IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 89
To express the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal
investment in biomedical research should be increased by $2,000,000,000
in fiscal year 2000.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 2, 1999
Mr. GEKAS (for himself, Mr. BENTSEN, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr.
PORTER, and Mr. NETHERCUTT) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce
RESOLUTION
To express the sense of the House of Representatives that
the Federal investment in biomedical research should
be increased by $2,000,000,000 in fiscal year 2000.
Whereas past investments in biomedical research have re-
sulted in better health, an improved quality of life for all
Americans, and a reduction in national health care ex-
penditures;
Whereas the Nation’s commitment to biomedical research has
expanded the base of scientific knowledge about health
and disease and revolutionized the practice of medicine;
Whereas the Federal Government represents the single larg-
est contributor to biomedical research conducted in the
United States;
•HRES 89 IH
Whereas biomedical research continues to play a vital role in
the growth of this Nation’s biotechnology, medical device,
and pharmaceutical industries;
Whereas the origin of many of the new drugs and medical de-
vices currently in use is based on biomedical research
supported by the National Institutes of Health;
Whereas women have traditionally been underrepresented in
medical research protocols, yet are severely affected by
diseases including breast cancer, which will kill over
43,900 women this year; ovarian cancer which will claim
another 14,500 lives; and osteoporosis and cardiovascular
disorders;
Whereas research sponsored by the National Institutes of
Health is responsible for the identification of genetic
mutations relating to nearly 100 diseases, including Alz-
heimer’s disease, cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease,
osteoporosis, many forms of cancer, and immune defi-
ciency disorders;
Whereas many Americans still face serious and life-threaten-
ing health problems, both acute and chronic;
Whereas neurodegenerative diseases of the elderly, such as
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, threaten to destroy
the lives of millions of Americans, overwhelm the Na-
tion’s health care system, and bankrupt the medicare and
medicaid programs;
Whereas 4,000,000 Americans are currently infected with the
hepatitis C virus, an insidious liver condition that can
lead to inflammation, cirrhosis, and cancer, as well as
liver failure;
Whereas 250,000 Americans are now suffering from AIDS
and hundreds of thousands more with HIV infection;
•HRES 89 IH
Whereas cancer remains a comprehensive threat to any tissue
or organ of the body at any age, and remains a top cause
of morbidity and mortality;
Whereas the extent of psychiatric and neurological diseases
poses considerable challenges in understanding the work-
ings of the brain and nervous system;
Whereas recent advances in the treatment of HIV illustrate
the promise research holds for even more effective, acces-
sible, and affordable treatments for persons with HIV;
Whereas infants and children are the hope of our future, yet
they continue to be the most vulnerable and underserved
members of our society;
Whereas approximately one out of every six American men
will develop prostate cancer and over 49,200 men will die
from prostate cancer each year;
Whereas diabetes, both insulin and non-insulin forms, afflicts
15,700,000 Americans and places them at risk for acute
and chronic complications, including blindness, kidney
failure, atherosclerosis, and nerve degeneration;
Whereas the emerging understanding of the principles of bio-
metrics has been applied to the development of hard tis-
sue such as bone and teeth as well as soft tissue, and this
field of study holds great promise for the design of new
classes of biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, and diagnostic
and analytical reagents;
Whereas research sponsored by the National Institutes of
Health will map and sequence the entire human genome
by 2005, leading to a new era of molecular medicine that
will provide unprecedented opportunities for the preven-
tion, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of diseases that cur-
rently plague society;