Sickle Cell Anemia

Floor Speech

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Ms. ADAMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss a topic near and dear to my heart: sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell is an inherited blood disease where red blood cells are abnormally shaped, making it hard to deliver oxygen throughout the body, often causing extreme pain, damaging vital organs, and possible stroke.

I have seen these effects firsthand. My sister died from sickle cell just 2 weeks before her 27th birthday. I will never forget the many night trips to the emergency room to get care for her, since we didn't have health insurance.

Back then we didn't know much about sickle cell disease. Today medical treatment and research for sickle cell has evolved. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more people now have health insurance, but we must still support Federal efforts to fund additional research and treatment opportunities.

That is why I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 1807, the Sickle Cell Research Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act, which supports funding for advanced medical treatment and research.

My colleagues, please join me in recognizing September as Sickle Cell Awareness Month by supporting legislation to treat this disease and by keeping our government running so critical sickle cell research and treatment can continue at the National Institutes of Health.

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