[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 166 (Wednesday, December 15, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8369-H8372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT ACT
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 3036) to establish the Office of the National Alzheimer's
Project.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 3036
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 ``National Alzheimer's Project
Act''.
SEC. 2. THE NATIONAL ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT.
(a) Definition of Alzheimer's.--In this Act, the term
``Alzheimer's'' means Alzheimer's disease and related
dementias.
(b) Establishment.--There is established in the Office of
the Secretary of Health and Human Services the National
Alzheimer's Project (referred to in this Act as the
``Project'').
(c) Purpose of the Project.--The Secretary of Health and
Human Services, or the Secretary's designee, shall--
(1) be responsible for the creation and maintenance of an
integrated national plan to overcome Alzheimer's;
(2) provide information and coordination of Alzheimer's
research and services across all Federal agencies;
(3) accelerate the development of treatments that would
prevent, halt, or reverse the course of Alzheimer's;
(4) improve the--
(A) early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease; and
(B) coordination of the care and treatment of citizens with
Alzheimer's;
(5) ensure the inclusion of ethnic and racial populations
at higher risk for Alzheimer's or least likely to receive
care, in clinical, research, and service efforts with the
purpose of decreasing health disparities in Alzheimer's; and
(6) coordinate with international bodies to integrate and
inform the fight against Alzheimer's globally.
(d) Duties of the Secretary.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, or the Secretary's designee, shall--
(A) oversee the creation and updating of the national plan
described in paragraph (2); and
(B) use discretionary authority to evaluate all Federal
programs around Alzheimer's, including budget requests and
approvals.
(2) National plan.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, or the Secretary's designee, shall carry out an
annual assessment of the Nation's progress in preparing for
the escalating burden of Alzheimer's, including both
implementation steps and recommendations for priority actions
based on the assessment.
(e) Advisory Council.--
(1) In general.--There is established an Advisory Council
on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services (referred to in
this Act as the ``Advisory Council'').
(2) Membership.--
(A) Federal members.--The Advisory Council shall be
comprised of the following experts:
(i) A designee of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
(ii) A designee of the Administration on Aging.
(iii) A designee of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services.
(iv) A designee of the Indian Health Service.
(v) A designee of the Office of the Director of the
National Institutes of Health.
(vi) The Surgeon General.
(vii) A designee of the National Science Foundation.
(viii) A designee of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(ix) A designee of the Food and Drug Administration.
(x) A designee of the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality.
(B) Non-federal members.--In addition to the members
outlined in subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall
include 12 expert members from outside the Federal
Government, which shall include--
(i) 2 Alzheimer's patient advocates;
(ii) 2 Alzheimer's caregivers;
(iii) 2 health care providers;
(iv) 2 representatives of State health departments;
(v) 2 researchers with Alzheimer's-related expertise in
basic, translational, clinical, or drug development science;
and
(vi) 2 voluntary health association representatives,
including a national Alzheimer's disease organization that
has demonstrated experience in research, care, and patient
services, and a State-based advocacy organization that
provides services to families and professionals, including
information and referral, support groups, care consultation,
education, and safety services.
(3) Meetings.--The Advisory Council shall meet quarterly
and such meetings shall be open to the public.
(4) Advice.--The Advisory Council shall advise the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary's
designee.
(5) Annual report.--The Advisory Council shall provide to
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the
Secretary's designee and Congress--
(A) an initial evaluation of all federally funded efforts
in Alzheimer's research, clinical care, and institutional-,
home-, and community-based programs and their outcomes;
(B) initial recommendations for priority actions to expand,
eliminate, coordinate, or condense programs based on the
program's performance, mission, and purpose;
(C) initial recommendations to--
(i) reduce the financial impact of Alzheimer's on--
(I) Medicare and other federally funded programs; and
(II) families living with Alzheimer's disease; and
(ii) improve health outcomes; and
(D) annually thereafter, an evaluation of the
implementation, including outcomes, of the recommendations,
including priorities if necessary, through an updated
national plan under subsection (d)(2).
(6) Termination.--The Advisory Council shall terminate on
December 31, 2025.
