February 3, 2016 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H503 We now understand that for most, if a ‘‘moonshot’’ to cure cancer, under the lead- National Institutes of Health peer-reviewed not all, of these remissions that they ership of Vice President BIDEN. This week the grants. Which I mention, Mr. Speaker, be- happen when the body’s immune sys- President announced specific plans to invest cause of the way that peer review is coming tem, which has evolved over millions of one billion dollars to fund that ‘‘moonshot.’’ As under attack by members of your party. years of combat with foreign viral and a scientist, and as the manager of large sci- In the 1990s, they were all working on what bacterial invaders, finally understands entific projects, I am naturally inclined to be have come to be known as immunological that cancer is an enemy and has all the skeptical of such bold claims from politicians. checkpoints, which are regulatory pathways horsepower that it needs to attack and President Richard Nixon famously launched that turn down the immune system to prevent to clean it up. Immunotherapy now the same ‘‘war on cancer’’ in 1971. Tragically, it from attacking its own body. gives us the scientific understanding of we continue to wage that war today. More re- Even once this basic discovery was made, how to mass produce those miracles. cently, Andrew von Eschenbach, the director the established pharmaceutical companies This would never have been discov- of the National Cancer Institute under Presi- would not touch it. But in 1999, Medarex, a ered without decades of sustained Fed- dent Bush, set the goal of ‘‘eliminating suf- small biotech in Princeton, NJ, funded by the eral investment in R&D, and although fering and death from cancer by 2015.’’ We all National Institutes of Health, took on the the breakthroughs in immunotherapy know, unfortunately, that goal was not met. So project. Ten years later, only after Medarex rest upon a large pyramid of federally why is this ‘‘cancer moonshot’’ any different? was well on the way to showing that their can- funded research, there are two parallel Is this a moment like 1961, when President cer immunotherapy approach worked in hu- threads of federally funded research Kennedy stood before a joint session of Con- mans, it was purchased by Bristol-Myers- that directly led to this breakthrough. gress and announced his goal of putting a Squibb for 2.4 billion dollars. There are now One was pioneered by Jim Allison, man on the moon by the end of the decade— many drug companies developing checkpoint then of UC Berkeley, and Arlene and succeeded? Or a moment like 1971 when inhibitor drugs to treat cancer, as well as other Sharpe of Harvard Medical School. The President Nixon declared War on Cancer and immune-system-related treatments for cancer. other was pioneered by Lieping Chen of failed? So as I mentioned before, the Obama-Biden the Mayo Clinic, all three labs using I believe that President Obama’s cancer ini- cancer moonshot will likely succeed, because Federal funds to study how the im- tiative will succeed. And the reason it will suc- of the technology and basic science that was mune system is controlled and how it ceed is brutally simple: science. Basic science generated by decades of curiosity-driven sci- knows to kill foreign cells but not its and technology that exists today, and did not entific research—funded by the United States own cells. This was a fascinating sci- exist 45 years ago. Technology that was gen- Government. Or, funded by big government, entific question, but not one which was erated by decades of curiosity-driven scientific Mr. Speaker, as your colleagues like to say. obviously relevant to cancer. research—paid for by the United States Tax- Funded by a big government, directed by a All three labs were sponsored by payer. There are many decades of federally- vast, unelected, overpaid, lazy, wasteful fed- basic science peer-reviewed grants supported basic scientific advances that will eral bureaucracy. A bureaucracy that will save from the National Institutes of Health, allow the Obama-Biden cancer moonshot suc- millions of American lives. I often hear my col- which I mention, Mr. Speaker, because ceed: the ability to fully genome sequence in- leagues on the other side of the aisle claim we of the way that peer review seems to be dividual cancers, the ability to manipulate the don’t need to make federal investments in coming under attack by members of genome to produce animal models to study R&D, because if it’s worth doing, the private your party. In the 1990s these groups and test the basic mechanisms of cancer, and were all working on what became sector will do it. Immunotherapy is a perfect immunotherapy treatment, which was named known as immune checkpoints, which example of why that logic doesn’t work. Science Magazine’s breakthrough of the year The private sector took over, but not until are regulatory pathways to turn down in 2013, and which has been capturing so researchers spent decades and millions of tax- the immune system to prevent it from attacking its own body. many headlines around the world. payer dollars elucidating the basic science and Even once this basic discovery was Immunotherapy is an ingenious and revolu- proving this method could work. made, the established pharmaceutical tionary treatment that uses the body’s own im- I also hear my colleagues cherry picking companies would not touch it, but in mune system to fight cancer. studies that they can’t make sense of and 1999 Medarex, a small biotech in Since time immemorial, there have been label them as wasteful spending, then trum- Princeton, New Jersey, funded by the stories of ‘‘miraculous remissions’’ of cancer, peting their success in cutting ‘‘wasteful’’ gov- National Institutes of Health, took on where patients with apparently incurable can- ernment spending. When the truth is those the project. Ten years later, only after cers have experienced spontaneous and often ‘‘wasteful’’ programs often lead to break- Medarex was well on the way to show- complete remissions. These were often attrib- throughs like immunotherapy. The cancer ing that their cancer immunotherapy uted to an act of God, or perhaps the moral moonshot being led by Vice President BIDEN is approach worked in humans, it was character of the patient. likely to succeed, but only because of sus- purchased by Bristol-Myers Squibb for We now understand that most, if not all, of tained investments in federal funding for re- $2.4 billion. Now there are many drug these remissions happen when the body’s im- search and development. As we work in the companies developing checkpoint in- mune system, which has evolved over mil- coming months to develop a budget, I hope hibitor drugs to treat cancer as well as lennia of combat with foreign viral and bac- my colleagues will keep this in mind. I am the other immune system-related treat- terial invaders, finally understands the cancer representative of U.S. citizens, Mr. Speaker, ments for cancer. as an enemy, and has all of the horsepower but one that does not share your party’s mon- So, as I mentioned before, the it needs to attack it and to clean it up. And omania about ‘‘small government’’, or a desire Obama-Biden cancer moonshot will immunotherapy now gives us the scientific un- to keep government small and indebted simply likely succeed because of the tech- derstanding of how to mass produce those to provide low tax rates for its wealthy donors. nology and basic science that was gen- miracles. But this would never have been dis- Because Americans know that small govern- erated by decades of curiosity-driven covered without decades of sustained federal ment does not accomplish great things, like scientific research funded by the investments in R&D. sending a man to the moon, or curing cancer. United States Government. Although the breakthroughs of f Mr. Speaker, I am the representative immunotherapy rest on a pyramid of largely CELEBRATING RELIGIOUS LIB- of U.S. citizens, but one who does not taxpayer-funded research, there are two par- ERTY AND CONSTRICTING INDI- share your party’s monomania about allel threads of federally funded research that VIDUAL FREEDOMS small government or a desire to keep directly led to this breakthrough. One was pio- our government small and indebted neered by Jim Allison, then of UC Berkeley, The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. simply to provide low tax rates for and Arlene Sharpe, of Harvard Medical DUNCAN of Tennessee). The Chair recog- wealthy donors because Americans School. The other was pioneered by Lieping nizes the gentlewoman from Tennessee know that small government does not Chen of the Mayo Clinic. All three labs were (Mrs. BLACKBURN) for 5 minutes. accomplish great things, like sending a using federal funds to study how the immune Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, as I man to the Moon or curing cancer. system is controlled, how it knows to kill for- come to the floor this morning, I want The following is a complete text of my re- eign cells but not its own cells. This was a fas- to express appreciation for our 64th an- marks: cinating scientific question, but not one that nual National Prayer Breakfast that Mr. Speaker, last month, President Obama was obviously relevant to cancer. All three takes place tomorrow. I think this is came to this chamber to speak, inter alia, of labs are supported by basic-science from the such a wonderful gathering that we

VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:29 Feb 04, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K03FE7.006 H03FEPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H504 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 3, 2016 have every year, where our Nation fo- league Dr. PHIL ROE, who has worked ally detected 8 to 10 years after the cuses on praying for our Nation. I want with each of us as we have pulled provi- original trauma and include disorienta- to welcome my guests, Dr. and Mrs. sions into this bill to make certain tion, dizziness, and headaches. Franklin Page, who will join us this that we return to the principles of af- As the disease progresses, individuals week to recognize this time and to set fordability, accessibility, and account- with CTE can experience memory loss, aside time to celebrate our religious ability in patient-centered health care. social instability, erratic behavior, and liberty and the individual freedom that We think it is time for these moves to poor judgment. The worst cases of CTE becomes the focus of this week. take place. show symptoms of dementia, vertigo, There is also another focus that Mr. Speaker, I would like to return impeded speech, tremors, deafness, comes into mind as we talk about this everyone’s attention to the need to ad- slowing of muscular movements, and religious liberty. I want to take a mo- dress the issue of replacing the suicidal tendencies. ment and welcome and recognize the ObamaCare legislation so that we re- Dr. Omalu’s continued research on arrival of my new nephew, Grayson Lee duce the cost and increase the access of brain injuries and CTE has given us a Hunter. He is joining brothers Worth health care for all Americans. greater understanding of the long-term and Preston, his cousin Georgia Kate, f effects of repeated brain trauma. and his cousins Jack and Chase, who According to the CDC, approximately DR. OMALU’S DISCOVERIES AND are my grandsons. We know that being 3.8 million Americans every year suffer ACHIEVEMENTS able to grow up in freedom is such a from concussions and approximately wonderful gift, and we are excited The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 208,000 people seek treatment in emer- about that and excited about what in- Chair recognizes the gentleman from gency rooms for traumatic brain inju- dividual freedom means to each of us. California (Mr. MCNERNEY) for 5 min- ries. I want to turn our attention now to utes. b 1045 something