Vito Fossella

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Congressman Kuhl be removed as a cosponsor to H.R. 3898.

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, let me again, in closing, thank the sponsors, Mr. Green and, of course, Mr. Pascrell for really helping us to get to this point. I failed to mention Ms. Ros-Lehtinen before. She was instrumental as well, and Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Engel. Let me commend and thank my colleague Ms. Baldwin for her eloquence in shepherding all these bills to the floor. As it relates to this bill, early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment, we know that those are the magical things that have to happen in order for a child to lead a more forward, healthy life. Without the access to the care that a child needs, we know that that life is going to be compromised in some way, shape, or form. I think that this bill helps to get us to that point. I think it will help a lot of children who currently have no help and no access. I would also like to thank Ryan McKee from my office, who has worked on this bill for several years in our efforts. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 507, the Vision Care for Kids Act, and join my colleague in asking for its adoption. And at the outset, let me thank a few individuals for bringing this bill to the floor: of course, Chairman Dingell and Ranking Member Barton. I'd also like to thank Representatives Green, Sullivan, and Engel for their leadership and support in bringing the Vision Care for Kids Act to the floor, and Mr. Pascrell, who's been very, very passionate about this issue for many years. I've had the privilege and pleasure of working with him, and I know how passionate he is, like so many of us, to get quality vision care for kids who need it. We've been working on this bill for about 6 years; and after countless modifications, negotiations and compromise, I'm proud to say we have a bill that is unanimously supported by the entire vision community. And my colleague from Wisconsin put it very simply: there are many kids today who have problems with their eyes; who have an inability to see properly; who, if left untreated, obviously, leads to negative consequence in social interaction, not to mention their poor performance in school and academic achievement because of their inability to see, and not to mention the fact that they're not getting the appropriate care that in some cases leads to greater illnesses and in some cases leads to death. The legislation we hope to pass today represents the kind of quality, sound public policy that can only come about through the bipartisan cooperation and a willingness to compromise by many interested parties. H.R. 507 represents a responsible and sensible approach to public health. It's well documented that without the adequate access to vision screening and treatment for eye disorders, a child's entire learning and development can be adversely affected. And we say that for children who do not qualify for a public program and did not have health insurance, our assisting in catching potentially eye disorders is critical. The bill strikes an effective balance with a shared relationship between Federal and State governments. Once States have identified, through the screening mechanism of their choice, that a child may have an eye disorder, this legislation will provide Federal funding for follow-up comprehensive eye exam and the necessary treatment. By incorporating a three-to-one Federal-State match, we maintain incentives for States to run their programs efficiently, providing additional assurances to taxpayers that we're maximizing the use of each dollar spent. I'd like to thank the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Vision Council of America, Prevent Blindness of America, the American Optometric Association for their support of the legislation, that of my colleague, and know full well that if this bill does become law, there will be children who currently don't have access to quality treatment that will get the treatment they deserve and need so that they can live a more full and healthy and happy life. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, let me again commend Mr. Larsen, and of course Mr. Upton and my colleague from Wisconsin, and urge the adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in favor along with my colleague from Wisconsin and support H.R. 970. At the outset, I would also like to thank Mr. Upton of Michigan and Mr. Larsen of Washington for their work on this important legislation. Mr. Upton in particular has been a true champion and is one of the reasons why we are here. Dextromethorphan, or DXM or DEX as it is sometimes called, is an ingredient found in cough medicine. The ingredient relieves the coughing associated with the cold or flu, which is a positive, and cough medicines containing this drug are common and can be obtained without prescription, as we full know. While the drug is safe and effective, it is also dangerous if too much is taken. Reports have shown that some segments of the population, particularly young people, will take large amounts of this medicine in an attempt to absorb large amounts of DXM to get high. The abuse of this drug can cause death as well as other serious adverse events, such as brain damage, seizure, loss of consciousness, and irregular heartbeat. Madam Speaker, at this point, I yield to my colleague and a true champion of this, Mr. Upton, for 4 minutes.

