[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5250]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          THERE IS STILL MUCH MORE TO LEARN ABOUT ALZHEIMER'S

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, I will participate in a 
symposium on dementia being sponsored by the western New York chapter 
of the Alzheimer's Association. This event is a reminder that, while 
progress has been made in understanding Alzheimer's, there is still a 
great deal that we must learn about how to treat this terrible illness.
  Alzheimer's is a disease whose origins are unknown, but whose end is 
absolutely certain. It's a disease that's touched the families of many 
in this Chamber, including my own.
  According to the Alzheimer's Association, as many as 5 million 
Americans have Alzheimer's disease, with its prevalence expected to 
increase over the next several decades.
  With so many in Washington mindlessly devoted to the agenda of 
austerity, we must remember that our budget is not only an accounting 
statement, but also a statement of our values. I urge the rejection of 
austerity and an increase in the funding we need for medical research 
to find a cure for diseases like Alzheimer's that devastate so many 
American families.

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