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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 347 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 347

 Expressing the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Department 
 of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, should take action 
   to educate the public on the importance of adequate iodine intake.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 8, 2008

   Mr. Baca submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Department 
 of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, should take action 
   to educate the public on the importance of adequate iodine intake.

Whereas perchlorate at low levels impacts the production of thyroid hormones in 
        women with iodine deficiency;
Whereas thyroid hormone is critically important for fetal brain development;
Whereas iodine deficiency is widely recognized as the leading and most readily 
        preventable cause of mental impairment in children;
Whereas a research study published in 2006 by the Centers for Disease Control 
        and Prevention reported that 36 percent of the 1,111 women in such study 
        were found to be iodine deficient;
Whereas the researchers in such study found that in iodine deficient women, 
        exposure to low levels of perchlorate may impact the production of 
        thyroid hormones;
Whereas such study raises concern that a large number of people in the United 
        States, particularly women of childbearing age, may lack adequate iodine 
        intake;
Whereas some research has found strong links between iodine deficiency and 
        attention deficit disorders;
Whereas mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy has been associated with subtle 
        cognitive deficits in children;
Whereas in 2005, the National Research Council emphasized the importance of 
        ensuring that all pregnant women have adequate iodine intake and, as a 
        first step, recommended that consideration be given to adding iodine to 
        all prenatal vitamins;
Whereas perchlorate is a contaminant found in water and in many foods, including 
        milk, and is known to inhibit thyroid function at high levels;
Whereas perchlorate can impair thyroid function by inhibiting the uptake of 
        iodine and reducing the amount of iodine available for hormone 
        production; however, this impairment can be avoided or overcome with 
        adequate iodine intake and stores of thyroid hormone;
Whereas one way to minimize the action of perchlorate on the thyroid is to 
        increase iodine intake;
Whereas an increase in iodine intake would benefit the entire United States 
        population, given that iodine intake decreased by approximately 50 
        percent between 1971-1974 and 2001-2002, and conversely the proportions 
        of people with mild or moderate iodine deficiency increased 
        substantially;
Whereas such mild or moderate iodine deficiency can be overcome by increasing 
        the iodine content of salt, making salt iodination mandatory, and adding 
        iodine to all multiple vitamin products; and
Whereas an optimal method of protecting women and infants is to remove 
        perchlorate from all potable water sources including groundwater plumes: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Department 
of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, should take action 
to educate the public on the importance of adequate iodine intake to--
            (1) prevent mental impairment in children;
            (2) minimize the action of perchlorate on the thyroid; and
            (3) avoid the other effects of iodine deficiency.
                                 <all>
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