IV 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1700 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 29, 2010 Mr. King of New York (for himself, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Lance, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Castle, Mr. Marchant, Mrs. Miller of Michigan, Mr. Reichert, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Markey of Massachusetts, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Towns, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Bishop of New York, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Jones, Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, and Mr. Israel) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Supporting raising awareness and educating the public about Alper’s disease.

Whereas Alper’s disease is a rare, genetically determined disease of the brain that causes progressive degeneration of grey matter in the cerebrum; Whereas the first symptom is usually convulsions with symptoms developing within the first 3 months to 5 years of life; Whereas Alper’s disease is an autosomal recessive disorder and both parents have to be carriers of the disease; Whereas symptoms may include seizures, developmental delay, progressive mental retardation, hypotonia (low muscle tone), spasticity (stiffness of the limbs), dementia, blindness, and liver conditions such as jaundice and cirrhosis; Whereas researchers believe that Alper’s disease is caused by an underlying metabolic defect and a number of individuals with Alper’s disease have mutations in the polymerase-gama gene, which results in the depletion of mitochondrial DNA; and Whereas there is currently no cure for Alper’s disease: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)supports raising awareness and educating the public about Alper’s disease; (2)applauds the efforts of advocates and organizations that encourage awareness, promote research, and provide education, support, and hope to those impacted by Alper’s disease; (3)recognizes the commitment of parents, families, researchers, health professionals, and others dedicated to finding an effective treatment and cure for Alper’s disease; and (4)supports increased funding for research into the causes, treatment, and cure for Alper’s disease.