Floor SpeechBipartisan2026-10-15

HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS OF CANCER RESEARCH

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Context

On 2026-10-15, Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO-1) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS OF CANCER RESEARCH" in the House.

Full Text

HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS OF CANCER RESEARCH

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 161 (Thursday, October 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 161 (Thursday, October 15, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1089] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS OF CANCER RESEARCH ______ HON. DIANA DeGETTE of colorado in the house of representatives Thursday, October 15, 2026 Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) as the organization celebrates 30 years of scientific leadership and advocacy. Their unwavering dedication to advancing biomedical research and supporting cancer patients and their families has been vital in our shared goal to end this terrible disease. For three decades, Friends of Cancer Research has reshaped the landscape of oncology research and regulatory science by serving as a bridge between patients and policy makers. I have been fortunate to witness their incredible impact on our Nation's health care policy firsthand. For example, in 2012, Friends was critical to bipartisan legislation I led alongside Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA) to establish the Breakthrough Therapy designation at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which would expedite therapy development. Those provisions were signed into law as part of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. Since then, the Breakthrough Therapy designation has helped bring more than 370 life- changing therapies to patients, in some cases, in half the time. In 2016, Friends of Cancer Research served as a crucial stakeholder when Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and I wrote the 21st Century Cures Act. Their expertise and advocacy were instrumental in passing this transformative bipartisan legislation that modernized the FDA, as well as delivered significant funding to the National Institutes of Health. Friends continued to be a collaborative partner as we later expanded on 21st Century Cures, by establishing the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an independent research organization within HHS tasked with finding cures for the world's most serious illnesses, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and other diseases. Friends has been a phenomenal partner to me, Congress, and the American people, always ready to work side-by-side with lawmakers to streamline drug approvals, advance crucial regulatory frameworks and identify bottlenecks in medical research--all for the betterment of patients and their families. I also honor my dear friends Ellen Sigal and Marlene Malek, the organization's visionary founders, whose exceptional leadership realized the urgent need to unite Congress behind the bipartisan issue of tackling the indiscriminate scourge of cancer. I remain grateful to have been recognized by Friends of Cancer Research when I received the organization's Research Leadership Award in 2015 for my work on the 21st Century Cures Act. Receiving that honor still carries so much weight for me as it reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that lifesaving treatments reach the patients who need them the most safely and efficiently. For 30 years, Friends has embodied the relentless pursuit of new cures and the bold collaboration needed across all sectors of society, to bring hope to millions. I can only imagine what they will accomplish in their next 30 years. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Friends of Cancer Research's 30 years of extraordinary contributions to science, health policy, and the ongoing fight to make cancer a disease of the past. ____________________

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HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS OF CANCER RESEARCH Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 161 (Thursday, October 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 161 (Thursday, October 15, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1089] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS OF CANCER RESEARCH ______ HON. DIANA DeGETTE of colorado in the house of representatives Thursday, October 15, 2026 Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) as the organization celebrates 30 years of scientific leadership and advocacy. Their unwavering dedication to advancing biomedical research and supporting cancer patients and their families has been vital in our shared goal to end this terrible disease. For three decades, Friends of Cancer Research has reshaped the landscape of oncology research and regulatory science by serving as a bridge between patients and policy makers. I have been fortunate to witness their incredible impact on our Nation's health care policy firsthand. For example, in 2012, Friends was critical to bipartisan legislation I led alongside Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA) to establish the Breakthrough Therapy designation at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which would expedite therapy development. Those provisions were signed into law as part of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. Since then, the Breakthrough Therapy designation has helped bring more than 370 life- changing therapies to patients, in some cases, in half the time. In 2016, Friends of Cancer Research served as a crucial stakeholder when Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and I wrote the 21st Century Cures Act. Their expertise and advocacy were instrumental in passing this transformative bipartisan legislation that modernized the FDA, as well as delivered significant funding to the National Institutes of Health. Friends continued to be a collaborative partner as we later expanded on 21st Century Cures, by establishing the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an independent research organization within HHS tasked with finding cures for the world's most serious illnesses, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and other diseases. Friends has been a phenomenal partner to me, Congress, and the American people, always ready to work side-by-side with lawmakers to streamline drug approvals, advance crucial regulatory frameworks and identify bottlenecks in medical research--all for the betterment of patients and their families. I also honor my dear friends Ellen Sigal and Marlene Malek, the organization's visionary founders, whose exceptional leadership realized the urgent need to unite Congress behind the bipartisan issue of tackling the indiscriminate scourge of cancer. I remain grateful to have been recognized by Friends of Cancer Research when I received the organization's Research Leadership Award in 2015 for my work on the 21st Century Cures Act. Receiving that honor still carries so much weight for me as it reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that lifesaving treatments reach the patients who need them the most safely and efficiently. For 30 years, Friends has embodied the relentless pursuit of new cures and the bold collaboration needed across all sectors of society, to bring hope to millions. I can only imagine what they will accomplish in their next 30 years. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Friends of Cancer Research's 30 years of extraordinary contributions to science, health policy, and the ongoing fight to make cancer a disease of the past. ____________________