CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions Of

June 28, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1001 The programs operated by Shelter House past five decades, it remains true to its pur- cently as the mid-1990s, this disease was have contributed greatly to breaking the cycle pose of having a parade for the benefit of kids seen only sporadically and was considered a of homelessness. In FY2012, Shelter House of all ages. The Lakewood 4th of July Parade minor risk for human beings. decreased the average length of stay for fami- is truly helping make our community a better Generally, NTDs affect the health of the lies in its shelters by 30 percent, and 72 per- place to live. poor in developing countries where access to cent of families at the Katherine K. Hanley My wife, Melissa, and our two young chil- clean water, sanitation, and health care is lim- Family Shelter and Patrick Henry Family Shel- dren enjoy participating in the Lakewood 4th ited. Roughly 2 billion people are being treated ter moved into permanent housing, rep- of July Parade. The annual event is important, for at least one NTD, although most individ- resenting a 12% increase over the previous not just to those who live on the neighboring uals are infected with several NTDs at once. fiscal year. At Artemis House, 67% of house- streets, but to all who come to Lakewood to Several NTDs are difficult to control by drug holds moved to safe and stable housing—an enjoy the patriotic festivities. treatment alone because of their complicated increase of 5% from FY2011. In FY2012, On behalf of all Lakewood residents, I would transmission cycles that involve non-human Shelter house prevented 40 households from like to congratulate the Lakewood 4th of July carriers such as insects. Furthermore, some of becoming homeless, and 80 percent of fami- Parade organizers and volunteers on their tre- the drugs have significant side effects (includ- lies staying in its transitional and permanent mendous accomplishments and thank them for ing death) and cannot be used by young chil- supportive housing programs increased their their continued valuable service to our com- dren or pregnant women. employment income by an average of more munity and country. A study done in 2001 found that research than $650 per month. Volunteers and commu- f and development of drugs to treat infectious nity partners are essential to this success, as diseases had ground to a near-standstill. From they provide the tools necessary to combat ADDRESSING THE NEGLECTED 1975 to 1999, the report stated, 1,393 new homelessness. Their time, money, and effort DISEASES TREATMENT GAP drugs were brought to the market globally, but compose the foundation of Shelter House’s only 16, or 1.1 percent, were for tropical dis- commendable work. HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH eases (including malaria) and even tuber- This year, Shelter House has recognized OF NEW JERSEY culosis, although these diseases represented the following individuals and partners for their IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 12% of the global disease burden. A 2012 up- outstanding commitment to ending homeless- Friday, June 28, 2013 date of that study found that the gap between ness in our community: Changing Lives the percentage of research and development Awards—Passion 4 Community, Lord of Life Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on NTDs and their percentage of the global Lutheran Church, and St. Luke’s United Meth- yesterday, the Subcommittee on Africa, Global disease burden had narrowed, but there is still odist Church. Community Champions—Falls Health, Global Human Rights, and Inter- a long way to go to reach an adequate bal- Church Presbyterian Church, Madison Ridge, national Organizations, which I chair, held a ance. Of the 756 new drugs approved be- and McLean Bible Church. Ending Homeless- hearing that examined the neglected diseases tween 2000 and 2011, 29 (or 3.8 percent) ness & Domestic Violence Awards—Pat that affect a relatively small but significant were for neglected diseases, although the Kuehnel, Keller Williams Fairfax Gateway Of- number of children around the world. global burden of such diseases was estimated fice, and Lori Tagami. Youth Volunteer These diseases are not only debilitating for at 10.5 percent. Of these, only four were new Award—Natalie Hancher, Molly Sullivan, Char- their victims but are too often fatal when un- chemical creations, three of which were for lotte Lackey, Girl Scout Troop #1732, and treated. Such diseases largely impact poor malaria, but none for tuberculosis or neglected Rock Spring UCC YORS (Youth of Rock people in poor countries. They are not only tropical diseases. Spring). These individuals and organizations small in numbers, but they are unable to pay It is unprofitable for companies to create certainly deserve special recognition for their market prices for treatments and are unlikely treatments for diseases with few victims and dedication to Shelter House. However, we to lead social