WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the House of Representatives passed a resolution by Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), founder of the Congressional Cystic Fibrosis Caucus, to express Congressional support for the need to cure Cystic Fibrosis - this dreadful, cruel disease - and bring hope to people living with CF and their loved ones.

Rep. Markey's prepared floor statement on “H Con Res 299, A Resolution Supporting the goals and ideals of National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month” follows:

"Thank you Mr/Ms. Speaker, and let me begin by expressing my appreciation to Chairman Dingell, Ranking Member Barton, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Deal for their support of this important resolution.  I also want to extend a special thank you to my friend and co-founder of the Congressional Cystic Fibrosis Caucus, Mr. Stearns.  Thank you for your commitment to this issue.

The resolution before us today is intended to highlight the importance of beating this dreadful, cruel disease and bring hope to people with Cystic Fibrosis and their loved ones.

Approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States have Cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic lung disease for which there is no cure. In my home state of Massachusetts, 800 families are affected by this horrible disease.

That’s a lot of moms who wake up at 5:00 in the morning so they can pound on their child’s chest to clear the abnormally thick, sticky mucus that makes breathing difficult.  That’s a lot of children who cough and wheeze and are at constant risk for life-threatening lung infections.  That’s a lot of dads who want their child to have a healthy life, but have to worry about the unpleasant alternative of a shortened life expectancy marked by frequent admissions to the hospital.

This resolution is about supporting these families and providing them with hope for a better future.

Significant improvements have been made in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.  Fifty years ago, many children with CF did not live past 10 years old.  Today, the life expectancy is 37 years.  Much of these achievements are due to the hard work and dedication of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Yet, we still have a long way to go to provide people with CF with a normal and healthy life. It is time for Congress to become more involved in the pursuit of a cure. We need to make a greater investment in research and make a stronger commitment to the people with CF, their families and caretakers. 

The cystic fibrosis community has ensured that we understand the unique challenges that face people withcystic fibrosis; With this Resolution, we express our support for the mission to find a cure or more control over this disease."