[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 50 (Thursday, March 22, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H2031-H2032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SALUTING CAREGIVERS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the caregivers who 
support those living with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia in 
our community.
  Over 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, including 5,000 in 
my home county of Butte in northern California. It is also the most 
expensive disease in America. Medicare and Medicaid pay two-thirds of 
all the costs. This is unacceptable and unsustainable.
  This is a tremendous burden to our country. From my perspective, if 
we are going to have a shot at reducing government spending, we have to 
advance the movement to cure Alzheimer's and do something to lower the 
cost of care and also reduce the burden on families who suffer as they 
watch their loved ones dealing with this disease.
  This is why I joined 32 of my House colleagues in cosponsoring the 
BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act. This would create a public 
health response to Alzheimer's and would help educate community members 
and doctors on dementia detection, diagnosis, symptom management, even 
brain health and prevention of dementia.
  I will continue to fight for quality, affordable healthcare for 
seniors nationwide. We must do everything in our

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power to preserve Medicare and Medicaid for future generations.

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