Supporting the goals and ideals of National Celiac Awareness Month, and for other purposes.

Whereas celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, is a genetic autoimmune disease that affects 1 of every 133 people in the United States;

Whereas research indicates that there are approximately 2,500,000 people with celiac disease in the United States, yet only approximately 80,000 of those have been diagnosed;

Whereas approximately 1 in 22 first-degree relatives of people diagnosed with celiac disease will also be diagnosed with celiac disease;

Whereas the average time frame for diagnosing celiac disease in the United States is 11 years from the original onset of symptoms;

Whereas celiac disease affects equal percentages of men and women;

Whereas celiac disease may have severe and varied detrimental effects on the body, and the health care costs associated with celiac disease are unknown;

Whereas people with celiac disease tend to have other autoimmune diseases as well;

Whereas the only known treatment for celiac disease is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet;

Whereas the NIH Consensus Development Conference on Celiac Disease held in June 2004 found that consultation with a skilled dietitian and identification and treatment of nutritional deficiencies were key elements in the management of celiac disease;

Whereas the consensus panel on celiac disease recommended the standardization of serologic tests and pathologic criteria for the diagnosis of celiac disease, the adoption of a standard definition of a gluten-free diet based on objective evidence such as that being developed by the American Dietetic Association, and the development of an adequate testing procedure to determine the amount of gluten in foods and of a definition of standards for gluten-free foods in the United States to lay the foundation for rational food labeling;

Whereas increased recognition and awareness of celiac disease will have a significant positive impact on the quality of life of people with celiac disease;

Whereas the Celiac Disease Foundation has designated May as National Celiac Awareness Month; and

Whereas the Association of European Celiac Societies has designated May 19 through 25 as International Celiac Awareness Week: Now, therefore, be it