{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hartzler.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/curing-what-ails-us", "Curing What Ails Us", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014The House of Representatives, with support from Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) on Wednesday passed the 21st Century Cures Act, a transformational bill to change the way we treat disease.\n\t\t\t\tHartzler lauded the bill, saying it \u201cbrings much needed reforms to the way we look at healthcare research. With over 10,000 diseases in the world and only 500 known cures, we need to foster new and innovative approaches to finding cures and delivering hope for patients.\u201d\n\t\t\t\tIn addition to prioritizing new and cutting-edge research, modernizing and reforming the FDA, and investing in programs to incentivize innovative new treatments, the bill contained provisions Hartzler was particularly pleased to see included.\n\t\t\t\t\u201cI have seen first-hand the devastating effects of Alzheimer\u2019s, having lost family members to the disease,\u201d Hartzler said. \u201cThis bill invests $1.5 billion into the NIH\u2019s BRAIN Initiative, which will improve our understanding of diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s, and hopefully lead us to a cure.\u201d\n\t\t\t\tThe bill also includes $1 billion for grants to states to supplement opioid abuse prevention and treatment activities, such as improving prescription drug monitoring programs and implementing prevention. \u201cMissourians, like many Americans, are being hit hard by the scourge of opioid addiction which takes more than 40 lives each day nationwide,\u201d Hartzler added. \u201cBolstering the states\u2019 efforts to combat these diseases will help keep families together and strengthen communities.\u201d\n\t\t\t\tThe Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, which Hartzler co-sponsored, has been included in this bill as well. This measure, which makes mental health a national priority, originally passed the House in July.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\u201cWe have all experienced the pain and suffering that stems from mental illness,\u201d Hartzler said, \u201cbut none more so than the families of those afflicted. They are often left feeling too helpless and hopeless to act. Our current mental health system is outdated and needs to be reformed. This bill takes us a step in the right direction to help patients get the treatment they need.\u201d\n\t\t\t\tHartzler also highlighted a provision to create a working group, comprised of federal and non-federal members tasked with reporting to Congress on scientific advances, research questions, surveillance activities, and emerging strains in species of pathogenic organisms such a Lyme disease \u2013 a disease that affects 300,000 Americans each year. This is a devastating disease that needs to be addressed.\n\t\t\t\tThe 21st Century Cures Act, which is fully offset, brings American health care infrastructure into the 21st century. It accelerates the cycle of discovering, developing, and delivering new cures and treatments and ensures that America remains the global leader in biomedical innovation. The bill provides a pivotal opportunity to help researchers change the way we fight and treat disease.\n\t\t\t\tHartzler represents Missouri\u2019s Fourth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hartzler.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/curing-what-ails-us"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9990201108157635, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}