[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 128 (Friday, October 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               LUPUS RESEARCH AND CARE AMENDMENTS OF 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                    HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 10, 2000

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my strong 
and heartfelt support for the Lupus Research and Care Amendments Act, 
which was introduced by our hardworking and dedicated colleague, 
Congresswoman Carrie Meek. She has been a tireless advocate for this 
issue for years. As the Co-Vice Chair of the Women's Caucus, I am a 
proud co-sponsor of this legislation, as are 45 Women Caucus members. 
This legislation is the perfect illustration of a bipartisan effort to 
address a painful, debilitating disease that affects women nine times 
more often than men, and African American women three times more often 
than white women.
  It is estimated that between 1.4 million and 2 million Americans have 
been diagnosed with this disease and that many more have undiagnosed 
cases. This serious, complex, inflammatory autoimmune disease can 
simultaneously affect various parts of the body, including the skin, 
joints, kidneys and brain. It can be difficult to diagnose this disease 
because its symptoms are similar to those of many other diseases and 
many people suffering the signs of its onset have never heard of lupus, 
nor understand how to respond to these symptoms.
  The Lupus Research and Care Amendments Act authorizes funding to 
expand and intensify research on lupus at the National Institutes of 
Health, including basic research on the causes of lupus; research to 
determine why the disease is more prevalent in women and particularly 
African-American women; research on improving diagnostic techniques; 
and research to develop and evaluate new treatments. This bill also 
requires the Health and Human Services department to establish a grant 
program to deliver services to those afflicted with lupus and their 
families. The program would provide grants to state and local 
governments, nonprofit hospitals, community based organizations and 
community or migrant health centers to provide services for diagnosing 
and managing lupus.
  I urge my colleagues to follow the women of the House, and pass this 
legislation to help countless women and families. This legislation will 
spur unprecedented yet direly needed research on how this disease 
affects women and on what the best treatments are to cure this disease. 
Lupus can be fatal if not detected and treated early, but with this 
research and proper delivery of services, we can not only enhance 
people's lives, but save them as well.

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