Expressing support for the designation of May 7 each year as "Brain Donation Awareness Day".

IV 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 361 Expressing support for the designation of May 7 each year as ‘‘Brain Donation Awareness Day’’. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 5, 2023 Mr. BLUMENAUER (for himself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. DELBENE, and Mr. BACON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of May 7 each year as ‘‘Brain Donation Awareness Day’’. Whereas hundreds of millions of Americans are currently liv- ing with disabling and debilitating brain disorders; Whereas an additional 1,200,000 people aged 18 years and older are diagnosed annually with adult onset brain dis- ease or disorders in the United States; Whereas neurological conditions impact Americans of all ages, but the risk of neurodegenerative diseases increases dramatically with age; Whereas the number of older Americans is growing rapidly, and more people will be affected by neurodegenerative diseases in coming decades; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR361.IH HR361 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HRES 361 IH Whereas brain disease has a tremendous impact on individ- uals, families, and society; Whereas there is a critical need to improve the understanding of what causes neurological diseases, including neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental, and psychiatric disorders, to develop new approaches for prevention and treatment; Whereas, in 2022, 6,500,000 Americans were estimated to be living with Alzheimer’s disease; Whereas an estimated 1,200,000 people in the United States could be living with Parkinson’s disease by 2030; Whereas about 1 in 6 children in the United States has 1 or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays; Whereas serious mental illness is rising, with over 58,000,000 Americans experiencing a mental illness in 2021; Whereas 46,300,000 people aged 12 or older in the United States reported having substance use disorder in 2021; Whereas the underlying causes of most neurological condi- tions remain largely unknown due to the vast complexity of the human brain; Whereas through research, the underlying causes of a greater number of neurological conditions can be understood; Whereas the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) support research on new ways to treat, cure, and prevent neurological condi- tions; Whereas the Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research of the FDA testified before Congress in 2021 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR361.IH HR361 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HRES 361 IH that the field of neuroscience requires more research to develop new, safe, and effective treatments; Whereas the NIH and institutes within the NIH launched the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative in 2013 and con- tinue to partner with a number of Federal agencies and private sector partners on the BRAIN Initiative; Whereas the NIH-funded NeuroBioBank was established in September 2013 as a national resource for investigators utilizing human post mortem brain tissue and related bio- specimens for their research to understand conditions of the nervous system; Whereas post mortem brain tissue is an irreplaceable re- source in brain research; Whereas there is a critical need to increase the availability of human diseased and control brains and related bio- specimens; Whereas one brain can provide tissue for dozens, even hun- dreds, of neurological studies; Whereas communities of color and poverty are underrep- resented and understudied in neurological research; Whereas through awareness, the public can be educated on how brain donation for neuroscience research is not a routine part of organ donation or anatomical body dona- tion; Whereas racial and ethnic minorities account for nearly 40 percent of the United States population and their rates of inclusion in clinical trials range from 2 to 16 percent; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR361.IH HR361 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HRES 361 IH Whereas disparities in health status are associated with dif- ferences in socioeconomic status, whether measured by income, educational achievement, or occupation; Whereas minority and low-income communities are dispropor- tionately impacted by neurological conditions; Whereas only 4 percent of all neurological disorder research contained in the genome-wide association studies data- base of the National Human Genome Research Institute includes minority participants; Whereas racial and socioeconomic diversity is paramount among brain donors so that research can investigate how and why neurological diseases and disorders dispropor- tionately affect minority and low-income communities; Whereas the Brain Donor Project and the American Brain Coalition sponsor ‘‘Brain Donation Awareness Day’’ in the United States and partner with many other organiza- tions to increase public awareness of neurological condi- tions and the importance of brain research; and Whereas ‘‘Brain Donation Awareness Day’’ is expected to be observed in the United States for years to come, pro- viding hope and information for patients, caregivers, and families around the country: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘Brain Dona- 2 tion Awareness Day’’; and 3 (2) recognizes the importance of, with respect 4 to neurological conditions and disorders— 5 (A) improving awareness; 6 (B) research; 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR361.IH HR361 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •HRES 361 IH (C) supporting national efforts to develop 1 effective treatments, diagnostics, and cures; 2 (D) supporting national efforts to address 3 the urgent need for post mortem brain tissue, 4 both control and diseased; and 5 (E) educating on the importance of brain 6 donation to support national research efforts. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR361.IH HR361 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB