[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 126 (Tuesday, October 1, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H6810-H6812]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS WITH RESPECT TO THE DISEASE 
                             ENDOMETRIOSIS

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution, (H. Con. Res. 291) expressing the sense of 
the Congress with respect to the disease endometriosis.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 291

       Whereas endometriosis is a painful, chronic gynecologic 
     disease;
       Whereas, with such disease, tissue that is similar to the 
     endometrium (the tissue lining the inside of the uterus) 
     grows outside the uterus in the abdominal cavity and results 
     in internal bleeding, inflammation, and

[[Page H6811]]

     the development of scar tissue because the tissue has no 
     means of leaving the body (unlike the monthly development and 
     shedding of the endometrium through the menstruation 
     process);
       Whereas an estimated 10 to 20 percent of American women of 
     childbearing age have endometriosis;
       Whereas endometriosis is a poorly understood disease and 
     can strike women of any socioeconomic class, age, or race;
       Whereas the disease can affect a woman's ability to work, 
     ability to reproduce, and relationships with her mate, 
     children, and everyone around her;
       Whereas infertility occurs in about 30 to 40 percent of 
     women with endometriosis;
       Whereas the cause of endometriosis is unknown;
       Whereas the disease can only be definitively diagnosed 
     through gynecologic surgery;
       Whereas studies have shown that the average delay in actual 
     diagnosis is more than nine years; and
       Whereas there is no definitive cure for endometriosis: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) strongly supports efforts to raise public awareness of 
     endometriosis throughout the medical and lay communities; and
       (2) recognizes the need for better support of patients with 
     endometriosis, the need for physicians to better understand 
     the disease, the need for more effective treatments, and 
     ultimately, the need for a cure.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today the House is considering House Concurrent 
Resolution 291, a resolution expressing the sense of the Congress with 
respect to endometriosis.
  Reported unanimously by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, this 
resolution will help raise awareness about a common disease that can 
unfortunately lead to devastating consequences for many women.
  Endometriosis is a painful, chronic gynecologic disease affecting 
approximately 10 to 20 percent of American women of childbearing age. 
Of those affected, about 30 to 40 percent will experience infertility.
  Unfortunately, the cause of endometriosis is unknown, and there is 
still no cure. Diagnosis can be difficult to confirm without surgery, 
and it is typically delayed by an average of 9 years. The National 
Institutes of Health is currently conducting several studies that may 
lead to other treatment options. Hormone treatments may show some 
success so that women affected by endometriosis may still be able to 
bear children.
  The resolution before us today recognizes the need for improved 
patient support, improved physician awareness, and more effective 
treatments, including a cure. I would like to thank the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McKeon) for his leadership in helping to raise 
awareness of endometriosis.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to adopt the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1315

  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 291. 
This legislation will bring recognition and hope to those who suffer 
endometriosis.
  Endometriosis is a serious affliction that affects between 10 percent 
and 20 percent of American women of childbearing age, more than 26 
million women. Endometriosis is a disease where tissue similar to the 
lining of a woman's uterus grows outside the uterus and into the 
abdominal cavity. This growth leads to internal bleeding, inflammation 
and scar tissue.
  This disease, which is such a mystery to the medical community, has 
no known cause or cure. It can strike women of any age, race, income 
level, and it can hamper a woman's ability to work and start a family. 
For 30 to 40 percent of those afflicted, this disease causes 
infertility.
  House Concurrent Resolution 291 will help raise the awareness of this 
devastating disorder not just to the public, but to the medical 
community as well. It is my hope that this resolution will lead to 
better support for patients who suffer from this disease, a better 
understanding by physicians of the needs of those who have 
endometriosis, and more research for treatments, and ultimately a cure 
for all women with this disease.
  I would like to thank my colleague and good friend, the gentleman 
from California (Mr. McKeon), for introducing this resolution and 
bringing it to our attention. I urge passage. The sooner we educate 
ourselves about this disease, the sooner a cure will be found. I urge 
my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), the author of the legislation.
  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I 
introduced House Concurrent Resolution 291 to bring awareness of a 
serious yet obscure disease from which many American women of 
childbearing age suffer. Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue 
similar to the tissue inside of the uterus grows outside of the uterus 
in the abdominal cavity. Because the tissue has no natural way to leave 
the body, the result is internal bleeding, inflation, scar tissue, and 
pain.
  I had never heard of endometriosis until a constituent, Mary Prenger, 
brought it to my attention. Since then I have come to learn that 10 to 
20 percent of all women suffer from the disease, and infertility occurs 
in about 30 to 40 percent of all women who suffer from it.
  Endometriosis is a nondiscriminating disease. It affects women from 
all walks of life. Socioeconomic background and race have no bearing. 
Because such a large percentage of women who have the disease become 
infertile, endometriosis has the potential to be not only a great 
physical disability, but also the emotional and psychological burden is 
great.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that by passing this resolution, both the 
medical and the lay communities will become more aware of 
endometriosis. It is only through awareness of the disease that we will 
be able to grow closer to a cure.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 291, 
raising public awareness on the disease endometriosis.
  Endometriosis is a painful, chronic gynecologic disease affecting 10 
to 20 percent of American women of childbearing age and causing 
infertility in an estimated 30 to 40 percent of those afflicted. 
Studies have shown that the average delay in actual diagnosis of 
endometriosis is in excess of nine years. It is time we work together 
to find a cure for this life-altering, devastating disease.
  H. Con. Res. 291 support efforts to raise public awareness of 
endometriosis throughout the medical and lay communities. It also 
recognizes the need for better support of patients with endometriosis, 
the need for physicians to better understand the disease, the need for 
more effective treatments, and ultimately, the need for a cure.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 291.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 
291, which expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to the 
disease endometriosis.
  Endometriosis is a painful, chronic gynecologic disease where the 
lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the abdominal cavity and 
results in internal bleeding, inflammation, and the development of scar 
tissue. Endometriosis affects an estimated 10 percent of reproductive 
age women and may cause infertility in 30 to 40 percent of all women 
who suffer from this disease. Roughly 99 percent of women state that 
they experienced pelvic pain for about 10 years before they were 
diagnosed with endometriosis.
  The cause of the disease is unknown but researchers have found that 
family members of women with endometriosis more commonly suffered from 
the disease. Diagnosis can be difficult to confirm without surgery.
  This resolution strongly supports efforts to raise public awareness 
of endometriosis and

[[Page H6812]]

recognizes the need for improved patient support, improved physician 
awareness and understanding, and more effective treatment, including 
finding a cure. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. 
Res. 291.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House 
Concurrent Resolution 291.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground 
that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum 
is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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