H 3454 Concurrent Resolution, By G. Brown, M. McLeod, Barfield and Lucas
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO MEMORIALIZE CONGRESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASKING IT
 TO APPROPRIATE GREATER SUMS OF MONIES FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED
 DISORDERS RESEARCH.

   02/04/99  House  Introduced HJ-14
   02/04/99  House  Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
                     Resolutions HJ-14

TO MEMORIALIZE CONGRESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASKING IT TO APPROPRIATE GREATER SUMS OF MONIES FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED DISORDERS RESEARCH.

Whereas, Alzheimer's disease is a progressive degenerative brain disorder, which causes memory loss and changes in thought, personality, and behavior; and

Whereas, there is presently no known cause or cure; and

Whereas, this disease ultimately renders its victims incapable of caring for themselves and communicating their needs to others; and

Whereas, Alzheimer's disease affects an estimated four million American adults and is the fourth leading cause of death among adults in this country; and

Whereas, it is estimated that 50,000 South Carolinians are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease; and

Whereas, studies have found that Alzheimer's disease costs American businesses thirty-three billion dollars a year and twenty-six billion of that amount is lost due to absenteeism by caregivers who are the employees caring for people with Alzheimer's disease including their spouses and parents; and

Whereas, the actual costs to business and society may be two or three times higher and as the generations of Americans age and we enter the twenty-first century, these costs will grow dramatically; and

Whereas, research monies are needed to provide simple diagnostic tests to enable families to get help sooner, to provide new and better treatments to delay the onset of symptoms, and to provide new and better treatments to help diagnosed individuals maintain their abilities as long as possible; and

Whereas, private, nonprofit associations have invested millions of dollars on this research and pledge to triple their research investment in the next several years; and

Whereas, the federal government has a myriad of agencies, programs, and research institutions which fund Alzheimer's research; and

Whereas, there is still great need for increased funding to those institutes designated for Alzheimer's research. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly memorialize the Congress of the United States to appropriate greater sums of money for Alzheimer's disease and related disorder research.

Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and to each member of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.