Reps. Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.) and Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.) applauded the House’s passage of the Garbriella Miller Kids First Research Act on Wednesday, which would divert federal funding for political party conventions to research on pediatric diseases and disorders.
Both legislators co-sponsored the legislation. The bill would eliminate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and redirect the funds to the Pediatric Research Initiative.
“This legislation is a fine example of Congress making prudent choices about how it spends the taxpayers’ dollars,” Meehan said. “We’re reducing unnecessary spending on partisan political events and directing it to spending priorities – in this case, research to fight pediatric conditions like autism.”
Passage of the measure would bring the country closer to understanding pediatric diseases and disorders, Meehan added.
Ellmers said that the bill would have an immediate impact on children.
“…This bill will provide vital funding for the National Institute of Health to conduct targeted and coordinated pediatric medical research,” Ellmers said. “This research has the real promise of expediting important breakthroughs in cancer, autism and other rare disease research while also providing new techniques that could benefit the lives of children across the country. I’m proud to support this bill and will continue to fight to make it a reality.”