[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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