Congressman Thomas J. Rooney

Representing the 17th District of Florida

Congressional Lupus Caucus

What Is Lupus?

  • 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.

Lupus Caucus Members

 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. 

  • Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX)
  • Rep. Sanford Bishop (R-UT)
  • Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)
  • Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
  • Del. Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU)
  • Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD)
  • Rep. Cheri Bustons (D-IL)
  • Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)
  • Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
  • Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA)
  • Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA)
  • Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL)
  • Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
  • Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
  • Rep. John J. Duncan, JR. (R-TN)
  • Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN)
  • Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)
  • Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT)
  • Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL)
  • Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
  • Rep. Denny Heck (D-WA)
  • Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
  • Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) 
  • Rep. Pramila Japayal (D-WA)
  • Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS)
  • Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
  • Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA)
  • Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA)
  • Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA)
  • Rep. Pete King (R-NY)
  • Rep. Steve Knight (R-CA)
  • 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. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
  • Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY)
  • Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
  • Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ)
  • Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL)
  • Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL)
  • Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
  • Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL)
  • Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
  • Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY)
  • Rep. David Scott (D-GA)
  • Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)
  • Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
  • Rep. Darren Soto (R-FL)
  • Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH)
  • Rep. David Valadeo (R-CA)
  • Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO)
  • Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR)
  • Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)
  • Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
  • Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA)
  • Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
  • Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY)
  • Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS)
  • Rep. David Young (R-IA)

*Caucus co-chairs are indicated in bold 

Resources

Contact

Congessman Tom Rooney
Staff: Sam Kuebler
(202) 225-5792
Sam.Kuebler@mail.house.gov

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Congressional Lupus Caucus