Health care in America is changing. There’s no doubt about it. New leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Food and Drug Administration and other public health agencies is rewriting, and in some cases upending, what the public health establishment has stood for for decades.

Not all these changes are unwelcome. The reality is Americans today live unhealthier lives than in generations past. Our food supply contains harmful chemicals and dyes. Chronic disease is on the rise. Images of Americans from decades ago stand in sharp contrast to today’s reality.

Reform is necessary.

But amid the debates about diets, insurance markets and public health regulations, Congress risks losing sight of its own responsibility to set clear policy to improve health outcomes, particularly for those who cannot speak for themselves — our children.

All Americans deserve the best quality of care and the best quality of life. For children, this isn’t just an ideal, it’s a moral obligation. Yet right now, children are too often excluded from access to cutting-edge cancer therapies. Pediatricians and other health care professionals often struggle to accurately diagnose children, as young kids frequently face challenges when articulating their symptoms. Even when a new option for treatment does present itself, pediatric clinical trials lack the accountability and transparency needed to ensure safety and efficacy. And modernizing care for our most at-risk youth remains a distant priority in too many legislative agendas.

During my time in Congress, I supported policies that championed children’s health care and opposed harmful measures that threatened key protections. I did so not only because it was right for my constituents, but because it was right as a father. And right now, Congress has before it a legislative solution that could deliver real change for children facing the most serious illnesses.

The Give Kids a Chance Act is exactly that solution. This bipartisan legislation would modernize pediatric care, expand opportunities for treatment, and give families facing rare and life-threatening conditions more hope for the future.

At its core, the bill ensures that pediatric study requirements are actually completed, rather than left as afterthoughts or waived away. It incentivizes innovation and treatment development for rare “orphan” diseases — conditions that affect small patient populations and therefore receive little commercial attention. These include devastating disorders like Netherton syndrome, hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, Lafora disease and countless others for which few, if any, effective treatments exist.

The Give Kids a Chance Act would give kids with these diseases a fighting shot — not just through policy mandates, but by fostering the innovations, research, and financial incentives needed to bring new therapies to market.

This is exactly the kind of bipartisan, comprehensive health care policy our country desperately needs. It is also the kind of legislation that reclaims Congress’ rightful role in shaping health policy, rather than leaving critical decisions entirely in the hands of executive agencies, no matter which party controls the White House.

Its champions, like Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and others, understand that our most vulnerable patients require bold action. They recognize that passing this bill is not simply a procedural victory — it’s a statement of values.

Congress is presented with a rare opportunity, and frankly, the stakes could not be higher. With incentives for pediatric trials and treatments set to expire soon, if they haven’t already, passing the “Give Kids a Chance Act” would ensure that children, especially those battling orphan diseases and cancer, receive the research attention, treatment options and care they critically need.

America’s children deserve more than hope. They deserve action. And right now, Congress can deliver by capitalizing on the bill’s bipartisan popularity and moving it forward into law. This is the moment for Congress to reclaim that momentum and reward innovators, companies and therapeutics making a difference in pediatric health care.

The health of our most vulnerable is not a partisan issue. It is a national imperative. The Give Kids a Chance Act is a chance to prove that when it comes to protecting our children, politics will not stand in the way.

Ryan Costello served as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania’s 6th congressional district from 2015 through 2019 as a Republican. During his time in Congress, he sat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He is now the founder of Ryan Costello Strategies, a governmental affairs firm.