[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 113 (Monday, September 20, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S9380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I would like to call attention to a 
disease that currently affects the memories and functioning capacity of 
almost five million Americans, and that is Alzheimer's disease.
  In the next 50 years, it is estimated that over 16 million Americans 
will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I believe that we need to do more 
to understand this disease so that we can bring about effective 
treatments and preventive measures, and so that we can provide relief 
to those who care for individuals with Alzheimer's.
  Alzheimer's not only affects our Nation's physical health, it also 
negatively impacts family resources and our country's overall economic 
health. According to the Alzheimer's Association, our country spends 
over $100 billion annually in direct and indirect costs on caring for 
those with Alzheimer's.
  As our population ages, more and more Americans will suffer from this 
terrible disease. It is urgent that we bring more resources to bear to 
find effective treatments and, most of all, to find a cure. In recent 
years, medical researchers have made critical strides in Alzheimer's 
research. I believe that we need to continue to make biomedical 
research into Alzheimer's a national priority, and because of this I 
support the efforts of Senators Mikulski and Bond to provide $1.4 
billion in Federal funding for Alzheimer's research. I have long 
advocated for more resources both for research into Alzheimer's and to 
help those who care for loved ones afflicted with the disease. I 
support S. 2533, the Ronald Reagan Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act, not 
only because it provides those resources, but because it provides hope 
to families that someday we will bring an end to this debilitating 
disease.
  The research currently being conducted at the National Institutes of 
Health holds much promise for identifying potential treatments and 
eventually, I hope, a cure for Alzheimer's. However we will not make 
the progress necessary to truly make breakthroughs with Alzheimer's 
unless we provide sufficient Federal funding for the research underway 
at NIH.
  As a strong proponent of fiscal discipline, I understand the current 
constraints on the Federal budget. However, I believe that providing 
resources to increase our Federal investment in Alzheimer's research 
and to offer caregiver support are critical budget priorities. It is my 
sincere hope that Congress passes the Ronald Reagan Alzheimer's 
Breakthrough Act before this session of Congress is over.

                          ____________________