Senator Amy Klobuchar Joins Rare Disease Community at National Gathering

Oct. 21, 2025 — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar joined the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD^®) Rare Diseases & Orphan Products Breakthrough Summit^® today, offering encouragement to an audience of rare disease advocates, researchers, families, and clinicians. 

In her remarks, Senator Klobuchar emphasized that rare diseases are not abstract statistics, but personal and pressing issues that affect millions of families across the country. She cited over a decade of bipartisan support for increased National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in accelerating research, and discussed her collaborative efforts with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to improve the review process for rare disease treatments. 

The Senator also spoke about several rare disease-focused legislative efforts, the Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act and the Give Kids a Chance Act, including the reauthorization of the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program — all of which she vowed to continue pushing through Congress. 

Closing her remarks on a personal note, Senator Klobuchar shared how her daughter’s early medical challenges first introduced her to the rare disease community. She pledged her continued commitment to advancing rare disease research and improving patient access to treatment, and she encouraged the rare disease community to keep raising their voices. 

“You have changed lives. We have made progress, and I don’t want to look at that progress in the rearview. We are moving forward together,” Sen. Klobuchar said. 

Photo credit: John Halpern for the National Organization for Rare Disorders.