WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this afternoon after the passage of the Kids First Act, which she was proud to co-sponsor:

"This afternoon, we passed a major piece of legislation that will have a real and immediate impact on children across the country. Cancer is a devastating disease, but when it affects children, our worst horrors become a reality. This bill will provide vital funding for the National Institute of Health (NIH) to conduct targeted and coordinated pediatric medical research. 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."

This afternoon, the House successfully passed H.R. 2019 - the “Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act.” This bill would eliminate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, which currently provides taxpayer dollars for political party conventions and redirects all funding to the Pediatric Research Initiative. H.R. 2019 is fully paid for and will not cost the taxpayer anything.

For more information on this bill, and the young lady who inspired it, watch this video as reported by CNN.

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