[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5991-H5992]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING A NATIONAL DYSPHAGIA AWARENESS MONTH
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 195) expressing the sense of the
Congress that a National Dysphagia Awareness Month should be
established.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:
H. Con. Res. 195
Whereas dysphagia, or difficulty with swallowing, is a
medical dysfunction that affects as many as 15,000,000
Americans;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has
estimated that 1,000,000 people in the United States annually
are diagnosed with dysphagia;
Whereas the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has
estimated that 60,000 Americans die annually from
complications associated with dysphagia;
Whereas based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
mortality data, this is more than the total number of
Americans dying from all forms of liver disease, kidney
disease, and HIV/AIDS combined--and nearly as many as those
dying from diabetes, the number 6 killer of Americans;
Whereas the most common complication arising from dysphagia
is aspiration pneumonia--caused by food or saliva entering
the windpipe and into the lungs;
Whereas one in 17 people will develop some form of
dysphagia in their lifetime, including 50 to 75 percent of
stroke patients and 60 to 75 percent of patients who undergo
radiation therapy for head and neck cancer;
Whereas as many as half of all Americans over 60 will
experience dysphagia at some point;
Whereas complications due to dysphagia increase health care
costs by resultant hospital readmissions, emergency room
visits, extended hospital stays, the necessity for long-term
institutional care, and the need for expensive respiratory
and nutritional support;
Whereas the cost of managing a patient with a feeding tube,
which for many has been the primary treatment option for this
condition, is reported to average over $31,000 per patient
per year;
Whereas the total annual cost to Medicare just for enteral
feeding supplies for outpatients was more than $670,000,000
in 2003, nearly 6 percent of the total Medicare budget for
that year;
Whereas including the monies spent in hospitals, the total
cost of dysphagia to the health care system is well over
$1,000,000,000 annually;
Whereas the condition of dysphagia is a vastly
underreported condition and not widely understood by the
general public; and
Whereas observing June 2008 as National Dysphagia Awareness
Month would raise public awareness about dysphagia and the
need for early detection and treatment: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that a
National Dysphagia Awareness Month should be established.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, I am proud to join my colleagues in the
consideration of H. Con. Res 195, which expresses the sense of Congress
that a National Dysphagia Awareness Month should be established.
Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a medical disorder currently
afflicting nearly 15 million Americans, with another million Americans
diagnosed each and every year. Moreover, among those over 60 years of
age there is over a 50 percent probability of experiencing dysphagia at
some point. Unlike many other medical disorders, dysphagia has not
gathered the national attention that it deserves, despite the fact that
more than 60,000 American deaths occur annually from dysphagia-related
complications.
Mr. Speaker, I urge swift passage of H. Con. Res 195, as it will shed
national attention on dysphagia, which is afflicting so many of our
fellow Americans and costing us over $1 billion to treat annually.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague from Missouri for his excellent
presentation on this resolution. I also
[[Page H5992]]
commend my colleague, Mr. Wamp from Tennessee, for introducing the
resolution and am sorry that a scheduling conflict has prevented his
being here to speak.
I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 195.
Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Con. Res. 195, a
resolution designating June 2008 as National Dysphagia Awareness Month.
First, I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Gene Green, for
being the lead cosponsor of this resolution and for his efforts in
helping move this resolution forward. Congressman Green is a strong
advocate on healthcare issues in Congress and I am pleased to have the
opportunity to work with him on the vital issue of raising awareness
about dysphagia. In addition, I would like to thank the Dysphagia
Awareness Society, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association,
and the American Occupational Therapy Association for their grassroots
efforts in building support for the resolution. It truly has been a
collaborative effort for an important cause.
Dysphagia is a medical condition incorporating any difficulty with
swallowing and affects as many as 15 million Americans. Dysphagia can
be caused by any condition weakening or damaging the muscles and nerves
used for swallowing, including strokes, nervous system complications,
and head injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has
estimated that 1 million people in the United States annually are
diagnosed with dysphagia. According to the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality, an estimated 60,000 Americans die annually from
complications associated with dysphagia.
Dysphagia awareness is particularly important to my home state of
Tennessee, where stroke incident rates are relatively high. Dysphagia
affects a significant percentage of stroke survivors due to weakness in
the muscles of the throat and mouth traditionally caused by strokes.
Dysphagia can cause additional life-threatening complications for these
stroke survivors, such as pneumonia, malnutrition, dehydration, and
airway obstruction.
In addition, complications due to dysphagia increase health care
costs by resultant hospital readmissions, emergency room visits,
extended hospital stays, the necessity for long-term institutional
care, and the need for expensive respiratory and nutritional support.
Including money spent in hospitals, the total cost of dysphagia to the
health care system is well over $1 billion annually.
Unfortunately, the condition of dysphagia is vastly underreported and
not widely understood by the general public. Observing June 2008 as
National Dysphagia Awareness Month would raise public awareness about
dysphagia and the need for early detection and treatment.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of this
important resolution.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) that the House suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 195.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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