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Guthrie, Tonko, and Colleagues Re-Introduce Crucial Alzheimer’s Bill

Washington, D.C. , February 5, 2024 | DJ Griffin (202-225-3501)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), who serves as the Chair of the Health Subcommittee on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20), and their House colleagues re-introduced the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act that is set to expire this year. Following the bill’s introduction Congressman Guthrie and Tonko released the following statements:

“Alzheimer’s and related dementias affect nearly every family and it is clear that more work needs to be done.  The BOLD Act will reauthorize programming to help drive breakthrough research, early screening and detection, as well as provide educational resources to patients and their families. I am proud to be leading the reauthorization effort alongside Congressman Tonko and I encourage my colleagues to support this crucial legislation,” said Congressman Guthrie. 

“Ever since my first days in Congress, I’ve pushed for strong action to support those living with Alzheimer’s by driving public health research, early detection infrastructure, and support for caregivers,” Congressman Tonko said. “Our legislation takes that needed action to help families across the country dealing with Alzheimer’s. I’m proud to join my colleagues to support the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act and make a real difference in the lives of the millions of Americans who are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and the millions more who love and care for them.”

 

Background

  •  The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act was first passed into law in 2018 and was signed by President Trump in 2019. This created a public health infrastructure to support prevention, treatment, and care for patients with Alzheimer’s and related neurological diseases.
  • Specifically, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act will:

o   Continue to build an Alzheimer’s and related dementias network by establishing Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Public Health Centers of Excellence and awarding cooperative agreements to public health departments, which will help the Centers and state, local and tribal public health departments develop and carry out Alzheimer’s interventions. This crucial support will help the Centers and public health departments across the country strengthen their efforts aimed at increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk, and preventing unnecessary hospitalizations of people living with Alzheimer's and related dementias.

o   Require robust data analysis and reporting through Cooperative Agreements with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that will ensure data on Alzheimer’s, cognitive decline, caregiving, and health disparities are analyzed and disseminated to the public in a timely manner.

Click Here to read the full text of the bill.

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