Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MEEHAN. Madam Speaker, the 21st Century Cures Act is a historic, bipartisan legislation that will eliminate the barriers standing between us and cures for diseases like Alzheimer's and diabetes, and cancer.

The bill fosters coordination and research related to pediatric diseases and birth defects, and we encourage the NIH and FDA to establish a global pediatric clinical study network with the hope that more collaboration will lead to new treatments, and it will help build our understanding of how treatments geared for adults can help to lead to cures for children.

Just 3 years ago, after a fight with Washington bureaucrats, Sarah Murnaghan, a 10-year-old young woman from my district, received an adult lung transplant. She is now a thriving 14-year-old. And through ``Sarah's Heroes,'' we highlight the stories of other children who are courageously working to overcome challenges presented by cystic fibrosis and lung transplant.

Schizophrenia and mental illness are among other conditions without a cure. The bill improves access to mental health by increasing the number of healthcare professionals trained to treat patients. It also strengthens the requirement that mental health coverage be on par with coverage for physical ailments; many good reasons to continue to support. I urge my colleagues to do so.

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