[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7190-H7191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SCLERODERMA RESEARCH AND AWARENESS ACT OF 2010
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2408) to expand the research and awareness activities of the
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
and the
[[Page H7191]]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to scleroderma,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2408
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Scleroderma Research and
Awareness Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL
AND SKIN DISEASES; SCLERODERMA RESEARCH
EXPANSION.
Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 409K. SCLERODERMA RESEARCH.
``The Director of NIH may expand, intensify, and coordinate
the activities of the National Institutes of Health with
respect to scleroderma, with particular emphasis on the
following:
``(1) Research focused on the etiology of scleroderma and
the development of new treatment options.
``(2) Clinical research to evaluate new treatments options.
``(3) Basic research on the relationship between
scleroderma and secondary conditions such as pulmonary
hypertension, gastroparesis, Raynaud's phenomenon, Sjogren's
Syndrome, and other diseases as determined by the
Director.''.
SEC. 3. PROMOTING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SCLERODERMA.
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 399V-5. PROMOTING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SCLERODERMA.
``The Secretary may carry out an educational campaign to
increase public awareness of scleroderma. Print, video, and
Web-based materials distributed through this campaign may
include--
``(1) basic information on scleroderma and its symptoms;
and
``(2) information on--
``(A) the incidence and prevalence of scleroderma;
``(B) diseases and conditions affiliated with scleroderma;
or
``(C) the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of
scleroderma.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
2408, the Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act. H.R. 2408 would
encourage NIH to conduct more research into scleroderma and encourage
HHS to conduct a public awareness campaign about scleroderma. I urge my
colleagues to support this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 2408, the Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act, would expand
research and education for scleroderma. There are an estimated 300,000
people in the United States who have this disease. The exact cause or
causes of scleroderma are still unknown, but scientists and medical
investigators in a wide variety of fields are working to make those
determinations.
Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is a chronic connective tissue
disease generally classified as one of the autoimmune rheumatic
diseases. This bill will provide the Department of Health and Human
Services flexibility to help us in the fight against scleroderma in the
following ways: First, the bill would allow but not require the
director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health to expand,
intensify, and coordinate the activities of the institute with respect
to scleroderma. Second, the amended bill would allow but not require
the Health and Human Services Secretary, acting through the Centers for
Disease Control, to carry out an educational campaign to increase
public awareness of scleroderma.
This bill underwent some very important modifications at the
committee level. I think it is a better bill for that bipartisan
effort. I do urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2408, the
Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act.
Scleroderma is a chronic connective tissue disease in which hardening
of the skin is one of the most visible manifestations of the disease.
An estimated 300,000 people in the United States have scleroderma and
female patients outnumber male patients an astonishing four to one.
The exact cause or causes of scleroderma are still unknown and there
is no cure, which make greater research into this disease all the more
necessary.
H.R. 2408 would encourage NIH to conduct more research into
Scleroderma and encourage the Secretary of Health & Human Services to
conduct a public awareness campaign about the disease.
Passage of this bill out of Committee and in the House of
Representatives would not be possible without the grassroots advocacy
of patients and families of patients with Scleroderma so I would like
to thank them personally for helping us reach today.
Finally, I would like to thank the lead Republican co-sponsor of this
legislation, Vern Ehlers of Michigan for his continued support of H.R.
2408.
I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.
Mr. BURGESS. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2408, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BURGESS. 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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