III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 661 

Expressing support for the designation of September 2018 as ‘‘Sickle Cell 

Disease Awareness Month’’ in order to educate communities across the 

United States about sickle cell disease and the need for research, early 

detection methods, effective treatments, and preventative care programs 

with respect to sickle cell disease, complications from sickle cell disease, 

and conditions related to sickle cell disease. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 

Mr. SCOTT (for himself, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. BROWN, Mr. ISAKSON, 

Ms. WARREN, and Mr. COONS) submitted the following resolution; which 

was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of September 2018 

as ‘‘Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month’’ in order to 

educate communities across the United States about sickle cell disease and the need for research, early detection 

methods, effective treatments, and preventative care programs with respect to sickle cell disease, complications 

from sickle cell disease, and conditions related to sickle 

cell disease. 

Whereas sickle cell disease (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘SCD’’) is an inherited blood disorder that is a major 

health problem in the United States and worldwide; 


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•SRES 661 ATS 

Whereas SCD causes the rapid destruction of sickle cells, 

which results in multiple medical complications, including 

anemia, jaundice, gallstones, strokes, restricted blood 

flow, damaged tissue in the liver, spleen, and kidneys, 

and death; 

Whereas SCD causes episodes of considerable pain in the 

arms, legs, chest, and abdomen of an individual; 

Whereas SCD affects an estimated 100,000 individuals in the 

United States; 

Whereas approximately 1,000 babies are born with SCD each 

year in the United States, with the disease occurring in 

approximately 1 in 365 newborn African-American infants and 1 in 16,300 newborn Hispanic-American infants, and is found in individuals of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Indian origin; 

Whereas more than 3,000,000 individuals in the United 

States have the sickle cell trait and 1 in 13 AfricanAmericans carries 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 an individual with SCD is 

often severely limited; 

Whereas, while hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (commonly known as ‘‘HSCT’’) is currently the only cure for 

SCD and advances in treating the associated complications of SCD have occurred, more research is needed to 

find widely available treatments and cures to help patients with SCD; and 

Whereas September 2018 has been designated as Sickle Cell 

Disease Awareness Month in order to educate communities across the United States about SCD, including 


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•SRES 661 ATS 

early detection methods, effective treatments, and preventative care programs with respect to SCD, complications from SCD, and conditions related to SCD: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell 

3 Disease Awareness Month; and 

4 (2) encourages the people of the United States 

5 to hold appropriate programs, events, and activities 

6 during Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month to raise 

7 public awareness of preventative care programs, 

8 treatments, and other patient services for those suf9 fering from sickle cell disease, complications from 

10 sickle cell disease, and conditions related to sickle 

11 cell disease. 

Æ 


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