National Institutes of Health Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014
Floor Speech
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Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, when the President and Senate shut down the government yesterday, I don't think they realized what was going to happen at the NIH with pediatric cancer patients.
I want to thank the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee for bringing it to the attention of the House yesterday in her comments, because we get to solve the problem today.
You see, Mr. Speaker, during a temporary lapse in funding, the Department of Justice guidance for continuing government operations includes activities that protect ``the safety of human lives.'' So although over 40 percent of the Office of the Secretary were exempt in this furlough, strangely enough, some lawyer in the executive branch decided that pediatric cancer patients seeking to enroll in research at NIH don't merit those services necessary to protect ``the safety of human life.''
Now, look, I hope everybody here disagrees with that interpretation. Having taken care of many pediatric cancer patients in my medical career and being a parent, I know that pediatric cancer deals with the safety of human life.
Mr. Speaker, interestingly enough, to their credit, the Indian Health Service stayed opened. So if you have a common cold, you get treated, but if you have pediatric cancer, you don't. The lab animals at NIH are being taken care of, but if you have pediatric cancer, you aren't. I would hope we could agree that they should be. This bill solves the problem. This bill protects children seeking to enroll in cancer programs at the NIH.
The President and the Senate have already accepted a step-by-step approach when they accepted legislation over the weekend to fund our men and women in uniform during this lapse in funding. That bill was signed into law with bipartisan support. And this bill should be signed into law with bipartisan support so that we can help those cancer patients, especially those 30 children or so a week.
Now, look, I admit because of what the Senate majority leader said today that we may have a tough hill to climb with this bill in the Senate, but the House has to do what is right, even if for only one child with cancer whose life rests with the NIH.
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