Lois Capps: “I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 225, the National Pediatric Research…”

“I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 225, the National Pediatric Research Network Act. I want to associate myself with the remarks of our committee chairman, Mr. Upton. He has a family dear to his heart, as I have one too; and they reflect families across this country for whom this bill will provide a stronger glimmer of hope for the future. This is a bipartisan bill. It will improve research in clinical trials on pediatric diseases, train future pediatric researchers, and disseminate research findings quickly so that all children may benefit. It does not replace our current pediatric research investments, but instead builds upon the work already being done at the National Institutes of Health and at so many research centers across the country by creating research consortia to form a nationwide network of pediatric researchers. This is important to make sure that we are always working with the most current science and that this information is quickly shared and verified. This bill will also expand the geographic scope of research, giving sick kids easier access to research programs and clinical trials. Moreover, this bill will help a wider variety of institutions participate in this critical research while providing training grounds for our next generation of pediatric researchers.…”