[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25612]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     NATIONAL LUPUS AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 30, 2000

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease 
which causes inflammation of various parts of the body.
  Lupus is not rare. In fact, it is more prevalent than AIDS, sickle 
cell anemia, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis 
combined. Lupus affects 1 out of 185 Americans, and almost 30% of the 
Lupus cases in Florida are found within my South Florida region.
  This month we celebrate National Lupus Awarness Month.
  And, I congratulate The Lupus Foundation of America for its work on 
patient education, and dedication to raise funds for research.
  I especially congratulate J. Reeve Bright, Chairman of the Board of 
the Lupus Foundation of America and President of the Southeast Florida 
region; Jack McAllister, the Executive Director; Jackie Brown, and all 
who helped arrange an educational symposium in my district this month.
  The House passed a bill that provides research and services to fight 
Lupus. As a cosponsor, I thank my dear colleague, Congresswoman Carrie 
Meek, for the Lupus legislation and for her dedication in seeing it 
through.
  This represented a great victory in women's health care, and it is 
our wish that this triumph will generate countless benefits for 
American men and women who suffer from Lupus.

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