Heidi Alexander: “I ask unanimous consent that a copy of my remarks at the Senate Health Committee's third executive session on its…”

“I ask unanimous consent that a copy of my remarks at the Senate Health Committee's third executive session on its biomedical innovation agenda be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Senate Health Committee Executive Session on Innovation Agenda This is our third and final markup of legislation that is part of our innovation, or ``cures,'' agenda--that is, our effort to take advantage of this exciting time in science and enable safe treatments, drugs, and devices to reach patients more quickly. Today's markup completes action on about 50 bipartisan proposals this committee has been working on for more than a year--with 10 hearings, five staff working groups that have held more than 100 meetings. When we are finished today, these proposals will together form a companion to 21st Century Cures Act, which passed the House 344-77 last year, and a vehicle for the president's Precision Medicine Initiative and Cancer Moonshot. If we succeed, this will be the most important bill signed into law this year. Why do I say that? Here's one reason: 6-year-old Californian Rylie Rahall, diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Ataxia- Telangiectasia or A-T, so rare--according to NIH--that it affects between 1 out of 40,000 and 1 out of 100,000.…”