[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5482]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONALD M. PAYNE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 29, 2016

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for National 
Infertility Awareness Week, which has been federally recognized since 
2010.
  Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system that affects men 
and women equally, and millions of people--as many as 12 percent of 
reproductive-aged couples in America--suffer from this devastating 
disease, unable to start a family.
  The good news is that treatment for infertility has advanced sharply 
in the last two decades, and includes in vitro fertilization, now 
considered the standard of care for many couples being treated for 
infertility.
  Despite such 21st century advances, only 15 states currently provide 
coverage for even basic treatment for infertility.
  It is my hope that National Infertility Awareness Week will encourage 
honest and candid dialogue among lawmakers and health professionals, in 
an effort to seek cures that will allow every American the opportunity 
to have a family.
  Mr. Speaker, in concluding, I want to congratulate RESOLVE, the 
nation's oldest fertility advocacy organization, for the brilliant work 
they are doing to raise awareness about infertility.

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