Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act cleared a major hurdle, as it passed unanimously Thursday in the House Ways and Means Committee by a bipartisan vote of 43-0, and was referred to the full House for a vote.

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Selma, celebrated as the legislation sponsored by her to ensure seniors’ access to cutting-edge cancer screenings moves forward.

“Today, we are one giant step closer to enacting the Nancy Gardner Sewell Multi-Cancer Early Detection Act and giving our seniors the best chance at catching cancer early,” said Sewell. “The fact that our bill passed unanimously in the Ways and Means Committee less than 24 hours after Cancer Advocacy Day is a testament to its strong, bipartisan momentum and its potential to save countless lives. Cancer knows no political party, and I’m proud of the bipartisan efforts of the Ways and Means Committee to advance this bill.”

“While my mother is no longer with us, I know that she is smiling down from Heaven. The legacy of Nancy Gardner Sewell will live on in the millions of Americans whose lives will be changed by this legislation. I look forward to harnessing our momentum to get this bill across the finish line.”

House Budget Chairman and lead Republican sponsor Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, the bill is important for seniors.

“This critical legislation will give seniors access to groundbreaking innovation that will transform the way we treat, diagnose, and prevent cancer,” Arrington said. “With over 300 cosponsors in the House, 60 in the Senate, over 500 organizations and even Cowboys QB Dak Prescott supporting it, we are closer than ever to unleashing the power of early detection and saving millions of lives.”

H.R. 842, the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare MCED Screening Coverage Act, would create a pathway for Medicare to cover emerging diagnostic tools, once FDA-approved, which hold the promise of screening for up to 40 cancers with a simple blood test. The bill enjoys overwhelming bipartisan support, with 305 House co-sponsors and 62 Senate co-sponsors. It is backed by more than 600 patient advocate organizations across the nation.

Sept. 16 was Nancy Gardner Sewell’s 86th birthday, which was the day before the bill made it out of committee.

On Thursday, September 18, H.R. 842 was considered by the House Energy and Commerce Committee which shares jurisdiction over our nation’s health care system with the Committee on Ways and Means.