[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9852-9853]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            SUPPORTING ALZHEIMER'S AND BRAIN AWARENESS MONTH

                                  _____
                                 

                     HON. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 22, 2016

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. During the month of June, we 
recognize the more than five million Americans living with Alzheimer's 
and recommit ourselves to supporting those affected by the disease and 
their caregivers.
  Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, 
with someone developing the disease every 66 seconds. As an 
Appropriations Committee Member, I have

[[Page 9853]]

made it a priority to properly fund the National Institutes of Health 
so they can continue their cutting-edge research on diseases like 
Alzheimer's.
  As a Representative of South Florida, this issue hits home for my 
constituents and me. Florida has the highest percentage of older adults 
in the U.S., as well as residents living with intellectual and 
developmental disabilities that are older than the national average. 
These populations are concentrated in South Florida, where nursing home 
costs are 50 percent above the national average. This is a sobering 
reality for many of my constituents and their families, which is why I 
will continue working to ensure that the NIH has the funding it needs 
to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, and prevent 
it from developing.
  Recognizing Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month is a small step 
forward in the fight against this deadly disease, and I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting federal investments in finding a 
cure.

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