DeGette Hopes Biomedical Research Bill Passes Senate

DENVER (CBS4)- The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed a landmark bill to modernize America's biomedical research system. Now, Colorado Congresswoman Diana DeGette hopes the bill passes the Senate next week.

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.

"Disease doesn't just affect one political party or the other, it doesn't affect just one party of the country or the other. It affects every family in this country. And that's why we were so happy to see that great result," 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.

The first version of the bill passed the House on a vote of 344-77 in July 2015. The new version of the bill is a compromise with members of the Senate.