Rep. McMorris Rodgers continues work on 21st Century Cures Act
U.S. Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State authored six major provisions in the 21st Century Cures Act, which the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved this month by a bipartisan vote of 344-77.
Throughout the summer, McMorris Rodgers plans to keep forward motion progressing as part of a bipartisan coalition of supporters. The Congresswoman says the bill package helps modernize federal HIPAA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] laws, accelerates the discovery of new cures, creates research consortia to treat pediatric disorders, and brings the regulatory framework into the 21st Century by embracing technologies that focus on patient-specific therapies and the potential for powerful indicators, like Biomarkers.
“Innovation and discovery should be accelerated; treatments should be quickly available; and we should be curing diseases here in the United States,” the Congresswoman said. “This legislation helps achieve that.”
The 21st Century Cures Act, H.R. 6, was introduced May 19 by Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich. On a fast track, the bill passed the House July 10. On the Senate side, the bill has been referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.