(f) Data Sharing.--Agencies both within the Department of
Health and Human Services and outside of the Department that
have data relating to Alzheimer's shall share such data with
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the
Secretary's designee, to enable the Secretary, or the
Secretary's designee, to complete the report described in
subsection (g).
(g) Annual Report.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, or the Secretary's designee, shall submit to
Congress--
(1) an annual report that includes an evaluation of all
federally funded efforts in Alzheimer's research, clinical
care, and institutional-, home-, and community-based programs
and their outcomes;
(2) an evaluation of all federally funded programs based on
program performance, mission, and purpose related to
Alzheimer's disease;
(3) recommendations for--
(A) priority actions based on the evaluation conducted by
the Secretary and the Advisory Council to--
(i) reduce the financial impact of Alzheimer's on--
(I) Medicare and other federally funded programs; and
(II) families living with Alzheimer's disease; and
(ii) improve health outcomes;
(B) implementation steps; and
(C) priority actions to improve the prevention, diagnosis,
treatment, care, institutional-, home-, and community-based
programs of Alzheimer's disease for individuals with
Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers; and
(4) an annually updated national plan.
(h) Sunset.--The Project shall expire on December 31, 2025.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
[[Page H8370]]
New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Madam 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. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 3036, the National
Alzheimer's Project Act, as amended.
Last week, the Subcommittee on Health in the Energy and Commerce
Committee held a hearing on Alzheimer's disease and the many challenges
associated with it.
Alzheimer's is an irreversible progressive brain disease that slowly
destroys memory and thinking skills and eventually even the ability to
carry out the simplest tasks. Alzheimer's can affect every part of the
brain and rob its victims of their very lives and dignity, and it is
fatal.
Alzheimer's is estimated to be the sixth leading cause of death in
our country. The disease, which is estimated to affect as many as 5.1
million Americans, has a devastating impact, not just on families but
on our national economy. It is projected that the national costs
associated with caring for those with Alzheimer's exceeds $172 billion
each year, with the figure expected to rise to $1 trillion by 2050.
These costs represent the burden on Medicare, Medicaid, private
insurance, caregiving, and out-of-pocket costs for families. Of this
figure, $123 billion can be attributed to Medicare and Medicaid alone.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act will require the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to create and maintain a national plan to
overcome Alzheimer's disease. It will also create an advisory council
on Alzheimer's research, care, and services.
I want to thank the sponsor of this legislation, Representative
Markey, for his tireless leadership on this bill. He is also the co-
chair of the congressional task force on Alzheimer's disease, and he
works hard on all aspects of trying to find a cure and to do research
with regard to Alzheimer's.
I urge my colleagues to support the National Alzheimer's Project Act
today.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TERRY. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3036, the National Alzheimer's
Project Act. Alzheimer's afflicts millions of Americans and their
families and friends. It is a personal tragedy for both patients and
everyone who loves them.
I had an opportunity to meet with the families during a support group
just recently. I heard their stories about their loved ones slipping
away with this form of dementia, and I heard their stories of the
pressures and sadness it places on all of the families.
NIH estimates that approximately 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's
disease, most of whom are over the age of 60. So there is a good chance
that you or a friend of yours has a relative suffering from
Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's disease forces families and friends to watch as loved
ones, once independent and vivacious, suffer personality changes, a
loss of independence and severe memory loss, such that they view those
close to them as strangers. As difficult as it is to watch, it is that
much harder on the patients. Those with Alzheimer's face an
irreversible process in which they lose many of those things that
define them as individuals.
While Alzheimer's can affect people as young as in their 30s, most
patients are over 60 years old. As this age group doubles over the next
25 years to around 72 million, the number of people with Alzheimer's
will also increase dramatically.
As with other diseases which also affect large numbers of people and
which cause profound suffering for patients, families and friends, we
want to do whatever we can to eliminate the diseases or to mitigate
their impact on people's lives. When Congress reauthorized the NIH in
2006, Congress decided to put the question of which diseases to fund
into the hand of experts.
