WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Co-Chair of the Congressional Cancer Caucus, today introduced the bipartisan Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act of 2025, landmark legislation ensuring that federal cancer research dollars dedicated to pediatric cancer are aligned with the percentage of Americans under 18.

The bill—co-led by Representatives Mike Kelly (PA-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), and Susie Lee (NV-03)—corrects long-standing inequities in how federal cancer research funds are distributed, ensuring children receive the fair, proportional investment they deserve.

Although nearly one-fifth of the U.S. population being under 18, pediatric cancers receive only around 4% of federal cancer research funding. Childhood cancer remains the #1 disease-related cause of death for American children, yet treatments for many pediatric cancers still rely on therapies developed decades ago for adults. As a result, children and families face fewer clinical trials, fewer targeted therapies, and slower innovation.

“This bill is rooted in a simple principle: fairness. Pediatric cancer has been chronically underfunded for decades, leaving families with fewer options and slower innovation,” said Fitzpatrick. “The Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act rights a fundamental imbalance, accelerates discovery, and ensures we invest in cures designed for the courageous children who do not choose this battle but fight it with a strength few adults could ever imagine.”

“Approximately 16,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in the United States each year. This legislation invests more in the discovery of treatments and cures that work for these courageous children,” said Kelly, Co-Chair of the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus. “The Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act is a giant step toward that goal because it focuses more money on childhood cancer research. We can, and should, do more, which is why I am a proud champion of this bill.”

“Cancer can be so devastating at any age, and it can be especially difficult for kids diagnosed with it and their families," said Evans. "I’m proud to cosponsor this bill from my Pennsylvania colleague that would help ensure an equitable amount of federal funding for pediatric cancer research.”

"No parent should have to receive devastating news of a child's cancer diagnosis. But heartbreaking data shows pediatric cancer is on the rise, and Congress must ensure that researchers have the necessary funding they need to save lives. As the mom of a young son, I am proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to invest in the health and wellbeing of America's most vulnerable and fight to defeat childhood cancer,” said Stefanik.

“No parent or child should have to face the pain of pediatric cancer. Unfortunately, underinvestment in research and treatment has meant that Nevada kids often must wait or travel several hours for treatment or potentially lifesaving clinical trials,” said Lee. “I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan legislation with Rep. Fitzpatrick to ensure that federal funding is properly allocated to match our children’s health needs. Our children deserve access to the best care possible, no matter where they live.”

“Cancer is an awful disease that’s devastating so many American children and families — unnecessarily cutting precious lives short. We must keep taking every possible step toward finding cures. That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the bipartisan Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act, to help ensure that federal investments are equally distributed to pediatric cancer research,” said Gottheimer. “There are children behind every statistic. Pediatric cancer touches far too many families, including my own. With the Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act, we will help develop cutting-edge treatments, find cures, and, most importantly, save lives.”

Key Provisions of the Bill

• Fair Share Funding Requirement: Beginning in FY2026, federal pediatric cancer research funding must match the percentage of Americans under age 18—establishing, for the first time, a proportional, equitable baseline for childhood cancer research.
• Data-Driven Allocation: Annual funding levels will be set using official Census population data, ensuring an objective, transparent, and consistently updated method for determining pediatric research investment.
• Sustained National Investment: Guarantees long-term, predictable federal funding for pediatric cancer research—particularly for the many childhood cancers that still lack modern, targeted, and child-specific treatments.

Background: Fitzpatrick’s National Leadership on Cancer Research and Care

As Co-Chair of the Congressional Cancer Caucus, Congressman Fitzpatrick has built one of Congress’s most impactful bipartisan cancer-care portfolios—advancing early detection, expanding access, modernizing treatment reimbursement, and strengthening the federal research pipeline. His work reflects a sustained commitment to ensuring that every patient, regardless of circumstance or age, benefits from innovation and lifesaving care.

Recent initiatives include:

• Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Act — A proven, lifesaving program improving early detection for young and high-risk women.
• Knock Out (K.O.) Cancer Act of 2025 — A bipartisan initiative delivering one of the most significant proposed increases in cancer research funding in a generation and addressing the national crisis of cancer drug shortages.
• Radiation Oncology Case Rate (ROCR) Value-Based Program Act of 2025 — Modernizes Medicare’s radiation therapy reimbursement model to improve outcomes, reduce disparities, and generate substantial savings.
• SCREENS for Cancer Act — Reauthorizes the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) through 2030, strengthening access for low-income and underinsured Americans.
• $1,000,000 Community Project Funding (CPF) investment for the Grand View Health Pavilion expansion — Enhancing local access to high-quality cancer care, diagnostics, and early detection services across PA-1.

These bipartisan efforts demonstrate Fitzpatrick’s consistent leadership in ensuring that prevention, early detection, treatment innovation, and research remain national priorities.

The Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act builds upon this work by correcting a long-standing inequity and ensuring federal cancer research finally reflects the needs of America’s children.

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