[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 5, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H792-H793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GABRIELLA MILLER KIDS FIRST RESEARCH ACT 2.0
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3391) to extend the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric
Research Program at the National Institutes of Health, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3391
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 ``Gabriella Miller Kids First
Research Act 2.0''.
SEC. 2. FUNDING FOR THE PEDIATRIC RESEARCH INITIATIVE.
The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is
amended--
(1) in section 402A(a)(2) (42 U.S.C. 282a(a)(2))--
(A) in the heading--
(i) by striking ``10-year''; and
(ii) by striking ``through common fund'';
(B) by striking ``to the Common Fund'' and inserting ``to
the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic
Initiatives'';
(C) by striking ``10-Year'';
(D) by striking ``and reserved under subsection
(c)(1)(B)(i) of this section''; and
(E) by striking ``2014 through 2023'' and inserting ``2024
through 2028'';
(2) in each of paragraphs (1)(A) and (2)(C) of section
402A(c) (42 U.S.C. 282a(c)), by striking ``section
402(b)(7)(B)'' and inserting ``section 402(b)(7)(B)(i)''; and
(3) in section 402(b)(7)(B)(ii) (42 U.S.C.
282(b)(7)(B)(ii)), by striking ``the Common Fund'' and
inserting ``the Division of Program Coordination, Planning,
and Strategic Initiatives''.
SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF NIH FUNDING FOR PEDIATRIC RESEARCH.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress
that the Director of the National Institutes of Health should
continue to oversee and coordinate research that is conducted
or supported by the National Institutes of Health for
research on pediatric cancer and other pediatric diseases and
conditions, including through the Pediatric Research
Initiative Fund.
(b) Avoiding Duplication.--Section 402(b)(7)(B)(ii) of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 282(b)(7)(B)(ii)) is
amended by inserting ``and shall prioritize, as appropriate,
such pediatric research that does not duplicate existing
research activities of the National Institutes of Health''
before ``; and''.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON PROGRESS AND INVESTMENTS IN PEDIATRIC
RESEARCH.
Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report that--
(1) details pediatric research projects and initiatives
receiving funds allocated pursuant to section
402(b)(7)(B)(ii) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
282(b)(7)(B)(ii)); and
(2) summarizes advancements made in pediatric research with
funds allocated pursuant to such section.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms.
Schrier) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. 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 in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3391, the Gabriella Miller
Kids First Research Act 2.0.
In the United States, it is estimated that nearly 10,000 children
under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Major
advancements over the past several decades have improved survival
rates, with 85 percent of children with cancer now living until 5 years
or older. However, estimates predict that, tragically, over 1,000
children will still die from cancer this year, making it the leading
cause of death from disease for kids.
This legislation would ensure progress toward a better understanding
of childhood cancer and structural birth defects will continue. It
would also prioritize nonduplicative research and coordination on
pediatric research across the National Institutes of Health.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the underlying bill, and
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. SCHRIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 3391, the Gabriella
Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0.
This bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Representatives Wexton and
Cole, plays a crucial role in providing essential support for pediatric
cancer and disease research.
This bill is named in honor of Gabriella Miller, a Virginia resident
who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor at the age of 10.
Gabriella was an inspirational activist who tirelessly advocated for
research into childhood diseases like cancer until her passing in
October 2013.
Her strong voice and bravery turned tragedy into the original
Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, which was signed into law in
2014. This research program at the National Institutes of Health has
made progress toward understanding childhood cancer and disease.
The original law established a 10-year pediatric research initiative
fund and authorized funding for childhood disease research. The law has
also led to the founding of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Data
Resource Center, a comprehensive data resource for research and patient
communities meant to advance discoveries.
Despite this progress, cancer is the top disease-related cause of
death for children and teens in the United States. It is estimated that
over 9,500 American children under age 15 will be diagnosed with cancer
this year.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative Wexton, for her
leadership
[[Page H793]]
on this legislation, and I encourage all of my colleagues to vote
``yes'' to make a significant impact in the fight against pediatric
cancer.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1545
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the chairman of the Consumer Protection and
Commerce Subcommittee and a leader on consumer protection in this
Congress.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. It
has been great working with him all these years, and I appreciate him
very much.
I rise in strong support of H.R. 3391, the Gabriella Miller Kids
First Research Act 2.0. I am proud to be a co-lead on this bipartisan
piece of legislation with my friend and colleague, Representative
Jennifer Wexton, who does an outstanding job on these issues.
Again, she is retiring at the end of this Congress, and we are going
to miss her. She did such wonderful work, particularly on the
Parkinson's bill, and we are going to get it across the finish line.
I am grateful for her leadership on this particular bill, as well, to
reauthorize the Kids First Pediatric Research Initiative at the
National Institutes of Health. Our bill will continue the critical work
being done to conduct biomedical research and discover new insights
into pediatric conditions such as childhood cancers.
The Kids First program has helped facilitate a better understanding
of shared genetic pathways between childhood cancers, birth defects,
and other pediatric conditions, and H.R. 3391 ensures that this
research will continue for another 5 years.
Further, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act requires
coordination of all Federal efforts related to pediatric cancer
research, as well as a report detailing current federally funded
programs and initiatives and all advancements made thus far, and there
have been several advancements.
We all agree that these scientific discoveries could help unlock the
key to developing future treatments and cures for our most vulnerable
patients--our kids who suffer from pediatric cancers and rare diseases.
We must continue to fight the battle against kids' cancers, both
inside and outside the Federal Government. I urge my colleagues to
support our bill, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0.
Ms. SCHRIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for
the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, I simply would encourage all my colleagues to vote for
this important bill to help cancer research, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the
underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Gabriella
Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0, which will enable the continuation
of critical research of treatments and cures for childhood cancer and
rare diseases.
I'm proud to carry this legislation in honor of Gabriella, who was
from Virginia's 10th Congressional District. Gabriella was diagnosed
with an inoperable brain tumor and passed away in 2013 at age 10.
Gabriella was a fierce fighter not just in her own battle with
cancer, but as an advocate on behalf of the millions of other children
who have suffered from this terrible disease. In the months following
her terminal diagnosis, Gabriella became a national force for change,
urging Congress to ``stop talking--start doing,'' and increase funding
to discover better treatments and cures.
Her heroic efforts delivered a successful push to pass the Gabriella
Miller Kids First Research Act in 2014, bipartisan legislation named in
her honor. The Kids First program has made remarkable progress since
then--sequencing more than 55,000 genomes from over 21,000 patients in
childhood cancer and structural birth defect cohorts and starting the
Gabriella Miller Kids First Data Resource Center, a comprehensive data
resource for research and patient communities meant to advance
discoveries.
But there is still a long fight ahead to better understand, treat,
and ultimately cure childhood cancer. Without action by Congress,
funding for this critical program is set to expire this year. We must
do better for our kids, and this bipartisan legislation would enable
the critical work of the Kids First program to continue. For the
Millers, and for the millions of American families who have had to go
through the horror of receiving a cancer diagnosis for their child, I
ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3391, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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