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H.R. 1231: RACE for Children Act

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H.R. 1231: RACE for Children Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-27 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-27 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

RACE for Children Act

Plain summary

Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity for Children Act or the RACE for Children Act This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to expand Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for sponsors of certain drugs and biological products for adult cancer to assess the use of their medications in pediatric populations. (Currently, applications for FDA approval of new medications or new uses of medications must include pediatric assessments of safety and effectiveness for claimed indications, with exceptions.) The pediatric assessment for medications, including orphan drugs, that are used to treat cancer in adults and target a molecule germane to pediatric cancer must assess the safety and effectiveness of the medication for pediatric cancer. The bill limits waivers of pediatric assessments for medications that target a molecule germane to a pediatric cancer for which there is a need for additional treatment options. The FDA may require the sponsor of an approved medication that targets a molecule germane to pediatric cancer to complete a pediatric assessment if: (1) the medication is used for a substantial number of pediatric cancer patients, or (2) there is reason to believe the medication would have a meaningful therapeutic benefit over existing therapies for pediatric cancer patients. The FDA committee that reviews requests for pediatric studies must implement a plan to achieve earlier submission of pediatric studies. (Currently, completion of pediatric clinical studies requested by the FDA extends the patents or marketing exclusivity period for a medication by six months, with exceptions.) The FDA must act within 120 days on proposed pediatric study requests and proposed amendments to requests.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

RACE for Children Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] · 28 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), James A. Himes (D-CT), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Grace Meng (D-NY), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Rick W. Allen (R-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] reported raising $276,976 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr1231 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115