[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10809-10810]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Mast) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the work of the 
Military Order of the Purple Heart and, specifically, chapter 717.
  My friends and neighbors there who serve in this chapter are working 
to erect a monument on the Treasure Coast of Florida to those who were 
injured in battle while defending our great Nation. They may have been 
targeted by a sniper, a victim of an improvised explosive device, or 
they may have been charging a hill somewhere in Vietnam.
  The marker that they have worked to erect at Indian Riverside Park in 
Martin County will bring awareness and recognition to the true cost of 
freedom, which is the blood that is shed by selfless men and women who 
have served across the world in defense of others because of their 
sense of duty to America.
  I thank all members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart for 
never forgetting and never for one second taking for granted the price 
paid by our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coastguardsman.
  May God bless the work they are doing.


                         Alzheimer's Awareness

  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today so that we think about the over 5 
million Americans, including thousands of Floridians and nearly half a 
million American veterans, who are living with Alzheimer's and 
dementia.
  Alzheimer's is the only one of the top 10 causes of death that cannot 
be prevented, cannot be cured, and cannot be slowed. As the sixth 
leading cause of death in Florida, and with so many affected by this 
incurable disease, we have to continue to stress the importance of 
early diagnosis and the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related 
illnesses.
  But awareness is never enough. As a member of the Congressional Task 
Force on Alzheimer's Disease, I am determined to make progress for all 
those affected. We must act proactively to achieve breakthroughs in 
prevention and treatment. We also have to act to

[[Page 10810]]

ensure that those who currently have Alzheimer's have the tools that 
are needed to manage their symptoms, reduce pain, and increase comfort.
  Nearly half of all people with Alzheimer's and other dementias are in 
hospice care at the time of their passing, but less than half of 
nursing homes have some sort of palliative care program. For people 
with advanced dementia, palliative care improves their quality of life, 
controls costs, and enhances both patient and family satisfaction.
  As the demand for this kind of care grows with the aging population, 
more has to be done to ensure that there is a workforce equipped to 
provide that care. That is why I recently signed onto the Palliative 
Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, a bipartisan bill that 
will help our Nation's seniors who are struggling with the effects of 
Alzheimer's.
  I have spoken to a few Members in this House who have not been 
touched by this serious illness in one way or another. Whether they 
have been impacted personally, supported a loved one during a tough 
time, or prayed for a friend who needed help, we all know how difficult 
that situation is.
  This is a great bill. I urge my fellow colleagues to think back to 
that person that they have known and how much this could have benefited 
them.
  Mr. Speaker, let us take some decisive action to help patients with 
Alzheimer's and their families. Let's pass this bill.

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