Senate Democrats, led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, are criticized for blocking a Republican-led pediatric cancer research bill while tying the issue to a controversial spending package.
H.R. 3391 passed the House in March with bipartisan support to fund research into childhood diseases like cancer. However, Senate Democrats allowed the bill to sit untouched, later using the issue as part of a 1,500-page omnibus bill packed with unrelated spending.
The original package faced intense criticism for including billions in disaster relief alongside funding for censorship programs and congressional perks. Public backlash, including from President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk, forced a revised version of the bill, cutting unnecessary spending but removing cancer research funding.
Democrats accused Republicans of abandoning sick children, with Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) blaming GOP leaders for prioritizing corporations. Critics, however, pointed out that Schumer could have passed H.R. 3391 months earlier if it had been a priority.
Republicans argue the delay was a calculated move to use the issue as leverage. “This was never about the kids,” one GOP lawmaker said. “It was about pushing their agenda at the expense of real solutions.”
The controversy underscores growing frustration with Washington’s inability to separate critical issues like pediatric cancer from partisan political battles. Advocates are now urging Schumer to bring H.R. 3391 to the floor for a standalone vote.
