[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 15, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             NATIONAL DIABETES CLINICAL CARE COMMISSION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 14, 2016

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1192, 
the ``National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act,'' which amends 
the Public Health Service Act to establish the National Diabetes 
Clinical Care Commission.
  This bill directs the Commission to evaluate and recommend solutions 
regarding better coordination and leverage of federal programs that 
relate to supporting appropriate clinical care for people afflicted 
with pre-diabetes, diabetes, and the resulting chronic diseases and 
conditions arising from these diseases.
  As a member of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, I understand the 
importance of diabetes prevention and care of patients.
  We must address the devastating impact of diabetes as the seventh 
leading cause of death in the United States, affecting nearly 
29,000,000 Americans.
  Since 2011, 3 million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease 
and more than twice that, 7 million Americans, have been diagnosed as 
pre-diabetic.
  In my home state of Texas, the numbers are even more worrisome.
  According to a study performed by the Texas Department of State 
Health Services in 2013, 11 percent of adults in Texas suffer from 
diabetes and 8.1 percent of adults have pre-diabetes.
  Of these percentages, minorities had the highest level of diabetes 
and pre-diabetes occurrences:
  In Black adults, 12.9 percent had diabetes and 9.6 percent had pre-
diabetes.
  In Hispanic adults, 12.7 percent had diabetes and 6.2 percent had 
pre-diabetes.
  In 2014 in Harris county, 8.5 percent of adults were diagnosed with 
diabetes.
  A 2012 Centers for Disease Control study estimated diabetic medical 
treatments cost patients throughout the country an estimated $245 
billion.
  The direct medical costs associated with diabetes diagnoses totaled 
$176 billion.
  These numbers are incredibly high, but I am encouraged by the 
commendable efforts of the National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission 
Act.
  H.R. 1192 takes a critical step in the direction of preventive 
medicine, shifting the focus of diabetes management from reactive to 
proactive by encouraging prevention.
  Additionally, the establishment of the National Diabetes Clinical 
Care Commission within the Department of Health and Human Services 
would allow greater collaboration in research in the area of diabetes, 
pre-diabetes, and the health outcomes.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1192, the 
``National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act.''

                          ____________________