While it makes the most sense to let experts determine the best use
of scarce resources for research, Congress still has an important role
to play in fighting Alzheimer's and other diseases. Specifically, we
must identify laws and regulations that post barriers to developing new
treatments and diagnostic tests quickly and safely. Most importantly,
Congress must ensure that our government is acting efficiently and
effectively.
We often hear concerns about a lack of coordination between
government agencies. The government already devotes substantial
resources to Alzheimer's through such things as direct care, research
at the NIH, and the activities of the Administration on Aging. However,
it is imperative that these agencies coordinate their activities. The
National Alzheimer's Project Act would ensure that coordination. If
these agencies have a unified mission with a coordinated strategy, we
significantly increase the chances of beating this disease.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support S. 3036.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the Virgin
Islands (Mrs. Christensen) who has been very much involved with this
issue and who is also a physician.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, Chairman Pallone, for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I, too, rise in strong support of S. 3036, the
National Alzheimer's Project Act.
Today, the effects of Alzheimer's disease are devastating--
devastating to the estimated 5.3 million Americans with the disease to
their more than 11 million caregivers and to the Nation as a whole,
because we all share the tremendous cost of contending with
Alzheimer's. By the middle of the century, as many as 60 million
Americans could have Alzheimer's disease, putting it on the course of
being our country's leading public health crisis and the defining
disease of the baby boomer generation.
{time} 1140
Building on the recommendations of the Alzheimer's Study Group, the
National Alzheimer's Project Act would create a national strategic plan
and establish an interagency council to work with the Secretary of HHS
to comprehensively assess and address Alzheimer's research, care,
institutional services, and home- and community-based programs. It
would ensure strategic planning and coordination across the Federal
Government as a whole.
Currently, without a coordinated effort, we have no way of evaluating
outcomes or developing more effective ways to improve those outcomes.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act addresses this critical gap by
establishing a national plan which would assess current Federal
initiatives, evaluate outcomes from these programs, prioritize future
actions, and set national goals.
In addition, this legislation will work to reduce the tremendous
costs associated with Alzheimer's disease. The baby boomers are
beginning to turn 65. Without the discovery and delivery of effective
interventions, 10 million of us will develop Alzheimer's, and the lives
of many millions more will be upended by the emotionally, physically,
and financially draining toll of caring for us.
According to the Alzheimer's Association's report, we are currently
spending $172 billion annually on Alzheimer's and other dementia care
in America. $88 billion of that is for Medicare alone, which is 17
percent of the total Medicare budget. Medicare beneficiaries with
Alzheimer's or another dementia cost the system three times as much as
a person who does not have dementia. For Medicaid, the cost multiplier
for someone with dementia is nine times more. The report estimates that
in the next 40 years, the cost of Alzheimer's and other dementias will
be in the trillions.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act will help to address these costs
by establishing an advisory council in which Federal and private
representatives will work to reduce costs for Federal programs, as well
as for families, while working to improve national health outcomes.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act also aims to decrease health
disparities in Alzheimer's. Sixteen percent of women over the age of 70
have
[[Page H8371]]
Alzheimer's compared to 11 percent of men, and although under-
diagnosed, African Americans are two times more likely and Hispanic
Americans 1\1/2\ times more likely to have Alzheimer's or other
dementias. The National Alzheimer's Project Act will ensure the
inclusion of those at-risk populations in clinical, research, and
service efforts.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. PALLONE. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. S. 3036 makes significant strides in addressing one
of America's most feared, costly, and deadly diseases.
I congratulate Mr. Markey for his work on this bill and I urge its
passage.
I rise in strong support of S. 3036--the National Alzheimer's Project
Act, which will provide critical federal support and coordination to
overcome the growing Alzheimer's crisis.
Today, the effects of Alzheimer's disease are devastating--to the
estimated 5.3 million Americans with the disease, to their more than 11
million caregivers, and to the nation as a whole as we all share the
tremendous costs of contending with the Alzheimer crisis. Tomorrow, the
devastation of Alzheimer's disease will grow far worse. In fact, it is
on course to be our country's leading public health crisis of the 21st
century, and the defining disease of the Baby Boom generation. If we
don't succeed in changing the trajectory of this disease, by the middle
of the century as many as 16 million Americans could have Alzheimer's.
