III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 477 

Expressing support for the designation of September 2021 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 complications from sickle cell disease and conditions 

related to sickle cell disease. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 13, 2021 

Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. BOOKER, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, 

Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. 

COONS, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. YOUNG, Ms. WARREN, and 

Mr. WARNOCK) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 

and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of September 2021 

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 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 477 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 acute and chronic episodes of severe 

pain; 

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 Black or African-American infants and 1 in 16,300 newborn Hispanic-American 

infants, and can be 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 African 

Americans 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 in the 

United States is often severely limited; 

Whereas, in 2020, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) developed a comprehensive Strategic Plan and Blueprint for Action to Address 

Sickle Cell Disease, which, among other things, cited the 

need for new innovative therapies as well as the need to 

address barriers that may impact delivery and access to 

approved treatments; 

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


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•SRES 477 ATS 

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 individuals with SCD; and 

Whereas September 2021 has been designated as Sickle Cell 

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

early detection methods, effective treatments, and preventative care programs with respect to 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 the sickle cell trait, preventative 

8 care programs, treatments, and other patient serv9 ices for those suffering from SCD, complications 

10 from SCD, and conditions related to SCD. 

Æ 


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