Committee Adds to #RecordOfSuccess As President Signs Burgess Bill to Boost Muscular Dystrophy Research

Press Release

The House Energy and Commerce Committee continues to build upon its bipartisan #RecordOfSuccess. On Friday, President Obama signed into law H.R. 594, the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research and Education Amendments of 2014. Health Subcommittee Vice Chairman Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) authored the new law to update surveillance, research, and education activities to reflect scientific developments and continue the support of research and patient support initiatives across all forms of Muscular Dystrophy. The signing of the Muscular Dystrophy legislation comes on the heels of two other committee bills being signed into law: one to improve pediatric health care and the other to boost hydropower as part of an "all of the above" energy strategy.

"The Energy and Commerce Committee continues to build upon our proud record of bipartisan success," said full committee chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). "These three latest laws join a growing list of over two dozen committee measures that have become law in the 113th Congress as part of our continued efforts to create jobs and spur economic growth, modernize government for the innovation era, and protect families, communities, and civic initiatives."

Burgess added, "Since 2001 this important law has successfully changed the lives of families impacted by all forms of Muscular Dystrophy. Although we have made significant progress and current treatments can alleviate symptoms of the muscular dystrophies like Duchenne and slow muscle deterioration, there is still no treatment to reverse it and more work remains. This law will continue making a profound difference as we work to find better treatments and ways to expedite the approval of emerging therapies that will hopefully lead to a cure."

The president also recently signed into law:

-S. 2154 -- Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2014. S. 2154 is the Senate version of H.R. 4290, the Wakefield Act, which was introduced by Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) and Rep. Pete King (R-NY). The legislation reauthorizes grant programs that support the expansion, improvement, and evaluation of emergency medical services for children. The program supports the training and education of EMS providers and identifies innovative models that can increase pediatric care in rural and tribal communities. The bill also would support the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network that facilitates collaborative research on pediatric EMSC.

-S. 276, a bill to reinstate and extend the deadlines for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the American Falls Reservoir. Harnessing energy efficiency and innovation is a key pillar of the committee's Architecture of Abundance energy vision for the 21st century.

Source