Building on the recommendations of the Alzheimer's Study Group, the
National Alzheimer's Project Act, NAPA, would create a national
strategic plan for the Alzheimer's disease crisis. It would also
establish an inter-agency council to work with the Secretary of Health
and Human Services to comprehensively assess and address Alzheimer
research, care, institutional services, and home and community based
programs. NAPA would ensure strategic planning and coordination of the
fight against Alzheimer's across the federal government as a whole.
Currently, without a coordinated effort, it is impossible to
determine if it has been a good year in the fight against Alzheimer's.
There are no benchmarks--we have no way of evaluating outcomes, let
alone a way to improve them.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act addresses this critical gap by
establishing a national plan. This national plan would assess current
federal initiatives, evaluate outcomes from these programs, prioritize
future actions, and assert national goals. With an integrated national
plan, the government can improve the quality of life and outcomes for
the millions of Americans--and their families living with Alzheimer's
disease and other dementias.
In addition, this legislation will work to reduce the tremendous
costs associated with Alzheimer's disease. In a few weeks, the first
Baby Boomer turns 65--Alzheimer cases will begin to mount at an ever-
increasing pace. Without the discovery and delivery of effective
interventions, 10 million American Baby Boomers will develop
Alzheimer's disease. And the lives of many millions more will be
upended by the emotionally, physically and financially draining toll of
caring for them.
The economic factors of Alzheimer's rival the human devastation of
the disease. According to the Alzheimer's Association's report,
``Changing the Trajectory of Alzheimer's Disease: A National
Imperative,'' we are currently spending $172 billion annually on
Alzheimer's and other dementia care in America; $88 billion of that is
for Medicare alone, which is 17 percent of the total Medicare budget.
Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer's or another dementia cost the
system three times as much as a person who does not have a dementia.
For Medicaid, the cost multiplier for someone with dementia is nine
times more. The Trajectory report estimates that during the next 40
years, the cost of Alzheimer's and other dementias will exceed $20
trillion.
Our country is engaged in a collective and very appropriate
conversation about what should be done to address our current fiscal
situation. When we look at how we can take costs out of the system
while improving outcomes, we quickly see that Alzheimer's should be a
core part of these discussions.
Fortunately, the National Alzheimer's Project Act will help to
address these costs. The legislation establishes an Advisory Council
comprised of federal and private representatives; the Council will work
to reduce costs for federal programs, as well as families, while
working to improve national health outcomes.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act also aims to decrease health
disparities within Alzheimer's. Studies have shown certain populations
are at greater risk of suffering from this devastating disease. Sixteen
percent of women over the age of 70 have Alzheimer's compared to 11
percent of men. African Americans are about two times more likely to
have Alzheimer's disease and other dementias; however, they are less
likely to have a diagnosis. The legislation will ensure the inclusion
of those at risk populations in clinical, research, and service efforts
which will play a vital role in changing the future of disease.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act makes significant strides in
addressing one of America's most feared, costly, and deadly diseases. I
am pleased to support such a critical piece of legislation which will
improve the quality of life for the millions of Americans affected by
Alzheimer's disease.
Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to one of our great
advocates for families and individuals with Alzheimer's, the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I thank my distinguished
friend for yielding.
Madam Speaker, as cochairman along with my good friend and colleague
Congressman Ed Markey of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's,
which we founded back in 1999, and as lead Republican sponsor on the
companion legislation--this is a Senate bill, of course--I rise in
strong support and ask for our colleagues to pass the National
Alzheimer's Project Act.
This legislation is an important step forward in our battle against
the crisis of Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, we know that the
trajectory of Alzheimer's disease over the next few decades threatens
unparalleled tragedy and threatens to overwhelm society's ability to
cope if something is not done to change that trajectory.
Alzheimer's disease is both a current and future health crisis of our
Nation. About 78 million baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964,
which has been termed the single greatest demographic event in United
States history. In a couple of weeks on January 1, the first of those
boomers will turn 65 years of age.