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me join my colleague from Wisconsin in supporting H. Res. 524 and also acknowledging again at the outset the work and efforts of my colleague from New York (Mrs. McCarthy). As was mentioned, the resolution recognizes the elements of the Diamond-Blackfan anemia and the research being done on the disease. DBA is a blood condition, as mentioned, present at birth which is characterized by failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells, and unlike other types of anemia, DBA relates to a bone marrow failure. It's been the result of a genetic mutation and has generally been diagnosed at birth. The purpose of this resolution is to bring awareness to this disease and the research and education surrounding Diamond-Blackfan anemia. As is always the case, although the word is rare and operative, the point is if somebody is suffering from DBA they're suffering, and just because there may not be tens of thousands a year, the fact is that suffering doesn't go away. So I would urge the adoption. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, let me again congratulate Mrs. McCarthy for bringing this to the floor, and constantly, not just here but constantly bringing attention to DBA. Whenever a parent gets bad news on a child and an illness, you know it takes to the heart. And there are so many innovative, wonderful, compassionate health care professionals who try to bring a level of comfort to those families, and I know that here in Congress we do the same and try to bring awareness. And although rare, or rarer than many illnesses, nevertheless, the pain and suffering remains the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, let me just in closing commend Mr. Baird for his advocacy. I can only imagine what it meant to him and his family in seeing the passing of his dad from this dreaded illness. So in his honor and that of Mr. Castle, Mr. Norwood and especially practically 40,000 fellow Americans, it's so important to solve the problem, to acknowledge it exists, and become aware and educated on how to solve it. Let's not just acknowledge and become more aware, but give the resources and funding and support those who ultimately want to find a cure. Madam Speaker, with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I join my colleague from Wisconsin in urging the support of H. Con. Res. 182 and at the outset commend our colleague Mr. Deal from Georgia for introducing the resolution. We all knew and remember Charlie Norwood who served in this House with honor and distinction, and those who knew Charlie Norwood well knew he was a fighter, passionate about his constituents, his belief, and passionate about this country, and many fights he won. But the fight he did not win was when he was diagnosed with a serious lung disorder in 1998 called, shortly, IPF. He received a single lung transplant but passed away in February of this year and for that we miss him. IPF is a progressive and generally fatal lung disease. It's marked by debilitating scarring of delicate lung tissue and hinders the lungs' ability to transport oxygen to vital organs. 40,000 people, 40,000 Americans will die this year from IPF, and there's no cure or treatment for this debilitating irreversible disease. Far too many of those with IPF face severe disability or death within a few short years, and we saw that progression here with our colleague Mr. Norwood. The purpose of this resolution is to bring awareness to the severity of this devastating disease. Additionally, the resolution will support the goals of the National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week and encourage the work being done by the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis and partner organizations in educating the public about IPF. 40,000 people die in a year, Madam Speaker. We should do what we can to bring attention and education and awareness to ensure it doesn't happen. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I join my colleague from Wisconsin in supporting the resolution, and ask Members to support the resolution. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, it is a dreaded word in the English language, and it is called ``cancer.'' Not a family in America is left unscathed or untouched by cancer and what it means to the families, and very often the terrible outcomes. If there is a positive light, we know over the last several decades in particular, many health care professionals, organizations and groups have dedicated not just time and money and research, but their true passion to helping find a cure and treat cancer in many different ways. I know on Staten Island this week we will have the annual breast cancer walk that will attract thousands of people, many of whom are survivors, and many who will work in remembrance and memorial of loved ones. That is why I join my colleague, the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin), in support of H. Res. 448, expressing the sense of the House that there should be established a National Cancer Research Month. Perhaps it should be all year. I think it is important to at least acknowledge that National Cancer Research Month be this month. The purpose of establishing this month is to provide an opportunity to better educate the public in an effort to make cancer research a national priority. At the NIH, the National Cancer Institute conducts research into cancer in conjunction with numerous other institutes and centers. The NCI alone comprises one-third of the NIH's $30 billion budget. The work being done at the NIH towards cancer research is invaluable. Establishing a Cancer Research Month can help highlight what is being done by the scientific community and how the public can become involved. While acknowledging and putting aside this month is important, what is even more important is continuing to support the research of those caring, compassionate health care professionals and researchers who will one day find the cure for all cancers, and that should be our wish and national goal and priority. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, let me commend the gentlelady from South Dakota and the gentleman from Louisiana for bringing this to the floor. I think what they said is totally accurate in the sense that as our population lives longer and lives more healthy lives, along with that comes an understanding and an obligation to begin preparing for those long-term health care needs as part of their retirement. As I mentioned before, baby boomers officially begin to receive, for those early retirees, Social Security in just a few months. That population, as we know, is large. I just think the more we can emphasize and educate the people of this country on what their options can and should be as they retire, the better off we will be when that day arrives. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 133, supporting the goals and ideals of a Long-Term Care Awareness Week. As designated, the first week in November is designed as the opportunity to educate Americans on the likelihood of one needing long-term care. Additionally, greater education is needed as to what types of long-term care programs are available and what the various costs of services are. Families should take this opportunity to discuss the options to help plan and pay for their future. We know the baby boomer generation is now becoming eligible for Social Security, so it is sort of a wake-up call for what it will be, not just for having some financial independence, but what it would be and what it means to take care of dealing with their health care and the notion of rising health care costs. So the sooner one prepares, the better off they will be when they reach that age. Madam Speaker, health care costs are increasing, people are living longer, and I think we have a real responsibility here to educate constituents who need to become actively involved in ways in which they can provide for their own future of health care, as well as the care of their family member. I stand in support of this and ask my colleagues to support the resolution as well.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 2 minutes to the lead sponsor and a true champion of this effort in the House, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany).

