President Barack Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law on Dec. 13. The legislation aims to provide additional funding to the NIH and FDA while streamlining the development of new drugs. A revised version of the bill, co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in a 392-to-26 vote on Nov. 30. It was then passed by the Senate in a 94-to-5 vote on Dec. 7. “Working together, we got the job done,” Upton and De...
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West Michigan Congressman Fred Upton says the 21st Century Cures Act means “we will find cures for these diseases…years before we otherwise would have.” Upton was the lead sponsor of the bill that was signed into law last week by President Obama. The Saint Joseph Republican says it accelerates approval of drugs and devices that can lead to cures for diseases like cancer. Upton sat down with WMUK’s Gordon Evans to discuss the Cures Act and other issues. 21st Century Cures Act Some patient advocac...
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Following the Senate’s passage of the 21st Century Cures Act on Wednesday by a vote of 94 to 5, the bill was sent today to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) before moving to the White House for the president’s signature. The House passed the game-changing medical innovation bill on November 30, by a vote of 392-26. Both Speaker Ryan and Senate Pro Tempore Orrin Hatch (R-UT) officially signed the bill at this morning’s Enrollment Ceremony. “This effort has always been about the patients, and I’m so glad t...
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It’s time for Congress to erase party lines and deliver a fix for Flint water By U.S. Reps. Dan Kildee and Fred Upton Before the 114th Congress comes to an end in less than a month, we in Congress need to come together, Republicans and Democrats, to step up and help the people of Flint. Families in Flint have not been able to trust the drinking water coming out of their tap in more than two years. A federal judge recently ruled that the state of Michigan must deliver bottled water to Flint resid...
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The problem of opioid abuse extends far beyond West Michigan. Recognizing the need for a national response, Congress recently passed legislation aimed at curtailing what the Department of Health and Human Services labels “an unprecedented opioid epidemic.” On average, nearly 80 Americans die each day from overdoses involving prescription or illicit opioids, such as heroin. It is estimated more than 2 million Americans are addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers and another 470,000 to hero...
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Please click HERE to watch the news report from ABC 57. National Night Out helps Berrien County heal weeks after deadly shooting By Vahid Sadrzadeh BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. - Three weeks ago, tragedy struck Berrien County, taking the lives of two court bailiffs and wounding two others. On Tuesday night, another chance to heal and celebrate those who put their lives on the line every day. “We’re still sad, we’re still missing our friends. We will for quite some time,” said Berrien County Sherriff Pa...
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The coin of the robotics realm By Louise Wrege Herald Palladium WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, and Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, are working to raise money for FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics through the sale of a commemorative coin to honor Christa McAuliffe. McAuliffe is a science teacher who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster Jan. 28, 1986. The bipartisan legislation, HR 5168, seeks to issue the coin to support FIRST’s...
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Trying to get ahead of the opioid crisis By Jim Dalgleish Herald Palladium ST. JOSEPH — For all its squabbles, there appears one thing Congress can agree on: America needs to get a handle on opioid abuse. Furthermore, the old impulse to make it a law-and-order issue appears to have faded. “We need to get away from incarceration,” U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, said in a phone interview Friday. The House last week by wide margins passed an 18-bill package designed to tackle the issue. Eleven...
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Area officials stress economic importance of harbor dredging By Andrew Lersten Herald Palladium BENTON HARBOR — When we think of Southwest Michigan’s ties to Lake Michigan, we often think first of sandy beaches, tourism and marinas filled with sailboats. But its history is deeply connected to the commercial shipping industry that relies heavily on Southwest Michigan’s only commercial port – the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor harbor. In the 19th century, commercial shipping was critical to the fruit an...
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Two Michigan lawmakers are hoping a new dollar coin can mean big money for high school robotics teams. Congressman Fred Upton has signed onto a proposed bill to mint a one dollar coin in honor of teacher and astronaut Christa McAuliffe. She and six others were killed in the 1986 space shuttle Challenger explosion. Upton says sales of the coins would help fund "FIRST" high school robotics programs. Michigan Republican Fred Upton says, “Once the money is recouped by the Treasury for the cost of mi...
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