III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 536 

Designating September 9, 2012, as ‘‘National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum 

Disorders Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 1, 2012 

Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, and Mr. 

BEGICH) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 9, 2012, as ‘‘National Fetal Alcohol 

Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day’’. 

Whereas the term ‘‘fetal alcohol spectrum disorders’’ includes 

a broader range of conditions than the term ‘‘fetal alcohol syndrome’’ and has replaced the term ‘‘fetal alcohol 

syndrome’’ as the umbrella term describing the range of 

effects that can occur in an individual whose mother consumed alcohol during her pregnancy; 

Whereas fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are the leading 

cause of cognitive disability in Western civilization, including the United States, and are 100 percent preventable; 

Whereas fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are a major cause 

of numerous social disorders, including learning disabilVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:39 Aug 02, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR536.ATS SR536

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•SRES 536 ATS 

ities, school failure, juvenile delinquency, homelessness, 

unemployment, mental illness, and crime; 

Whereas the incidence rate of fetal alcohol syndrome is estimated at 1 out of every 500 live births and the incidence 

rate of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is estimated at 1 

out of every 100 live births; 

Whereas, in February 1999, a small group of parents with 

children who suffer from fetal alcohol spectrum disorders 

united to promote awareness of the devastating consequences of alcohol consumption during pregnancy by 

establishing International Fetal Alcohol Syndrome 

Awareness Day; 

Whereas September 9, 1999, became the first International 

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day; 

Whereas Bonnie Buxton of Toronto, Canada, the co-founder 

of the first International Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day, asked ‘‘What if ... a world full of FAS/E [Fetal 

Alcohol Syndrome/Effect] parents all got together on the 

ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month of the 

year and asked the world to remember that, during the 

9 months of pregnancy, a woman should not consume alcohol ... would the rest of the world listen?’’; and 

Whereas, on the ninth day of the ninth month of each year 

since 1999, communities around the world have observed 

International Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 9, 2012, as ‘‘National 

3 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day’’; 

4 and 


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•SRES 536 ATS 

1 (2) calls on the people of the United States to 

2 observe National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders 

3 Awareness Day with— 

4 (A) appropriate ceremonies— 

5 (i) to promote awareness of the effects 

6 of prenatal exposure to alcohol; 

7 (ii) to increase compassion for individ8 uals affected by prenatal exposure to alco9 hol; 

10 (iii) to minimize the effects of pre11 natal exposure to alcohol; and 

12 (iv) to ensure healthier communities 

13 across the United States; and 

14 (B) a moment of reflection during the 

15 ninth hour of September 9, 2012, to remember 

16 that a woman should not consume alcohol dur17 ing the 9 months of her pregnancy. 

Æ 


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