I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1144
To provide for an increase in the Federal investment in research on cancer,
Alzheimer’s disease, and asthma by $2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2002,
and to express the sense of the House of Representatives that the
Federal investment in such research should further be increased for
each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2006.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 21, 2001
Mr. ENGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To provide for an increase in the Federal investment in
research on cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and asthma by
$2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and to express the
sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal
investment in such research should further be increased
for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2006.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Disease Research Revi-
talization Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Past investments in cancer and Alzheimer’s
disease research have resulted in better health, an
improved quality of life for all Americans, and a re-
duction in national health care expenditures.
(2) The Nation’s commitment to cancer and
Alzheimer’s disease research has expanded the base
of scientific knowledge about health and disease and
revolutionized the practice of medicine.
(3) The Federal Government is the single larg-
est contributor to medical research conducted in the
United States.
(4) Research continues to play a vital role in
the growth of this Nation’s biotechnology and phar-
maceutical industries.
(5) The origin of many of the new drugs and
procedures currently in use is based on cancer and
Alzheimer’s disease research supported by the Na-
tional Institutes of Health.
(6) Unless we make a new commitment to can-
cer and Alzheimer’s disease research, one out of two
American alive today will fall victim to one or both
of these diseases.
(7) Neurodegenerative diseases of the elderly,
such as Alzheimer’s disease, threaten to destroy the
lives of millions of Americans, overwhelm the Na-
tion’s health care system, and bankrupt the Medi-
care and Medicaid programs.
(8) Cancer is the second leading cause of death,
and 552,000,000 Americans will die from the dis-
ease this year. This year, doctors will tell 1,200,000
Americans they have cancer.
(9) Women have traditionally been underrep-
resented in medical research protocols, yet are se-
verely affected by diseases including breast cancer,
which will kill over 43,900 women this year. Ovarian
cancer will claim another 14,500 lives.
(10) Approximately one out of every six Amer-
ican men will develop prostate cancer, and over
49,200 men will die from the disease each year.
(11) Four million Americans currently suffer
from Alzheimer’s disease and another 360,000 will
be diagnosed with the disease this year. Alzheimer’s
disease is the fourth leading cause of death in
adults.
(12) As the population of this Nation grows
older, the number of Americans diagnosed with Alz-
heimer’s disease could double.
(13) The mapping and sequencing of the entire
human genome will lead to a new era of molecular
medicine that will provide unprecedented opportuni-
ties for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and
cure of diseases that currently plague society.
(14) The fundamental way science is conducted
is changing at a revolutionary pace, demanding a far
greater investment in emerging new technologies and
research training programs, and in developing new
skills among scientific investigators.
(15) Research about prevention and early diag-
nosis of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease may result
in significantly reducing the incidence of these two
diseases.
(16) Most Americans show overwhelming sup-
port for an increased Federal investment in cancer
and Alzheimer’s disease research and researchers
now have unprecedented opportunities to conquer
these two diseases.
(17) About 14,600,000 Americans are suffering
with asthma, resulting in over $6,000,000,000 in
health care costs each year.
(18) Almost 5,000,000 children are afflicted
with asthma today and the number continues to rise,
making it the leading child disease in America.
(2) for each of the fiscal years 2004 through
2006, by $1,000,000,000 over the amount appro-
priated for the preceding fiscal year.
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