[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17694]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, all of us have been touched by this 
dread and pernicious disease. Alzheimer's strikes families, loved ones, 
colleagues, coworkers, friends, acquaintances--literally all of us--
increasingly so because the numbers are multiplying almost epidemic-
like across the country. Of course, classifying it as an epidemic is 
difficult to do because we scarcely understand this disease. We are 
only beginning to comprehend the cause and modus operandi of this 
pernicious ailment.
  I am joining on these resolutions because of the need to express and 
call attention to the deadly and insidious spread of Alzheimer's and 
the Nation's failure to effectively address it. We know that the 
numbers of people suffering from Alzheimer's are increasing drastically 
and this resolution rightly calls attention to the dimensions of the 
problem. But as important as those numbers are, even more so are the 
numbers of dollars that reflect the Nation's failure to take action 
that is so desperately needed.
  As my colleague from Maine highlighted earlier, we spend $500 million 
in research for Alzheimer's compared to $6 billion for cancer, $3 
billion for HIV, and $2 billion for cardiovascular efforts. These 
numbers do not reflect any excess spending on cardiovascular or cancer 
or other kinds of medical problems for which the National Institutes of 
Health does such great work, as well as others in the private sector, 
and philanthropic donations as well. If anything, perhaps we should be 
considering expanding those efforts. But the numbers do reflect the 
disproportion and inadequacy of what we as a nation are spending on the 
research of Alzheimer's. The estimate, according to the National 
Alzheimer's Project Act and its representatives, is in the neighborhood 
of $2 billion a year, as a minimum, that we should be spending to 
develop diagnoses, cures, and treatment. We should be doubling or 
tripling funding. Yet even this minimal funding is in danger due to the 
sequester, which has also jeopardized many other research projects 
supported by the National Institutes of Health. This abdication of 
responsibility is a tragedy for us as a generation who will suffer from 
it in untold numbers, and for the next generation that could be saved 
from this disease.
  I am proud to join in this effort to match the severity of the 
challenge with public consciousness and awareness and, even more 
importantly, public dollars and resources that are vitally important to 
ensure we conquer and cure as many Alzheimer's patients as we can as 
quickly as possible. We owe it to ourselves and our children.
  There are many ways in life to feel alone. There are many forms of 
isolation. Even in this body, surrounded by people, Members can be 
alone at points--alone in championing causes or alone in thought, but 
there are few conditions that match the aloneness of an Alzheimer's 
patient. They are often cut off from the world by an inability to 
communicate, and we must reach out to those patients who cannot let us 
know and describe, as they might want to do, their aloneness and their 
resolve.
  So for them and all of our loved ones--friends, family, and 
coworkers--who now and in the future will suffer from the disease, let 
us resolve to do more through this resolution, and as a nation we will 
confront this challenge.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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