[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6750]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           WILLIAMS SYNDROME

  (Mr. BILIRAKIS asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, Williams syndrome is a rare neurological 
disease. May is Williams Syndrome Awareness Month.
  According to the Williams Syndrome Association, there are between 
25,000 and 30,000 individuals living with this rare disease, at least 
one of whom is a constituent of mine. His name is Brian Weaver. I had 
the pleasure of meeting him.
  My bill, the OPEN Act, would provide an incentive for companies to 
test their drugs on a rare disease population. Over 150 rare diseases 
organizations wrote to us saying the OPEN Act ``promises to improve the 
quality of life for the nearly 30 million Americans suffering from rare 
diseases.''
  Research into Williams syndrome could lead to advances in treating 
Americans with high blood pressure, diabetes, autism, and anxiety 
disorders. We must continue to fight for millions of Americans who 
suffer from rare diseases like Williams syndrome.

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