[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 129 (Friday, September 21, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               NATIONAL PULMONARY FIBROSIS AWARENESS WEEK

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                           HON. ERIK PAULSEN

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 21, 2012

  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, today, nearly 200,000 Americans suffer from 
Pulmonary Fibrosis, and an estimated 40,000 lose their battle to this 
disease each year. One death every 13 minutes.
  Sadly, more than two-thirds of those living with Pulmonary Fibrosis 
will die within five years. And to top it all off there is no known 
cause and no known cure for this debilitating disease.
  Next week is ``World Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week'' and an 
opportunity to raise awareness for H.R. 2505 the ``Pulmonary Fibrosis 
Research Enhancement Act.'' This legislation which I authored will 
establish a much needed national patient registry, encourage future 
research at the National Institute of Health, and create a national 
action plan to help us better understand this deadly disease.
  This is an important first step forward in the fight to find a cure 
for pulmonary fibrosis and deliver hope to thousands of Americans 
living with this disease. I urge my colleagues to join me and co-
sponsor H.R. 2505.

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