FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 06, 2005

CONTACT: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider 202-226-7616

Pelosi Urges United States Postal Service to Create Alzheimer’s Stamp

Washington, D.C.– House Democratic Leader  Nancy Pelosi submitted the following statement into the Congressional Record today in support of H.Res. 466, a bill recently introduced by Pelosi and Congressmen Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and John Boozman (R-AZ), that urges the United States Postal Service to create an Alzheimer’s postal stamp that would raise funds and awareness:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a bipartisan resolution urging the United States Postal Service to act on a pending petition for an Alzheimer’s Semi-Postal Stamp.  I am proud to have partnered with my colleagues, Representatives Ed Markey, Chris Smith, and John Boozman in introducing this legislation that encourages a long-overdue opportunity for the public to make an investment in the research that could find a cure to Alzheimer’s disease. 

“Nancy Reagan described the slow decline of her husband, President Reagan, to Alzheimer’s disease as ‘the long goodbye.’  Far too many Americans are enduring that same long goodbye today.  More than 4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, a number that is expected to triple within the next 50 years.  Nineteen million Americans are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s.   That is why I have fought so hard to increase federal funding for Alzheimer’s disease research. 

“Scientists around the world, including some of our best minds at the National Institutes of Health, believe we are on the verge of breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s detection, diagnosis, and prevention.  With an annual cost of more than $100 billion to care for people with Alzheimer’s, and an immeasurable amount of heartache, America must invest in hastening the day when Alzheimer’s disease is no longer – we cannot afford not to. 

“That is why we are encouraging the Postal Service to act now on an Alzheimer’s stamp.  Semi-postal stamps are authorized by Congress as a tool for the Postal Service to raise funds and awareness of worthy causes.  Tens of thousands of Americans, from across the country, have signed a petition of support for this stamp, yet its issue is still pending with the Postal Service after four years.  There is no more worthy cause today than a fight against Alzheimer’s disease, and time is of the essence.  By allowing the public to directly contribute to research funds through a postal stamp, we could be one step closer to a treatment, or even a cure. 

“I hope that my colleagues will join me to encourage the Postal Service to allow Americans to invest in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease through a semi-postal stamp.”

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi