[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. ____________________