[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 15, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H5012-H5013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL EOSINOPHIL AWARENESS WEEK

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 296) supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Eosinophil Awareness Week, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 296

       Whereas the term ``eosinophilic disorders'' is a general 
     term used to describe a group of diseases and disorders 
     caused by the production of too many white blood cells called 
     eosinophils;
       Whereas eosinophilic disorders patients suffer from their 
     immune system attacking their body's own normal, healthy 
     tissue, resulting in inflammation or swelling;
       Whereas an estimated 50,000 people are affected by 
     eosinophilic disorders in the United States, many of whom 
     remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed;
       Whereas inflammatory eosinophilic disorders are thought to 
     be both allergic and autoimmune diseases, such that the 
     body's immune system, which normally fights infections and 
     viruses, mistakes common food proteins and environmental 
     allergens as foreign;
       Whereas eosinophilic disorders cause chronic illness that 
     significantly impacts a person's quality of life and ability 
     to attend school and work, and dramatically alters dietary 
     lifestyles;
       Whereas some eosinophilic disorders cause life-threatening 
     and sometimes fatal illnesses by causing inflammation of the 
     vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidney, and 
     gastrointestinal tract;
       Whereas eosinophilic disorders are difficult to diagnose 
     and treatment is often delayed, resulting in unnecessary 
     suffering;
       Whereas many patients with eosinophilic disorders often 
     have severe long-term disabilities as well as the severe 
     limitations imposed by the disease itself;
       Whereas some eosinophilic disorder patients will suffer 
     permanent irreversible organ damage as a result of delays in 
     diagnosis and proper treatment; and
       Whereas the American Partnership For Eosinophilic Disorders 
     has identified the third week of May as an appropriate time 
     to recognize National Eosinophil Awareness Week in order to 
     educate communities across the Nation about eosinophilic 
     disorders and the need for research funding, accurate 
     diagnosis, and effective treatments: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Eosinophil 
     Awareness Week; and
       (2) encourages health care providers and the American 
     Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders to increase education 
     and awareness regarding eosinophilic disorders.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Capps) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. 
Myrick) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 296, recognizing National 
Eosinophil Awareness Week, and I commend my colleague Congressman John 
Larson for bringing attention to this issue.
  Eosinophilic disorders are devastating as patients literally suffer 
from an attack on their bodies by their own immune systems. They are 
chronic disorders that have no cure and can even be fatal. Because they 
are rare, patients often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
  And as a nurse, I have seen intimately how heartbreaking it is for a 
patient and his or her family to go through test after test while 
suffering all the while from an unidentifiable condition.
  That is why I support this resolution, calling for greater awareness 
of eosinophilic disorders and encouraging health care providers to 
increase education about these diseases.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I am pleased to speak on behalf of this bill which does promote 
awareness about eosinophil disorders. These are little known disorders 
that are thought

[[Page H5013]]

