National Institutes of Health Continuing Appropriations Resolutions, 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Research for Lifesaving Cures proposal.

This vote is about helping some of our country's most vulnerable patients: seniors hoping for cures to long-time illnesses, precious children and their families looking for answers about genetic disorders; and the scientists who are moving ever so close to discovering America's next medical breakthroughs find themselves asking if they'll be able to continue their life's work.

The National Institutes of Health provide support to promising research leading to lifesaving treatments, innovative clinical trials aiming to reverse the core symptoms of disorders such as fragile X syndrome, autism, spinal muscular atrophy, down syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and cystic fibrosis to name a few. These give families hope, the research that is there. But this is just the beginning. These studies help our Nation's most dedicated scientists build on promising discoveries.

To continue these trials, Congress must allow the NIH to stay open while we work on getting the government back up and running. This isn't about scoring political points. It's about principles. As the father of a special-needs child, I know the challenges that these families face. Vote ``yes.'' Vote for fairness.

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