[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19260-19261]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL MYOSITIS AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 974) supporting the goals and 
ideals of National Myositis Awareness Day.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 974

       Whereas an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 people are affected 
     by myositis in the United States, many of whom remain 
     undiagnosed or misdiagnosed;
       Whereas myositis is a general term used to describe 
     swelling of the muscles, but the effects of the inflammatory 
     myopathies (often referred to as ``myositis'') are much more 
     severe than just inflammation;
       Whereas myositis patients suffer from their immune systems 
     attacking their body's own normal, healthy tissue, resulting 
     in inflammation or swelling;
       Whereas inflammatory myopathies are thought to be 
     autoimmune diseases, such that the body's immune system, 
     which normally fights infections and viruses, does not stop 
     fighting once the infection or virus is gone;
       Whereas myositis can cause muscle weakness, and patients 
     often live in chronic pain and have long-term health problems 
     that lead to permanent disability;
       Whereas myositis is difficult to diagnose and treatment is 
     often delayed, resulting in unnecessary suffering;
       Whereas many patients with treatable forms of myositis 
     often have severe long-term disabilities because of failure 
     to diagnose and/or treat the disease correctly;
       Whereas some myositis patients will die at a much earlier 
     age than they would have if they had received the proper 
     care, particularly for the children who have permanent 
     scarring and deformities due to failure to treat properly;
       Whereas The Myositis Association, the national patient 
     advocacy organization serving the myositis patient community, 
     focuses its efforts on public policy, research funding, 
     patient services, and public awareness and education related 
     to developing effective treatments and a cure for myositis;
       Whereas a National Myositis Awareness Day would educate 
     communities across the Nation about myositis and the need for 
     research funding, accurate diagnosis, and effective 
     treatments; and
       Whereas it would be appropriate to observe September 21, 
     2006, as National Myositis Awareness Day: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives supports the 
     goals and ideals of a National Myositis Awareness Day.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van 
Hollen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution 
under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 974, introduced by the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Israel), would support the goals and ideals of National Myositis 
Awareness Day.
  Myositis is a general term used to describe swelling of the muscles. 
It is listed as a rare disease by the National Institutes of Health's 
Office of Rare Diseases. Many people, however, are affected by the 
condition each year. It is

[[Page 19261]]

estimated there are between 30,000 and 50,000 cases in the United 
States alone.
  This resolution will help to raise awareness to medical 
professionals, elected officials, policymakers, and communities about 
myositis.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge our colleagues to adopt this.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to congratulate our colleague, Mr. Israel, from New York for 
introducing this important resolution and drawing attention to this 
very, very important issue.
  With that, I yield him such time as he may consume.
  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Maryland, and I thank 
Chairman Davis for his cooperation on this very important bill. I also 
want to thank Ranking Member Waxman for considering this resolution, 
and also Representative Foxx for her leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution supports the goals and ideals of a 
National Myositis Awareness Day. I was first introduced to the myositis 
community through my work to improve Medicare access to intravenous 
immune globulin, or IVIG. The myositis community is one of many patient 
groups that rely on IVIG. However, since there are several forms of 
myositis that affect different people in different ways, the disease is 
often misunderstood and cannot be treated with a single remedy. This is 
one of many reasons that it is important that we pass this resolution.
  As the chairman said, each year an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 
Americans are affected by myositis, a general term used to describe 
swelling of the muscles. Myositis patients suffer from their immune 
systems attacking their body's own normal tissue, resulting in 
inflammation or swelling. The disease can cause muscle weakness, and 
patients often live in chronic pain and have long-term health problems 
that can lead to permanent disabilities.
  Myositis affects individuals of all ages and can come in many 
different forms. Many patients with treatable forms of myositis often 
have severe long-term disabilities because of failure to diagnose and 
treat the disease. In addition, the effects of inflammatory myopathies 
are much more severe than just inflammation. They are thought to be 
autoimmune diseases such as that the body's immune system, which 
normally fights infections and viruses, does not stop fighting once the 
infection or virus is gone.
  Mr. Speaker, because myositis varies so much from patient to patient, 
no single existing treatment works for everyone. Myositis can be 
treated with steroids, various medicines and intravenous immune 
globulin.
  The Myositis Association is the national patient advocacy 
organization serving the myositis community and has designated 
September 21 as Myositis Awareness Day. Myositis advocates traveled to 
Capitol Hill last Thursday in an effort to educate the public and 
Congress on the need for more research funding, accurate diagnosis, and 
effective treatments for this disease. This resolution thanks them for 
their work and dedicates the United States Congress to continuing the 
research for treatments.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, let me just again commend Mr. Israel of 
New York for his leadership on this issue and bringing attention to the 
disease myositis.
  Again, as he said, it is important as we raise national awareness 
about these diseases that we also provide the resources necessary to 
the NIH and other researchers who are doing important work to find 
cures and treatments for these diseases. It is absolutely essential 
that we invest as a Nation in that very important effort and provide 
them with the resources they need.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. 
But I want to commend the gentleman from New York for bringing this 
resolution to our attention. When we saw it, we moved it very, very 
quickly. This is important, and we appreciate his leadership, and also 
my friend from Maryland.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and urge my 
colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 974.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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