that constricts that free- Mr. MCNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise dom, and that is what we see through today to recognize the medical Approximately two-thirds of those the President’s healthcare law. Again, achievements and discoveries of an ex- emergency room visits are children yesterday we came to the floor to push traordinary man from my district, Dr. ages 5 to 18. The rate of recurrence to repeal that law. This is something Bennet Omalu. with traumatic brain injuries is high. that we will continue. There is a rea- Dr. Omalu’s medical achievements, An athlete who sustains a concussion son for this. focusing primarily on brain injuries, is four to six times more likely to sus- Let me give you some examples. Last have recently come to prominence with tain a second concussion. week I was out in my district. I visited the movie ‘‘Concussion,’’ which chron- Of course, CTE research will also with constituents who are employers. I icles Dr. Omalu’s career and the con- apply to veterans who suffer from trau- want to cite three examples. One, an troversies that his discoveries have matic brain injuries from combat ac- employer of 76 people, another an em- created within the National Football tivity. ployer of 400 people, and another a League. Dr. Omalu’s medical research Dr. Omalu has advocated for more franchise owner, 3,000 people that are is also particularly relevant as we pre- education among athletes who play in this group. pare to watch Super Bowl 50 this week- high-contact sports, teaching them Let me tell you what I heard from end. about the risks associated with repet- each and every one of these individ- Dr. Omalu was born in Nnokwa, Nige- itive brain trauma. He has committed uals. Their employees, many of whom ria, and was the sixth of seven siblings. himself to advancing the medical un- are my constituents, want to see a re- His mother was a seamstress, and his derstanding of CTE, brain injuries, and turn to patient-centered, affordable father was a mining engineer and re- their effects on the people who suffer health care. They do not want more spected community leader who encour- from them. Big Government and more unfunded aged Omalu’s career in medicine. His Today, Dr. Omalu has eight advanced mandates that they are being forced to long medical career began at the age of degrees and board certifications, in- deal with. It changes the kind of health 16 when he started attending medical cluding master of public health and ep- care that they can get. school at the University of Nigeria. idemiology and master of business ad- Now, when it comes to health insur- Omalu earned a bachelor of medicine ministration. He resides in Lodi, Cali- ance, what we have found is the esca- and a bachelor of surgery in 1990. fornia, and serves as the chief medical lation of cost to the individual because In 1994, Dr. Omalu moved to Seattle, examiner of San Joaquin County, Cali- of what is happening with the mandate. Washington, and completed an epide- fornia, and as a professor at the UC The insurance cost has gone up, the miology fellowship at the University of Davis Department of Medical Pathol- out-of-pocket deductibles, all of this is Washington. In 1995, he moved to New ogy and Laboratory Medicine. going up. What we also see is a cramp- York to complete his residency train- The Bennet Omalu Foundation is ing of access because of narrowed net- ing in anatomic and clinical pathology. committed to funding research, raising works. After completing his residency, Dr. awareness, providing care, and finding Another thing that is happening is Omalu trained as a forensic pathologist cures for people who suffer from CTE what is taking place through the over- at the Allegheny County Coroner’s Of- and traumatic brain injuries. It is im- sight boards, the preventive service fice in Pittsburgh. perative, as a Nation, that we support task forces. These could also be called It was here, after conducting an au- research on CTE and brain injuries and some of those oxymoronic Federal topsy on former Pittsburgh Steeler figure out how much high-impact agencies because instead of opening up Mike Webster, that Dr. Omalu made a sports are affecting the health of our the healthcare process, what we see is groundbreaking discovery that would children and athletes. I ask my col- they are reducing what you have access forever change our understanding of leagues to join me in honoring the re- to, and it is also a slowdown in pay- brain injuries. Dr. Omalu was the first search and achievements of Dr. Bennet ment reimbursements for so many of to identify and diagnose and name Omalu and all he has done to further our Medicare recipients. That is what chronic traumatic encephalopathy. the understanding of the human brain. is happening in health care, and we are Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or f hearing about it from our employers. CTE, is a disease prevalent in athletes Now, there are options that are out who participate in high-contact sports HUD OVER-INCOME HOUSING there. Let me cite just a couple for my like football, boxing, and wrestling. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. colleagues. H.R. 2300, Empowering Pa- Since Dr. Omalu’s discovery, we now WOODALL). The Chair recognizes the tients First Act, that is the bill from know that CTE is a progressive, degen- gentleman from Florida (Mr. JOLLY) Dr. PRICE, and also, special attention erative disease that is found in people for 5 minutes. to, the Republican Study Committee who have suffered repetitive brain Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today plan, the American Health Care Re- trauma, including subconcussive hits in support of bipartisan legislation form Act. It is H.R. 2653. Leading this that do not show any immediate symp- that the House recently passed, H.R. charge has been my Tennessee col- toms. Early symptoms of CTE are usu- 3700, the Housing Opportunity Through

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