[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 148 (Thursday, September 6, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H7900]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1615
                       PERIPHERAL ARTERY DISEASE

  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to an 
epidemic, a pandemic of unnecessary amputations in our country. In the 
21st century, non-traumatic amputations should be a thing of the past, 
but they are not.
  Poor blood circulation because of peripheral artery disease often 
leads to amputations, and minorities are suffering disproportionately. 
In fact, African Americans with PAD are more likely to be amputated and 
less likely to have their lower limbs revascularized.
  Across this country, people are having their limbs and digits 
amputated simply because they are poor, simply because they don't have 
access to healthcare until it is too late.
  Yesterday, Mr. Paulsen and I brought together experts from across the 
country to discuss ways Congress can prevent this unnecessary 
amputation issue. This is serious.
  The problem is no one checks or does any screening prior to 
amputations. If a woman went in to her doctor and found a lump in her 
breast today and the doctor said well, we are just going to have to do 
a mastectomy, we would go crazy. So we need testing in this area as 
well because these limbs can be saved and Americans can go on and live 
the quality of life that they deserve in this Nation.
  This is a serious health issue that affects people in all of our 
districts, and I look forward to continuing to work with both Democrats 
and Republicans to reduce unnecessary amputations.

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