[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 8, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1038-E1039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 MAY AS WORLD HEPATITIS AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 8, 2010

  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize May as World Hepatitis 
Awareness Month and May 19th as World Hepatitis Day.
  I commend the House Energy and Commerce Committee and House Foreign 
Affairs Committee for their support for raising awareness of the risks 
and consequences of undiagnosed Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections 
and the need for governmental and public health actions. I also want to 
thank my good friends Rep. Ed Towns and Rep. Bill Cassidy for working 
with me on hepatitis issues and speaking out on World Hepatitis Day.
  An estimated 5.3 million people living in the United States are 
infected with either Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Hepatitis viruses are 
highly contagious viruses that infect the liver, cause liver disease, 
liver cancer, and premature death. Hepatitis patients are found in 
every Congressional district in every state across the U.S. Tragically, 
more than half are unaware of their status. Hepatitis is often called a 
silent crisis, but we cannot afford to be silent any more, and we will 
not be silent any more.
  I introduced H.R. 3974, the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control 
and Prevention Act of 2009 to unite the Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C 
community in a singular cause. H.R. 3974 will amend the Public Health 
Service Act to make critical improvements for education for patients 
and health care providers, access to immunization and screening, and 
surveillance and referral to care programs. The Act will also put in 
place a coordinated federal response to fight viral hepatitis. Through 
this legislation, and with strategic investments in public health and 
prevention programs, the lives of tens of thousands of people across 
the nation will be improved.
  I commend the Obama Administration and Assistant Secretary for Health 
at the Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Howard Koh for 
developing an intradepartmental

[[Page E1039]]

viral hepatitis working group to improve the public health response to 
the disease, and for working with outside partners to increase access 
to quality health care and reduce the health effects from viral 
hepatitis.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support the goals and ideals of World 
Hepatitis Awareness Month and to support H.R 3974. Through 
comprehensive education, research, and coordination, we can highlight 
the global nature of chronic viral hepatitis epidemics, work to improve 
the quality of life for those diagnosed, and prevent further spread of 
the disease.

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