Skip to main content

Congresswoman Waters Recognizes World Alzheimer's Day

September 23, 2010

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), a leading proponent of legislation to increase funding and research to combat Alzheimer's disease and help those affected by the disease, issued the following statement in recognition of World Alzheimer's Day:

"I join the millions of patients, family members and caregivers worldwide who are impacted by Alzheimer's disease in recognizing today as World Alzheimer's Day. I would especially like to recognize the Alzheimer's Association's delivery of a petition with over 100,000 signatures to Capitol Hill today, urging lawmakers to make the disease a national priority. I join them in asking my colleagues to do more, especially given the recent news that health care costs associated with Alzheimer's and dementia will top $600 billion worldwide this year.

"Last year, the House passed my bill, H.R. 908, which reauthorizes, updates and expands the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program, a Department of Justice program that helps local communities and law enforcement quickly identify persons with Alzheimer's disease who wander away or are missing and reunite them with their families. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill this summer, and I urge the full Senate to take up and pass H.R. 908 immediately.

"I also authored H.R. 4123, the Alzheimer's Treatment and Caregiver Support Act.  This bill would authorize grants to improve treatment for Alzheimer's patients and expand training and support services for their families and caregivers.  This bill has 79 bipartisan cosponsors and is supported by nearly 100 national, state and local organizations.

"Alzheimer's already impacts over 5 million Americans.  Clearly, it is a widespread and serious health concern for our nation and especially among minority communities.  African Americans and Hispanic Americans are 2 times as likely and 1.5 times as likely, respectively, compared to Whites, to develop the disease.  We must combat Alzheimer's with a strong approach combining increased funding, education, treatment, support for caregivers and research for an eventual cure."

###

To read more about Congresswoman Waters' work on Alzheimer's disease, click here.

Issues:Alzheimer's