Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA) issued the following statement after the House passed the 21st Century Cures Act by a vote of 344 to 77:

“The 21st Century Cures Act finally presents a national vision and a major opportunity to advance better detection, management, and ultimately cures of chronic diseases and improvement of quality of life for all Americans. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this groundbreaking legislation.

“Investment in medical research in 21st Century Cures provides the ability to get new lifesaving treatments more expediently to the patients who need them and unleash medical innovation across the country.

“A treatment that delays the onset of Alzheimer’s by 5 years alone is projected to decrease the total costs of the disease by 33 percent or $367 billion by 2050. And this is just one among many ailments including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis that plague millions of Americans physically and often financially.

“Federally funded research is essential to gaining a better understanding of diseases, developing earlier detection tools and finding more effective treatments and cures. I thank my colleagues for supporting this bill and the lifesaving cures that will be made possible due to its passage.”