Ocean Research and Exploration Enhancement Act of 2009

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the gentlewoman's amendment. I want to thank Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin for not only working with me but also other members of my conference, the Republican Conference, on important issues related to eye and retinal health. I appreciate her recognizing today as the 40th anniversary of the National Eye Institute, H. Res. 366. Also I appreciate her dedication to people that are suffering with retinal and eye diseases; and these visions issues that we speak about today, as a result of our support and the support of the National Eye Institute, make a difference to thousands of people who have these eye diseases in their families.

I am very proud of this resolution. Last Congress we, meaning Ms. Baldwin and I, joined together in support of National Glaucoma Day, and today we're here to recognize the 40th anniversary of the National Eye Institute and to express support for the designation of 2010 through 2020 as the Decade of Vision.

The National Eye Institute, also known as NEI, was established by Congress in 1968 to protect and prolong the vision of the American people. NEI research leads to sight-saving treatments, reduces visual impairment and blindness, and improves the quality of life of people of all ages.

Vision research has been supported through the NEI by over 600 research grants and training awards made to scientists at more than 250 medical centers, hospitals, universities, and other institutions across the country and around the world. With congressional and public support, the national investment in vision research has yielded substantial dividends to treat many potentially blinding eye diseases and visual disorders.

Vision impairment and eye disease is a major public health problem for the world to face. As you have heard, vision-related costs here in the United States approach $68 billion annually. There are some 38 million people in the United States over the age of 40 currently experiencing blindness, low vision, or age-related eye disease. This

number is estimated to increase to 50 million people by 2020.

NEI benefits children born with eye diseases and vision loss, as well as older citizens and everyone else that fits in between. NEI actively works to predict, prevent, and preempt aging eye disease and visual impairment thereby enabling more productive lives and reducing vision costs.

The National Eye Institute is the world leader in basic research with the National Institutes of Health's Human Genome Project to translate discoveries of genes related to eye disease and vision impairment which compromises one-quarter of genes, discovered to date, into diagnostic and treatment modalities.

The NEI has been a leader in collaborative research with so many private funding entities such as the human gene therapy trial with the Foundation Fighting Blindness, or this lead organization known as FFB, for individuals with Leber congenital amaurosis, a rapid retinal degeneration that blinds infants in their first year of life. This trial has demonstrated measurable visual improvement even with initial safety trials.

I am a big supporter of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the work that they have done in the past continues to carry out in our daily lives. This resolution recognizes the 40 years of service from the National Eye Institute and commends them for their leadership while supporting their mission to prevent blindness and save and restore vision.

Additionally, this resolution designates 2010 through 2020 as the ``Decade of Vision'' to maintain awareness in the next decade of public health challenges associated with vision impairment and eye disease, as well as to emphasize the need for prevention and early detection, access to treatment, and rehabilitation.

Lastly, we commend the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research for its efforts to expand awareness of the incidence and economic burden of eye diseases through this Decade of Vision initiative.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of supporting not only this 40th anniversary but also to say that the United States Congress has what I believe is a realistic opportunity to work with the National Institutes of Health to make sure that we continue to push the envelope for people who are in this country and around the world who are counting on research and development to cure blindness during this Decade of Vision. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution.

I thank the gentlewoman from Wisconsin for her concentrated and special support of blindness issues. I look forward to working with her.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 366) recognizing the 40th anniversary of the National Eye Institute (NEI) and expressing support for designation of 2010 through 2020 as the ``Decade of Vision''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

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

This resolution recognizes the 40th anniversary of the National Eye Institute within the National Institutes of Health and designates the years 2010 through 2020 as the Decade of Vision.

Eye disease is a significant public health problem. Those disproportionately affected by eye disease are our aging population, the African American and Hispanic communities, and those who suffer from chronic diseases, especially diabetes. The National Eye Institute estimates that eye disease and vision impairment currently cost the Nation $68 billion in health care costs, lost productivity, reduced independence, diminished quality of life, and accelerated mortality.

The NEI leads our Nation's efforts to prevent blindness and to save and restore vision. The NEI has been a leader in both basic and translational research. Its researchers have been able to associate one-quarter of all genes discovered to date with eye disease and vision impairment. The NEI has conducted more than 60 clinical trials that have resulted in treatments and therapies to save sight and, in some cases, actually reverse vision loss.

The National Eye Institute estimates that over the decade of 2010 to 2020, the number of individuals over age 40 who experience blindness, low vision or age-related eye disease, such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, will grow from today's level of 38 million cases to 50 million cases. As a result, the National Eye Institute's leadership, in directing vital vision research over the next decade, will be more important than ever.

I have been pleased to work on this resolution with my coauthor Mr. Sessions of Texas. He has been a terrific coauthor and has worked very hard with me to bring this matter to the floor and to the attention of this Congress. I commend this resolution to my colleagues.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield 3 minutes to a fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and a champion of vision issues, Mr. Green of Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I want to close by recognizing just a few of the champions of eye health and the warriors against eye disease from the district that I have the privilege of representing. And I know, like my coauthor, Congressman Sessions, we were drawn to this issue because of pioneering things that are happening in each of our respective districts.

Dr. Paul Kaufman is a leading eye researcher at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a major partner of the National Eye Institute. And I want to commend and recognize his groundbreaking research.

Also, a technology called BrainPort is being developed in my district by a company called Wicab with the support of National Eye Institute funding, and this technology is helping the blind to find new ways to process visual information. These sort-of breakthroughs are so exciting and really go back to the importance of celebrating the accomplishments to date and the future potential through the National Eye Institute with our support.

Again, I commend my colleagues' support of this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

I would like to thank my colleague, who is a diligent and hardworking member of our Energy and Commerce Committee, for sponsoring H.R. 366, celebrating the Decade of Vision and the National Eye Alliance's 40th anniversary.

As co-Chair of the Congressional Vision Caucus with a particular interest in vision health, I strongly support the National Eye Institute, which serves as the lead NIH institute that manages our Nation's commitment to save and restore vision.

NEI research has contributed to the development of several critical therapies and interventions that are helping to slow the progression of vision impairment. In some cases, these therapies are helping to restore sight for individuals who may otherwise have lost their vision. Treatments for diabetic retinopathy that were developed by NEI researchers save our health care system more than $1.6 billion annually. Other NEI-funded research is resulting in treatments and therapies that are slowing the progression of vision impairment; in some cases, vision loss is even restored.

Starting next year, the first wave of the 78 million baby boomers will begin turning 65 years old, an age of elevated risk for aging eye disease. Coupled with the disproportionate incidences of eye disease in the African American and Hispanic populations and the increased incidence of diabetic eye disease, the NEI will be challenged more than ever to fund basic and clinical research that results in treatment and therapies.

As demonstrated by its past history, I am confident that the NEI will rise to this challenge, and, of course, we in Congress must work to ensure that it is adequately funded so that it can continue its research that benefits the health--and vision health--of all Americans.