[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 49 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 49

   Declaring that achieving the primary goal of the National Plan to 
   Address Alzheimer's Disease of the Department of Health and Human 
 Services to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by 2025 
                    is an urgent national priority.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 6, 2017

  Ms. Collins (for herself and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Declaring that achieving the primary goal of the National Plan to 
   Address Alzheimer's Disease of the Department of Health and Human 
 Services to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by 2025 
                    is an urgent national priority.

Whereas the number of individuals in the United States with Alzheimer's and 
        related dementias (referred to in this preamble as ``Alzheimer's'') is 
        as high as 5,400,000, which is more than double the number in 1980;
Whereas based on the trajectory of Alzheimer's, as many as 16,000,000 
        individuals in the United States may have Alzheimer's by 2050;
Whereas the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's and other dementias is a global 
        health crisis that afflicts an estimated 46,780,000 individuals 
        worldwide as of August, 2015 and may afflict more than 131,000,000 
        individuals by 2050;
Whereas Alzheimer's is a leading cause of death in the United States with data 
        indicating that more than 500,000 deaths each year are attributable to 
        the disease;
Whereas Alzheimer's is the only disease among the top 10 causes of death in the 
        United States without an effective means to prevent, slow, or stop;
Whereas Alzheimer's places an enormous financial strain on families, the health 
        care system, and State and Federal budgets;
Whereas the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) and the Medicaid program under title XIX of the 
        Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) are estimated to bear more 
        than two-thirds of the total costs of this care in 2016;
Whereas a RAND Corporation study published in 2013 and commissioned by the 
        National Institute on Aging found that Alzheimer's is the costliest 
        disease in the United States, costing more than cancer and heart 
        disease;
Whereas in 2015, an estimated 15,800,000 family members and friends of 
        individuals with Alzheimer's provided those individuals with 
        18,100,000,000 hours of unpaid care, an amount valued at more than 
        $221,300,000;
Whereas Alzheimer's disease has a disproportionate impact on many populations 
        including women, African-Americans, and Latinos;
Whereas the global cost of Alzheimer's exceeds $818,000,000,000 each year, an 
        amount equal to approximately 1 percent of the world's gross domestic 
        product;
Whereas in December 2013, the G-8 nations met and adopted a political 
        declaration supporting the goal of a cure or disease-modifying therapy 
        for dementia by 2025 as well as collectively and significantly 
        increasing resources committed to dementia research;
Whereas Alzheimer's takes an emotional and physical toll on caregivers that 
        results in a higher incidence of chronic conditions, such as heart 
        disease, cancer, and depression among caregivers;
Whereas the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease of the Department of 
        Health and Human Services makes recommendations relating to family 
        caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's to provide care while 
        maintaining personal health and well-being;
Whereas the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease supports informal 
        caregivers by--

    (1) identifying the support needs of caregivers;

    (2) developing and disseminating modes for intervention;

    (3) providing information that caregivers need, particularly in crisis 
situations; and

    (4) assisting caregivers in maintaining personal health and well-being;

Whereas a strong and sustained research effort is the best tool to slow the 
        progression and ultimately prevent the onset of Alzheimer's;
Whereas while the cost to the Medicare and Medicaid programs of caring for 
        individuals with Alzheimer's is estimated to be $160,000,000,000 in 
        2016, the United States, through the National Institutes of Health, will 
        spend about $991,000,000 on Alzheimer's research in 2016;
Whereas the Chairman of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and 
        Services created by the National Alzheimer's Project Act (42 U.S.C. 
        11225) has testified before Congress that the United States must devote 
        at least $2,000,000,000 each year to Alzheimer's research to reach the 
        goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's by 2025; and
Whereas the public members of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, 
        Care, and Services unanimously agree with the testimony of the Chairman 
        regarding the amount of money required to reach the goal for 2025: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) is committed to strengthening the quality of care and 
        expanding support for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and 
        related dementias (referred to in this resolution as 
        ``Alzheimer's'') and family caregivers of individuals with 
        Alzheimer's;
            (2) declares that achieving the primary goal of the 
        National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease to prevent and 
        effectively treat Alzheimer's by 2025 is an urgent national 
        priority;
            (3) recognizes that bold action and considerable increases 
        in funding are necessary to meet that goal;
            (4) encourages greater collaboration between the United 
        States and other global governments, particularly the G-7 
        nations, to advance a global Alzheimer's and dementia research 
        plan;
            (5) supports innovative public-private partnership and the 
        pursuit of innovative financing tools, incentives and other 
        mechanisms to accelerate the pursuit of disease-modifying 
        therapies; and
            (6) strives to--
                    (A) double the amount of funding the United States 
                spends on Alzheimer's research in fiscal year 2017; and
                    (B) develop a plan for fiscal years 2018 through 
                2021 to meet the target of the Advisory Council on 
                Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services for the United 
                States to spend $2,000,000,000 each year on Alzheimer's 
                research.
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