IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 178
Recognizing the need to pursue research into the causes, a treatment, and 
an eventual cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, supporting the goals 
and ideals of National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 14, 2005
Mr. NORWOOD (for himself, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. KING-
STON, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. HALL, Mr. FERGUSON, 
Mr. UPTON, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. LINDER, and Mr. PICKERING) submitted 
the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the need to pursue research into the causes, 
a treatment, and an eventual cure for idiopathic pul-
monary fibrosis, supporting the goals and ideals of Na-
tional Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week, 
and for other purposes.
Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a serious lung dis-
order causing progressive, incurable lung scarring; 
Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is one of about 200 
disorders called interstitial lung diseases; 
Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the most common 
form of interstitial lung disease;
•HCON 178 IH 
Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a debilitating and 
generally fatal disease marked by progressive scarring of 
the lungs, causing an irreversible loss of the lung tissue’s 
ability to transport oxygen; 
Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis progresses quickly, 
often causing disability or death within a few short years; 
Whereas there is no proven cause of idiopathic pulmonary fi-
brosis; 
Whereas approximately 83,000 United States citizens have 
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and 31,000 new cases are 
diagnosed each year; 
Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is often misdiagnosed 
or underdiagnosed; 
Whereas the median survival rate for idiopathic pulmonary fi-
brosis patients is 2 to 3 years, and about two thirds of 
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients die within 5 years; 
and 
Whereas a need has been identified to increase awareness and 
detection of this misdiagnosed and underdiagnosed dis-
order: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) recognizes the need to pursue research into 
the causes, a treatment, and an eventual cure for id-
iopathic pulmonary fibrosis; 
(2) supports the work of the Coalition for Pul-
monary Fibrosis and its partner organizations for 
their great efforts to educate, support, and provide
•HCON 178 IH 
hope for individuals who suffer from idiopathic pul-
monary fibrosis, including the work of the Coalition 
to organize a national ‘‘Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibro-
sis Awareness Week’’; 
(3) supports the designation of an appropriate 
week as ‘‘Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness 
Week’’; 
(4) encourages the President to issue a procla-
mation designating a national ‘‘Idiopathic Pul-
monary Fibrosis Awareness Week’’; 
(5) congratulates the Coalition for Pulmonary 
Fibrosis for its efforts to educate the public about 
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, while funding research 
to help find a cure for this disorder; and 
(6) supports the goals and ideals of a national 
‘‘Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week’’.
Æ