III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 46 

Supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2007 

Mr. OBAMA submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease 

Awareness Month. 

Whereas Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited blood disorder 

that is a major health problem in the United States, primarily affecting African Americans; 

Whereas Sickle Cell Disease causes the rapid destruction of 

sickle cells, which results in multiple medical complications, including anemia, jaundice, gallstones, strokes, and 

restricted blood flow, damaging tissue in the liver, spleen, 

and kidneys, and death; 

Whereas Sickle Cell Disease causes episodes of considerable 

pain in one’s arms, legs, chest, and abdomen; 

Whereas Sickle Cell Disease affects over 70,000 Americans; 

Whereas approximately 1,000 babies are born with Sickle 

Cell Disease each year in the United States, with the disVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:28 Sep 18, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SC46.IS SC46

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•SCON 46 IS 

ease occurring in approximately 1 in 300 newborn African American infants; 

Whereas more than 2,000,000 Americans have the sickle cell 

trait, and 1 in 12 African Americans carry the trait; 

Whereas there is a 1 in 4 chance that a child born to parents 

who both have the sickle cell trait will have the disease; 

Whereas the life expectancy of a person with Sickle Cell Disease is severely limited, with an average life span for an 

adult being 45 years; 

Whereas, though researchers have yet to identify a cure for 

this painful disease, advances in treating the associated 

complications have occurred; 

Whereas researchers are hopeful that in less than two decades, Sickle Cell Disease may join the ranks of chronic 

illnesses that, when properly treated, do not interfere 

with the activity, growth, or mental development of affected children; 

Whereas Congress recognized the importance of researching, 

preventing, and treating Sickle Cell Disease by authorizing treatment centers to provide medical intervention, 

education, and other services and by permitting the Medicaid program to cover some primary and secondary preventative medical strategies for children and adults with 

Sickle Cell Disease; 

Whereas the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. 

remains the preeminent advocacy organization that serves 

the sickle cell community by focusing its efforts on public 

policy, research funding, patient services, public awareness, and education related to developing effective treatments and a cure for Sickle Cell Disease; and 


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•SCON 46 IS 

Whereas the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. 

has requested that the Congress designate September as 

Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month in order to educate 

communities across the Nation about sickle cell and the 

need for research funding, early detection methods, effective treatments, and prevention programs: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), That the Congress supports the goals and 

3 ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. 

Æ 


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