[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 91 (Thursday, June 19, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H5643-H5644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS LOU GEHRIG AND HIS LEGACY HAVE MADE IN
THE FIGHT AGAINST ALS
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on
Energy and Commerce be discharged from further consideration of the
resolution (H. Res. 278) recognizing the contributions Lou Gehrig and
his legacy have made in the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I do not
intend to object, but I would like to speak from the well so I can
stand here with a picture of Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees.
Today is the 100th birthday of Lou Gehrig, and I am proud to rise
today in favor of my resolution H. Res. 78 which celebrates Lou
Gehrig's 100th birthday.
Lou Gehrig was born on June 19, 1903, 100 years ago today. He lived a
storied life which ended tragically at the hands of a disease that
still carries his name, Lou Gehrig's Disease, known as Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. It is a devastating condition and a testament
to Lou Gehrig's courage in the face of this horrible affliction.
In my own family, my grandmother, my father's mother, also died of
the same disease and literally thousands upon thousands of Americans
are suffering with this ALS disease.
Today there are celebrations in New York in honor of Lou Gehrig, most
notably at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, where I am from, this
afternoon. The ALS Association is remembering Lou Gehrig; today is Lou
Gehrig Day at Yankee Stadium, the Iron Horse, that was his nickname,
and is raising greater awareness about the disease. The ALS Association
is committed to greater awareness about those suffering with ALS and
the sacrifices of their loved ones who require the intense care these
patients require.
Approximately 30,000 individuals in the United States are afflicted
with ALS with about 5,000 new cases appearing each year. ALS destroys
the lives of its victims and their families, leaving patients unable to
walk, eat or even talk.
{time} 1745
The life expectancy of an individual with ALS is only 3 to 5 years
from the time of diagnosis. I have had many sufferers of ALS come into
my office very courageously to talk about this affliction.
There is no known cure or cause for ALS. Research has given birth to
new aggressive treatments for the symptoms of ALS that can extend the
lives of patients. Recent advances in ALS research have produced
promising leads into neurodegenerative diseases, and it is imperative
that this important work continues. Furthermore, the sequencing of the
Human Genome holds great promise in the search for cures for many
diseases, including ALS.
My resolution honors Lou Gehrig and the contributions his legacy has
made in the fight against this terrible disease. It also recognizes the
efforts of the ALS Association in raising awareness, pursuing research,
and providing support for ALS patients and their families. ALS patients
exhibit incredible courage in their fight against this disease, and
this resolution commends them for that and affirms the support of
Congress for continued research into better treatments and a cure for
ALS.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps there was no greater act of courage than when
Lou Gehrig gave his farewell speech before the Yankee faithful at
Yankee Stadium who were not ready to let him go. I want to read that
famous speech into the Record. We all know it, where he said he
considered himself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. He said:
``Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad
break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face
of the earth. I have been in ballparks for 17 years and have never
received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.
``Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the
highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day?
Sure I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known Jacob
Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To
have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins?
Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader,
that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today,
Joe McCarthy.
``Sure I'm lucky. When the New York Giants, a team you would give
your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you gifts, that's
something. When everybody down to the groundkeepers and those boys in
white coats remember you with trophies, that's something. When you have
a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with
her own daughter, that's something. When you have a father and a mother
who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your
body, it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of
strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed, that's the
finest I know. So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break,
but I have an awful lot to live for.''
Now, Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying that we must do all we can
to find a cure for a disease that still ravages the lives of its
victims. I am proud that our colleagues in the House of Representatives
are honoring a true hero in Lou Gehrig and affirming its commitment to
overcoming the scourge of ALS for Lou Gehrig and every person who has
fought this terrible disease.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. ENGEL. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I
yield to the gentleman from Nebraska.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from the Bronx, and a
Yankee fan, for yielding to me.
``Today, I am the luckiest man on the face of the earth.'' That one
Yankee phrase immortalizes and is synonymous with courage, and that is
why I am proud to stand with my friend from the Bronx and rise in
support of his resolution, House Resolution 278. It is brought to the
floor on June 19, 2003, the 100th birthday of Lou Gehrig, baseball's
original ``Iron Horse,'' and perhaps the greatest, or one of the
greatest to ever play the game. As my friend from New York knows, I am
a bit of a baseball fan myself, having named two of my children Noland
and Ryan.
Now, more importantly, this resolution recognizes the contribution
that Gehrig and his legacy have made in the fight against ALS, the
disease that claimed Lou Gehrig's life at age 37, and the disease that
is named after him.
So what is Lou Gehrig's disease? Quite simply, ALS is the slow but
steady deterioration of nerve cells in the brain and in the spinal
cord. When these motor neurons can no longer send impulses to the
muscles, the muscles begin to waste away causing increased muscle
weakness. As the disease reaches its advanced stages, its victims
struggle to even breathe and swallow. There is no cure for ALS.
Every day, an average of 15 people are newly diagnosed with ALS.
Approximately one out of 800 male deaths and 1 out of 1,200 female
deaths in the United States are due to ALS. More
[[Page H5644]]
people die every year of ALS than Huntington's Disease or multiple
sclerosis.
One of the more frightening aspects of this disease is its
unpredictability. It can arise in a family that has never had ALS
throughout its generations. It is truly an equal opportunity disease,
with no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries. All of us are
threatened by this disease.
This country has devoted substantial resources to finding a cure for
ALS. Last year alone, the National Institutes of Health spent nearly
$35 million on ALS research. However, while this is a significant
amount of money, it pales in comparison to the amount we spend on other
diseases.
Recent advances in genetics and technology have created new
opportunities for the study and treatment of this terrible disease, but
more can be done. This resolution recognizes that fact while providing
the House of Representatives an opportunity to pay tribute to one of
America's greatest heroes and human beings, Lou Gehrig.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Franks of Arizona). Is there objection
to the request of the gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 278
Whereas Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (hereinafter in this
resolution referred to as ``ALS'') is a progressive
neuromuscular disease characterized by a degeneration of
nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord leading to the
wasting of muscles, paralysis, and eventual death;
Whereas approximately 30,000 individuals in the United
States are afflicted with ALS, with approximately 5,000 new
cases each year;
Whereas the life expectancy of an individual with ALS is
three to five years from the time of diagnosis;
Whereas there is no known cause or cure for ALS;
Whereas aggressive treatment of the symptoms of ALS can
extend the lives of individuals with the disease;
Whereas recent advances in ALS research have produced
promising leads related to shared disease processes that
appear to operate in many neurodegenerative diseases;
Whereas, on June 19, 1903, New York Yankee baseball legend
Henry Louis (Lou) Gehrig was born in New York City;
Whereas, on June 19, 2003, The ALS Association will help
America celebrate what would have been Lou's 100th birthday,
honoring his magnificent baseball career and his unwavering
courage as he faced the deadly disease that would carry his
name; and
Whereas The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter will
celebrate Lou Gehrig's 100th birthday at Yankee Stadium on
June 19, 2003, by honoring the life and legacy of Lou Gehrig
through a pre-game home plate ceremony, and these activities
will help bring greater awareness to the disease, Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the celebration of Lou Gehrig's 100th
birthday and commends the contributions he and his legacy
have made in the search for better treatments and a cure for
ALS;
(2) acknowledges the struggle of the thousands of
individuals battling ALS everyday and their courage in facing
this debilitating disease;
(3) supports cutting-edge research to find a cure for ALS;
and
(4) applauds the efforts of all organizations, including
The ALS Association, in their endeavors to raise awareness
about the disease, support research initiatives, and assist
those suffering with ALS and their families in the challenges
of coping with this terrible affliction.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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