National Diabetes Month

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend very much for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Ms. Shontel Brown, for leading this effort. I also thank my dear friends and colleagues, Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Representative Jonathan Jackson for leading this Special Order hour on such an important and timely issue, one that impacts our community more than almost any other health matter.

Today, we are here to talk about a pressing matter, one that requires our collective efforts--National Diabetes Month.

Diabetes, an epidemic gripping the United States, resonates with me personally. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 34 million Americans face the consequences of diabetes, and Louisiana is not exempt from the staggering reality.

In Louisiana alone, approximately 500,000 residents have been diagnosed with diabetes. Shockingly, an additional 113,000 individuals are unaware of their condition, heightening their high risks. Moreover, a significant portion of Louisiana's adult population grapples with prediabetes, teetering on the edge of a diagnosis that could alter their lives forever.

The burden of diabetes is not just physical, but also economic. Each year, an estimated 30,000 Louisianians receive a diabetes diagnosis resulting in a financial toll of $5.7 billion for my State. These costs encompass not only medical expenses, but also additional complications that can arise, including heart disease, stroke, amputation, end-stage kidney disease, blindness, and, tragically, death.

The impact of diabetes disproportionately affects communities of color. Black Americans are 60 percent more likely than White Americans to be diagnosed with diabetes and are twice as likely to die from this dreaded disease. It is abundantly clear that the systemic racism is intensifying this crisis in the United States. We must ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable healthcare.

In the face of this dire situation, there is hope. Last Congress, House Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which caps monthly insulin costs at $35 for 54,000 Louisianians covered under Medicare. I was proud to vote for and in support of this life-changing measure that is cutting costs for the people. This is a crucial step toward improving lives, preventing diabetes, and ultimately finding a cure.

However, our responsibility does not end here. As a Member of Congress, it is our duty to raise awareness, support prevention efforts, and stand united against this threat. Let's use this National Diabetes Month as a rallying point to spread awareness and make a meaningful impact on the lives of those affected by diabetes around our country, not just for Democrats, not for Republicans, but for people, for humans, for people that breathe the air that we breathe, and for people that live in the communities that we live.

This is, indeed, a bipartisan issue, one that does not see color, race, or any other distinction other than a community that desperately needs our leadership to live, to survive, and to thrive.

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