Congressman Nick Langworthy Joins with Roswell Park, Pediatric Cancer Families to Hail Passage of the Give Kids a Chance Act “Today is about hope”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Congressman Nick Langworthy Joins with Roswell Park, Pediatric Cancer Families to Hail Passage of the Give Kids a Chance Act

"Today is about hope"

Buffalo, NY-May 8, 2026… Congressman Nick Langworthy today joined with leaders from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, pediatric cancer advocates, and local families to celebrate the enactment of the Give Kids a Chance Act, bipartisan legislation signed into law earlier this year as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026.

The landmark legislation strengthens research and development efforts for rare pediatric diseases and childhood cancers by expanding the Food and Drug Administration's authority to support innovative pediatric drug development, reauthorizing the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program, and increasing accountability for companies conducting pediatric studies.

"As a father, I cannot imagine what parents of children battling cancer are going through," said Congressman Langworthy. "The fear, the uncertainty, and the helplessness those families carry every single day is something no parent should ever have to experience. That's why I was proud to throw my full support behind the Give Kids a Chance Act. This law helps deliver hope to families by expanding research opportunities, encouraging investment in pediatric treatments, and helping more children gain access to cutting-edge therapies. We will not rest until we find better treatments, better outcomes, and ultimately cures."

Congressman Langworthy, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health Subcommittee, has made combating pediatric illness and rare disease a major focus during his time in Congress, including efforts to expand newborn screening for Krabbe disease.

The Give Kids a Chance Act allows the FDA to require or permit studies of new pediatric cancer drugs in combination with already approved therapies, helping ensure children are not left behind in the drug development process. The law also continues critical funding for pediatric research through the National Institutes of Health and provides greater certainty for companies investing in treatments for rare diseases affecting small patient populations.

"For families facing childhood cancer, research is not abstract-it is how our physicians at Roswell Park offer the best therapies to our patients," said Kara Kelly, MD, Chair of the Roswell Park Golisano Children's Buffalo Cancer and Blood Disorders Program and the Waldemar J. Kaminski Endowed Chair of Pediatrics at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. "The Give Kids a Chance Act helps ensure that promising cancer therapies are tested and developed specifically for children and that kids are not left behind by a system built for adults. This kind of legislation is essential to delivering faster, safer, and more effective treatments for kids, directly helping our Western New York community."

Congressman Langworthy concluded, "This legislation represents meaningful progress for children facing some of the toughest diagnoses imaginable. For too long, families dealing with rare pediatric diseases have had limited options and far too much waiting. Today sends a message that we are continuing to invest in innovation, research, and hope."

Footage from today's event can be seen here.

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