III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 633 

Supporting the goals of International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 

Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 22, 2020 

Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. STABENOW, 

Mr. BOOKER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. HARRIS, Ms. WARREN, Ms. SINEMA, 

and Mr. CRAMER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals of International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day. 

Whereas the National Academy of Medicine (referred to in 

this preamble as ‘‘NAM’’), formerly known as the Institute of Medicine, has found that Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘ME/CFS’’) is ‘‘a serious, chronic, complex, 

and systemic disease that frequently and dramatically 

limits the activities of affected patients’’; 

Whereas, in the past, outbreaks of viruses, including outbreaks of coronaviruses, have triggered an increase in 

ME/CFS-like symptoms in individuals infected by those 

viruses; 


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•SRES 633 IS 

Whereas— 

(1) between 836,000 and 2,500,000 individuals of 

all ages, races, and sexes in the United States are believed to be afflicted with ME/CFS, and millions of additional individuals are afflicted by ME/CFS worldwide; 

and 

(2) the vast majority of individuals with ME/CFS 

are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed; 

Whereas ME/CFS is approximately 4 times more prevalent in 

women than in men; 

Whereas ME/CFS is a chronic disease with no known cure 

and leaves 1⁄4 of individuals with ME/CFS housebound or 

bedbound for extended periods of time; 

Whereas between 50 and 75 percent of individuals with ME/ 

CFS cannot work or attend school; 

Whereas, in the United States, the economic toll of ME/CFS 

is $51,000,000,000 per year, including as much as 

$14,000,000,000 in medical costs and $37,000,000,000 

in lost productivity; 

Whereas the cause of ME/CFS is unknown, there is no diagnostic test for ME/CFS, and there is no treatment for 

ME/CFS approved by the Food and Drug Administration; 

Whereas NAM has noted a ‘‘paucity of research’’ on ME/ 

CFS and that ‘‘more research is essential’’; 

Whereas individuals with ME/CFS struggle to find doctors to 

care for them, and ME/CFS is included in less than 1⁄3

of medical school curricula; 

Whereas, in recognition of the dearth of research on ME/CFS 

and the profound impact that the disease has on individuals with ME/CFS and their loved ones and caretakers, 


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•SRES 633 IS 

the National Institutes of Health is ‘‘committed to unraveling the underlying biologic cause(s) of ME/CFS as 

swiftly as possible, and promoting research that will inform the development of effective strategies for treatment 

and prevention of this devastating condition’’; and 

Whereas, in 2020, May 12 is recognized as International ME/ 

CFS Awareness Day: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals of International Myalgic 

3 Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 

4 Awareness Day; 

5 (2) recognizes and affirms the commitment of 

6 the United States to— 

7 (A) supporting research and medical edu8 cation for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 

9 Fatigue Syndrome; and 

10 (B) promoting awareness among health 

11 professionals and the public about Myalgic En12 cephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and 

13 (3) recognizes the continued importance of— 

14 (A) health care professionals and medical 

15 researchers who care for individuals with 

16 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue 

17 Syndrome; and 

18 (B) individuals who work to discover the 

19 cause of, and develop and improve the diagnosis 


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•SRES 633 IS 

1 of, treatments for, and a cure for, Myalgic En2 cephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 

Æ 


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