Media

I hear it often when I am back in my District in Florida — Washington is broken, politicians are beholden to the interests of the powerful, the voice of the many is lost, nothing productive gets done in DC, and partisan bickering has completely consumed the American political system.

There are kernels of truth to those sentiments — the partisan divide is wider than it has been in a very long time.

However, the Energy and Commerce Committee has produced a bill, the 21st Century Cures Act, which is truly transformative. This bill breaks the mold.

The 21st Century Cures Initiative has examined and seeks to accelerate the complete cycle of cures – from discovery to development to delivery and back again to discovery, and has resulted in the 21st Century Cures Act – a culmination of over a year's worth of engaging with patients, researchers, physicians, government, and private entities.

In addition to bringing better cures and treatments to markets more quickly – which is itself a significant achievement – the 21st Century Cures Act represents significant, fiscally responsible regulatory and budgetary reform.

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), member of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, released the following statement on the Supreme Court's decision on King v. Burwell:

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, today testified on his legislation, H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act, to allow military retirees to receive both military retired pay and VA disability compensation.

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Vice-Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, today announced he will be holding a Veterans' Town Hall.

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), member of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, today questioned witnesses regarding the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, sponsored by Representative Tim Murphy, a clinical psychologist. Last December, Representative Bilirakis held a Mental Health and Substance Abuse roundtable, to engage with patients and providers about mental health issues. Approximately, 10 million Americans are suffering from severe mental illness.

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) cosigned a letter with eight other Florida Republicans, urging Senator Bill Nelson to oppose Senator Reid's plan to block all funding bills until the sequester caps are lifted. Sequestration was a law passed by a Democratic Majority in the Senate, and was supported by both Senator Reid and Nelson.

Too many of us know what it is like to have a sick family member or friend. Almost anyone you meet can tell you about a friend or family member who has been diagnosed with cancer, suffers from Alzheimer's, or is living with a rare disease (30 million Americans have a rare disease — rare diseases are not a rare problem).

On a personal level, I have family members who have suffered with Parkinson's — I witness this debilitating disease through them. How can we get cures and treatments to these people who desperately need them?