[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 92 (Tuesday, May 28, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING MAY AS ALS AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MARCUS J. MOLINARO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 28, 2024

  Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, today I stand before you to recognize May 
2024 as National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness Month. 
We honor individuals who have been affected by ALS and pledge 
unwavering support to patients and their families.
  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known by many as Lou Gehrig's 
disease, is a progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease in which the 
nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord stop working and die. Over 
time, a person's mind loses connection with the muscles, slowly taking 
away the ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe. After 
symptoms develop, most patients only live for another 2-5 years, and 
despite its destructive nature, currently no one knows what causes most 
cases of ALS and there are no cures. Today, an estimated 31,000 people 
in the United States are living with ALS.
  In order to combat this devastating illness, we must increase 
education and support research. ALS Awareness Month deepens the 
public's awareness of people with ALS' dire circumstances, and 
acknowledges the terrible impact this disease has, not only on the 
person, but on his or her family and the community. It further 
recognizes the research being done to eradicate this disease and is why 
I sign an annual appropriations letter each year requesting increased 
funding for ALS research. Our commitment to accelerating the pace of 
discovery must remain unwavering, fueled by the hope that one day, ALS 
will be a livable disease for everyone, everywhere, until we can cure 
it.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House join me in 
celebrating the month of May to advocate for patients fighting ALS and 
for the tireless work of the families, caretakers, and researchers 
supporting those affected by this relentless disease.

                          ____________________