Today, 5.3 million people have Alzheimer's, and another American
develops the disease every 70 seconds. 200,000 Americans under the age
of 65 have early onset Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's costs Medicare and
Medicaid alone approximately $122 billion. The average annual Medicare
payment for an individual with Alzheimer's, as the previous speaker
pointed out, is three times higher than for those without the
condition. Additionally, 11 million unpaid caregivers provide 12.5
billion hours of care, valued at an estimated $144 billion. This unpaid
care obviously is a huge drain on family resources.
Without effective intervention to change the trajectory, by mid-
century, the number of individuals with Alzheimer's will increase to an
estimated 13 million to 16 million people, and the cost to Medicare and
Medicaid will be staggering, over $800 billion in today's dollars.
Given these realities, it is astounding that there is no national plan
to address the crisis of Alzheimer's disease and the looming crisis.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act is designed to help turn the
tide by creating a national strategic plan to address it. NAPA
establishes an interagency advisory council to advise the Secretary of
Health and Human Services on how to comprehensively address the
government's efforts on Alzheimer's research, care, and service,
including both institutional and at-home care.
As a percentage of the population, more women than men have
Alzheimer's, and African Americans are about two times more likely to
have Alzheimer's or other dementias, yet they are less likely to be
diagnosed. NAPA aims to address these disparities as well.
NAPA will provide the framework to accelerate the development of an
efficacious care and comprehensive treatment in an effort to mitigate
the unspeakable agony and suffering of millions of patients and their
families. And if we are successful, we will also save the country
billions of dollars every year and trillions over the coming decades.
This is an outstanding bill, and I hope the membership of this body
will overwhelmingly support it.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Iowa (Mr. Loebsack).
Mr. LOEBSACK. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding.
Madam Speaker, there are currently 5.3 million Americans with
Alzheimer's, and the prevalence of the disease is expected to increase
rapidly as the baby boomer generation, my generation, begins to age.
[[Page H8372]]
As a degenerative disease that affects memory and other cognitive
functioning, Alzheimer's can be very frustrating, both for the person
afflicted and for family, friends, and caretakers. Far too many of us
have lost a loved one because of this disease.
It is time we find a cure for Alzheimer's. This bill is an extremely
important contribution to the search for that cure. It will establish a
coordinated national and international effort and accelerate research
and development efforts for new treatments to prevent, stop, or reverse
the course of Alzheimer's disease. The information these efforts
provide will, in turn, inform priorities for future work to end this
disease.
I wholeheartedly support what is clearly a bipartisan bill, and I
urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.
Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, Thank you, Chairman
Waxman, Chairman Pallone, Representative Burgess, and Ranking Member
Barton.
I'd like to thank Senators Bayh and Collins for their leadership on
this bill, the Senate companion to H.R. 4689 which I introduced with my
friend and cochair of the Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease,
Representative Chris Smith from New Jersey.
The poet Robert Browning once wrote, ``Grow old with me, the best is
yet to be.''
Unfortunately, the ``Golden Years'' can be the worst years for
Americans afflicted with Alzheimer's and their families.
We've worked with the Senate to engage in a bipartisan, constructive
process with stakeholders to reach legislative language and move this
bill forward.
After all, Alzheimer's is an equal-opportunity disease. My father was
a milkman, my mother the valedictorian. My father always said it was an
honor that my mother married him and that if Alzheimer's was determined
by the strength of your brain, ``Your mother would be taking care of me
instead.'' He took care of her in our living room in Malden,
Massachusetts for 10 years as she suffered from Alzheimer's. I'm
thinking of them both today.
Alois Alzheimer first discovered the plaques and tangles in the brain
that cause Alzheimer's in 1906--within the very same year that my
mother was born.
At the time, doctors believed that dementia in the elderly was a
normal part of the aging process that was caused by the hardening of
the arteries.
However, Alzheimer's groundbreaking work was done on a patient who
was only 51 years old. So Alzheimer reached the conclusion that the
condition he had discovered was a kind of ``pre-senile dementia,'' and
that the pattern of plaques and tangles he had identified was a rare
condition that afflicted only the young.
Years passed, my mother grew up, and researchers did little to study
and learn about the plaques and tangles that were forming in her brain.
It wasn't until the mid-1970s that it became clear that the most
common form of dementia in older people was caused by the same plaques
and tangles that Alzheimer had identified decades earlier.
