IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1309 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there is need 
for further study of the Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder (FGID) 
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 29, 2010 
Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, and Mr. WELCH) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services 
and Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
there is need for further study of the Functional Gastro-
intestinal Disorder (FGID) Irritable Bowel Syndrome 
(IBS). 
Whereas IBS is a chronic FGID characterized by symptoms 
including pain or discomfort in the abdomen and altered 
bowel habit; 
Whereas abnormal functioning of the nerves and muscles of 
the 
bowel 
produce 
the 
symptoms 
of 
IBS, 
and 
dysregulation between the brain, gastrointestinal tract, 
and central nervous system causes the bowel to become 
irritated, or overly sensitive to stimuli; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:18 May 03, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR1309.IH
HR1309
hsrobinson on DSK69SOYB1PROD with BILLS
HRES 1309 IH 
Whereas IBS is common in the general population, affecting 
people of all ages including children and seniors, but a 
social stigma surrounding bowel function persists; 
Whereas IBS is one of the underlying disorders highly cor-
related with Gulf War Syndrome and IBS remains a seri-
ous issue for military veterans who have been deployed to 
combat areas; 
Whereas there is no definitive test for IBS, and diagnosis is 
made via symptom-based criteria, extensive medical his-
tory, physical examination, and limited medical testing; 
Whereas IBS symptoms may come and go, persist over a long 
period of time, or change over time, and can range from 
mild and infrequent to severe and chronic, affecting daily 
functioning; 
Whereas people suffering from IBS frequently report gastro-
intestinal dysfunction including heartburn, nausea, ab-
dominal fullness, and bloating and may also experience 
dyspepsia, feelings of urgency, and feelings of incomplete 
bowel emptying; 
Whereas people suffering from IBS frequently report non- 
gastrointestinal problems including fatigue, muscle pain, 
insomnia, headache, lower back pain, and sexual dysfunc-
tion; 
Whereas IBS affects between 25 and 45 million people in the 
United States, or 10 to 15 percent of the population, and 
an estimated 9 to 23 percent of populations worldwide 
suffer from IBS; 
Whereas two in every three IBS sufferers are female, and 
gastrointestinal tract function appears to be influenced 
by changes in the level of female hormones; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
20:33 May 03, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR1309.IH
HR1309
hsrobinson on DSK69SOYB1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 1309 IH 
Whereas effective treatment for the multiple symptoms of 
IBS is lacking; 
Whereas IBS sufferers frequently use medication therapy, 
stress management, cognitive-behavioral therapy, gastro-
intestinal-directed hypnosis, biofeedback, relaxation, and 
pain management techniques attempting to control their 
symptoms; 
Whereas IBS sufferers frequently use a variety of medica-
tions for IBS symptoms such as non-narcotic and nar-
cotic pain medications, acid reducers, antidiarrheals, and 
laxatives, however, few patients report satisfaction with 
available treatments, highlighting the pressing need to 
find new and more effective treatments for IBS; 
Whereas IBS can control many aspects of a person’s emo-
tional, social and professional life, and quality of life is 
often affected due to activity limitations that can impair 
physical, emotional, economic, educational, and social 
well-being; 
Whereas the annual cost of IBS treatment in the United 
States has been estimated to be between $1.7 billion and 
$10 billion in direct medical, excluding prescription and 
over-the-counter medications, and $20 billion in indirect 
medical costs; 
Whereas IBS frequently takes a toll on the workplace, re-
flected in work absenteeism, lost productivity, and lost 
opportunities for the individual and society; 
Whereas approximately 20 to 40 percent of all visits to gas-
troenterologists are due to IBS symptoms, contributing 
substantially to healthcare costs; 
Whereas there is a significant need for further research on 
IBS to improve diagnostic and treatment options for pa-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:18 May 03, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR1309.IH
HR1309
hsrobinson on DSK69SOYB1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 1309 IH 
tients, and reduce the high socioeconomic burden on IBS 
sufferers and on society; 
Whereas the designation of April as National IBS Awareness 
Month has increased public education about IBS and the 
need for increased Federal funding for research on 
FGIDs; and 
Whereas National IBS Awareness Month has been celebrated 
as a health observation during the month of April for the 
last thirteen years: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) the Director of the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH) should take a leadership role in the 
search for new treatment options and a cure for IBS 
by— 
(A) encouraging the National Institute of 
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 
(NIDDK) to implement the research rec-
ommendations of the National Commission on 
Digestive Diseases; 
(B) exploring collaborative research oppor-
tunities between the NIDDK, the Office of Re-
search on Women’s Health, and other NIH In-
stitutes and Centers; 
(C) encouraging NIDDK to provide the 
necessary funding for continued expansion and 
advancement of the IBS research portfolio 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
00:12 May 04, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR1309.IH
HR1309
hsrobinson on DSK69SOYB1PROD with BILLS
HRES 1309 IH 
through intramural and extramural research; 
and 
(D) encouraging NIDDK to provide the 
necessary funding for education with respect to 
IBS and FGID through the cosponsorship of 
workshops and seminars with patient organiza-
tions; 
(2) funding should be increased for basic and 
clinical biomedical research into IBS and other 
FGID through NIH; 
(3) the Director of the Food and Drug Admin-
istration (FDA) should take a leadership role in en-
suring that new IBS treatments are developed and 
appropriately monitored by— 
(A) issuing further guidance to industry on 
the development criteria and adverse event 
standards for IBS treatments; and 
(B) encouraging the participation of pa-
tients groups and considering the views of pa-
tients when discussing standards and protocols 
for the development and monitoring of IBS 
treatments; and 
(4) the Department of Defense and the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs should bolster their efforts 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
20:33 May 03, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR1309.IH
HR1309
hsrobinson on DSK69SOYB1PROD with BILLS
HRES 1309 IH 
to study IBS and FGIDs, and their association with 
war trauma. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
20:33 May 03, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR1309.IH
HR1309
hsrobinson on DSK69SOYB1PROD with BILLS