IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 779 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the 

designation of a National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 26, 2006 

Mrs. KELLY (for herself, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. MOORE of 

Kansas, Mr. JEFFERSON, and Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 

Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the 

Workforce, 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 with 

respect to the designation of a National Shaken Baby 

Syndrome Awareness Week, and for other purposes. 

Whereas the month of April has been designated ‘‘National 

Child Abuse Prevention Month’’ as an annual tradition 

that was initiated in 1979 by former President Jimmy 

Carter; 

Whereas the most recent National Child Abuse and Neglect 

Data System figures reveal that almost 900,000 children 

were victims of abuse and neglect in the United States 


cchase on PROD1PC60 with BILLS
2 

•HRES 779 IH 

in 2002, causing unspeakable pain and suffering to our 

most vulnerable citizens; 

Whereas among the children who are victims of abuse and 

neglect, nearly 4 children die in the United States each 

day; 

Whereas children aged 1 year or younger accounted for 41.2 

percent of all child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002, 

and children aged 4 years or younger accounted for 76.1 

percent of all child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002; 

Whereas abusive head trauma, including the trauma known 

as ‘‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’’, is recognized as the leading cause of death of physically abused children; 

Whereas Shaken Baby Syndrome can result in loss of vision, 

brain damage, paralysis, seizures, or death; 

Whereas a 2003 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimated that, in the United States, an 

average of 300 children will die each year, and 600 to 

1,200 more will be injured, of whom 2⁄3 will be babies or 

infants under 1 year in age, as a result of Shaken Baby 

Syndrome, with many cases resulting in severe and permanent disabilities; 

Whereas medical professionals believe that thousands of additional cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are being 

misdiagnosed or are not detected; 

Whereas Shaken Baby Syndrome often results in permanent, 

irreparable brain damage or death to an infant and may 

result in more than $1,000,000 in medical costs to care 

for a single, disabled child in just the first few years of 

life; 

Whereas the most effective solution for ending Shaken Baby 

Syndrome is to prevent the abuse, and it is clear that the 


cchase on PROD1PC60 with BILLS
3 

•HRES 779 IH 

minimal costs of education and prevention programs may 

prevent enormous medical and disability costs and immeasurable amounts of grief for many families; 

Whereas prevention programs have demonstrated that educating new parents about the danger of shaking young 

children and how they can help protect their child from 

injury can bring about a significant reduction in the 

number of cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome; 

Whereas education programs have been shown to raise awareness and provide critically important information about 

Shaken Baby Syndrome to parents, caregivers, daycare 

workers, child protection employees, law enforcement personnel, health care professionals, and legal representatives; 

Whereas efforts to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome are supported by advocacy groups across the United States that 

were formed by parents and relatives of children who 

have been killed or injured by shaking, including the National Shaken Baby Coalition, the Shaken Baby Association, the Shaking Kills: Instead Parents Please Educate 

and Remember Initiative (commonly known as the 

‘‘SKIPPER Initiative’’), the Shaken Baby Alliance, 

Shaken Baby Prevention, Inc., A Voice for Gabbi, Don’t 

Shake Jake, and the Kierra Harrison Foundation, whose 

mission is to educate the general public and professionals 

about Shaken Baby Syndrome and to increase support 

for victims and the families of the victims in the health 

care and criminal justice systems; 

Whereas child abuse prevention programs and ‘‘National 

Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week’’ are supported 

by the National Shaken Baby Coalition, the National 

Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, the Children’s DeVerDate Aug 31 2005 19:37 Apr 30, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR779.IH HR779

cchase on PROD1PC60 with BILLS
4 

•HRES 779 IH 

fense Fund, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the 

Child Welfare League of America, Prevent Child Abuse 

America, the National Child Abuse Coalition, the National Exchange Club Foundation, the American Humane 

Association, the American Professional Society on the 

Abuse of Children, the Arc of the United States, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Children’s 

Healthcare is a Legal Duty, Family Partnership, Family 

Voices, National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds, United Cerebral Palsy, the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and related institutions, 

Never Shake a Baby Arizona, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, the Center for Child Protection and Family Support, and many other organizations; 

Whereas a 2000 survey by Prevent Child Abuse America 

shows that approximately half of all citizens of the 

United States believe that, of all the public health issues 

facing the United States, child abuse and neglect is the 

most important issue; 

Whereas it would be appropriate to observe the third week of 

April 2006 as National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week; and 

Whereas Congress strongly supports efforts to protect children from abuse and neglect: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) it is the sense of the House of Representa3 tives that a National Shaken Baby Syndrome 

4 Awareness Week should be established to raise 

5 awareness regarding Shaken Baby Syndrome; and 

6 (2) the House of Representatives— 


cchase on PROD1PC60 with BILLS
5 

•HRES 779 IH 

1 (A) commends those hospitals, child care 

2 councils, schools, and other organizations that 

3 are— 

4 (i) working to increase awareness of 

5 the danger of shaking young children; and 

6 (ii) educating parents and caregivers 

7 on how they can help protect children from 

8 injuries caused by abusive shaking; and 

9 (B) encourages the citizens of the United 

10 States to— 

11 (i) remember the victims of Shaken 

12 Baby Syndrome; and 

13 (ii) participate in educational pro14 grams to help prevent shaken baby syn15 drome. 

Æ 


cchase on PROD1PC60 with BILLS