Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2010

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.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill H.R. 5986, the Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2010. This bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the epidemiology of, impact of, and appropriate funding required to address neglected diseases of poverty, including neglected parasitic diseases such as Chagas disease, cysticercosis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, the soil- transmitted helminths, and other related diseases. The bill requires the report to provide the information necessary to guide future health policy to accurately evaluate the current state of knowledge concerning these diseases and define gaps in such knowledge and address the threat of these diseases.

Mr. Speaker, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), neglected infections of poverty are a group of parasitic, bacterial, and viral infections that disproportionately affect impoverished groups, cause illness in a significant number of people, and receive limited attention in tracking, prevention, and treatment. A CDC fact sheet on Neglected Infections of Poverty states that improved tracking and research would help combat these diseases.

Neglected infections of poverty are associated with communities with contaminated playgrounds or other public spaces and lack of access to the health care system. This bill will help public health officials understand where these illnesses are and how many Americans are infected so that we can begin to deal with the negative health outcomes associated with these infections.

I support our efforts to fight neglected infections abroad and it is time that we begin to fight these infections here at home.

This bill has bipartisan support because we can all agree that better information is necessary to understand the threat of these diseases and guide future health policy.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

H.R. 5986, the Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2010, would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue a report on neglected diseases of poverty, including parasitic diseases. Researchers have suggested that poor citizens are affected by infections, including those caused by parasites. Under the bill, the Health and Human Services Department must conduct a study within 12 months on the epidemiology and impact of neglected parasitic infections associated with poverty. The report would provide the information to guide future health policy so we can accurately evaluate the current state of knowledge concerning such diseases and define gaps in the knowledge so that we can properly address the threat of such illnesses. It's a worthwhile endeavor. It's been significantly modified by the committee process, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5986) to require the submission of a report to the Congress on parasitic disease among poor Americans.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5986, the Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2010. This bill requires a report that will help CDC and Congress to determine the best and most effective next steps for addressing neglected infections of poverty in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.