[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15774]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            URGING SUPPORT FOR ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH FUNDING

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                           HON. FILEMON VELA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 14, 2014

  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the inclusion of 
additional funding for Alzheimer's research in the National Institute 
of Health's (NIH) budget. This disease affects over 5 million 
Americans, and every 67 seconds someone develops Alzheimer's. The 
impact on these patients and their families is immense, and Congress 
must act now to ensure needed funding is available to researchers 
working to better understand, treat, and cure Alzheimer's.
  As the Appropriations Committee drafts spending legislation for the 
current fiscal year, it is critical that the NIH budget include an 
additional $200 million for Alzheimer's research. The requirement for 
this funding was validated by the National Alzheimer's Plan, a 
comprehensive Congressionally-directed initiative which serves as a 
blueprint to ensure that taxpayer dollars are carefully invested in 
medical research.
  One in three seniors who die each year have been diagnosed with 
Alzheimer's or dementia, and the Center for Disease Control notes that 
it is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. In addition 
to the terrible toll on individuals, the cost of treating Alzheimer's 
will cost over $214 billion this year. With so much at stake, an 
investment of $200 million in 2015 is clearly justified, and we must 
also continue to provide funding for Alzheimer's research in future 
years.
  On behalf of South Texas families affected by Alzheimer's, I urge my 
colleagues in Congress to support increased funding for Alzheimer's 
research.

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