Political Quotes

“Today, I rise as a proud cosponsor of H.R. 3116, the MODDERN Cures Act. As most know, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disorder that causes the loss of voluntary muscle control, often resulting in paralysis. As a former rehabilitation therapist and manager, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating impact that this disease takes of individual lives and family members. The life expectancy after a diagnosis with ALS is an average of 2 to 5 years. Veterans are twice as likely to experience and to die from ALS as the general public. What is even worse, Mr. Speaker, is there remains no cure. The MODDERN Cures Act would speed up the development of new and better treatments for patients with chronic diseases and disabilities, including ALS, by removing barriers to medical innovation. The legislation encourages research on treatments which, quite frankly, have been set aside in the lab, but hold promise for treating ALS and other chronic diseases and disabilities. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation. ____________________”