“Ultimately our goal should not just be to provide life-long treatment but to find life-saving cures. After all that is why we are here: to help people have better lives and reach their full potential.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) emphasized today, at a House Republican Leadership press conference, the importance of empowering the discovery of life-saving cures.

“21st Century Cures offers hope to people across the country suffering from currently incurable and untreatable diseases,” McMorris Rodgers said.

The 21^st Century Cures Act increases NIH funding utilized by researchers at Washington State University and the University of Washington.

“I’m proud to have authored six bills in the Cures package, McMorris Rodgers said. “These are bills that modernize HIPAA laws, accelerate the discovery of new cures, create research consortia to treat pediatric disorders, and bring our regulatory framework into the 21st century by embracing technologies that focus on patient-specific therapies.”

Learn more here http://energycommerce.house.gov/cures.

McMorris Rodgers continues her focus on finding solutions for people in Eastern Washington, like H.R. 1190, the Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act of 2015, which passed the House last month, and H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015—the most significant entitlement reform in almost two decades, it was signed into law in April. It keeps the promise, so people with Medicare coverage can see doctors and providers in their communities.

Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Remarks as Prepared for Delivery:
“Good morning! This week, the House will continue its work to remove barriers between Americans and life-changing innovation, whether it’s in the classroom or the doctor’s office. I’m particularly pleased that after more than a year of hard work, and listening to experts and patients from across the country, we will be voting on the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act this week. Ultimately our goal should not be to provide life-long treatment but to find life-saving cures. 21st Century Cures offers hope to people across the country suffering from currently incurable and untreatable diseases. 

“In my Eastern Washington district, we recently mourned the death of a visionary leader—Washington State University President Elson Floyd, who lost his battle with colon cancer. He and millions of other parents, brothers and sisters, and kids lost to horrible diseases serve as powerful reminders of why finding cures is so important. We need to empower our scientists and researchers so we can discover, develop and deliver medical breakthroughs to cure diseases or people like Elson Floyd, or the mom with ALS, or the son with lupus. After all that is why we are here: to help people have better lives and reach their full potential, and this proactive initiative will have a life-changing effect on families in Washington State and across America.”

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