childhood cancer research at
NIH, and helped collect better data about prevalence of childhood
cancers.
This straight reauthorization, at currently reauthorized levels, also
includes a report to Congress to make sure that researchers outside of
NIH are able to capitalize on the work facilitated by the STAR Act.
This bill passed the House by unanimous consent and has over 100
cosponsors in the House. I plan to support it today. I urge my
colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, it is hard to come to the floor of the House and talk
about childhood cancer and not talk about a young lady that I knew when
I was about 9 or 10 years old, Tam Hanback. Over the last probably 45,
46 years, I have thought about her often. Every time I see St. Jude's
commercials, I think about her from our Sunday school class.
If we had the technology then that we have today, she would probably
be 58 years old, just like I am, but unfortunately, we didn't.
So in honor of her, Tam Hanback, from Alabama, I will support this
bill, and I encourage my friends to do so as well.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, again, this is an important piece of
legislation. I ask all Members on both sides of the aisle to support
it.
Mr. 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, S. 4120.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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