[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 325 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 325

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
    importance of increased support and funding to combat diabetes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 7, 1999

 Mr. LaFalce (for himself, Mr. Nethercutt, Ms. DeGette, and Mr. Weldon 
of Pennsylvania) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                      to the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
    importance of increased support and funding to combat diabetes.

Whereas diabetes is a devastating, lifelong condition that affects people of 
        every age, race, income level, and nationality;
Whereas diabetes is a serious disease that has a devastating impact, in both 
        human and economic terms, on Americans of all ages;
Whereas an estimated 16 million Americans suffer from diabetes, and millions 
        more are at greater risk for diabetes;
Whereas the number of Americans with diabetes has increased nearly 700 percent 
        in the last 40 years, leading the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention to call it the ``epidemic of our time'';
Whereas approximately 800,000 people will be diagnosed with diabetes in 1999, 
        and diabetes will contribute to an estimated 198,000 deaths this year, 
        making diabetes the sixth leading cause of death;
Whereas diabetes costs our Nation an estimated $105 billion each year;
Whereas more than 1 out of every 10 health care dollars in the United States and 
        about 1 out of every 4 medicare dollars is spent on the care of people 
        with diabetes;
Whereas more than $40 billion a year in tax dollars are spent treating people 
        with diabetes through medicare, medicaid, veterans care, Federal 
        employee health benefits, and other Federal health programs;
Whereas diabetes frequently goes undiagnosed and an estimated 5.4 million 
        Americans have the disease but do not know it;
Whereas diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, blindness in adults, 
        and amputations;
Whereas diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and birth 
        defects and shortens average life expectancy by up to 15 years;
Whereas 800,000 Americans have type one diabetes, formerly known as juvenile 
        diabetes, and 15.2 million have type two diabetes, formerly known as 
        adult onset diabetes;
Whereas 18.4 percent of Americans age 65 years or older have diabetes and 8.2 
        percent of Americans age 20 years or older have diabetes;
Whereas Hispanic, African, Asian, and Native Americans suffer from diabetes at 
        rates much higher than the general population, including children as 
        young as eight years old who are now being diagnosed with type two 
        diabetes;
Whereas there is currently no method to prevent or cure diabetes and available 
        treatments have only limited success in controlling its devastating 
        consequences;
Whereas reducing the tremendous health and human burden of diabetes and its 
        enormous economic toll depends on identifying the factors responsible 
        for the disease and developing new methods for treatment and prevention;
Whereas improvements in technology and the general growth in scientific 
        knowledge have created unprecedented opportunities for advances that 
        might lead to better treatments, prevention, and ultimately a cure;
Whereas after extensive review and deliberations, the Diabetes Research Working 
        Group--established by Congress and selected by the National Institutes 
        of Health--has found that ``many scientific opportunities are not being 
        pursued due to insufficient funding, lack of appropriate mechanisms, and 
        a shortage or trained researchers'';
Whereas the Diabetes Research Working Group has developed a comprehensive plan 
        for diabetes research funded by the National Institutes of Health and 
        has recommended a funding level of $827 million for diabetes research at 
        the National Institutes of Health in fiscal year 2000; and
Whereas the House of Representatives as an institution and Members of Congress 
        as individuals are in unique positions to help raise public awareness 
        about the need for increased funding for research and for early 
        diagnosis and treatment: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the Federal Government has a responsibility--
                    (A) to continue to increase research funding, as 
                recommended by the Diabetes Research Working Group, so 
                that the causes of, and improved treatment and cure 
                for, diabetes may be discovered;
                    (B) to endeavor to raise awareness about the 
                importance of the early detection and proper treatment 
                of diabetes; and
                    (C) to continue to consider ways to improve access 
                to, and the quality of, health care services for 
                diagnosing and treating diabetes;
            (2) all Americans should take an active role in fighting 
        diabetes by using all the means available to them, including 
        watching for the symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent 
        urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, 
        extreme fatigue, and irritability; and
            (3) national and community organizations and health care 
        providers should endeavor to promote awareness of diabetes and 
        its complications and should encourage early detection of 
        diabetes through regular screenings, education, and by 
        providing information, support, and access to services.
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