PRINTER'S NO. 1770
No. 277 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY McGILL, ARGALL, BAKER, BALDWIN, BEBKO-JONES,
BENNINGHOFF, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, CAWLEY, CLYMER,
CORRIGAN, COSTA, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DALEY, DALLY,
DENLINGER, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, FABRIZIO,
FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FORCIER, FREEMAN, GABIG, GEORGE,
GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HERSHEY, HESS,
W. KELLER, KENNEY, KOTIK, LaGROTTA, LEDERER, LEH, MAJOR,
MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McILHATTAN, MICOZZIE, S. MILLER, MUSTIO,
PALLONE, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PISTELLA, READSHAW,
REICHLEY, ROHRER, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO,
SHANER, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STERN, TANGRETTI,
E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TRUE AND WATSON, MAY 2, 2005
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 2, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the month of May 2005 as "Amyotrophic Lateral
2 Sclerosis Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania and urging the
3 President and Congress of the United States to enact
4 legislation to provide additional funding for research in
5 order to find a treatment and a cure for ALS.
6 WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is better known
7 as Lou Gehrig's disease; and
8 WHEREAS, ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease
9 characterized by degeneration of cell bodies of the lower motor
10 neurons in the gray matter of the anterior horns of the spinal
11 cord; and
12 WHEREAS, The initial symptom of ALS is weakness of the
13 skeletal muscles, especially those of the extremities; and
14 WHEREAS, As ALS progresses, the patient experiences
1 difficulty in swallowing, talking and breathing; and
2 WHEREAS, ALS eventually causes muscles to atrophy, and the
3 patient becomes a functional quadriplegic; and
4 WHEREAS, ALS does not affect a patient's mental capacity, so
5 a patient remains alert and aware of the loss of motor functions
6 and the inevitable outcome of continued deterioration and death;
7 and
8 WHEREAS, ALS occurs in adulthood, most commonly between the
9 ages of 40 and 70, with the peak age about 55, and affects men
10 two to three times more often than women; and
11 WHEREAS, More than 5,600 new ALS patients are diagnosed
12 annually; and
13 WHEREAS, It is estimated that 30,000 Americans may have ALS
14 at any given time; and
15 WHEREAS, On average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive two
16 to five years from the time of diagnosis; and
17 WHEREAS, ALS has no known cause, prevention or cure; and
18 WHEREAS, "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness
19 Month" will increase public awareness of ALS patients'
20 circumstances, acknowledge the terrible impact this disease has
21 on patients and families and recognize the research for
22 treatment and cure of ALS; therefore be it
23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
24 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognize the month of May 2005 as
25 "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness Month" in
26 Pennsylvania; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
28 President and Congress of the United States to enact legislation
29 to provide additional funding for ALS research; and be it
30 further
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1 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
2 the President of the United States, to the Vice President of the
3 United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
4 to the members of Congress from Pennsylvania and to the United
5 States Secretary of Health and Human Services.
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