[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 134 (Tuesday, September 22, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WORLD ALZHEIMER'S DAY

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                           HON. MAXINE WATERS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 22, 2009

  Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, yesterday was World Alzheimer's Day--a day 
to call attention to and raise awareness of this fatal, 
neurodegenerative disease afflicting over 5 million Americans.
  In this country, someone develops Alzheimer's every 70 seconds, and 
total healthcare costs are more than three times higher for people with 
Alzheimer's and other dementias than for people the same age without 
the disease. Experts estimate that it could affect as many as 10 
million baby boomers as they age. The bottom line is this: Alzheimer's 
disease poses a significant public health threat to our Nation.
  In my State of California, there will be as many as 480,000 people 
age 65 and older who will have Alzheimer's disease by 2010. And 
Alzheimer's doesn't just strike the individual--it is a family disease. 
According to the Alzheimer's Association's 2009 Alzheimer's Disease 
Facts and Figures, there are nearly 10 million Alzheimer's caregivers 
providing unpaid care valued at $94 billion. In California alone, there 
are over 1 million caregivers grappling with the tremendous challenges 
of Alzheimer's disease every day.
  In order to assist caregivers with these daunting challenges, I plan 
to reintroduce the Alzheimer's Treatment and Caregiver Support Act this 
month (H.R. 1032 in the 110th Congress). This bill provides grants to 
public and nonprofit organizations to improve treatment services for 
Alzheimer's patients and expand training and support services for 
families and caregivers. Expanding access to training and support 
services would improve the ability of caregivers to provide effective, 
compassionate care and allow more people with Alzheimer's disease to 
remain in their homes with people who love them. This bill had over 100 
cosponsors in the 110th Congress, and I hope the 111th Congress will 
pass this important bill and send it to the President's desk.
  We can also fight this disease with the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act, 
H.R. 3286, of which I am proud to be a cosponsor. This legislation 
seeks to find breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease by increasing 
research funding to $2 billion per year. It also calls for a national 
summit on Alzheimer's disease to look at promising research 
possibilities and programs that are important in fighting this disease.
  As we recognize World Alzheimer's Day 2009, I urge my colleagues to 
join with me and cosponsor the Alzheimer's Treatment and Caregiver 
Support Act and the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act. Let us commit to take 
every possible action to improve treatments for Alzheimer's patients, 
support caregivers, and invest in research to find a cure for this 
disease.

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