[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5338 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5338
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 30, 2020
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To authorize the Secretary of State to pursue public-private
partnerships, innovative financing mechanisms, research partnerships,
and coordination with international and multilateral organizations to
address childhood cancer globally, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Global Hope Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Approximately 300,000 children aged 0 to 19 years old
are diagnosed with cancer each year.
(2) The most common categories of childhood cancers include
leukemia, brain cancer, lymphoma, and solid tumors, such as
neuroblastoma and Wilms tumor.
(3) Most childhood cancers can be cured with generic
medicines and can be cost-effective for all income levels.
(4) In the United States, the survival rate for children
diagnosed with cancer is over 80 percent. In many developing
countries, the mortality rate of children diagnosed with cancer
is around 80 percent. In some parts of Africa, the mortality
rate reaches 90 percent.
(5) In September 2018, the World Health Organization
announced a new effort--the Global Initiative for Childhood
Cancer--with the aim of reaching at least a 60-percent survival
rate for children with cancer by 2030, thereby saving an
additional 1,000,000 lives.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress as follows:
(1) The work of the United States on infectious disease
remains the core tenet of United States work on global health.
(2) As the United States and international partners
continue to succeed in lowering incidences of infectious
diseases, global mortality rates of non-communicable diseases
will become an increasing burden that must be addressed.
(3) The United States should work to support the goals of
the World Health Organization Initiative for Childhood Cancer,
helping increase survival rates for children with cancer.
SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
The United States shall seek to--
(1) increase political commitment for childhood cancer
diagnosis, treatment, and care globally;
(2) support efforts to increase the survival rate of
children with cancer globally;
(3) support efforts to train medical personnel and develop
the capabilities of other existing healthcare infrastructure to
diagnose, treat, and care for childhood cancer;
(4) improve access to affordable and essential medicines
and technologies that treat childhood cancer;
(5) elevate and prioritize efforts to reduce the mortality
rate of childhood cancer in international organizations such as
the United Nations;
(6) pursue research and research partnerships with
international institutions to identify low-cost interventions
and best practices to diagnose, treat, and care for childhood
cancer in the United States and globally; and
(7) improve partnerships with international health
ministries and pharmaceutical companies to facilitate efforts
for broader, global clinical trials for medicines to treat or
care for childhood cancer in the United States and globally.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of relevant
Federal departments and agencies, is authorized and encouraged to--
(1) pursue public-private partnerships, other research
partnerships, and innovative financing mechanisms to address
childhood cancer globally; and
(2) coordinate with appropriate agencies of the United
Nations and other relevant multilateral organizations to
address childhood cancer globally.
SEC. 6. REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations
of the Senate a report that includes the following:
(1) An assessment of opportunities for United States
engagement in global efforts to increase the worldwide survival
rate of children with cancer.
(2) An assessment of efforts taken by the United States to
support efforts to increase the worldwide survival rate of
children with cancer.
(3) An assessment of existing programs funded by the United
States that could be expanded to support efforts to increase
the worldwide survival rate of children with cancer.
(4) An assessment of how such increased international
engagement could positively affect--
(A) survival rates of individuals with childhood
cancer in the United States; and
(B) reductions in the rates of infant and pediatric
morbidity and mortality.
SEC. 7. COST LIMITATION.
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 8. CHILDHOOD CANCER DEFINED.
In this Act, the term ``childhood cancer'' means cancers formed or
diagnosed in individuals under the age of 20.
Passed the House of Representatives January 28, 2020.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.