The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF H.R. 6774, THE BOXING THERAPHY FOR PARKINSON'S ACCESS
ACT
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HON. BRIAN HIGGINS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on the issue of access to effective therapies for Parkinson's disease for our veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 110,000 veterans have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. While the exact causes of Parkinson's are unknown, many veterans developed the disease after exposure to Agent Orange and other chemicals while serving our Nation.
PD is a lifelong and progressive disease for which there is no cure, and frustratingly little progress has been made in recent decades in the race to find new effective treatments for Parkinson's. The most powerful and common drug for Parkinson's, levodopa, was developed in the 1960s.
But one of the strongest tools we have to fight Parkinson's isn't a drug, it's exercise. Exercise can help manage, slow, or even prevent the progression of Parkinson's symptoms, and help PD patients stay active and avoid isolation in their communities. While many types of exercise have shown to be beneficial for PD patients, boxing has become an increasingly popular exercise for improving the physical, mental, and emotional health of those with PD, and more and more gyms are offering boxing programs specifically for those diagnosed with it. One such gym in my district, Parkinson's Boxing in Kenmore, New York, is dedicated solely to helping those with PD and similar disorders.
But for many veterans with PD, these kinds of programs remain financially out ofreach. We owe it to our veterans and active-duty service members to provide resources for them when dealing with the detrimental effects of toxic substances and degenerative diseases like PD. That is why I have introduced a bill, H.R. 6774, the Boxing Therapy for Parkinson's Access Act, 'that would require the VA to cover boxing exercise classes for veterans who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or similar movement disorders. Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight this issue and how we can better help our veterans access the therapies that we know can make a difference in their fight against Parkinson's disease.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 39
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