Unfortunately, the search for the cure had begun too late for my
mother who was diagnosed in 1981--75 years after Alzheimer had
discovered the disease that lead to her death.
Alzheimer's patients are the mothers and fathers, and sisters and
brothers who we recognize even if they don't recognize us; who we
remember even if they don't remember us, and who we continue to love
and cherish even as their condition worsens.
A few stats: 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer's; it is the 7th
leading cause of death; $172 billion is spent annually for Alzheimer's.
Our challenge is to ensure that we increase not only the lifespan,
but also the health span of Americans, so that the 30 bonus years of
life we gained in the 20th century--and hopefully will continue to gain
in the 21st--are truly better years of life.
The Alzheimer's community has been waiting for help, and trying to
maintain hope.
Today the House can take action to help and give hope to Alzheimer's
families.
The bill we are considering today will help coordinate Alzheimer's
research, care, and services across all Federal agencies.
The United States is one of the only developed nations without a
national plan to combat Alzheimer's. For too long, we've been unarmed
against this disease.
Through this plan, will be developed: An assessment of all Alzheimer-
related Federal efforts; recommendations; annual updates; and a strong
advisory committee.
This bill will: Help coordinate the health care and treatment of
citizens with Alzheimer's; it will accelerate the development of
treatments that would prevent, halt or reverse the course of
Alzheimer's by coordinating existing government resources; and it will
ensure the inclusion of ethnic and racial populations at higher risk
for Alzheimer's and reduce health disparities among people with
Alzheimer's.
Thank yous: The Alzheimer's Association--Harry Johns, Rob Egge, Mary
Richards, Katie Maslow, Matthew Baumgart; Maria Shriver for all of her
great work; The Alzheimer's Foundation of America--Eric Hall, Sue
Peschin; Cure Alzheimer's Fund--Tim Armour, Dr. Rudy Tanzi; The
National Institute on Aging--Dr. Richard Hodes, Tamara Jones; Keep
Memory Alive--Maureen Peckman, George and Trish Vradenburg, Patience
O'Connor, Meryl Comer, Jillian Oberfield, Mark Bayer, Kate Bazinsky,
Josh Lumbley, Amit Mistry, and Binta Beard from my office; Tim Lynagh
from Representative Chris Smith's office; Emily Gibbons, Sarah Despres
from the Energy and Commerce Committee Majority Staff; Ryan Long and
Clay Alspach from Mr. Barton's staff; J.P. Paluskiewicz from Dr.
Burgess's Office; Sarah Kyle and Kevin Kaiser from Senator Bayh's
Office.
Thank you to the many hard-working advocates for this disease, and
those who are caretakers, bearing many burdens day in and day out.
I once again thank my colleagues for their support--Waxman, Pallone,
Burgess, and Barton.
Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I offer the following
statement in support of Senate Bill 3036, expressing support for the
National Alzheimer's Project Act.
The effects of Alzheimer's disease are devastating. An estimated 5.3
million Americans live with this disease, and millions more are
directly affected through caring for loved ones and sharing the
surmounting costs of this terrible disease.
Unfortunately, the devastation of Alzheimer's disease will only
become worse as the Baby Boom generation grows older. It is estimated
that if we are unable to change the trajectory of this disease, as many
as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer's by the middle of this
century.
The economic impact of Alzheimer's is also staggering. We are
currently spending an estimated $172 billion annually on Alzheimer's
disease and other dementia care in America. As the nation faces a
growing aging population, we must look at how to reduce costs while
improving outcomes. The National Alzheimer's Project Act will help
achieve this goal through the establishment of the Advisory Council on
Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, which facilitates public and
private coordination on research and services across all federal
agencies.
As my mother is currently suffering from the advanced stages of
Alzheimer's disease, I would welcome news of a research breakthrough
that would slow, stop, or reverse this degenerative disease.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act is an important step toward
addressing a devastating and deadly disease. I am pleased to support
legislation that will help improve the quality of life for the millions
of Americans affected by Alzheimer's disease.
Mr. TERRY. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of S. 3036, and I also
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, S. 3036.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________