I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6753 
To provide for the issuance of a commemorative postage stamp on the subject 
of inflammatory bowel disease. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2008 
Mr. PALLONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
A BILL 
To provide for the issuance of a commemorative postage 
stamp on the subject of inflammatory bowel disease. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are 
chronic and painful inflammatory diseases of the 
gastrointestinal tract which are difficult to diagnose 
due their invisible symptoms and similarity to other 
intestinal disorders; 
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(2) Crohn’s disease may occur in any section of 
the gastrointestinal tract but is predominantly found 
in the lower part of the small intestine and the large 
intestine; 
(3) ulcerative colitis is characterized by inflam-
mation and ulceration of the innermost lining of the 
colon, and complete removal of the colon in patients 
with ulcerative colitis can alleviate symptoms; 
(4) because Crohn’s disease and ulcerative coli-
tis behave similarly, they are collectively known as 
inflammatory bowel disease; 
(5) both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis 
present a variety of symptoms, including severe diar-
rhea, dehydration, lack of appetite, weight loss, nu-
tritional deficiencies, abdominal pain with cramps, 
fever, and rectal bleeding; 
(6) while there is no known cause or medical 
cure for inflammatory bowel disease, current evi-
dence suggests that genetics, bacteria, and environ-
mental factors may play a role; 
(7) it is estimated that up to 1,400,000 people 
in the United States are afflicted with inflammatory 
bowel disease; 
(8) it is believed that there are an additional 
600,000 Americans who have inflammatory bowel 
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disease, but whose condition is either misdiagnosed 
or undiagnosed, thereby resulting in their failure to 
receive proper treatment; 
(9) approximately 110 persons (1⁄3 of whom are 
adolescents) are diagnosed with inflammatory bowel 
disease in this country each day; 
(10) inflammatory bowel disease affects ap-
proximately 100,000 children under the age of 18 
and has been detected in infants just months old, 
with the disease’s ‘‘second wave’’ developing in 
adults over the age of 50; 
(11) inflammatory bowel disease accounts for 
an estimated 200,000 hospitalizations in the United 
States each year; 
(12) the annual cost in missed workdays for 
Americans with inflammatory bowel disease is esti-
mated to be in the billions of dollars or about $5,500 
per patient with active disease; 
(13) approximately 200,000 patients with in-
flammatory bowel disease receive some form of per-
manent work disability compensation from the Social 
Security Administration; 
(14) these patients have reported low quality of 
life and persistent, systemic, active disease requiring 
frequent surgical intervention or hospitalization, 
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thus impacting their ability to work and function 
normally; 
(15) children with inflammatory bowel disease 
miss school and related activities because the disease 
often becomes too painful and a constant feature of 
their lives; 
(16) an estimated 2⁄3 to 3⁄4 of children with 
Crohn’s disease will undergo multiple surgical oper-
ations in their lifetime to remove permanently 
scarred intestinal tissue, thus putting them at risk 
for developing short bowel syndrome and other life- 
threatening complications; 
(17) 60 to 90 percent of children with recurrent 
Crohn’s disease will experience growth failures, and 
many adults who have onset of bowel disease as chil-
dren experience delayed puberty and impaired 
growth, and never reach their full genetic growth po-
tential; 
(18) inflammatory bowel disease also puts pa-
tients at high risk for developing colorectal cancer; 
(19) the Federal Government, public and pri-
vate organizations, healthcare providers, and the 
medical community are striving to work together 
more closely in order to improve the quality of life 
of children and adults affected by Crohn’s disease; 
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(20) the United States Postal Service has 
issued stamps featuring critical causes in need of 
medical or social awareness in line with the criteria 
set out by the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee; 
and 
(21) the breast cancer semipostal research 
stamp has now become the best-selling postage 
stamp in United States history, raising over 
$60,000,000 for breast cancer research. 
SEC. 2. INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE COMMEMORA-
TIVE POSTAGE STAMP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Postmaster General shall 
issue a commemorative postage stamp on the subject of 
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, 2 chronic digestive 
diseases collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Such stamp— 
(1) shall be issued in the denomination used for 
first-class mail up to 1 ounce in weight and bear 
such design as the Postmaster General shall deter-
mine; and 
(2) shall be placed on sale as soon as prac-
ticable after the date of the enactment of this Act 
and sold for such period of time as the Postmaster 
General shall determine. 
Æ 
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