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, let me just once again thank Mr. Bilirakis and, of course, his father for spearheading this when he was in the House, and Ms. Baldwin and Mrs. Bono for bringing this to the floor. We know how paralysis, especially sudden paralysis, can damage one's life and that of their family, and it becomes a lifelong commitment. Once again, I think Congress has a real fundamental responsibility to ensure we can bring as much peace and peace of mind to those families. With that, I urge the adoption of this bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure and honor to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), a leader in this cause and a sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today as well in support of H.R. 1727, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, introduced by Representatives Baldwin, Bono, and Bilirakis. My colleague from Wisconsin stated very eloquently the statistics and the justification for this act, and it is long overdo. As was mentioned, the legislation would authorize the Director of the National Institutes of Health to coordinate paralysis research through the NIH Institutes and Centers. Research would be focused on basic, translational, and multicenter networks of clinical sites focused on designing clinical rehabilitation protocols for one or more forms of paralysis. Such paralysis research would include paralysis from the central nervous system trauma, disorders, stroke, or any combination of such conditions. Additionally, the legislation would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for activities related to paralysis, including grants to establish paralysis registries and disseminate information to the public. Madam Speaker, we have seen over the years how the Reeves served as strong advocates for the paralysis community, meeting with a wide variety of colleagues in the House and the Senate over the last several years. Their dignified presence in Washington will be greatly missed. I believe that through legislative initiatives such as this one the work done by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation will continue that work that was left unfinished, and will be done so in a respectful manner. As the population continues to grow and to age, I think more and more of society will be confronted with the likes of paralysis. It is our job, and I think responsibility, to partner with the private sector to bring awareness, funding, and education to ensure that as few people as possible are brought down by this illness. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I would also like to thank Congressman Engel and Congressman Terry for their efforts in the establishment of the ALS Registry Act. As we know, we have an annual event here in Congress when we get visits from members of the ALS organization, the association, and their advocates, but more importantly the citizens of this country who have been afflicted with Lou Gehrig's disease. It is gut-wrenching to watch knowing full well what a debilitating disease it is, and it knows no boundaries. As has been mentioned by my colleagues, perhaps 30,000 Americans, perhaps 1,000 in New York State alone, are suffering with ALS. I know a gentleman on Staten Island who helped to have built one of the largest banks in Staten Island, if not the largest, retiring, thinking he was going to enjoy his golden years, and soon after that became diagnosed with ALS. To watch the horrific progression over the last couple of years is, as I mentioned, gut-wrenching not just to his friends but, I am sure, his family. That is why I think it is important that Congress finally step up and act, and as a cosponsor of the legislation today, I am pleased to see it brought to the House floor today. I would like to thank the tireless efforts of the ALS Association and advocates in educating and advocating for a cure, which is what we all want. Unfortunately, we know little about ALS, a disease that is diagnosed for 5,600 Americans each year. Without a cure and without treatments to slow the progression of the disease, as has been mentioned by Ms. Baldwin, the average life expectancy of a person is only 2 to 5 years. It is a death sentence once diagnosed. The rapid progression, lack of understanding about its cause, and debilitating nature of the disease make it particularly hard on those afflicted with ALS, as well as their family and friends. We need to give scientists the tools they need to find the treatment and cure for ALS. The registry does just that. It creates a single, national patient registry to collect and store information on the prevalence of incidences of ALS in the U.S. We know of several research studies ongoing at the NIH and other private facilities, investigating possible risk factors that may be associated with ALS. Researchers are working to better determine what genetics and/or environmental factors are contributing to developing ALS. While there has been incredible and groundbreaking advances in science that give hope to people with Lou Gehrig's disease and their families, this legislation will provide an important new link that will allow scientists to take emerging new discoveries ever closer to a cure. And I pray that one day we will have that cure so no families or individuals will be afflicted by this terrible disease. Madam Speaker, I stand in support, urge adoption and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I am told that my colleague has no further speakers, so I would close. And as I mentioned, I have been here now 10 years. I can recall a gentleman by the name of Gary Anderson coming up after being diagnosed, a friend from Staten Island, and passing after suffering for too long from ALS. It is a terrible indictment, Lou Gehrig's disease, that it is, and one day, as we say, perhaps this registry will get to a point where no longer will our fellow citizens have to suffer. So, for people like Gary Anderson, to this day, a gentleman I mentioned before, Harry Doherty, who is currently suffering as we speak, I would urge the adoption of this. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 20, the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, and join my colleagues in commending Mr. Rush for bringing the bill to the floor. As has been mentioned, the bill highlights the need to increase awareness of postpartum depression and expand the knowledge of its terrible side effects. It's important to note that as many as 80 percent of women experience some mood disturbances after pregnancy, and for most women the symptoms are mild and go away on their own; but 10 to 20 percent of women develop a more disabling form of mood disorder called postpartum depression. This legislation encourages the continuation of research being done by Federal agencies as to the cause of postpartum depression and how it can be better treated. And with my colleagues, I stand in support of the legislation and hope my colleagues will join me. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.