[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9699-9700]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         NATIONAL IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY FIBROSIS AWARENESS WEEK

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of and the Senate 
proceed to S. Res. 236.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 236) recognizing the need to pursue 
     research into the causes, a treatment, and an eventual cure 
     for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, supporting the goals and 
     ideals of National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness 
     Week, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 236) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

[[Page 9700]]



                              S. Res. 236

       Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a serious lung 
     disorder causing progressive, incurable lung scarring;
       Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is one of about 200 
     disorders called interstitial lung diseases;
       Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the most common 
     form of interstitial lung disease;
       Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a debilitating and 
     generally fatal disease marked by progressive scarring of the 
     lungs, causing an irreversible loss of the lung tissue's 
     ability to transport oxygen;
       Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis progresses quickly, 
     often causing disability or death within a few short years;
       Whereas there is no proven cause of idiopathic pulmonary 
     fibrosis;
       Whereas approximately 83,000 United States citizens have 
     idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and 31,000 new cases are 
     diagnosed each year;
       Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is often misdiagnosed 
     or under diagnosed;
       Whereas the median survival rate for idiopathic pulmonary 
     fibrosis patients is 2 to 3 years, and about two thirds of 
     idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients die within 5 years; 
     and
       Whereas a need has been identified to increase awareness 
     and detection of this misdiagnosed and under diagnosed 
     disorder: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That Congress--
       (1) recognizes the need to pursue research into the causes, 
     a treatment, and an eventual cure for idiopathic pulmonary 
     fibrosis;
       (2) supports the work of the Coalition for Pulmonary 
     Fibrosis and its partner organizations for their great 
     efforts to educate, support, and provide hope for individuals 
     who suffer from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, including the 
     work of the Coalition to organize a national ``Idiopathic 
     Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week'';
       (3) supports the designation of an appropriate week as 
     ``Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week'';
       (4) congratulates the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis for 
     its efforts to educate the public about idiopathic pulmonary 
     fibrosis, while funding research to help find a cure for this 
     disorder; and
       (5) supports the goals and ideals of a national 
     ``Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week''.

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