WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate November 12th as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Awareness Day. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare brain disease that causes a rapid decline in a person’s cognitive health, and often leads to death within only a few months to one year following the onset of symptoms. Longtime Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall passed away from CJD in 2018.

“As the longest serving mayor in Bakersfield history, Mayor Harvey Hall was a beloved member of our community and a dear friend,” said Congressman Valadao. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution to designate November 12th as CJD Awareness Day to honor Mayor Hall’s memory and help raise awareness for CJD patients and their families across the country.”

“Everyone in Bakersfield knows the influence late Mayor Harvey Hall had on our community, and of the lasting impact he left,” said Congressman Vince Fong. “We lost Mayor Hall too soon to CJD, which is why I am cosponsoring the CJD Awareness Day resolution, to honor a tremendous community leader, raise needed awareness for CJD, and show support for those living with the disease and friends and family who have lost loved ones to CJD.”

“On behalf of the many families across the United States who have been affected by this horrendous disease, I am honored that our great Central Valley Representatives, who knew and worked with my husband Harvey, are once again leading the way to bring awareness to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). Great strides have been made in the past year legislatively, which I believe can be attributed to the attention generated by the inaugural resolution. By combining this legislative support with the groundbreaking medical research taking place on prion disease, I am confident in our collective potential to find a treatment or cure for CJD. I sincerely thank Rep. Valadao for again introducing this year’s resolution, which has the bipartisan support of Rep. Vince Fong and Rep. Jim Costa” said Lavonne C. Hall, widow of Mayor Harvey Hall.

Congressman Valadao was joined in introduction by Reps. Vince Fong (CA-20), David Joyce (OH-14), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), John Rose (TN-06), Aaron Bean (FL-04), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Ben Cline (VA-06), Jim Costa (CA-21), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Don Davis (NC-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), and Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (PR).

Congressman Valadao spoke in support of the resolution on the House Floor. Watch his remarks here. Download photos of Congressman Valadao signing the resolution here.

Remarks as prepared:

M. Speaker,

I rise today to raise awareness about Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or CJD. 

CJD is a rare brain disease that causes a rapid decline in a person’s cognitive health, and often leads to death within only a few months to one year following the onset of symptoms.

There are about 500 new cases in the United States each year.

Sadly, one of these cases was a friend of mine and well-known member of the Central Valley community, Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall.

In 2018, Mayor Hall lost his life from CJD just two weeks after his diagnosis.

Mr. Hall was a beloved member of our community, and the longest-serving mayor in Bakersfield’s history.

His sudden death was a shock to our community and devastating for all who knew him, including his wife of 28 years who is here with us today, Lavonne Hall.

I’m introducing a resolution today to designate November 12th as CJD Awareness Day.

I’m proud to honor Mayor Hall’s memory in this way and raise awareness for thousands of CJD patients and the families who have been impacted by this disease.

Thank you, I yield back.

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