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Rubio, Colleagues Applaud Unanimous Senate Passage of Glioblastoma Resolution

May 13, 2021 | Press Releases

Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) applauded the unanimous Senate passage of their resolution designating July 21, 2021 as Glioblastoma Awareness Day.
 
A companion resolution was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Brian Mast (R-FL), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Jim Langevin (D-RI).
 
Rubio has championed the fight against cancer. On May 3, 2021, he introduced the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0  that would provide a new source of funding for the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First) by redirecting penalties collected from pharmaceutical, cosmetic, supplement, and medical device companies that break the law to pediatric and childhood cancer research.
 
On March 11, 2021, Rubio reintroduced the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventative Services Act to encourage more research into the prevention and treatment of lung cancer in women, particularly those who have never smoked, and require federal agencies to evaluate and report their findings to Congress. This legislation was first introduced in January 2018.
 
In August 2020, his bipartisan Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity (RACE) for Children Act went into effect. The law provides children battling cancer with more innovative and promising treatment options.
 
As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Rubio has led the Senate in funding the fight against cancer. In the FY 2021 appropriations bill, Rubio secured:
 

  • Pediatric cancer language, including Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (MATCH), language to enable researchers to map the genetic makeup of pediatric cancer to pave the way for new therapies
  • An increase of $119.4 million in funding for the National Cancer Institute ($6.56 billion total)
  • An increase of $5 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control ($386 million total)

 
The resolution:
 

  • Designates July 21, 2021 as Glioblastoma Awareness Day
  • Encourages increased public awareness of glioblastoma
  • Honors the individuals who have lost their lives to glioblastoma or are currently living with it
  • Supports efforts to develop better treatments for glioblastoma that will improve the long term prognosis and quality of life of individuals diagnosed with the disease
  • Expresses its support for the individuals who are battling brain tumors, as well as the families, friends, and caregivers of those individuals
  • Urges a collaborative approach to brain tumor research, which is a promising means of advancing the understanding and treatment of glioblastoma
  • Encourages continued investment in glioblastoma research and treatments, including through the Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network and other existing brain tumor research resources