Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008
CAROLINE PRYCE WALKER CONQUER CHILDHOOD CANCER ACT OF 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 11, 2008)
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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, we're here today to consider H.R. 1553, the Caroline Pryce Walker Cancer Act of 2008.
Between infancy and 15 years of age, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States. In 2007, approximately 10,000 new cases of pediatric cancer were diagnosed in children ages 0 to 14 years.
Although the incidents of invasive cancer has increased slightly over the past 30 years, mortality has declined dramatically for many childhood cancers. Despite these advances, treatments for some childhood cancers are inadequate. Negative effects resulting from current pediatric cancer therapies indicate a need to strengthen Federal support for activities leading to an enhanced understanding of childhood cancers and treatments that are less toxic and more effective.
H.R. 1553 would strengthen the Federal investment in pediatric cancer research and reassert Congress's commitment to conquering childhood cancer. This legislation directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to continue to enhance, expand, and intensify pediatric cancer research and other activities related to pediatric cancer. Furthermore, this legislation directs HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to enhance and expand infrastructure to track the epidemiology of pediatric cancer into a comprehensive nationwide registry of actual occurrences of pediatric cancer.
I want to thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for working together in a bipartisan fashion to get this important legislation to the floor today. I would also like to commend, in particular, Representative Chris Van Hollen and also Representative Deborah Pryce, whose diligent work and commitment to this issue are the reason we're here today.
This legislation, Madam Speaker, is named in memory of Representative Pryce's 9-year-old daughter Caroline who tragically lost her valiant battle against a rare form of cancer, neuroblastoma, on September 4, 1999. I can't think of a more fitting tribute to Caroline Pryce Walker than to see her mother's legislation overwhelmingly pass the House floor today.
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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I would like to urge all my colleagues to support this bill overwhelmingly. And I want to make a commitment to Congresswoman Pryce, as she had urged, that we get this over to the Senate and get it passed as quickly as possible so we can send it to the President.
I know that this is in memory of her daughter Caroline, and all the different things that have been said here today is certainly a tribute to you and all that you have done here in the House of Representatives.
I just want to say, I've watched you over the years. I know you were the chairwoman of the Republican Conference, and as you said, we were often battling. But in all of that, Congresswoman Pryce was always a lady and really someone who was able to get along with people on both sides of the aisle and work towards good government goals.
So this bill really is a tribute to her in memory of her daughter. And I just want to thank her again for all that she has done.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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