[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 28298]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           CONGRATULATING THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 2, 1999

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 
tremendous work performed by a group of dedicated and tireless 
professionals: the members of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). 
Many members, including those from the 7th Congressional District of 
Illinois, are gathering at the ASN's 32nd Annual Meeting. I rise to 
congratulate the ASN for its achievements.
  For some, Nephrology is not an everyday word. However, there is no 
doubt that we are all too familiar with terms like ``diabetes'' and 
``hypertension.'' These two diseases, Mr. Speaker, happen to be the 
leading two causes of total kidney failure, or End Stage Renal Disease 
(ESRD). In 1997, approximately 361,000 Americans suffered from ESRD and 
required life-saving dialysis or kidney transplants. While we know the 
terrible human suffering ESRD imposes on thousands across the country, 
the economic costs are staggering as well. Recent statistics show that 
the direct economic cost of health care for kidney failure, stemming 
largely from the Federal Government, is more than $15 billion per year.
  Unfortunately, ESRD represents only the tip of the iceberg. It is 
estimated that 12.5 million Americans have lost at least 50% of their 
normal kidney function. Further, it must also be mentioned that renal 
disease affects certain populations disproportionately. For example, 
African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos and people over the age of 
50 are at higher risk for developing kidney disease. This must change.
  There is no cure for kidney disease. But there is room for hope. 
Medical research offers us great promise to reduce the human suffering 
and enormous costs imposed by ESRD and kidney disease. As a result, I 
have long supported increased funding for the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH). Further, in order to draw attention to important health 
care issues in my own district, I staged a series of town hall meetings 
this past summer. These meetings proved that our citizens are actively 
concerned about issues like health care. Furthermore, my town meetings 
demonstrated that we owe it to our constituents to continue to work to 
provide them important information because, as the saying goes, 
``Knowledge is power.'' The same is true for research.
  While kidney disease does have a devastating impact on our citizens, 
research has found that the progression of the disease can be slowed if 
diagnosed and managed early. Some more good news centers on the fact 
that there are dedicated individuals who are focused on finding ways to 
beat this disease. Recently, these researchers and experts in the field 
of Nephrology met to discuss and identify research priorities and 
obstacles that could impede us from reaching our goals. These 
discussions were summarized and drafted in the recently released paper, 
``Progress and Priorities: Renal Disease Research Plan.'' This project, 
sponsored by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National 
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), was 
made possible through the work of the American Society of Nephrology 
and other members of the Council of American Kidney Societies (CAKS). I 
urge all my colleagues to read through this seminal report and to share 
copies with their constituents.
  Mr. Speaker, thank you for providing me this opportunity to 
acknowledge the work performed by the American Society of Nephrology 
(ASN).

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