Statement of the Honorable Lois Capps

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind my colleagues that May is Stroke Awareness Month.

Throughout the month, we recognize the millions of Americans struggling with the effects stroke and recommit ourselves to helping them.

We should also acknowledge the efforts of organizations like the American Stroke Association, which help all of us prevent and treat stroke.

On average, every 45 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke, and someone dies from stroke every 3 minutes.

Representative Pickering and I introduced the Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Stroke Act, HR 898, which has the support of 132 of our colleagues. 

This legislation will increase awareness and provide critical resources to implement stroke care systems.

This legislation will help ensure that patients recognize the symptoms of stroke and treat it as a medical emergency.

We want to ensure that hospitals and other health care providers provide timely, lifesaving treatment that reduces disability from stroke and the need for extensive rehabilitation.

I urge my colleagues to support this and other efforts to address the scourge of stroke.

Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.