[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 186 (Tuesday, November 27, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H9657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           1918 FLU PANDEMIC

  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, flu season is upon us, and I rise today to 
raise awareness about the 100th anniversary of the deadliest medical 
catastrophe in history: the 1918 influenza pandemic.
  100 years ago, the flu took the lives of more Americans in 1 month 
than in the entirety of World War I.
  The 1918 flu pandemic lasted for 15 months. During that time, the 
average American's life expectancy dropped by 12 years.
  100 years later, there are still many outstanding questions about the 
flu pandemic, but what is certain is that the flu virus still poses an 
undeniable threat to our Nation.
  Last year, an estimated 80,000 Americans died from the flu.
  Investing in research and development for novel antivirals and 
ensuring people get the flu vaccine is crucial to protecting our Nation 
from another flu pandemic like the one we faced 100 years ago.

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