[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 1, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S573-S574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 90--RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ENDOMETRIOSIS AS 
   AN UNMET CHRONIC DISEASE FOR WOMEN AND DESIGNATING MARCH 2023 AS 
                   ``ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH''

  Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Klobuchar, 
Mr. Booker, Mr. Blumenthal, and Ms. Hirono) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 90

       Whereas more than 6,500,000 women in the United States are 
     living with endometriosis;
       Whereas endometriosis is a chronic disease that can be 
     painful and debilitating and affects--
       (1) approximately 190,000,000 women throughout the world;
       (2) an estimated 1 in 10 women of reproductive age in the 
     United States; and
       (3) primarily women in their 30s and 40s, but can affect 
     any woman who menstruates;
       Whereas the cause of endometriosis is not known, but risk 
     factors include--
       (1) having a mother, sister, or daughter with 
     endometriosis;
       (2) menstrual cycles that started at an early age;
       (3) menstrual cycles that are short; and
       (4) periods that are heavy and last more than 7 days;
       Whereas endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to that of 
     the lining of the uterus begins to grow outside the uterus;
       Whereas, for many women, the only way currently available 
     to be certain of an endometriosis diagnosis is to have a 
     surgical procedure known as a laparoscopy;
       Whereas the primary symptoms of endometriosis include pain 
     and infertility, and many women with endometriosis live with 
     debilitating, chronic pain;
       Whereas symptoms of anxiety and depression are common among 
     women with endometriosis, with reported rates as high as 75 
     to 90 percent;
       Whereas, although endometriosis is one of the most common 
     gynecological disorders in the United States, there is a lack 
     of awareness and prioritization of endometriosis as an 
     important health issue for women;
       Whereas women can suffer from endometriosis for up to 10 
     years before being properly diagnosed;
       Whereas approximately 75 percent of women with 
     endometriosis experience a misdiagnosis;
       Whereas the management of symptoms of endometriosis may 
     include low-dose oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices 
     (IUDs), painkillers, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory 
     drugs (NSAIDs), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) 
     agonist therapy;
       Whereas in vitro fertilization (IVF) is often recognized as 
     the best option for patients experiencing endometriosis-
     associated infertility and for whom initial surgery was 
     unsuccessful;
       Whereas endometriosis is associated with increased health 
     care costs and poses a substantial burden to patients in the 
     health care system;
       Whereas, in the United States, the estimated average direct 
     health care cost associated with endometriosis per patient is 
     more than $13,000 per year;
       Whereas 40 percent of women with endometriosis report 
     impaired career growth due to endometriosis, and 
     approximately 50 percent of women with endometriosis 
     experience a decreased ability to work;
       Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
     found that the average number of ``bed days'' for patients 
     with endometriosis was 18 days per year;
       Whereas women with endometriosis can lose 11 hours per 
     workweek through lost productivity;
       Whereas the physical and psychological impact of 
     endometriosis affects all domains of life, including social 
     life, relationships, and work;
       Whereas medical societies and patient groups have expressed 
     the need for greater public attention and updated resources 
     targeted to public education about this unmet health need for 
     women;
       Whereas there is a need for more research and updated 
     guidelines to treat endometriosis;
       Whereas there is an ongoing need for additional clinical 
     research and treatment options to manage this debilitating 
     disease; and
       Whereas there is no known cure for endometriosis: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates March 2023 as ``Endometriosis Awareness 
     Month'';
       (2) recognizes the importance of endometriosis as a health 
     issue for women that requires far greater attention, public 
     awareness, and education about the disease;
       (3) encourages the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
     the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs--
       (A) to provide information to women, patients, and health 
     care providers with respect to endometriosis, including 
     available screening tools and treatment options, with a goal 
     of improving the quality of life and

[[Page S574]]

     health outcomes of women affected by endometriosis;
       (B) to conduct additional research on endometriosis and 
     possible clinical options; and
       (C) to update information, tools, and studies currently 
     available with respect to helping women live with 
     endometriosis; and
       (4) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
     transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services.

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