Utah’s life sciences industry now has a powerful voice in Washington. The state’s 3rd Congressional District Congressman John Curtis has been appointed co-chair of the Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus. He joins Reps. Jackie Speier, D-California; Steve Stivers, R-Ohio; and Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, as leaders of the 78-member bipartisan caucus.
“It is an honor to serve as a co-chair to the Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus,” Curtis said. “University of Utah, Brigham Young University, the Huntsman Cancer Institute and Utah’s booming life sciences industry are critical to the communities I represent because they mean stable jobs and a huge boost to the state’s economy. Both my district and America depend on research and innovation to move us forward and I am proud to come from a state that is at the forefront of biomedical innovation.”
Curtis is a native of Salt Lake City and attended BYU. Utah is home to a growing and vibrant life sciences industry that includes renowned research universities, premier national healthcare providers and innovative biotech firms.
During his first term in office, Curtis was active in promoting life science research. In April 2018, as Congress was debating legislation to address the opioid epidemic, Curtis introduced a bill supporting increased research by National Institutes of Health on the effects of opioids on pregnant mothers and their unborn children.