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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 78 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 78

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2011

  Mr. Davis of Illinois (for himself, Ms. Richardson, Mr. Johnson of 
Georgia, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, Mr. Gutierrez, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. 
  Butterfield, Mr. Kissell, Mr. Carnahan, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. 
  Conyers, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Welch, Mr. Peters, Mr. Clay, Ms. Hahn, Mr. 
Quigley, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Clarke of Michigan, 
  Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, and Mr. 
  Grijalva) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         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 and worldwide;
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 an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 Americans;
Whereas approximately 1,000 babies are born with Sickle Cell Disease each year 
        in the United States, with the disease occurring in approximately 1 in 
        500 newborn African-American infants, 1 in 1,000 newborn Hispanic-
        Americans, and is found in persons of Greek, Italian, East Indian, Saudi 
        Arabian, Asian, Syrian, Turkish, Cypriot, Sicilian, and Caucasian 
        origin;
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 recognizes 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
Whereas the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc., has requested that 
        September 2011 should be designated 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
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease 
        Awareness Month; and
            (2) promotes education of teachers, school nurses, and 
        school personnel in educational strategies such as distance 
        learning and tutoring that will ensure children with Sickle 
        Cell Disease can continue to access and pursue their education.
                                 <all>
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