Collins supports switching federal funding for presidential campaigns to juvenile diabetes research

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) and families affected by juvenile diabetes came together today to support the Kids First Research Act (H.R. 2019). Collins is a cosponsor of the legislation that would eliminate federal funding for presidential campaigns and party conventions and re-allocate the funding to expand pediatric research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“Instead of using federal taxpayer dollars to fund political activities every four years, our priority should be to support medical breakthroughs that would help children diagnosed with a range of diseases and disorders,” Congressman Collins said. “Instead of asking taxpayers for more of their hard-earned money, this nation has to reprioritize its spending. The Kids First Research Act will put the health and well-being of our children ahead of presidential politics.

“The millions of federal taxpayer dollars we currently spend on these party activities would help the NIH make huge strides in research and clinical trials aimed at curing and preventing juvenile (type 1) diabetes, childhood cancers, autism, and Down Syndrome, to name a few."

Specifically, the Kids First Research Act would eliminate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund (mainly used to finance party conventions) and re-allocate $130 million, over 10 years, to the NIH. 

“JDRF’s mission is to cure, treat and prevent diabetes,” said Patrick Marks, president of the WNY Chapter of JDRF, and a type 1 diabetic himself. “Passage of this legislation will help better equip the NIH to fund research that directly impacts the future of our children living with type 1 diabetes. Children with type 1 diabetes grow up to become adults with type 1 diabetes, and we need to cure this disease.”

This bill has the support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Autism Speaks, the Children’s Hospital Association, the Coalition of Pediatric Medical Research, the National Down Syndrome Society and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, among others.