Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson's Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Tonko for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson's Act.

More than 1 million people in the U.S. live with Parkinson's disease. Without a cure, this number will only continue to grow. Every 6 minutes, someone is diagnosed with Parkinson's, and their life changes forever.

This diagnosis is devastating to patients and their loved ones who deal with the physical, emotional, and financial toll of this disease. I know this and its impacts firsthand. As a teenager, I watched my father battle Parkinson's for the last 10 years of his life.

I also recognize and thank our colleague, Jennifer Wexton, who earlier this year shared that she was diagnosed with a form of atypical parkinsonism, PSP, and she has shared her story and has been an advocate to make sure that the bill got to where it is today.

The National Plan to End Parkinson's Act, the first-ever legislation solely dedicated to ending Parkinson's disease, is sorely needed.

This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to lead a national project to prevent and cure Parkinson's. Our fight against this heartbreaking disease is nowhere near done, but we have the tools to start.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and to support this bill.

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