GOP leaders pushing for 21st Century Cures Act

Passing the 21st Century Cures Act during the lame duck session of Congress following the elections is a high priority, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) each said Thursday. The House passed a version of the bill (H.R. 6) in July 2015, but the Senate has not passed companion legislation (see BioCentury, April 18).

Briefing reporters, McConnell said he has two priorities for the lame duck session: "funding the government and the 21st Century Cures bill, which I think could end up being the most significant piece of legislation we pass in the whole Congress." McConnell noted that President Obama favors the bill because it would fund the Precision Medicine Initiative and Vice President Biden supports it because it would fund the Cancer Moonshot Initiative. ...