119-hres360

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 360 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 360

 Expressing support for the designation of the last Tuesday of April 
 each year as ``APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease

    (AMKD) Awareness Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 29, 2025

 Ms. Plaskett (for herself, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Davis of 
 North Carolina, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Stansbury, 
Ms. Adams, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Wilson of 
 Florida, and Mr. Johnson of Georgia) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Expressing support for the designation of the last Tuesday of April 
 each year as ``APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease

    (AMKD) Awareness Day''.

Whereas kidney disease affects an estimated 35,500,000 Americans, and more than 
 550,000 are on dialysis;
Whereas Black individuals with kidney disease are more likely to develop kidney 
 failure than any other racial group;
Whereas the health disparities in kidney failure are unsustainable, with Black 
 people making up 13 percent of the United States population but 
 accounting for 30 percent of those with kidney failure;
Whereas kidney failure places enormous physical, emotional, and financial 
 burdens on individuals and costs the Medicare Program over 
 $45,000,000,000 annually;
Whereas there are genetic factors that can increase an individual's risk for 
 kidney disease;
Whereas one such genetic factor is having variants

    (mutations) in the 
 apolipoprotein L1

    (APOL1) gene;
Whereas people are more likely to have APOL1 gene variants if they are from 
 Western or Central Africa or have an ancestor who came from these 
 regions;
Whereas these variants can increase susceptibility for APOL1-mediated kidney 
 disease

    (AMKD) , a rapidly progressive form of kidney disease that can 
 lead to kidney failure;
Whereas, it is estimated that if a patient has variants in both copies of the 
 APOL1 gene, there is a 1 in 5 chance they will go on to develop kidney 
 disease, and an estimated 13 percent of Black Americans have variants in 
 both copies of the APOL1 gene;
Whereas a person with AMKD may not have any symptoms of kidney disease until 
 their kidneys are close to failing;
Whereas genetic testing can reveal an individual's risk for AMKD, empowering 
 them to take the steps necessary to protect their kidney health before 
 it is too late;
Whereas individuals who are found to have APOL1 genetic variants can reduce 
 their risk for kidney failure by meeting with their doctor regularly, 
 eating a healthy diet, taking all medications as prescribed, exercising 
 for at least 30 minutes a day, and not smoking or using tobacco;
Whereas additional awareness and research of APOL1 genetic mutations are needed 
 to improve understanding of the kidney disease disparities in this 
 population;
Whereas there are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments 
 available for APOL1-mediated kidney disease, but ongoing research and 
 clinical trials could provide an opportunity for researchers to develop 
 and test safe treatments for APOL1-mediated kidney disease; and
Whereas the House of Representatives can raise public awareness of APOL1-
 mediated kidney disease: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) expresses support for the designation of ``APOL1-
 Mediated Kidney Disease

    (AMKD) Awareness Day'';

    (2) encourages each person of the United States to become 
 better informed about and aware of kidney disease and APOL1-
 mediated kidney disease; and

    (3) encourages people from or with ancestry from Western 
 and Central Africa to consider genetic testing for APOL1 gene 
 mutations.
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