Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and that is Alzheimer's disease. Since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer's disease have increased by 89 percent. Right now, there are more than 5 million Americans with Alzheimer's, and that number is expected to grow to 14 million--to almost triple--by the year 2050. Alzheimer's and other dementias can be especially devastating both physically and emotionally for those who have these diseases and for their loved ones, your family and my family--for me, too many aunts and uncles, including my mother. When Lena Costa was diagnosed with the disease, she took it on with the same strength and courage she had used to beat cancer and survive heart disease. She was in her late eighties. Upon hearing the diagnosis, she turned to my sister and to me and said calmly and bravely: ``Jim, Bette, I will just do the best I can.'' Today, there is no cure for Alzheimer's and there is no effective treatment for it. There is no proven way to prevent the disease or no method for slowing its progression. Unlike my mother, we are not currently doing the best we can. We must come together to support additional Alzheimer's research--more funding. That is what we did in April when we in the House called for additional support for Alzheimer's research at the National Institutes of Health. But we must do more. Alzheimer's is a devastating disease.…”