NEGLECTED INFECTIONS OF IMPOVERISHED AMERICANS ACT OF 2010

Floor Speech

* Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5986, the Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2010.

* H.R. 5986 would require HHS to submit a report to Congress on the current state of parasitic diseases that have been overlooked among the poorest Americans.

* A 2008 study by the George Washington University and Sabin Vaccine Institute identified high prevalence rates of parasitic infections in the poorest areas of the United States and along our border regions.

* Scientists estimate that there may be up to 100 million infections of the neglected diseases identified in our legislation including Chagas Disease, Cysticercosis, Toxocariasis, Toxoplasmosis, and Trichomoniasis and other neglected diseases of poverty in the United States.

* These diseases and other neglected diseases of poverty collectively infect up to 1.7 billion people around the world, but they disproportionately affect minority and impoverished populations across the United States, producing effects ranging from asymptomatic infection to asthma-like symptoms, seizures, and death.

* This study is especially important because these neglected diseases receive less financial support than they deserve. A mere $231,730 of research funding was allocated by NIH since 1995.

* This discrepancy in funding is known as the ``10/90 gap''; a mere 10 percent of global health research funding is directed towards diseases affecting 90 percent of the global population.

* The Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2010 would provide an up-to-date evaluation of the current dearth of knowledge regarding the epidemiology of these diseases and the socioeconomic, health and development impact they have on our society.

* I'd like to thank Rep. Hank Johnson and Rep. Gingrey for their efforts on this legislation. This will mark the second time we've passed this legislation out of the House and I'm hopeful we can swiftly move it through the Senate.

* I'd also like to thank Chairman Waxman, Chairman Pallone, and Ranking Member Barton for their efforts on this bipartisan legislation.

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