[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 85 (Friday, June 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ARTHRITIS PREVENTION, CONTROL AND CURE ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 17, 2004

  Mrs. ESHOO. Mr Speaker, I'm pleased to join my colleague 
Representative Pickering in introducing the Arthritis Prevention, 
Control and Cure Act of 2004, which authorizes programs and funding 
that will allow the Federal Government to better coordinate and 
increase our investment in efforts to prevent, treat, and care for 
persons with arthritis and related diseases. The bill represents the 
most significant Federal effort to address arthritis in a generation. 
The Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act of 2004 addresses this 
important issue by:

       Enhancing the National Arthritis Action Plan by providing 
     additional support to federal, state, and private efforts to 
     prevent and manage arthritis;
       Developing a National Arthritis Education and Outreach 
     Campaign to educate the healthcare profession and the public 
     on successful self-management strategies for controlling 
     arthritis;
       Ensuring greater coordination and intensification of 
     federal research efforts by organizing a National Arthritis 
     and Rheumatic Diseases Summit to look at challenges and 
     opportunities related to basic, clinical and translational 
     research and development efforts;
       Providing greater attention to the area of juvenile 
     arthritis research through the creation of planning grants 
     for innovative research specific to juvenile arthritis, as 
     well as the prioritization of epidemiological activities 
     focused on better understanding the prevalence, incidence, 
     and outcomes associated with juvenile arthritis; and
       Creating incentives to encourage health professionals to 
     enter the field of pediatric rheumatology through the 
     establishment of an education loan repayment and career 
     development award programs.

  Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. with 70 
million Americans living with a form of the disease. With the aging of 
the baby boomers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
predicts the number of people over 65 with arthritis or chronic joint 
symptoms will double by 2030. Nearly 300,000 children in the United 
States are living with a form of juvenile arthritis. Arthritis is a 
painful and debilitating chronic disease affecting men, women and 
children alike.
  Currently, the Federal investment in juvenile arthritis research is 
only $23 per affected child. The CDC estimates that the annual cost of 
medical care for arthritis is $51 billion, and the annual total costs, 
including lost productivity, exceed $86 billion. Early diagnosis, 
treatment, and appropriate management of arthritis are critical in 
controlling symptoms and improving quality of life.
  In 1975, nearly 30 years ago, Senator Alan Cranston of California 
introduced the last major piece of arthritis legislation. It was signed 
into law by President Gerald Ford. The bill, the National Arthritis 
Act, set our Nation on an important path in the fight against 
arthritis. It led to the creation of an institute at NIH focused on 
arthritis, and laid the foundation for a national arthritis public 
health strategy.
  However, arthritis is still claiming the lives of millions of 
Americans and we must reinvigorate our research and education efforts 
to offer individuals with arthritis a better chance at life and 
eventually a cure. I believe the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure 
Act of 2004 will do just that.

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