Donovan Calls On Senate To Pass Cancer Research Bill

Congressman Dan Donovan met with cancer research advocates from Staten Island and Brooklyn Tuesday to discuss a new measure aimed at advancing medical research, and to call on Senate to pass the bill.

Donovan is a co-sponsor the 21st Century Cures Act — legislation that provides billions of dollars in funding for medical research to the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control — which passed the House in July. The bill also offers new incentives for developing treatments for diseases (including cancer), it modernizes clinical trial procedures to produce faster and cheaper results, and it removes barriers to increased research collaboration.

Donovan, who lost an aunt to cancer last week, explained the urgent need for new developments in the field of disease research.

“If it becomes law, this bill would enact reforms to further our understanding of deadly diseases and develop treatments for illnesses that currently lack effective therapies,” said the congressman. “There are 10,000 known diseases, but there are cures for only 500 of them. Our great country has made tremendous scientific advancements in just the past few decades – let’s double down on that progress and work to rid humanity of some of its deadliest ailments.”

The advocates, led by Tottenville Civic Association President James Pistilli, delivered petitions from hundreds of local residents encouraging Congress to allocate additional resources to disease research. The Cures Act has been delivered to the Senate for further action.

“We would like to thank Congressman Donovan for cosponsoring the 21st Century Cures Act, and we look forward to the Senate passing its version to provide the funds necessary to continue vital research for cancer and other chronic diseases,” said Pistilli.