IV
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 72
To express the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal
investment in biomedical research should be increased by $3,400,000,000
in fiscal year 2002.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 28, 2001
Mr. GEKAS (for himself, Mr. BENTSEN, and Mrs. MORELLA) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
RESOLUTION
To express the sense of the House of Representatives that
the Federal investment in biomedical research should
be increased by $3,400,000,000 in fiscal year 2002.
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 contribution to biomedical research conducted in the
United States;
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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 in biomedical research sup-
ported by the National Institutes of Health;
Whereas women have traditionally been under represented in
medical research protocols, yet are severely affected by
diseases including breast cancer, claimed the lives of
40,800 women last year; ovarian cancer claimed another
14,000 lives; and osteoporosis and cardiovascular dis-
orders;
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-threat-
ening 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 one in one hundred Americans is 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 320,000 Americans are now suffering from AIDS
and hundreds of thousands more with HIV infection;
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Whereas cancer remains a comprehensive threat to any tissue
or organ of the body at any age, and remains a leading
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 under served
members of our society;
Whereas prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer
deaths in men and last year 31,900 men died from pros-
tate cancer;
Whereas juvenile diabetes and diabetes, both insulin and non-
insulin forms, afflict 16 million Americans and places
them at risk for acute and chronic complications, includ-
ing blindness, kidney failure, atherosclerosis and nerve
degeneration;
Whereas the emerging understanding of the principles of
biomimetrics have been applied to the development of
hard tissue 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, diag-
nostic and analytical reagents;
Whereas research sponsored by the National Institutes of
Health will map and sequence the entire human genome
by 2003, leading to a new era of molecular medicine that
will provide unprecedented opportunities for the preven-
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tion, diagnoses, treatment, and cure of diseases that cur-
rently plague society;
Whereas the fundamental way science is conducted is chang-
ing at a revolutionary pace, demanding a far greater in-
vestment in emerging new technologies, research training
programs, and in developing new skills among scientific
investigators; and
Whereas most Americans show overwhelming support for an
increased Federal investment in biomedical research:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Biomedical Revi-
talization Resolution of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
It is the sense of the House of Representatives that
funding for the National Institutes of Health should be
increased by $3,400,000,000 in fiscal year 2002 and that
the budget resolution appropriately reflect sufficient funds
to achieve this objective.
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