movements to force action on no certain way to recover research and devel- also must acknowledge the importance of all their diseases. That means that research on opment costs. Our heart goes out to those Shelter House volunteers, as well as the pri- detection, vaccines and drug treatment for who suffer from these neglected diseases, and vate sector and government partners who con- their ailments does not receive the priority that we want our government to speed up research stantly strive to better our community through diseases such as HIV/AIDS, often seen in and development in cooperation with univer- efforts to provide secure, structured environ- pandemic levels, are given. sities and private companies. However, re- ments, as well as indispensable support, for The World Health Organization has identi- search and development take time and effort families in need. fied 17 neglected tropical diseases or NTDs. and costs money that private companies can- Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me The list ranges from chagas to rabies to lep- not easily justify to their stockholders, includ- in expressing our sincere appreciation to Shel- rosy to dengue fever. However, there are oth- ing many of us, without incentives. We should ter House and its many volunteers and com- ers not on this list of 17 diseases that also re- consider such incentives and look at the sys- munity partners. Their selfless work benefits ceive less attention. These include such dis- tem in place to forge successful efforts to deal the entire Northern Virginia community and im- eases as polio and smallpox, which have with NTDs. proves the lives of many of our neighbors. largely been eliminated from the planet, and We had with us representatives from the fatal, fortunately rare NTDs such as kuru and National Institutes of Health, which was estab- f ebola. lished to understand, treat, and ultimately pre- COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNI- This hearing will consider the current U.S. vent the many infectious, immunologic and al- VERSARY OF THE LAKEWOOD government handling of these neglected dis- lergic diseases that threaten millions of human 4TH OF JULY PARADE eases to determine what more can or should lives. Their government partner in the system be done to address this situation. Current U.S. for developing solutions to the problem of HON. JEB HENSARLING law favors research on those diseases threat- NTDs and other diseases is the Food and OF TEXAS ening the American homeland, but in today’s Drug Administration, which, among other re- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES world, diseases can cross borders as easily as sponsibilities, is charged with protecting and those affected by them or the products im- promoting public health through the regulation Thursday, June 27, 2013 ported into the United States. For example, and supervision of prescription and over-the- Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, today I chagas is most prevalent in Latin America, but counter pharmaceutical medications, vaccines would like to commemorate the 50th anniver- it has been identified in patients in Texas, and and biopharmaceuticals. sary of the Lakewood 4th of July Parade. On cases of dengue fever have recently been re- Also joining us yesterday were representa- July 4, 1964, the Lakewood 4th of July Parade ported in Florida. We cannot afford to assume tives from a network specializing in providing consisted of two children riding their bikes that what may seem to be exotic diseases medicines at the lowest possible cost to those down the sidewalk on a block of Lakewood only happen to people in other countries. Ten suffering from NTDs, a major pharmaceutical Boulevard. From these humble beginnings, the years ago, West Nile Virus, another NTD, was company that develops new drugs for the parade has expanded to become an institution not seen in the United States or anywhere treatment of diseases rare and otherwise, and of the Lakewood neighborhood. else outside the East African nation of Ugan- a new organization seeking to extend the ben- For the past 50 years, the Lakewood 4th of da, but in less than a decade, it has spread efits of proven interventions to improve the July Parade has worked hard to promote a across this country and much of the rest of the lives of the poor in developing countries. If a sense of community for its residents. While world. Last year, 286 people died from West solution to the gap between existing research the parade has grown tremendously over the Nile Virus in the United States alone. As re- and development and successful strategies to VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:26 Jun 29, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K27JN8.021 E28JNPT1 tjames on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E1002 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 28, 2013 meet the challenges of NTDs is to be found, Miranda of Davenport, Florida, and Angel A TRIBUTE TO DENNIS P.

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