[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8174]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING MILITARY CAREGIVERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Marshall) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, during Military Caregiver Month, I would 
like to recognize a population of heroes who often remain in the 
shadows: military caregivers.
  Currently there are over 5 million military and veteran caregivers in 
the United States. This number continues to grow as our troops abroad 
place themselves in harm's way.
  I recently sat down with one of my heroes, Senator Elizabeth Dole, 
who shed a light on this important population. While she spent time 
with Kansas Senator Bob Dole at Walter Reed National Military Medical 
Center in 2011, she noticed the many caregivers around her and the 
unique challenges that they face. Following this discovery, she 
established a foundation to raise awareness and serve as a resource for 
these hidden heroes.
  I am a proud member of the Hidden Heroes Caucus, which raises 
awareness and develops legislation in support of caregivers. I urge my 
colleagues to join this wonderful congressional caucus of hidden 
heroes.


                         Stroke Awareness Month

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address Stroke Awareness 
Month. Stroke is the Nation's number five killer, the second leading 
cause of dementia, and one of the leading causes of long-term 
disability.
  During this important month of awareness, we in Congress must realize 
that we have a chance to make a difference. The FAST Act would expand 
access to telehealth-eligible home stroke services under Medicare.
  I have personally witnessed one of Kansas' greatest victories in 
healthcare, where my alma mater, Kansas University Medical Center, led 
the Kansas Stroke Collaborative, where, through telemedicine, we have 
saved thousands of lives and prevented literally hundreds--perhaps 
thousands--of long-term injuries as well.
  The American Stroke Association says that 80 percent of strokes are 
preventable, and the more strokes we end, the more lives we will save.
  Strokes kill more than 133,000 Americans annually. We can bring that 
number down, and I hope my colleagues will join us in that effort. As a 
physician, I know how important and, in many cases, how necessary these 
services are. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation and 
always remain open to innovative solutions in the medical industry, 
like telemedicine.


                           Eradicating Polio

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about something very near 
and dear to my heart: the efforts to eradicate polio.
  Truly, Mr. Speaker, we are this close to ending polio. Once a 
widespread global epidemic, it is now only endemic in two countries: 
Afghanistan and Pakistan.
  When I was district governor of Rotary just a few short years ago, we 
were reporting 17 to 18 cases per year. And I am so excited that we 
have only had 2 reported cases this year.
  There is one organization that has led this charge, though many have 
helped, but Rotary has led this since 1979, literally vaccinating over 
2.5 billion people in 122 countries.
  As a former Rotary district governor, I spent some time this past 
weekend at Fort Hays State University celebrating Rotary and all we 
have done, including the celebration of international students and the 
peace awards that they receive through our scholarships.
  There is no cure for polio. It is preventable by a very simple 
vaccine. It is vital that we aid these last handful of countries, get 
us over the finish line with these resources, and end our fight against 
polio so we can tell future generations: Like smallpox, polio is no 
longer in this country.

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