Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 134, the Alzheimer's Accountability and Investment Act led by Senators Collins and Markey. The House companion bill, H.R. 620, is led by Representatives Smith of New Jersey and Tonko. In the United States, health and long-term costs for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are projected to reach $360 billion in 2024. Around 64 percent of these costs are expected to be covered by Medicare and Medicaid with patients on the hook for the other $90 billion in out-of-pocket spending. This tremendous cost does not even include the value of our unpaid caregivers, which was estimated to be $350 billion in 2023, amounting to over 18 billion hours of care. In addition, individuals with dementias are more likely to have other chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. This bill would require the NIH to submit an annual budget estimate to Congress so that we may effectively assess the current resources needed to achieve the goals of the National Alzheimer's Project. Continued investments in research to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease and dementia will improve the quality of life for millions of Americans, with the simultaneous hope of achieving significant long- term financial savings. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”