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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 376 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 376

 Expressing support for designation of the calendar year 2009 as ``The 
     Year of the Safe Child'' to raise awareness and encourage the 
   prevention of unintentional injuries among the Nation's children.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2009

    Mr. Rogers of Michigan (for himself and Ms. Wasserman Schultz) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
  on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing support for designation of the calendar year 2009 as ``The 
     Year of the Safe Child'' to raise awareness and encourage the 
   prevention of unintentional injuries among the Nation's children.

Whereas unintentional injury is the number one killer of children under 19 years 
        of age;
Whereas each year more than 5,000 children under 15 years of age die from 
        unintentional injuries;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 
        unintentional injuries remain the leading cause of nonfatal injuries 
        treated in hospital emergency departments across the Nation;
Whereas for children ages 14 and under, the leading causes of unintentional 
        injury deaths are motor vehicle-related injuries, drowning, residential 
        fires or burn injury, suffocation and pedestrian injury;
Whereas 90 percent of these injuries and deaths are preventable;
Whereas the CDC estimates that direct and indirect medical expenses stemming 
        from injuries among children under 15 years of age costs the Nation 
        $51,000,000,000;
Whereas, children are among our most valuable resources and are at greater risk 
        for many injuries than adults;
Whereas young children have immature physical coordination and cognitive 
        abilities, and are at greater risk of falls from bicycles and playground 
        equipment;
Whereas young children's developing bones and muscles may make them more 
        susceptible to injury in car crashes if they are not properly 
        restrained;
Whereas children are particularly vulnerable to pedestrian-related motor vehicle 
        injuries;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that reducing 
        the barriers to attaining safety devices (such as smoke alarms, bicycle 
        helmets, car seats and booster seats), increasing educational efforts 
        directed toward children who are at high risk for injury, and improving 
        the overall safety of the child's environment, are preventative 
        strategies to keeping kids safe from unintentional injuries;
Whereas these evidence-based interventions are cost-effective and show great 
        potential in reducing the burden of unintentional injuries among 
        children;
Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's 
        Fund (UNICEF) have led the development of a landmark World Report on 
        Child Injury Prevention, that was released in December 2008, to 
        summarize what is known about child and adolescent injuries, including 
        risk factors, promising prevention practices, and overall 
        recommendations for injury prevention and control; and
Whereas the calender year 2009 would be appropriate to designate as ``The Year 
        of the Safe Child'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``The Year of the Safe 
        Child'';
            (2) commends the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 
        the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's 
        Fund, Safe Kids Worldwide, and all other supportive 
        organizations for their efforts to promote awareness about 
        preventing and reducing unintentional injuries among children 
        in the United States and around the globe;
            (3) encourages the private sector, the public health 
        community, health care providers, advocacy organizations, and 
        Federal, State, and local governments to work together to 
        increase education and awareness about the prevention of 
        childhood injuries;
            (4) urges national and community organizations, businesses, 
        individuals, and the media to use ``The Year of the Safe 
        Child'' to promote awareness of this important public health 
        problem in order to reduce the incidence of unintentional 
        injuries among children in the United States; and
            (5) urges the President to issue a proclamation calling 
        upon the people of the United States to observe ``The Year of 
        the Safe Child'' with appropriate activities.
                                 <all>
```