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Congressional Record—House H5074 H5074 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 23, 2005 As Thomas Jefferson once said, MERCURY AND AUTISM them while at the same time changing Whenever people are well informed, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund they can be trusted with their own gov- previous order of the House, the gen- in a way that will protect these fami- ernment. tleman from Indiana (Mr. BURTON) is lies and help those who have been dam- Maintaining our commitment to pub- recognized for 5 minutes. aged, but so far we have gotten abso- lic broadcasting will help keep the very Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- lutely nowhere with them; and it is people who elect us well informed, and er, I have been down here a lot talking something I think we need to continue in doing so, help to promote the integ- about autism over the years and my to work on. rity and proper functioning of this very committee had many hearings on the Just recently, there was an article body itself. issue of autism. My grandson became that was published in a magazine I nor- I applaud the Members of this body autistic after receiving 9 shots in one mally do not read. It is called Rolling who rose to the defense of public broad- day, 7 of which contained mercury, in a Stone, but this article was brought to casting earlier today by voting to re- product called thimerosal. And he is my attention, and I think everybody in store funding to a cherished American doing better but it has been a very dif- this body ought to read that article. It institution. ficult time for me and my family. was written by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., f I strongly believe that there is a link somebody who I normally do not read, between the mercury that is in the thi- but I have to tell my colleagues it is a HONORING ARMY SPECIALIST merosal in the vaccines and children very well-written article. It goes into STANLEY ‘‘STOSH’’ LAPINSKI developing neurological disorders such great detail and scientific research (Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Flor- as autism. In fact, according to a re- studies on mercury-connected mental ida asked and was given permission to cent study released by collaboration of disorders caused by the thimerosal in address the House for 1 minute and to U.S. medical researchers from Johns the mercury in these vaccinations. revise and extend her remarks.) Hopkins University, Northeastern Uni- I would submit to all my colleagues Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Flor- versity in Boston, and the University they really need to read this article. I ida. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy of Nebraska and Tufts University that am going to send a Dear Colleague out heart that I rise today to express con- was published in the Vancouver Sun in to all of my colleagues in the House dolences of a grateful Nation. February of last year and was officially and the Senate over the next couple of I rise to honor the life of Army Spe- released in the April 2004 edition of the days. It is a fairly lengthy article, but cialist Stanley, also known as Stosh, scientific journal Molecular Psychi- it goes into how government officials Lapinski. Specialist Lapinski was a re- atry, ‘‘A recent review of vaccine-re- met with pharmaceutical company of- cent victim of a terrorist roadside lated adverse events in the U.S. found ficials and deliberately covered up the bomb. a significant correlation between shots connection, deliberately covered up the During his last conversation before containing thimerosal,’’ i.e. mercury connection between the thimerosal in he was killed, Sergeant Lapinski told ‘‘and autism.’’ vaccines and the problems that are The study further concluded that the his parents not to worry about him and being created, neurological problems use of thimerosal-containing shots he would be fine. that have been created in these chil- could account for the rising rates of While Stosh did not make it home dren, including autism. autism since the early 1980s when more from Iraq, I am honored to join the All of my colleagues ought to read thimerosal-containing vaccinations Lapinski family for his burial at Ar- this and realize that we have had a col- were added to the government-man- lington National Cemetery next week. laboration between health officials in dated childhood vaccination schedule. A grateful Nation has brought him our government and the pharma- Scientific evidence aside, we have ceutical industry to protect themselves home to the honors and accolades he seen an increase from 1 in 10,000 chil- well deserves. from class action lawsuits at the ex- dren who are autistic to 1 in 166 since pense of these young kids and families Nothing I could say today would heal they started using thimerosal in many, the wounds of the Lapinski family. who have been damaged by neuro- many vaccines in the early eighties logical disorders, including autism. After speaking to them, however, I can and children started getting more of tell you that they want their son’s sac- So I submit to my colleagues who these shots. may be in their offices or here tonight, rifice to be remembered for the good I am not against vaccinations but I and honorable actions he was doing in please read this article. It is extremely do believe, as many of my colleagues, important. I do not want to hurt the Iraq. including the gentleman from Florida His service showed the true American pharmaceutical industry. I would like (Mr. WELDON) believe, that mercury to protect them from class action law- spirit. While the Lapinskis lost their should be taken out of all childhood son, they know that he died preserving suits; but at the same time, we need to vaccines and in fact all vaccines. change that Vaccine Injury Compensa- and fighting for democracy. We need to ask ourselves one simple tion Fund to take care of these kids Mr. Speaker, I ask all Americans to question: What is right? The answer I that have been damaged and help their join me in honoring a true American think is very clear. Get mercury out of families. hero. all vaccinations. DEADLY IMMUNITY f In reality the answer that is given by far too many officials in our govern- (By Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.) The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a JUNE 16, 2005.—In June 2000, a group of top previous order of the House, the gen- ment, health agencies and some Mem- bers of Congress, sorry, we cannot help government scientists and health officials tleman from Minnesota (Mr. GUT- you, and the need to protect the phar- gathered for a meeting at the isolated KNECHT) is recognized for 5 minutes. Simpsonwood conference center in Norcross, maceutical industry is so great, we (Mr. GUTKNECHT addressed the Ga. Convened by the Centers for Disease cannot do much about it. House. His remarks will appear here- Control and Prevention, the meeting was after in the Extensions of Remarks.) b 1745 held at this Methodist retreat center, nestled in wooded farmland next to the Chattahoo- f Some in my party keep talking about chee River, to ensure complete secrecy. The changing the law to protect the drug ORDER OF BUSINESS agency had issued no public announcement companies against so-called frivolous of the session—only private invitations to 52 Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- lawsuits, and we have to do something attendees. There were high-level officials er, I ask unanimous consent to claim to help these families who had their from the CDC and the Food and Drug Admin- the time of the gentleman from Min- children damaged by the mercury vac- istration, the top vaccine specialist from the nesota (Mr. GUTKNECHT). cines. I am against class action law- World Health Organization in Geneva, and The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. representatives of every major vaccine man- suits in general. I am for tort reform, ufacturer, including GlaxoSmithKline, MCCAUL of Texas). Is there objection to but we have got to do something to Merck, Wyeth and Aventis Pasteur. All of the request of the gentleman from Indi- help these families. the scientific data under discussion, CDC of- ana? We have tried to talk to the pharma- ficials repeatedly reminded the participants, There was no objection. ceutical industry about protecting was strictly ‘‘embargoed.’’ There would be no VerDate Aug 04 2004 01:55 Jun 25, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00088 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23JN7.165 H23JNPT1 June 23, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5075 making photocopies of documents, no taking 2003, he had gone to work for research and talking with many of the na- papers with them when they left. GlaxoSmithKline and reworked his data to tion’s preeminent authorities on mercury The federal officials and industry rep- bury the link between thimerosal and au- that I became convinced that the link be- resentatives had assembled to discuss a dis- tism. tween thimerosal and the epidemic of child- turbing new study that raised alarming ques- Vaccine manufacturers had already begun hood neurological disorders is real. Five of tions about the safety of a host of common to phase thimerosal out of injections given my own children are members of the Thimer- childhood vaccines administered to infants to American infants—but they continued to osal Generation—those born between 1989 and young children. According to a CDC epi- sell off their mercury-based supplies of vac- and 2003—who received heavy doses of mer- demiologist named Tom Verstraeten, who cines until last year.
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