[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 20 (Monday, February 6, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S747-S748]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 49--DECLARING THAT ACHIEVING THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE 
   NATIONAL PLAN TO ADDRESS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO PREVENT AND EFFECTIVELY TREAT ALZHEIMER'S 
             DISEASE BY 2025 IS AN URGENT NATIONAL PRIORITY

  Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                               S. Res. 49

       Whereas the number of individuals in the United States with 
     Alzheimer's and related dementias (referred to in this 
     preamble as ``Alzheimer's'') is as high as 5,400,000, which 
     is more than double the number in 1980;
       Whereas based on the trajectory of Alzheimer's, as many as 
     16,000,000 individuals in the United States may have 
     Alzheimer's by 2050;
       Whereas the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's and other 
     dementias is a global health crisis that afflicts an 
     estimated 46,780,000 individuals worldwide as of August, 2015 
     and may afflict more than 131,000,000 individuals by 2050;
       Whereas Alzheimer's is a leading cause of death in the 
     United States with data indicating that more than 500,000 
     deaths each year are attributable to the disease;
       Whereas Alzheimer's is the only disease among the top 10 
     causes of death in the United States without an effective 
     means to prevent, slow, or stop;
       Whereas Alzheimer's places an enormous financial strain on 
     families, the health care system, and State and Federal 
     budgets;
       Whereas the Medicare program under title XVIII of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) and the Medicaid 
     program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1396 et seq.) are estimated to bear more than two-thirds of 
     the total costs of this care in 2016;
       Whereas a RAND Corporation study published in 2013 and 
     commissioned by the National Institute on Aging found that 
     Alzheimer's is the costliest disease in the United States, 
     costing more than cancer and heart disease;
       Whereas in 2015, an estimated 15,800,000 family members and 
     friends of individuals with Alzheimer's provided those 
     individuals with 18,100,000,000 hours of unpaid care, an 
     amount valued at more than $221,300,000;
       Whereas Alzheimer's disease has a disproportionate impact 
     on many populations including women, African Americans, and 
     Latinos;
       Whereas the global cost of Alzheimer's exceeds 
     $818,000,000,000 each year, an amount equal to approximately 
     1 percent of the world's gross domestic product;

[[Page S748]]

       Whereas in December 2013, the G-8 nations met and adopted a 
     political declaration supporting the goal of a cure or 
     disease-modifying therapy for dementia by 2025 as well as 
     collectively and significantly increasing resources committed 
     to dementia research;
       Whereas Alzheimer's takes an emotional and physical toll on 
     caregivers that results in a higher incidence of chronic 
     conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and depression 
     among caregivers;
       Whereas the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease of 
     the Department of Health and Human Services makes 
     recommendations relating to family caregivers of individuals 
     with Alzheimer's to provide care while maintaining personal 
     health and well-being;
       Whereas the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease 
     supports informal caregivers by--
       (1) identifying the support needs of caregivers;
       (2) developing and disseminating modes for intervention;
       (3) providing information that caregivers need, 
     particularly in crisis situations; and
       (4) assisting caregivers in maintaining personal health and 
     well-being;
       Whereas a strong and sustained research effort is the best 
     tool to slow the progression and ultimately prevent the onset 
     of Alzheimer's;
       Whereas while the cost to the Medicare and Medicaid 
     programs of caring for individuals with Alzheimer's is 
     estimated to be $160,000,000,000 in 2016, the United States, 
     through the National Institutes of Health, will spend about 
     $991,000,000 on Alzheimer's research in 2016;
       Whereas the Chairman of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's 
     Research, Care, and Services created by the National 
     Alzheimer's Project Act (42 U.S.C. 11225) has testified 
     before Congress that the United States must devote at least 
     $2,000,000,000 each year to Alzheimer's research to reach the 
     goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's by 
     2025; and
       Whereas the public members of the Advisory Council on 
     Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services unanimously agree 
     with the testimony of the Chairman regarding the amount of 
     money required to reach the goal for 2025: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) is committed to strengthening the quality of care and 
     expanding support for individuals with Alzheimer's disease 
     and related dementias (referred to in this resolution as 
     ``Alzheimer's'') and family caregivers of individuals with 
     Alzheimer's;
       (2) declares that achieving the primary goal of the 
     National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease to prevent and 
     effectively treat Alzheimer's by 2025 is an urgent national 
     priority;
       (3) recognizes that bold action and considerable increases 
     in funding are necessary to meet that goal;
       (4) encourages greater collaboration between the United 
     States and other global governments, particularly the G-7 
     nations, to advance a global Alzheimer's and dementia 
     research plan;
       (5) supports innovative public-private partnership and the 
     pursuit of innovative financing tools, incentives and other 
     mechanisms to accelerate the pursuit of disease-modifying 
     therapies; and
       (6) strives to--
       (A) double the amount of funding the United States spends 
     on Alzheimer's research in fiscal year 2017; and
       (B) develop a plan for fiscal years 2018 through 2021 to 
     meet the target of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's 
     Research, Care, and Services for the United States to spend 
     $2,000,000,000 each year on Alzheimer's research.

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