[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 34 (Thursday, March 16, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H1126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Madam Speaker, today I rise to 
acknowledge Brain Awareness Week, which reminds us that neuroscience 
research is critical to the health of U.S. global competitiveness and 
much of this research is done by the National Institutes of Health.
  As Members of Congress, many of us from both sides of the aisle make 
a commitment to doubling the NIH budget, and many of us now wonder what 
do we get for what we paid for.
  Some are asking this and I have asked them to look at www.SFN.org, 
which stands for the Society of Neuroscience which has produced 24 
separate brain research success stories. Behind me here you see some of 
the incredible technology that is giving rise to research in the brain 
by helping us through PET scans and FMRIs, looking into the brain as we 
have never been able to do before.
  These discoveries have allowed us to develop treatments that reduce 
the severity of symptoms for those suffering from Parkinson's, those 
suffering from affective disorders. We have seen a whole new class of 
anti-depressants that produce fewer sides effects than their 
predecessors. We have also seen great breakthroughs in the 
identification of new stroke treatment and prevention methods, and we 
have seen the creation of ways to help prevent epileptic seizures, as 
well as expansion of treatments for psychotic symptoms and 
schizophrenia. Research brings hope and improves the lives of millions 
of Americans.
  Madam Speaker, in this country mental illnesses comprise the second 
leading cause of lost work days in our country. Suicide in this country 
is twice the rate of homicide. We lose 34,000 people a year to suicide. 
The fact of the matter is we have 1,300 young people every single day 
who try to take their lives in this country. And yet we can reach into 
this brain science, find and discover ways to help reduce the severity 
of mental illness and address the needs that people have that cause 
them to suffer so greatly.
  Madam Speaker, I would just point once again to the fact that we have 
had technology thanks to the National Institutes of Mental Health, the 
National Institute of Drug Addiction, the National Institute of 
Alcoholism that has demonstrated to us that we are going to see great 
promise. But we need the American people to call their Members of 
Congress and say to their Members of Congress, we want full funding for 
mental health research and neuroscience.
  We have come too far to step back now. Anybody watching this program 
needs to call their Members of Congress, their Senator and their 
Representative, and say we do not want to take a step backward in brain 
research. We want us to go forward to help solve the many mysteries of 
the brain and the suffering that is going out around this country from 
those who are suffering from mental illness.
  Madam Speaker, we also need them to ask for parity for mental health 
coverage, which means equal insurance coverage for mental illness as 
every other physical illness. You cannot look at these poster boards 
and not tell me that mental illness is physical illness.
  It is not a sign of a character defect if they are depressed, if they 
are suffering from mental illness. It is a sign that they need the kind 
of attention to the organ, which is their brain, the organ which is 
their brain that too often has been associated with stigma and 
stereotype that has guided our policymaking too much of the time; and 
as a result we spend less than four of every 100 of your dollars at NIH 
studying brain diseases even though they comprise the second leading 
cause of lost days in this country.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing Brain 
Awareness Week and join me in helping to continue the research, the 
very promising work that is going on in our institutes of health that 
help us find the discoveries that we need in order to relieve the 
suffering of millions of Americans.

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