[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 95 (Wednesday, June 13, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7676-S7677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              NATIONAL HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 234, which was 
submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 234) designating June 15, 2007 as 
     ``National Huntington's Disease Awareness Day.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, I rise today to support a resolution 
designating June 15, 2007, as ``National Huntington's Disease Awareness 
Day,'' a devastating disorder that affects an estimated 1 in every 
10,000 persons. We need to raise awareness of Huntington's disease, 
which is a progressive degenerative neurological disease that causes 
total physical and mental deterioration over a 12-15 year period. 
Though Huntington's disease typically begins in midlife, between the 
ages of 30 and 45, onset may occur as early as the age of 2. The 
average lifespan after onset of Huntington's disease is 10 to 20 years. 
The younger a person contracts the disease, the more rapid the 
progression. Additionally, children who develop the juvenile form of 
the disease rarely live to adulthood, and a child of a Huntington's 
disease parent has a 50-50 chance of inheriting the Huntington's 
disease gene.
  Since the discovery of the gene that causes Huntington's disease in 
1993, the pace of Huntington's disease research has accelerated. 
Although scientists and researchers are hopeful that breakthroughs are 
forthcoming, no cures for this disease currently exist.
  The need for heightened awareness of Huntington's disease was brought 
to my attention by constituents who suffer from this disease. For the 
benefit of these individuals and for the well-being of sufferers in 
your own State and around the Nation, I ask you to join me in this 
effort to raise awareness of Huntington's disease.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid on 
the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 234) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 234

       Whereas Huntington's Disease is a progressive degenerative 
     neurological disease that causes total physical and mental 
     deterioration over a 12 to 15 year period;
       Whereas each child of a parent with Huntington's Disease 
     has a 50 percent chance of inheriting the Huntington's 
     Disease gene;
       Whereas Huntington's Disease typically begins in mid-life, 
     between the ages of 30 and 45, though onset may occur as 
     early as the age of 2;
       Whereas children who develop the juvenile form of the 
     disease rarely live to adulthood;
       Whereas the average lifespan after onset of Huntington's 
     Disease is 10 to 20 years, and

[[Page S7677]]

     the younger the age of onset, the more rapid the progression 
     of the disease;
       Whereas Huntington's Disease affects 30,000 patients and 
     200,000 genetically ``at risk'' individuals in the United 
     States;
       Whereas since the discovery of the gene that causes 
     Huntington's Disease in 1993, the pace of Huntington's 
     Disease research has accelerated;
       Whereas, although no effective treatment or cure currently 
     exists, scientists and researchers are hopeful that 
     breakthroughs will be forthcoming;
       Whereas researchers across the Nation are conducting 
     important research projects involving Huntington's Disease; 
     and
       Whereas the Senate is an institution that can raise 
     awareness in the general public and the medical community of 
     Huntington's Disease: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates June 15, 2007, as ``National Huntington's 
     Disease Awareness Day'';
       (2) recognizes that all people of the United States should 
     become more informed and aware of Huntington's Disease; and
       (3) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Huntington's 
     Disease Society of America.

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