[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 109 (Thursday, July 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6220-S6221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 592--DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 13-19, 2010, 
  AS ``POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE AWARENESS WEEK'', AND SUPPORTING THE 
 GOALS AND IDEALS OF POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE AWARENESS WEEK TO RAISE 
AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE AND THE IMPACT 
THE DISEASE HAS ON PATIENTS NOW AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS UNTIL IT CAN 
                                BE CURED

  Mr. KOHL (for himself and Mr. Hatch) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 592

       Whereas polycystic kidney disease (known as ``PKD'') is one 
     of the most prevalent life-threatening genetic diseases in 
     the world, affecting an estimated 600,000 people in the 
     United States, including newborn babies, children, and 
     adults, regardless of sex, age, race, geography, income, or 
     ethnicity;
       Whereas polycystic kidney disease comes in 2 forms, 
     autosomal dominant, which affects 1 in 500 people worldwide, 
     and autosomal recessive, a rare form that affects 1 in 20,000 
     live births and frequently leads to early death;
       Whereas polycystic kidney disease causes multiple cysts to 
     form on both kidneys, leading to an increase in kidney size 
     and weight;
       Whereas the cysts caused by polycystic kidney disease can 
     be as small as the head of a pin or as large as a grapefruit;
       Whereas polycystic kidney disease is a systemic disease 
     that damages the kidneys and the cardiovascular, endocrine, 
     hepatic, and gastrointestinal systems;
       Whereas patients with polycystic kidney disease often 
     experience no symptoms during the early stages of the 
     disease, and many patients do not realize they have PKD until 
     the disease affects other organs;
       Whereas the symptoms of polycystic kidney disease can 
     include high blood pressure, chronic pain in the back, sides 
     or abdomen, blood in the urine, urinary tract infections, 
     heart disease, and kidney stones;
       Whereas polycystic kidney disease is the leading genetic 
     cause of kidney failure in the United States;
       Whereas more than half of patients suffering from 
     polycystic kidney disease will

[[Page S6221]]

     reach kidney failure, requiring dialysis or a kidney 
     transplant to survive, thus placing an extra strain on 
     dialysis and kidney transplantation resources;
       Whereas polycystic kidney disease has no treatment or cure;
       Whereas polycystic kidney disease instills in patients the 
     fear of an unknown future with a life-threatening genetic 
     disease, and of possible genetic discrimination;
       Whereas polycystic kidney disease is an example of how 
     collaboration, technological innovation, scientific momentum, 
     and public-private partnerships can--
       (1) generate therapeutic interventions that directly 
     benefit the people suffering from polycystic kidney disease;
       (2) save billions of Federal dollars paid by Medicare, 
     Medicaid, and other programs for dialysis, kidney 
     transplants, immunosuppressant drugs, and related therapies; 
     and
       (3) open several thousand spots on the kidney transplant 
     waiting list;
       Whereas improvements in diagnostic technology and the 
     expansion of scientific knowledge about polycystic kidney 
     disease have led to--
       (1) the discovery of the 3 primary genes that cause 
     polycystic kidney disease and the 3 primary protein products 
     of the genes; and
       (2) the understanding of cell structures and signaling 
     pathways that cause cyst growth, which has produced multiple 
     polycystic kidney disease clinical drug trials; and
       Whereas thousands of volunteers throughout the United 
     States are dedicated to expanding essential research, 
     fostering public awareness and understanding, educating 
     patients and their families about polycystic kidney disease 
     to improve treatment and care, providing appropriate moral 
     support, and encouraging people to become organ donors: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week of September 13-19, 2010, as 
     ``Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week'';
       (2) supports the goals and ideals of a national week to 
     raise public awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney 
     disease;
       (3) recognizes the need for additional research into a 
     treatment and a cure for polycystic kidney disease; and
       (4) encourages the people of the United States and 
     interested groups to--
       (A) support Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week 
     through appropriate ceremonies and activities;
       (B) promote public awareness of polycystic kidney disease; 
     and
       (C) foster understanding of the impact of the disease on 
     patients and their families.

  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise today along with Senator Hatch to 
introduce a resolution to increase awareness of Polycystic Kidney 
Disease, PKD, a common and life threatening genetic illness.
  Over 600,000 people have been diagnosed with PKD nationwide. There is 
no treatment or cure for this devastating disease. Families and friends 
struggle to fight PKD and provide unwavering support to their suffering 
loved ones.
  But there is hope. The PKD Foundation has led the fight for increased 
research and patient education. Recent studies have led to the 
discovery of the genes that cause PKD as well as promising clinical 
drug trials for treatment. More needs to be done, however, and the 
government wants to help.
  In order to increase public awareness of this fatal disease, I 
propose that September 13th through the 19th be designated as National 
Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week. This week coincides with the 
annual walk for PKD which takes place every September. In Wisconsin, 
where over 10,000 patients are living with the disease, residents 
gather across the state to take part in this very special walk.
  Increasing awareness will help all those affected by Polycystic 
Kidney Disease, and I hope my colleagues will support this important 
resolution.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleague from 
Wisconsin, Senator Herb Kohl, in introducing a resolution to designate 
September 13-19, 2010, as National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness 
Week.
  Polycystic kidney disease, also known as PKD, is a life-threatening, 
genetic disease which affects more than 12.5 million adults and 
children worldwide. PKD is of significant interest to me because many 
Utahns suffer from this illness. The PKD Foundation estimates that 
roughly 5,000 Utahns have PKD; and ESRD instances in Utah are almost 
three times the national average.
  A kidney affected by PKD will develop cysts ranging in size from that 
of a pinhead to the size of a grapefruit. These fluid-filled cysts 
increase the size and weight of the kidney from what is normally the 
size of a human fist to as large as a football. This condition causes 
great pain and is extremely dangerous to kidney function. As PKD 
progresses a person may acquire other diseases and disorders such as 
urinary tract infections, hypertension, and kidney stones. In its most 
progressive stage, PKD results in kidney failure, or end-stage renal 
disease, ESRD, for which the only help available is dialysis or a 
kidney transplant.
  Autosomal dominant PKD is the most common form of the disease and 
affects one in every 500 people. This type of PKD is commonly diagnosed 
in adulthood. Children born to an affected parent have a 50 percent 
chance of inheriting the disease themselves. In less prevalent cases, a 
child may be diagnosed with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney 
disease, ARPKD. ARPKD kills approximately 30 percent of infants 
diagnosed within the first month of life--and of the 70 percent who 
survive infancy, one-third will require a kidney transplant by the age 
of 10.
  There is no cure for PKD. Although minimal treatments can alleviate 
pain, and a healthy lifestyle can delay kidney failure, currently the 
only way to truly stop the symptoms is by transplantation. Yet, there 
is hope in science, awareness, and education.
  To cure PKD could mean billions of dollars in savings to Medicare and 
Medicaid. Greater yet, it would offer relief to the suffering endured 
by the millions of people living with this dreadful disease.
  With improved awareness and education comes a greater ability to find 
a cure. That is why Senator Kohl and I have introduced this resolution 
every year since 2007 to designate a National Polycystic Kidney Disease 
Awareness Week. I encourage my colleagues to lend their support to this 
important measure.

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