Funding for Pediatric Cancer Research Removed From Spending Bill

What's New

Funding for a childhood cancer research program was cut from a new bill to temporarily fund the federal government.

On Thursday, House Republicans unveiled the scaled-down spending bill, just one day before the December 20 deadline to pass legislation to avoid a government shutdown. The bill is much shorter than the original legislation proposed by House Speaker Mike Johnson earlier this week, meaning it will not include funding for several programs that was in the initial bill.

Johnson's original bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), drew the ire of some Republicans, including Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump, whose opposition to the legislation sank its chances of passage in Congress.

Newsweek reached out via email to Johnson's office for comment.

Why It Matters

The Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program was established in 2014 in honor of Miller, a 10-year-old girl who died from cancer in 2013. A 10-year-fund in her honor was created in 2014, according to a statement by Representative Jennifer Wexton and Senator Tim Kaine, both Virginia Democrats.

On Wednesday, the lawmakers celebrated a "bipartisan" bill to reauthorize funding for the Gabriella Miller program in the CR, with Wexton saying it would "deliver much-needed resources to better understand, treat and hopefully one day cure childhood cancer."

The new CR, announced on Thursday, does not mention any funding for the program.

What To Know

The original CR generated a backlash from some fiscal conservatives, who said they could not support it because of the large amount of spending. Johnson and appropriators spent most of Thursday trying to secure a deal on legislation to keep the government open through March, which meant making spending cuts to appease critics.

It's not clear why the Gabriella Miller program was cut or whether House Republicans intend to pass it as a stand-alone bill at a later date.

A nurse attends a shift in Birmingham, England on March 16, 2010. A new bill to temporarily fund the government doesn't include funds for a pediatric cancer research program. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

What People Are Saying

Wexton on X (formerly Twitter): "I've been fighting to fund the Gabriella Miller Kids First childhood cancer research program since the day I came to Congress. It has wide bipartisan support. Now extreme Republicans are caving to the world's richest man so he & Donald Trump can pay for their personal tax cuts."

Kylie Jane Kremer, executive director of Women for America First, on X: "Could be a totally legit bill on its own. Why was it necessary to shove it in a 1500 page bill that no one even read? If it is legit, there should be no issue getting it passed... so why do I have a feeling there is more to it that you don't want us to know?"

Journalist Sam Stein on X: "And there you have it. New bill removes funding for this bipartisan child cancer research program. $190 million -- a small drop comparatively -- is now gone. Will need to be passed at some other point, if it can get passed at all."

Jon Favreau, former speechwriter for President Barack Obama, on X: "Congrats to Elon Musk for giving the people what they want: less funding for child cancer research."

Semafor Washington Bureau Chief Benjy Sarlin on X: "Setting aside details of this funding, you see how D's end up just making the midterms 'My opponent voted to cut [name popular item] so they could spend the money on tax cuts for billionaires instead.' We'll find out if R's are better positioned to rebut it than in 2018.

What's Next

It's unclear if the spending bill has enough votes to pass. It will need two-thirds of lawmakers to back it, meaning it must get bipartisan support.

Some Democrats and Republicans are already criticizing the legislation.