Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Brain Tumor Awareness Month, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1124) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Brain Tumor Awareness Month, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to express my gratitude to Chairman Dingell for his support in bringing this resolution to the floor today. I want to also thank Congressman Roskam for his support and cosponsorship of this resolution.

For me, the heart and soul behind the effort to establish a Brain Tumor

Awareness Month has been the Lori Arquilla Andersen Foundation, which is in my home district in Illinois.

Many of us have been touched by cancer, my family included. But when Linda Magiera lost her precious daughter, Lori, to brain cancer in 2005, she made sure to continue her daughter's passion for life and desire to help others by creating the Lori Arquilla Andersen Foundation in her name.

Lori was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme stage 4 brain cancer, one of the most deadly, at the age of 33, just 3 months after her wedding. She passed away 22 months to the day after her first of five surgeries.

I am told by those who knew her that Lori was always upbeat, positive, courageous, and smiling. The Lori Arquilla Andersen Foundation has exemplified that energy over the past years. They have made important strides in increasing awareness and raising funds for brain tumor research, but they are also responsible for bringing the issues that are important to the brain tumor community as well as this resolution to my attention.

While the Andersen Foundation has managed to put a face on these issues for me, the larger brain tumor community has also done incredible work over the past decade. They have worked tirelessly to support people with brain tumors and their families, raise awareness of the disease and its effects, and to attain resolutions from governors, State legislators, city councils, and mayors in support of establishing a Brain Tumor Awareness Month in May. Today, we take one giant step forward in advancing their cause. And it won't be a moment too soon.

Over 44,500 people in the United States are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in the brain or spine each year; and among children, brain tumors are the second most common cancer and comprise approximately 25 percent of all pediatric cancers. Although less prevalent than other cancers such as lung, breast, or prostate cancer, brain tumors are in no way trivial for those who have them. Because they are located in the ``control center,'' the thought, memory, emotion, sensation, and movement, brain tumors have serious and at times devastating effects on the lives of patients and their families. Brain tumors can change an individual's personality, their ability to communicate, and their ability to walk or see.

Unfortunately, with over 126 different kinds of primary brain tumors, the development of effective treatments is uncommonly complicated.

The 5-year survival rate following the diagnosis of a primary malignant brain tumor is about 30 percent. However, the average survival rate for patients with glioblastomas is less than 5 percent, and most survive for only 6 to 12 months. We must continue to work towards finding a cure for this terrible disease.

Strong support for ongoing research is the answer, and increased awareness is the first step in getting there. I'm so pleased to be making progress on this resolution today. And with the recent Race For Hope which was held on Sunday, March 4, here in Washington, DC, and raised $1.62 million for brain tumor research, it is certainly timely.

Again, I want to thank Chairman Dingell and his staff for their hard work in bringing this resolution to the floor.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for his support. It seems that we have something in common. My daughter-in-law passed away from a secondary brain tumor as well, so I appreciate the special meaning that this has for you personally, and for your support for this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois, Ms. Schakowsky, for her leadership on this issue and for bringing this bill to the floor.

I rise today to support the passage of H. Res. 1124, calling for the establishment of a National Brain Tumor Awareness Month.

Each year, more than 190,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with over 120 different types of brain tumors, representing the third leading cause of cancer-related death among those aged 20-39. However, since brain tumors are not as prevalent as breast, lung and other types of cancers, this devastating disease often doesn't get the attention and research dollars it deserves.

That's why I was so impressed when Linda Magiera of Des Plaines, IL, came to Congresswoman Schakowsky and me last year to bravely share the story of her daughter, Lori Arquilla Anderson's struggle with brain cancer. Each day Lori brought her good humor, cheerfulness and love of life to her battle with brain cancer, and remained a model for us all until the very end.

Linda's strength and compassion in not only fighting day by day alongside her daughter, but also in ultimately turning this tragedy into a blessing for others, is an inspiration.

I was similarly struck by the story of a young man from my Congressional District, Reid Colliander, who has worked so hard to turn his experience with a brain tumor into an opportunity to raise awareness, support research, and help others.

After being diagnosed and treated for a brain tumor at age 7, Reid started Reid's Lemon-AID stand with a group of his friends. Last year, they raised $45,000 for the Brain Tumor Research Center at Children's Memorial Hospital. This year, they are well on their way to raising even more.

The work Linda Magiera, Reid Colliander and dozens of outstanding local and national advocacy groups are doing to raise awareness and support research for understanding and treating brain tumors brings hope and new energy to the families and individuals affected by this disease.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, please join me in recognizing the individuals leading these effort to eradicate brain tumors and resolving to renew our commitment and redouble our efforts in the battle with this devastating disease.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H. Res. 1124, acknowledging the month of May as an appropriate month to celebrate National Brain Tumor Awareness Month. I'd like to commend the North American Brain Tumor Coalition for its work and efforts in establishing Brain Tumor Action Week in the beginning of May each year.

In the United States, Mr. Speaker, more than 190,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumors each year. Of those 190,000 Americans diagnosed, 40,000 cases are primary tumors, and the remaining 150,000 cases are secondary tumors, where cancer has spread from another part of the body.

My mother suffered and passed away 11 years ago from a secondary brain tumor that began as lung cancer. The pain and the anguish she suffered, the convulsions, despite a major surgical procedure and anticonvulsant drugs like dilantin, were absolutely heartbreaking.

Anything and everything we can do to mitigate brain tumors must be done. Thus, I'd like to applaud the efforts and advocacy for brain tumor awareness by the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation, the American Brain Tumor Association, the Brain Tumor Society and the National Brain Tumor Foundation, the Brain Tumor Action Network and the many other groups valuable contributions to combating these brain tumors.

I would especially like to thank the author of the resolution, Ms. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, for her leadership in raising brain tumor awareness and commending the efforts of those groups who have helped educate Americans about the symptoms and the warning signs.

I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.