to be both allergic and autoimmune in nature. The body produces white 
blood cells in higher than normal amounts, and it attacks food proteins 
and tissues as a result.
  The patients who have this chronic disease suffer a variety of 
symptoms, and of course it is sometimes life-threatening. As of now, 
there's no known cure.
  I know Mr. Larson is going to be speaking on this because he 
personally has firsthand knowledge.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may 
consume to my colleague from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from 
California for yielding but also for her continued outstanding service 
in the United States Congress and bringing the knowledge of her 
profession and her expertise to this body on a regular basis and 
especially the compassion that's needed for so many of those who suffer 
from eosinophilic disorder, more than 50,000 in this Nation.
  I want to applaud my colleague from North Carolina, also, 
Representative Myrick, for her cosponsoring this legislation and 
understanding as well the importance that this has for so many families 
who oftentimes are the ones who suffer along with the patient because 
of lack of diagnosis, and then also because of the way Representative 
Capps has described the nature of this disease, what it does to the 
patient that it attacks when the white blood cells in your own system 
begin to attack itself and creates the disorders that it does, often 
resulting in people having to be fed by tubes. You can imagine the 
tremendous stress that this causes on the parts of parents and of 
course family members.
  This bill comes before us not because of me, but because of a 
courageous woman like Lois Capps and like Sue Myrick who understand 
what families go through when they face issues like this.
  I was fortunate to have Dr. Wendy Book from my district in 
Connecticut, who resides in Gastonbury, a doctor herself, as well as 
her husband, come before me to talk about this disorder because of 
their desire to make sure that the Nation be made aware of what so many 
children are suffering from.
  She was joined by Beth Mays, who together are the co-founders of the 
American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders. When Dr. Book's son 
Ryan was sick before his first birthday, doctors sent him home with a 
feeding tube and no explanation for his mysterious illness. This 
illness went undiagnosed for 2 more years. Now, this Ryan, his parents 
are doctors. They are in the field, and so for doctors to be as 
confounded by a lack of understanding or a diagnosis, imagine the 
consternation that they feel, and then exemplify that by how other 
parents must feel who do not come from similar professions.
  And so they felt in founding this organization, this partnership, 
that what was needed across the country was awareness and 
understanding. Quite frankly, what's also needed is funding, but it has 
to start in a place of education, awareness and understanding, and as 
most pieces of critical legislation do, it comes not from a Member of 
Congress, but it comes from a constituent, a citizen, who has the 
temerity to stand up and speak out for suffering that a neighbor or one 
of their own children is going through.
  As Mrs. Capps pointed out, sometimes there is no cure or the 
diagnosis eludes all the best efforts of professions, but it is getting 
better, and with awareness, they know they can deal with this going 
forward.
  Hospitals in Cincinnati, and most notably, the Children's Hospital of 
Philadelphia, where I visited personally, are working hard at 
identifying this disorder and helping parents and working with them. I 
want to commend the work of Dr. Chris Lancouris and Dr. Jonathan 
Spergel and especially Michelle Shuker who spent so much time dealing 
with the parents and helping them through this process.
  As someone who has a son who has an illness that has gone 
undiagnosed, I empathize deeply with parents who go through this 
experience and understand deeply the need for education, the need for 
better understanding, and the responsibility that we share as Members 
of Congress to do our part, to first educate the public with respect to 
this disorder, but then secondly and more hopefully, to make sure that 
we follow through by funding and assisting.
  But what you have to step back and admire, however, is the courage of 
these parents who, without their love and devotion and care for their 
children, without their consistent nurturing and support, you wonder 
what would happen to these children. But because of their courage and 
because of their ability to come forth and speak out about this, 
hopefully through resolutions like this and greater understanding we 
will be able to assist them and help them and assist families, and 
their not-for-profit organization will get the support that it needs, 
will create the understanding that it needs and provide the much needed 
relief for the children who are afflicted and the families that deal 
with this problem.
  So I thank Representative Capps and I thank Representative Myrick and 
a number of cosponsors on this legislation for having come forward and 
assisted in bringing this to the forefront.
  There will be members from this association on the Hill tomorrow 
going to various House Members and to their offices and talking with 
them and their staff about this disorder. Please listen to them. Take 
them into your heart. It is an important issue and vital not only for 
their children, their families, but I dare say for all of us in the 
country. It speaks volumes to the better angels that we have here in 
the United States Congress and our willingness to reach out and assist 
the constituents we are sworn to serve.
  Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I would like 
to inquire of the gentlewoman if she has any more speakers.
  Mrs. CAPPS. I have no more speakers.
  Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAPPS. As I indicated, I have no more speakers, either, but I do 
want to say a word of thanks to my colleague from North Carolina. We 
serve on the same committee. This is an issue that we both care about, 
but particular thanks to my colleague from Connecticut for reaffirming 
in me one of the major reasons that I am pleased to be part of this 
body, which was illustrated by his comments regarding his constituent.
  As he observed their personal experience and was able to relate some 
of his own is when we do the work of the people, to carry the pain and 
suffering, if you will, the unanswered questions and the concerns, and 
to do the people's work by first creating an awareness of a situation. 
We have many issues before us, but for a family with a person diagnosed 
with an eosinophilic condition, it is a major, major part of their 
lives.
  And we owe a responsibility and it is a privilege and a honor to 
carry their concerns to this body, to take this first step of 
recognition and to be welcoming to those who come with personal 
experiences to our office doors tomorrow and then to learn what the 
next step after this one might be and to stand ready as elected 
officials to work on behalf of those who simply desire to relieve the 
pain and suffering of dear and loved members of their family.
  So I thank both of my colleagues for bringing this to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 296.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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