III 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 172 

Designating June 2009 as ‘‘National Aphasia Awareness Month’’ and 

supporting efforts to increase awareness of aphasia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 8, 2009 

Mr. JOHNSON submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating June 2009 as ‘‘National Aphasia Awareness 

Month’’ and supporting efforts to increase awareness 

of aphasia. 

Whereas aphasia is a communication impairment caused by 

brain damage that typically results from a stroke; 

Whereas, while aphasia is most often the result of stroke or 

brain injury, it can also occur with other neurological disorders, such as a brain tumor; 

Whereas many people with aphasia also have weakness or paralysis in the right leg and right arm, usually due to 

damage to the left hemisphere of the brain, which controls language and movement on the right side of the 

body; 


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•SRES 172 ATS 

Whereas the effects of aphasia may include a loss of or reduction in the ability to speak, comprehend, read, and 

write, but the intelligence of a person with aphasia remains intact; 

Whereas, according to the National Institute of Neurological 

Disorders and Stroke (referred to in this resolution as 

the ‘‘NINDS’’), stroke is the 3rd-leading cause of death 

in the United States, ranking behind heart disease and 

cancer; 

Whereas stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States; 

Whereas the NINDS estimates that there are about 

5,000,000 stroke survivors in the United States; 

Whereas the NINDS estimates that people in the United 

States suffer about 750,000 strokes per year, with approximately 1⁄3 of the strokes resulting in aphasia; 

Whereas, according to the NINDS, aphasia affects at least 

1,000,000 people in the United States; 

Whereas the NINDS estimates that more than 200,000 people in the United States acquire the disorder each year; 

Whereas the National Aphasia Association is a unique organization that provides communication strategies, support, 

and education for people with aphasia and their caregivers throughout the United States; and 

Whereas, as an advocacy organization for people with aphasia 

and their caregivers, the National Aphasia Association 

envisions a world that recognizes the ‘‘silent’’ disability of 

aphasia and provides opportunity and fulfillment for people affected by aphasia: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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•SRES 172 ATS 

1 (1) designates June 2009 as ‘‘National Aphasia 

2 Awareness Month’’; 

3 (2) supports efforts to increase awareness of 

4 aphasia; 

5 (3) recognizes that strokes, a primary cause of 

6 aphasia, are the 3rd-largest cause of death and dis7 ability in the United States; 

8 (4) acknowledges that aphasia deserves more 

9 attention and study in order to find new solutions 

10 for serving individuals experiencing aphasia and 

11 their caregivers; 

12 (5) supports efforts to make the voices of peo13 ple with aphasia heard, because people with aphasia 

14 are often unable to communicate with others; and 

15 (6) encourages all people in the United States 

16 to observe National Aphasia Awareness Month with 

17 appropriate events and activities. 

Æ 


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