III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 341 

Designating January 2016 as ‘‘National Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 

Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 18, 2015 

Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Ms. KLOBUCHAR) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating January 2016 as ‘‘National Carbon Monoxide 

Poisoning Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that 

is produced whenever any fuel, such as natural gas, propane, gasoline, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal, is burned; 

Whereas devices that produce carbon monoxide include cars, 

boats, gasoline engines, stoves, and heating systems, and 

carbon monoxide produced from these sources can build 

up in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces; 

Whereas carbon monoxide is often referred to as the ‘‘silent 

killer’’ because it is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and nonirritating, and ignoring early stages of carbon monoxide 

poisoning may cause unconsciousness and continual exposure to danger; 


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•SRES 341 IS 

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, each year in the United States, carbon monoxide poisoning kills more than 400 individuals and sends 

approximately 20,000 individuals to emergency rooms; 

Whereas when people breathe in carbon monoxide, the poisonous gas enters the bloodstream and prevents adequate 

intake of oxygen, which can damage tissues and result in 

death; 

Whereas individuals older than the age of 65, given common 

preexisting medical conditions, are particularly vulnerable 

to carbon monoxide poisoning; 

Whereas for most individuals who suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning, the early signs of exposure to low concentrations of carbon monoxide include mild headaches 

and breathlessness after moderate exercise; 

Whereas sustained or increased exposure to carbon monoxide 

can lead to flu-like symptoms, including severe headaches, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, confusion, irritability, 

and impaired judgment, memory, and coordination; 

Whereas breathing in low concentrations of carbon monoxide 

can cause long-term health damage, even after exposure 

to the gas ends; 

Whereas most cases of carbon monoxide exposure occur during the winter months of December, January, and February when oil and gas heaters are more heavily in use; 

Whereas, on January 5, 1996, the Burt family of Kimball, 

Minnesota, was poisoned by carbon monoxide from a malfunctioning furnace in the home of the Burt family, resulting in— 

(1) the deaths of 15-month-old Zachary Todd Burt 

and 4-year-old Nicholas Todd Burt; and 


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•SRES 341 IS 

(2) the hospitalization of Ryan Todd Burt; 

Whereas Cheryl Burt, the mother of Zachary, Nicholas, and 

Ryan Burt, has worked to educate the public about the 

dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, including by testifying in December 2009 before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; 

Whereas Cheryl Burt has advocated for the Nicholas and 

Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act, which would establish a Federal grant program for State and tribal carbon monoxide poisoning prevention activities; 

Whereas, on January 17, 2009, Amanda J. Hansen, a junior 

and member of the swim team at West Seneca West 

High School, in West Seneca, New York, passed away 

from carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping near a 

faulty basement boiler during a sleepover party; 

Whereas Amanda J. Hansen loved Spanish, was a member of 

the Spanish Honor Society at West Seneca West High 

School, and wanted to eventually teach Spanish; 

Whereas Amanda J. Hansen hoped to attend college at the 

University of North Carolina; 

Whereas responding to tragedy, Ken and Kim Hansen established the Amanda Hansen Foundation to honor their 

daughter by raising money for a scholarship fund and 

spreading awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide and the importance of taking safety measures, such 

as using carbon monoxide detectors in residences; 

Whereas the Amanda Hansen Foundation works with lawmakers and local communities to educate the public on 

the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning; 


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•SRES 341 IS 

Whereas the Amanda Hansen Foundation raises money to 

purchase carbon monoxide detectors for individuals who 

cannot afford the detectors and has given away 17,000 

carbon monoxide detectors; 

Whereas the Amanda Hansen Foundation and Ken and Kim 

Hansen through their work with the Foundation collaborate with other national organizations to ensure that carbon monoxide detectors are as ubiquitous as possible; 

Whereas the Hansen family fought in 2010 for the passage 

of ‘‘Amanda’s Law’’, a law that mandates the installation 

of carbon monoxide detectors in new and existing residences with fuel-burning appliances and the replacement 

of carbon monoxide detectors every 5 years; 

Whereas the Amanda Hansen Foundation has paid to replace 

furnaces in the Buffalo, New York, area with furnaces 

that are safer and more energy efficient; and 

Whereas in memory of their daughter, the Hansen family has 

worked tirelessly to make New York and the rest of the 

United States a safer place: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate designates January 2016 

2 as ‘‘National Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Awareness 

3 Month’’. 

Æ 


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