The Senate Introduces The Give Kids a Chance Act

The House of Representatives Passes the CR Without The Give Kids a Chance Act

Tuesday, March 12, 2025,

Kids v Cancer is thrilled and disappointed to announce that yesterday, the Give Kids a Chance Act was introduced in the Senate but not included in the House continuing resolution (CR) to fund the budget.

Senate Introduces the Give Kids a Chance Act, S 932, HR 1262

We thank Senators Markwayne Mullin and Michael Bennett for introducing the Give Kids a Chance Act, S 932 yesterday. Senators Mullin and Bennett have a long and proud history of helping children with cancer.  We also want to thank their staff: Nathalie Burkhalter, Santiago Gonzalez, Jacqueline Incerto and Erin Doty.

The Give Kids a Chance Act combines two critical initiatives for drug development for children with cancer — the original Give Kids a Chance Act and the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act.

  • Today, thousands of successful drug combination therapies are being developed for adults with cancer. But children with cancer care only get trials of one new drug at a time. The original Give Kids a Chance Act removes regulatory hurdles and authorizes the FDA to direct companies to study combinations of cancer drugs for kids as well.  The Give Kids a Chance Act ensures children can have the same chance as adults of new cures. 

  • The Creating Hope Reauthorization Act provides for incentives for companies to develop drugs expressly for kids with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. This law has resulted in over 60 new drugs for kids with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses since it was first passed in 2012, yet Congress let it expire in December!

The Give Kids a Chance Act does all this without costing taxpayers a dime

The House did not include the Give Kids a Chance Act in yesterday’s CR

The Give Kids a Chance Act had been included in last December’s CR until it was cut as as a result of Elon Musk's tweets. Congress had another chance yesterday, when the House of Representatives passed the next CR. But, to our disappointment, the Give Kids a Chance Act was not included.

We call upon the Senate and the House of Representatives to pass the Give Kids a Chance Act as quickly as possible with what legislative options are left – a House suspension vote and a Senate unanimous consent vote.