"WHY aren’t we doing THAT?!"
Because we have a Congress that is broken and can barely get the absolute minimum of nation's business done. It took the resignation of the Speaker of the House to get a budget deal to prevent a government shutdown and worse a default on the national debt. Taking on anything else, like funding R&D for the big four diseases, is a non starter. Remember Obama wanted to cure cancer as part of his platform? If Obama wants it what are the odds of it getting through this Congress?