The Coalition for the Life Sciences, on behalf of the Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus, is pleased to announce Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA) as the newest co-chair of the Caucus. He joins Reps. Rush Holt (D-NJ), Brian Bilbray (R-CA), and Jackie Speier (D-CA) as leaders of the 78-member bipartisan Caucus.
Congressman Dent represents Pennsylvania’s 15th District, which includes all or parts of Lehigh, Northampton, Montgomery, and Berks counties. The 15th District is home to a vibrant life sciences industry that includes renowned research universities, premier national healthcare providers, and innovative biotech firms.
As a Member of Congress, Congressman Dent has been an advocate on health issues. In 2008, legislation he and colleague Rep. Mike Doyle (PA-14) introduced to update the Veteran’s Health Administration’s outdated HIV/AIDS testing policy was signed into law. He has been instrumental in providing federal funding for melanoma research and is a staunch supporter of medical research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Congressman Dent has worked closely with the MPS (Mucopolysaccharidoses) community to draw awareness to this devastating genetic lysosomal storage disease, caused by the body’s inability to produce specific enzymes, and focus the research that is being conducted. He has also been active in advancing legislation aimed at the prevention and elimination of chronic viral hepatitis and colorectal cancer.
Without question, Congressman Dent is and will continue to be a tremendous voice for biomedical research in Congress and through the Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus.
The Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus was established in 1989 to broaden the support and knowledge of basic and clinical biomedical research issues throughout the Congress in a bipartisan manner. The CBRC is a bipartisan, bicameral Caucus and takes no dues from its members.
