By Marchant H.C.R. No. 8 77R4640 MKS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Current federal funding for research on muscular 1-2 dystrophy is insufficient given the disease's prevalence and 1-3 severity, and this level of support does little to promote advances 1-4 in research and treatment of the disease; and 1-5 WHEREAS, The term muscular dystrophy encompasses a large 1-6 group of hereditary muscle-destroying disorders that appear in men, 1-7 women, and children of every race and ethnicity, with the most 1-8 common disorder, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, first appearing in 1-9 early childhood or adolescence; and 1-10 WHEREAS, Furthermore, since genetic mutations may be a factor 1-11 in any incidence of muscular dystrophy, anyone could be a carrier, 1-12 and no family is immune from the possibility of the disease 1-13 afflicting one of its members; and 1-14 WHEREAS, While the prognosis for individuals afflicted with a 1-15 muscular dystrophy disorder varies according to patterns of 1-16 inheritance, the age of onset, the initial muscles attacked, and 1-17 the progression of the disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the 1-18 most common fatal childhood genetic disease; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Because muscular dystrophy varies widely from one 1-20 disorder to another, continuing research is important to 1-21 understanding the disease, treating it, and working toward its 1-22 prevention and cure; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Congressional funding for research by the National 1-24 Institutes of Health on Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy does 2-1 not reflect the severity of this disease, the importance of finding 2-2 a cure, or the potential benefits that research in this area could 2-3 have on other similar disorders; and 2-4 WHEREAS, To save lives and improve the quality of life for 2-5 those already afflicted by this disease, it is imperative that the 2-6 federal government take the initiative to increase funding for the 2-7 research of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy; now, therefore, 2-8 be it 2-9 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-10 hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to 2-11 increase funding for research by the National Institutes of Health 2-12 for the treatment and cure of Duchenne and Becker muscular 2-13 dystrophy; and, be it further 2-14 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 2-15 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 2-16 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of 2-17 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of 2-18 the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 2-19 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 2-20 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.