Title: Expressing support for the designation of June 2021 as "Migraine and Headache Awareness Month".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution supports the designation of Migraine and Headache Awareness Month.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 469 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 469

 Expressing support for the designation of June 2021 as ``Migraine and 
                      Headache Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2021

Ms. Dean submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of June 2021 as ``Migraine and 
                      Headache Awareness Month''.

Whereas approximately 60,000,000 Americans live with migraine disease, more than 
        have asthma or diabetes combined, and 6,000,000 Americans experience 
        chronic migraine, a highly disabling neurological disorder and the 
        second-leading cause of global disability;
Whereas a migraine attack can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing 
        sensation, usually on one side of the head, which is often accompanied 
        by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light, sound, and 
        smells;
Whereas migraine attacks can last for hours to days, with pain so severe that it 
        interferes with daily activities and quality of life;
Whereas the pain of cluster headache attacks is one of the most excruciating 
        human experiences;
Whereas persons living with migraine disease and headache disorders also 
        experience significant stigma, often coming from friends, family, and 
        coworkers;
Whereas migraine disease and headache disorders disproportionately impact women;
Whereas migraine disease affects approximately 45,000,000 women in the United 
        States, and 85 percent of those with chronic migraine are women;
Whereas more than 567,000 veterans, 30 percent of whom are women, are diagnosed 
        with migraine and receive their headache care within a Veterans Health 
        Administration medical center;
Whereas migraine disease and headache disorders are not only physical conditions 
        that require living with chronic pain, but there is also the constant 
        worry that these attacks can strike at any moment, taking an emotional 
        toll and increasing the likelihood of anxiety and depression;
Whereas differences in diagnosis and treatment of headache and migraine 
        disorders in Black, indigenous, and people of color communities may 
        indicate racial and ethnic disparities in access and quality of care for 
        these patients;
Whereas the physical pain of women is routinely dismissed by medical 
        professionals and society as a whole, contributing to their pain and the 
        cascading effects therefrom;
Whereas the physical pain of Black, indigenous, and people of color individuals 
        is routinely dismissed by medical professionals and society as a whole, 
        contributing to their pain and the cascading effects therefrom;
Whereas studies have shown that racial bias can affect how doctors assess and 
        treat pain, including a 2016 study that showed trainees who believed 
        that Black people are not as sensitive to pain as White people were less 
        likely to treat Black people's pain appropriately;
Whereas migraine disease is three times more common in women, reaching peak 
        prevalence between 30 and 39 years of age, at a time when many women are 
        rapidly growing in their career and balancing work, family, and social 
        obligations, further contributing to the wage gap;
Whereas more than 2,300,000 women have left the United States workforce since 
        the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, reversing decades of labor 
        participation rates and resulting in a regressive effect on gender 
        equality;
Whereas women account for a large majority of the estimated $78,000,000,000 in 
        migraine-associated economic costs in the United States, representing 
        about 80 percent of both direct medical costs and lost labor costs 
        including presenteeism and absenteeism;
Whereas migraine disease has significant negative consequences for individuals, 
        their families, and society as a whole;
Whereas the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded less than $40,000,000 in 
        headache disorders research in fiscal year 2019, amounting to 0.1 
        percent of the total NIH budget, and comparisons with NIH funding of 
        other diseases of similar disability and disease burden indicate that 
        funding of headache disorders research should instead exceed 
        $200,000,000 each year;
Whereas migraine disease and cluster headache are disabling diseases but largely 
        symptomatic, without reliable diagnostic physical signs or lab findings, 
        meaning that Federal regulations prohibiting claimant symptoms from 
        supporting SSDI/SSI eligibility as medically determinable impairments in 
        sequential evaluation unfairly prevent their inclusion; and
Whereas access to relief from cluster headache is often inexplicably limited by 
        lack of insurance and Medicare coverage of safe and effective oxygen 
        therapy: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of ``Migraine and 
        Headache Awareness Month'' in order to highlight invisible 
        diseases like migraine and headache disorders which have a 
        disproportionate impact on women;
            (2) emphasizes the need for additional Federal support for 
        migraine disease and headache disorders, including increased 
        Federal research funding, access to treatment options and 
        diagnostic methods including telemedicine, and economic 
        incentives for additional employer accommodations; and
            (3) recognizes and reaffirms a commitment to public 
        education about migraine disease and headache disorders to 
        reduce stigma.
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