[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5295-H5296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    BOLD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ALZHEIMER'S REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2024

  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 7218) to amend title III of the Public Health Service 
Act to extend the program for promotion of public health knowledge and 
awareness of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7218

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``BOLD Infrastructure for 
     Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act of 2024''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PROGRAM FOR PROMOTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH 
                   KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE 
                   AND RELATED DEMENTIAS.

       Section 398B(e) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     280c-5(e)) is amended by inserting ``and $33,000,000 for each 
     of fiscal years 2025 through 2029'' before the period at the 
     end.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Pallone) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Iowa.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7218, the Building Our Largest 
Dementia, or BOLD, Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act 
of 2024, led by Representative Brett Guthrie.
  Nearly 7 million Americans, including my mother, aged 65 and older 
are currently living with Alzheimer's. By 2050, this number is 
projected to rise to 12.7 million. This means that over 10 percent of 
people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer's. Sadly, one in three seniors 
dies with Alzheimer's or another type of dementia.
  The cost of this disease is also tremendous, with health and long-
term care costs projected to reach $360 billion in 2024. The BOLD 
Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization would continue to 
support and strengthen programs and strategies to promote brain health 
and improve outcomes for individuals living with Alzheimer's and 
related dementias and their caregivers.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7218, the BOLD Infrastructure 
for Alzheimer's Act, sponsored by Health Subcommittee Chairman Guthrie 
and Representative Tonko.
  This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize funding for State and 
local programs that support their public health efforts to address 
Alzheimer's dementia in their communities.
  Approximately 6.9 million Americans ages 65 or older are living with 
Alzheimer's dementia. Given the impact Alzheimer's has on those 
suffering from the disease and their families, it is critical we 
reauthorize funding for the BOLD Act to continue efforts to address 
this disease.
  In 2018, the original BOLD Act was signed into law, which directed 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to build an Alzheimer's 
public health infrastructure to address the disease across the country. 
Since then, State and local public health departments have been able to 
build out Alzheimer's programs that focus on increasing early detection 
and diagnosis, risk reduction, prevention of avoidable 
hospitalizations, and supporting caregiving for dementia.
  Now, thanks to the BOLD Act, our Nation has made significant strides 
in strengthening our Alzheimer's public health infrastructure. By 
passing this bill, we make a commitment to continue our progress in 
addressing Alzheimer's dementia.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to reauthorize 
funding for the BOLD Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie).
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my good friend from Iowa for 
yielding. I also appreciate her leadership on this issue. So many of 
the bills we are debating and talking about tonight under her 
leadership are complementing and bringing in her medical expertise to 
the Energy and Commerce Committee, particularly the Health 
Subcommittee.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in support of my bill, H.R. 7218, the 
Building Our Largest Dementia, or BOLD, Infrastructure for Alzheimer's 
Reauthorization Act of 2024.
  Nearly 7 million Americans aged 65 and older are currently living 
with Alzheimer's. I know my good friend from Iowa said her mother has 
dementia. I just lost my mother-in-law almost a year ago to 
Alzheimer's.
  By 2050, this number is projected to rise to 12.7 million. This means 
that over 10 percent of people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer's. 
Sadly, one in

[[Page H5296]]

three seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia.
  The cost of this disease is tremendous, particularly in the human 
costs of what it does to families, what it does to the person suffering 
with Alzheimer's, the families' emotions, the exhaustion of dealing 
with this very emotional and difficult disease.
  It is also tremendously costly, with long-term healthcare costs 
projected to reach $360 billion in 2024 and nearly $1 trillion in 2050, 
according to the Alzheimer's Association.
  The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act would 
enable continued research into Alzheimer's disease, invest in caregiver 
support services, including more hands-on educational resources for 
those caregiving for their loved ones, and help support local efforts 
to detect and diagnose Alzheimer's disease sooner, especially for those 
in rural and medically underserved communities.
  The more we know about this disease, the sooner we will be able to 
appropriately treat it, giving patients more precious time with their 
loved ones and easing the significant caregiver burdens associated with 
Alzheimer's and related dementias.
  I look forward to continued progress in ushering in a new era of 
innovation. I appreciate the bipartisan action that the Energy and 
Commerce Committee has taken on this bill, and I appreciate everybody 
working together.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to continue to show bipartisan 
action by supporting the underlying bill.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7218, the BOLD 
Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act of 2024.
  As my colleagues have pointed out, this legislation reauthorizes 
programs to drive early screening and detection as well as research 
initiatives to help identify treatments and cures for Alzheimer's 
disease through 2029.
  Alzheimer's is a cruel disease that attacks a person's quality of 
life. As a pharmacist, I saw firsthand the impact Alzheimer's and other 
forms of dementia have on patients, families, caregivers, and society 
overall.
  People living with Alzheimer's lose their memories, their 
independence, their relationships, and, ultimately, their lives.
  Beyond the patients, caregivers and loved ones endure immense 
emotional and financial difficulties.
  With nearly 7 million Americans suffering with Alzheimer's, there is 
a critical need for Federal resources to prevent, treat, and ultimately 
find a cure for this devastating disease.
  I am optimistic that the tide can be reversed. We now have FDA-
approved treatments to slow disease progression, and I think we all can 
agree that we look forward to the day the world has its first survivor 
of Alzheimer's.
  Mr. Speaker, while great progress has been made and new therapies are 
advancing to help patients and caregivers, we cannot let up the fight.
  In honor of those who have battled and continue to battle this 
disease, let's continue to work together to raise awareness and pass 
this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Mrs. Rodgers) will control the balance of time of the 
majority.
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this is a bill that is very important. We 
know how important it is to address Alzheimer's, so I urge all of my 
colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I urge support, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7218.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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