[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13547-13548]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING A NATIONAL DYSPHAGIA AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 195) expressing the sense of the 
Congress that a National Dysphagia Awareness Month should be 
established.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 195

       Whereas dysphagia, or difficulty with swallowing, is a 
     medical dysfunction that affects as many as 15,000,000 
     Americans;
       Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has 
     estimated that 1,000,000 people in the United States annually 
     are diagnosed with dysphagia;
       Whereas the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has 
     estimated that 60,000 Americans die annually from 
     complications associated with dysphagia;
       Whereas based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
     mortality data, this is more than the total number of 
     Americans dying from all forms of liver disease, kidney 
     disease, and HIV/AIDS combined--and nearly as many as those 
     dying from diabetes, the number 6 killer of Americans;
       Whereas the most common complication arising from dysphagia 
     is aspiration pneumonia--caused by food or saliva entering 
     the windpipe and into the lungs;
       Whereas one in 17 people will develop some form of 
     dysphagia in their lifetime, including 50 to 75 percent of 
     stroke patients and 60 to 75 percent of patients who undergo 
     radiation therapy for head and neck cancer;
       Whereas as many as half of all Americans over 60 will 
     experience dysphagia at some point;
       Whereas complications due to dysphagia increase health care 
     costs by resultant hospital readmissions, emergency room 
     visits, extended hospital stays, the necessity for long-term 
     institutional care, and the need for expensive respiratory 
     and nutritional support;
       Whereas the cost of managing a patient with a feeding tube, 
     which for many has been the primary treatment option for this 
     condition, is reported to average over $31,000 per patient 
     per year;
       Whereas the total annual cost to Medicare just for enteral 
     feeding supplies for outpatients was more than $670,000,000 
     in 2003, nearly 6 percent of the total Medicare budget for 
     that year;
       Whereas including the monies spent in hospitals, the total 
     cost of dysphagia to the health care system is well over 
     $1,000,000,000 annually;
       Whereas the condition of dysphagia is a vastly 
     underreported condition and not widely understood by the 
     general public; and
       Whereas observing June 2008 as National Dysphagia Awareness 
     Month would raise public awareness about dysphagia and the 
     need for early detection and treatment: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),  That it is the sense of the Congress that a 
     National Dysphagia Awareness Month should be established.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am proud to join my colleagues in the 
consideration of H. Con. Res 195, which expresses the sense of Congress 
that a National Dysphagia Awareness Month should be established.
  Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a medical disorder currently 
afflicting nearly 15 million Americans, with another million Americans 
diagnosed each and every year. Moreover, among those over 60 years of 
age there is over a 50 percent probability of experiencing dysphagia at 
some point. Unlike many other medical disorders, dysphagia has not 
gathered the national attention that it deserves, despite the fact that 
more than 60,000 American deaths occur annually from dysphagia-related 
complications.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge swift passage of H. Con. Res 195, as it will shed 
national attention on dysphagia, which is afflicting so many of our 
fellow Americans and costing us over $1 billion to treat annually.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague from Missouri for his excellent 
presentation on this resolution. I also commend my colleague, Mr. Wamp 
from Tennessee, for introducing the resolution and am sorry that a 
scheduling conflict has prevented his being here to speak.

[[Page 13548]]

  I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 195.
  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Con. Res. 195, a 
resolution designating June 2008 as National Dysphagia Awareness Month. 
First, I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Gene Green, for 
being the lead cosponsor of this resolution and for his efforts in 
helping move this resolution forward. Congressman Green is a strong 
advocate on healthcare issues in Congress and I am pleased to have the 
opportunity to work with him on the vital issue of raising awareness 
about dysphagia. In addition, I would like to thank the Dysphagia 
Awareness Society, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 
and the American Occupational Therapy Association for their grassroots 
efforts in building support for the resolution. It truly has been a 
collaborative effort for an important cause.
  Dysphagia is a medical condition incorporating any difficulty with 
swallowing and affects as many as 15 million Americans. Dysphagia can 
be caused by any condition weakening or damaging the muscles and nerves 
used for swallowing, including strokes, nervous system complications, 
and head injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has 
estimated that 1 million people in the United States annually are 
diagnosed with dysphagia. According to the Agency for Healthcare 
Research and Quality, an estimated 60,000 Americans die annually from 
complications associated with dysphagia.
  Dysphagia awareness is particularly important to my home state of 
Tennessee, where stroke incident rates are relatively high. Dysphagia 
affects a significant percentage of stroke survivors due to weakness in 
the muscles of the throat and mouth traditionally caused by strokes. 
Dysphagia can cause additional life-threatening complications for these 
stroke survivors, such as pneumonia, malnutrition, dehydration, and 
airway obstruction.
  In addition, complications due to dysphagia increase health care 
costs by resultant hospital readmissions, emergency room visits, 
extended hospital stays, the necessity for long-term institutional 
care, and the need for expensive respiratory and nutritional support. 
Including money spent in hospitals, the total cost of dysphagia to the 
health care system is well over $1 billion annually.
  Unfortunately, the condition of dysphagia is vastly underreported and 
not widely understood by the general public. Observing June 2008 as 
National Dysphagia Awareness Month would raise public awareness about 
dysphagia and the need for early detection and treatment.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of this 
important resolution.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Con. Res. 195, which would designate June 2008 as National Dysphagia 
Awareness Month.
  Dysphagia is a condition that affects nearly 15 million Americans. 
According to the NIH, people with dysphagia have difficulty swallowing 
and may also experience pain while swallowing.
  Some people may be completely unable to swallow or may have trouble 
swallowing liquids, foods, or saliva. Eating then becomes a challenge. 
Often, dysphagia makes it difficult to take in enough calories and 
fluids to nourish the body.
  The CDC estimates that 1,000 people in the United States annually are 
diagnosed with dysphagia and 60,000 Americans die from complications 
from this condition every year.
  However, many people have never heard of dysphagia and unfortunately 
most cases of dysphagia go unreported.
  Designating June 2008 as National Dysphagia Awareness Month will help 
raise awareness and understanding of dysphagia.
  I want to thank Mr. Wamp for sponsoring this legislation and urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. 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 Missouri (Mr. Clay) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 195.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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