Scalise Speaks in Support of ACT for ALS Bill, Legislation Now Heads to Senate After House Passage

WASHINGTON, D.C.—House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke on the House Floor in favor of H.R. 3537, the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (ACT for ALS), which overwhelmingly passed the House with bipartisan support.

Whip Scalise is a cosponsor of ACT for ALS, which is bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would establish grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases like ALS. These grants would help fund early access to ALS investigational therapies for patients who are unable to participate in clinical trials. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Click here or on the image above to view Whip Scalise's remarks.

"I want to first associate myself with the remarks made by [Rep. Anna Eshoo] of California as well as [Rep. Frank Pallone], and stand up in strong support of this bill and thank the lead authors, [Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and Rep. Mike Quigley], and all of us who have worked on this and other issues to help patients with ALS. This goes back to other legislation that we've worked on, including the 21st Century Cures Act, where Congress came together — Republicans and Democrats — through the Energy and Commerce Committee to help put a sharper focus on finding cures for diseases like ALS [and Alzheimer's] and so many other debilitating diseases where you've got people that just want hope, as Ms. Eshoo said, where you have people who want the ability to live their lives to the fullest.

"I know I have worked on so many of these ALS-related issues with a hero back home in my district, Steve Gleason. Steve Gleason was, for a while, more famous as a player for the New Orleans Saints — somebody who gave us a light in the darkness of Hurricane Katrina. But then Steve was diagnosed with ALS, and he turned his notoriety into a call for action for other people with ALS to be able to live their lives to the fullest. He's been an inspiration to so many. We communicate. He has a speech device that allows him to communicate. He stays incredibly active. But Steve brought this bill up over a year ago and said, 'This is one more thing that we can do to help people with ALS so that they can bring new therapies so that people living with ALS do have more ability to treat this disease.' This means life-saving drugs will now be available for individuals who are not otherwise able to get into ALS clinical trials. So Mr. Speaker, on behalf of heroes, inspirational battlers like Steve Gleason, and so many of us [who] have other heroes in our districts, I rise in strong support of this great piece of legislation that brings Republicans and Democrats together to take action for those people that are counting on us. With that, I yield back the balance of my time."