SRES-735-118
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4096; text: CR S4090)
Sponsored by Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
What it does
This resolution designates July 17, 2024, as "Glioblastoma Awareness Day." It encourages public awareness of glioblastoma brain cancer, honors patients and those who have died from the disease, and expresses Senate support for research, biomarker testing, and collaboration among government, private, and nonprofit organizations. It does not appropriate funds, create programs, or impose any legal requirements.
Who benefits
Glioblastoma patients and their families, friends, and caregivers, who gain public recognition of the disease's severity. Nonprofit advocacy organizations focused on brain cancer research, which may see increased public attention and donations. Researchers working on glioblastoma therapies, including those affiliated with the National Cancer Institute's Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, who may benefit from heightened awareness. Medical device and pharmaceutical companies developing glioblastoma treatments, who may see increased public and legislative interest in their work.
Who is hurt
No group is directly harmed by this resolution. As a purely symbolic, non-binding measure with no fiscal or regulatory effect, it imposes no costs, restrictions, or obligations on any individual, organization, or government entity.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that glioblastoma is one of the deadliest cancers — with a 5-year survival rate of only 6.9% and a median survival of just 8 months — yet has received only 5 FDA-approved drugs and 1 medical device since the 1920s, reflecting a significant research gap. They contend that raising public awareness can drive donations, encourage clinical trial participation, and signal congressional support for accelerating research through initiatives like the NCI's Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, established in 2020.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that symbolic resolutions consume limited legislative floor time without producing measurable outcomes, and that the Senate's unanimous consent process, while efficient, can normalize the use of congressional authority for non-binding gestures rather than substantive policy. They contend that if glioblastoma research is genuinely underfunded — as the bill's own findings suggest — a more meaningful response would be direct appropriations or expedited FDA review pathways, not a commemorative designation.
Constitutional context
No significant constitutional issues are raised by this resolution. Commemorative designations are a well-established, non-binding exercise of congressional expression and do not implicate the Taxing and Spending Clause, Commerce Clause, or any other enumerated power in a legally operative way.
Checks and balances
The Senate exercises its expressive authority through this resolution; because it is a simple Senate resolution (S.Res.) rather than a bill, it does not require House passage or presidential signature, and creates no enforceable legal obligations on any branch.
Historical precedent
Congress has previously passed similar commemorative resolutions for other diseases, including National Cancer Research Month and Brain Tumor Awareness Month designations, following the same non-binding Senate resolution format.