Congressional Lupus Caucus
Caucus Co-Chairs
- Representative Thomas J. Rooney (R-FL)
- Representative Bill Keating (D-MA)
- Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
- Representative Eddie Bernice-Johnson (D-TX)
The Congressional Lupus Caucus was established to provide a forum for members of Congress and their staff to actively engage in a dialogue to improve the quality of life for people with lupus and their caregivers through supporting the advancement of lupus research and increasing awareness of lupus among the public and health professionals.
Caucus Members
- Del. Madelein Bordallo (D-GU)
- Rep. Cheri Bustons (D-IL)
- Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)
- Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA)
- Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA)
- Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL)
- Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
- Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)
- Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT)
- Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL)
- Rep. Denny Heck (D-WA)
- Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
- Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA)
- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
- Rep. William Keating (D-MA)
- Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
- Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI)
- Rep. John Lewis (D-GA)
- Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA)
- Rep. David Loebsack (D-IA)
- Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
- Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY)
- Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY)
- Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
- Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ)
- Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
- Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
- Rep. David Scott (D-GA)
- Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
- Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
- Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
- Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY)
- Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX)
- Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)
- Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
- Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
- Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA)
- Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL)
- Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA)
- Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)
- Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)
- Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS)
- Rep. David Jolly (R-FL)
- Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
- Rep. Steve Knight (R-CA)
- Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
- Rep. Joseph R. "Joe" Pitts (R-PA)
- Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL)
- Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL)
- Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL)
- Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
- Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH)
- Rep. David Valadeo (R-CA)
- Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR)
- Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA)
- Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
- Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS)
- Rep. David Young (R-IA)
Resources
- Lupus Foundation of America
- Lupus Research Institute
- Alliance for Lupus Research
- Lupus Foundation of Northern California
- S.L.E. Lupus Foundation
- Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc.
Facts and Figures
- Definition - Lupus is an acute and chronic (lifelong) autoimmune disease in which the immune system is unbalanced, causing inflammation and tissue damage to virtually any organ system in the body.
- Lupus can affect any part of the body, including the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys, and brain. No organ is spared. The disease can cause seizures, strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages, and organ failure.
- An estimated 1.5 million Americans have a form of lupus.
- 80% of new cases are diagnosed in women between ages of 15 and 44 – striking people in their prime.
- 90% of people with lupus are women and yet 80% of women know little or nothing about lupus.
- Lupus is two to three times more common among African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Americans.
- An accurate diagnosis of lupus can take as long as four or more years and visits to three or more physicians.
- Lupus annually costs the nation an estimated $31.4 billion in direct and indirect expenditures.
Contact
Congessman Tom Rooney
Staff: Andrew Callahan
(202) 225-5792
Andrew.Callahan@mail.house.gov
Congressman Bill Keating
Staff: Sonya Spery
(202) 225-3111
Sonya.Spery@mail.house.gov