Health Care

Congress should use free market principles and common sense to control rising health care costs.

• Federal mandates and government interference result in higher health care costs, less innovation, and reduced consumer freedom.
  
  
• The best long term solution to dramatically lowering health care costs for all Americans is to cure and prevent major diseases such as cancer and diabetes. I am committed to doubling our nation’s investment in medical and scientific research at the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation to achieve this goal.
  
  
• I support expanding the tax deductibility of health insurance premiums, allowing businesses to pool their resources to help employees buy insurance coverage, expanding health savings accounts (HSAs), and passing nationwide tort reforms modeled on Texas law protecting doctors from frivolous lawsuits.
  
  
• The 46 institutions of the Texas Medical Center provide the best health care in the world. I am committed to ensuring these facilities continue to receive all the resources and support they need.
  
  
• I am proud to help support the groundbreaking cancer research conducted at Rice University and M.D. Anderson with gold nanoshells. These nanoshells have proven nearly 100 percent effective at destroying tumors in mice without damaging healthy cells. Clinical trials for this promising new treatment are already underway.
  
  
• My highest priority is the Alliance for NanoHealth, the first multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional collaborative research endeavor aimed solely at using nanotechnology to bridge the gaps between medicine, biology, materials science, computer technology and public policy.

PRESS RELEASES
Bringing Quality Healthcare to Texas Families, 6/9/08
Culberson Helping Houston Medical Facilities, 12/19/07
Recognizing Dr. Michael DeBakey's Accomplishments, 10/02/07
Honoring Dr. Michael DeBakey, 09/17/07


SPONSORED / COSPONSORED LEGISLATION IN THE 110th CONGRESS
H.Con.Res. 28 - Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued to promote awareness of Down syndrome
H.Con.Res. 182 - Recognizing the need to pursue research into the causes, a treatment, and an eventual cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, supporting the goals and ideals of National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week, and for other purposes
H.Con.Res. 215 - Supporting the designation of a week as “National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week
H.J.Res. 54 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services within the Department of Health and Human Services relating to Medicare coverage for the use of erythropoiesis stimulating agents in cancer and related neoplastic conditions
H.R. 195 - Seniors’ Health Care Freedom Act of 2007
H.R. 241 - Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2007
H.R. 322 - Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Act of 2007
H.R. 882 - Access to Emergency Medical Services Act of 2007
H.R. 1154 - To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Michael Ellis DeBakey, M.D.
H.R. 1157 - Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act
H.R. 1283 - Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2007
H.R. 1553 - Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2007
H.R. 1655 - Children’s Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2007
H.R. 2606 - 340B Program Improvement and Integrity Act of 2007
H.R. 2676 - Access to Cancer Clinical Trials Act
H.R. 2762 - To amend the Public Health Services Act to reauthorize the special diabetes programs for Type I diabetes and Indians under that Act
H.R. 3533 - The Public and Teaching Hospital Preservation Act
H.R. 3584 - SCHIP Extension Act of 2007