[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11342]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARK DeSAULNIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 10, 2015

  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unable to vote on 
Friday, July 10 as I was attending the memorial services of a dear 
friend in my congressional district.
  Had I been present, I would have cast my vote in support of H.R. 6, 
the 21st Century Cures Act, even though I am disappointed that the 
Republican Majority included last minute and unnecessary policy riders. 
I am cosponsor of the underlying bill which would encourage biomedical 
innovation and the development of new treatments and cures (Roll Call 
#433).
  I would have also cast my vote in support of the amendment introduced 
by Representatives Barbara Lee, Jan Schakowsky, and Yvette Clarke to 
H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act. This amendment would remove harmful 
policy riders that aim to undermine women's access to reproductive 
health services from this otherwise noncontroversial, bipartisan 
effort. As a longtime supporter of a woman's right to access 
comprehensive reproductive healthcare, I oppose the inclusion of these 
unnecessary policy riders in this important bill (Roll Call #432).
  I would have cast my vote in opposition to the Brat/McClintock/
Garrett/Stutzman/Perry Amendment to H.R. 6, which would have turned the 
NIH and Cures Innovation Fund into a discretionary spending program, 
leading to immense uncertainty which would undercut the Fund's 
effectiveness and NIH's ability to maximize its work (Roll Call #431).

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