Colorado Congresswoman Pushes For $6 Billion Bill To Help Find Cures

DENVER (CBS4)- A Colorado congresswoman is pushing for the passage of a bill on Capitol Hill that would help find cures for diseases.

Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat representing Colorado, is a co-sponsor of the 21st Century Cures Act which would speed up the discovery, development and delivery of life-saving treatments.

"You know, if we can't pass a bill for cures for diseases then all hope is lost," said DeGette.

The bill includes $6 billion in new funding for the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration.

The legislation would help streamline approval of breakthrough discoveries and harness the potential of promising new research in fields like personalized medicine.

"With the mapping of the genome we can figure out your exact genetic characteristics and they can tailor whatever treatment they're giving to you," said DeGette.

The bill also includes funding for the vice president's National Cancer Initiative and a cutting edge brain initiative.

"Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, MS, diseases like this are all on the rise as baby boomers age," said DeGette.

The legislation aims to speed approval of new drugs and devices by revamping the FDA's regulatory process. Critics worry the changes will go too far but DeGette insists they didn't cut corners.

"We really kept a balance when we did this bill between expediting drug development and approval and making sure we kept those high standards of safety," said DeGette.

Despite some concerns, the bill has bi-partisan support and DeGette said it cold be law before the end of the year.

"I always like to say disease doesn't just pick people because of their political affiliation. Every family in America has suffered it," said DeGette.

DeGette joined forces with a Republican colleague to introduce the bill more than two years ago. A version of it passed the House of Representatives this past summer. The Senate is expected to pass it but it's stalled right now.

Both chambers will vote on a compromise bill in the next two weeks.