BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act of 2024

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my good friend from Iowa for yielding. I also appreciate her leadership on this issue. So many of the bills we are debating and talking about tonight under her leadership are complementing and bringing in her medical expertise to the Energy and Commerce Committee, particularly the Health Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in support of my bill, H.R. 7218, the Building Our Largest Dementia, or BOLD, Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act of 2024.

Nearly 7 million Americans aged 65 and older are currently living with Alzheimer's. I know my good friend from Iowa said her mother has dementia. I just lost my mother-in-law almost a year ago to Alzheimer's.

By 2050, this number is projected to rise to 12.7 million. This means that over 10 percent of people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer's. Sadly, one in

three seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia.

The cost of this disease is tremendous, particularly in the human costs of what it does to families, what it does to the person suffering with Alzheimer's, the families' emotions, the exhaustion of dealing with this very emotional and difficult disease.

It is also tremendously costly, with long-term healthcare costs projected to reach $360 billion in 2024 and nearly $1 trillion in 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act would enable continued research into Alzheimer's disease, invest in caregiver support services, including more hands-on educational resources for those caregiving for their loved ones, and help support local efforts to detect and diagnose Alzheimer's disease sooner, especially for those in rural and medically underserved communities.

The more we know about this disease, the sooner we will be able to appropriately treat it, giving patients more precious time with their loved ones and easing the significant caregiver burdens associated with Alzheimer's and related dementias.

I look forward to continued progress in ushering in a new era of innovation. I appreciate the bipartisan action that the Energy and Commerce Committee has taken on this bill, and I appreciate everybody working together.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to continue to show bipartisan action by supporting the underlying bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7218, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, sponsored by Health Subcommittee Chairman Guthrie and Representative Tonko.

This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize funding for State and local programs that support their public health efforts to address Alzheimer's dementia in their communities.

Approximately 6.9 million Americans ages 65 or older are living with Alzheimer's dementia. Given the impact Alzheimer's has on those suffering from the disease and their families, it is critical we reauthorize funding for the BOLD Act to continue efforts to address this disease.

In 2018, the original BOLD Act was signed into law, which directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to build an Alzheimer's public health infrastructure to address the disease across the country. Since then, State and local public health departments have been able to build out Alzheimer's programs that focus on increasing early detection and diagnosis, risk reduction, prevention of avoidable hospitalizations, and supporting caregiving for dementia.

Now, thanks to the BOLD Act, our Nation has made significant strides in strengthening our Alzheimer's public health infrastructure. By passing this bill, we make a commitment to continue our progress in addressing Alzheimer's dementia.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to reauthorize funding for the BOLD Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is a bill that is very important. We know how important it is to address Alzheimer's, so I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7218) to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to extend the program for promotion of public health knowledge and awareness of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and for other purposes.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7218, the Building Our Largest Dementia, or BOLD, Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act of 2024, led by Representative Brett Guthrie.

Nearly 7 million Americans, including my mother, aged 65 and older are currently living with Alzheimer's. By 2050, this number is projected to rise to 12.7 million. This means that over 10 percent of people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer's. Sadly, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another type of dementia.

The cost of this disease is also tremendous, with health and long- term care costs projected to reach $360 billion in 2024. The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization would continue to support and strengthen programs and strategies to promote brain health and improve outcomes for individuals living with Alzheimer's and related dementias and their caregivers.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7218, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act of 2024.

As my colleagues have pointed out, this legislation reauthorizes programs to drive early screening and detection as well as research initiatives to help identify treatments and cures for Alzheimer's disease through 2029.

Alzheimer's is a cruel disease that attacks a person's quality of life. As a pharmacist, I saw firsthand the impact Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia have on patients, families, caregivers, and society overall.

People living with Alzheimer's lose their memories, their independence, their relationships, and, ultimately, their lives.

Beyond the patients, caregivers and loved ones endure immense emotional and financial difficulties.

With nearly 7 million Americans suffering with Alzheimer's, there is a critical need for Federal resources to prevent, treat, and ultimately find a cure for this devastating disease.

I am optimistic that the tide can be reversed. We now have FDA- approved treatments to slow disease progression, and I think we all can agree that we look forward to the day the world has its first survivor of Alzheimer's.

Mr. Speaker, while great progress has been made and new therapies are advancing to help patients and caregivers, we cannot let up the fight.

In honor of those who have battled and continue to battle this disease, let's continue to work together to raise awareness and pass this bill.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 7218, which was received from the House and is at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time.

I know of no further debate on the bill.

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.