Congressman Cleaver Co-Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Fund Federal Cerebral Palsy Research

Statement

This week, U.S Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) co-introduced the bipartisan Cerebral Palsy Research Program Act, which would create a cerebral palsy (CP) research program headed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and provide the first-ever dedicated source of federal funding for CP research. CP is the most common life-long physical disability, occurring in roughly one out of 345 children and approximately one million people in the United States. Still, there has never been a federal research program focused on the disability.

"As we come to the conclusion of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, I'm extraordinarily proud to introduce the bipartisan Cerebral Palsy Research Program Act with Representatives Cohen and Fitzpatrick," said Congressman Cleaver. "CP is the most common motor disability for American children, yet for far too long, Congress has overlooked the desperate need to fund, research and develop new treatments and technologies that can support individuals living daily with CP. With this commonsense proposal, we can begin to right that wrong and take the steps necessary to improve the lives of every American living with CP -- and I believe that's something everyone in Congress should be able to support."

"The lack of dedicated federal funding has limited any potential advances into the care and treatment of cerebral palsy," said Congressman Cohen. "Many people with CP visit pediatricians throughout their lives because there is no standard of care for treating CP and very few health care providers specialize in treating adults with CP. Few providers are even aware of how CP affects an adult."

"Cerebral palsy is one of the most common of all diagnosed childhood disabilities, and nearly 10,000 babies born each year will develop CP, yet, there is currently no designated federal funding for CP research," said Representative Fitzpatrick. "I am pleased to join Representatives Cohen and Cleaver to introduce the bipartisan Cerebral Palsy Research Program Act, which will support CP research, diagnosis, and treatment efforts and improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans living with CP."

"The Cerebral Palsy Research Program Act will profoundly improve the lives of people with cerebral palsy and their families. The cerebral palsy community strongly supports this critical public health research need. With dedicated investment by the federal government, we will finally see breakthroughs in treatment, prevention and enhanced healthcare across the lifespan for millions of Americans," said Cynthia Frisina, Cerebral Palsy Foundation Senior Vice President, mother of a daughter with cerebral palsy, and the creator of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day.

The Cerebral Palsy Research Program Act would direct the CDC to establish a research program to support research on the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation, health care costs, and societal costs of CP and track the number of people diagnosed with CP in the United States. Additionally, it would provide funds to the National Institutes of Health to update and publish a Strategic Plan on Cerebral Palsy, which was last published in 2017.

Official text of the Cerebral Palsy Research Program Act is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.

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