[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 633 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 633

Supporting the goals of International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 
                    Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 22, 2020

Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
  Booker, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Harris, Ms. Warren, Ms. Sinema, and Mr. 
 Cramer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the goals of International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 
                    Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day.

Whereas the National Academy of Medicine (referred to in this preamble as 
        ``NAM''), formerly known as the Institute of Medicine, has found that 
        Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (referred to in this 
        preamble as ``ME/CFS'') is ``a serious, chronic, complex, and systemic 
        disease that frequently and dramatically limits the activities of 
        affected patients'';
Whereas, in the past, outbreaks of viruses, including outbreaks of 
        coronaviruses, have triggered an increase in ME/CFS-like symptoms in 
        individuals infected by those viruses;
Whereas--

    (1) between 836,000 and 2,500,000 individuals of all ages, races, and 
sexes in the United States are believed to be afflicted with ME/CFS, and 
millions of additional individuals are afflicted by ME/CFS worldwide; and

    (2) the vast majority of individuals with ME/CFS are undiagnosed or 
misdiagnosed;

Whereas ME/CFS is approximately 4 times more prevalent in women than in men;
Whereas ME/CFS is a chronic disease with no known cure and leaves \1/4\ of 
        individuals with ME/CFS housebound or bedbound for extended periods of 
        time;
Whereas between 50 and 75 percent of individuals with ME/CFS cannot work or 
        attend school;
Whereas, in the United States, the economic toll of ME/CFS is $51,000,000,000 
        per year, including as much as $14,000,000,000 in medical costs and 
        $37,000,000,000 in lost productivity;
Whereas the cause of ME/CFS is unknown, there is no diagnostic test for ME/CFS, 
        and there is no treatment for ME/CFS approved by the Food and Drug 
        Administration;
Whereas NAM has noted a ``paucity of research'' on ME/CFS and that ``more 
        research is essential'';
Whereas individuals with ME/CFS struggle to find doctors to care for them, and 
        ME/CFS is included in less than \1/3\ of medical school curricula;
Whereas, in recognition of the dearth of research on ME/CFS and the profound 
        impact that the disease has on individuals with ME/CFS and their loved 
        ones and caretakers, the National Institutes of Health is ``committed to 
        unraveling the underlying biologic cause(s) of ME/CFS as swiftly as 
        possible, and promoting research that will inform the development of 
        effective strategies for treatment and prevention of this devastating 
        condition''; and
Whereas, in 2020, May 12 is recognized as International ME/CFS Awareness Day: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals of International Myalgic 
        Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day;
            (2) recognizes and affirms the commitment of the United 
        States to--
                    (A) supporting research and medical education for 
                Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and
                    (B) promoting awareness among health professionals 
                and the public about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 
                Fatigue Syndrome; and
            (3) recognizes the continued importance of--
                    (A) health care professionals and medical 
                researchers who care for individuals with Myalgic 
                Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and
                    (B) individuals who work to discover the cause of, 
                and develop and improve the diagnosis of, treatments 
                for, and a cure for, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 
                Fatigue Syndrome.
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