IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 331 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Drowning Prevention and Water 

Safety Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 2, 2009 

Mrs. TAUSCHER (for herself, Mr. WOLF, and Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Drowning 

Prevention and Water Safety Month. 

Whereas for children ages 1 to 4 and 10 to 14, drowning is 

the second leading cause of unintentional injury and 

death; 

Whereas on average, annually 3,600 injuries occur to children 

due to near drowning incidents; 

Whereas on average, of 2,725 children who were treated annually in an emergency room for pool submersion, an estimated 10 percent sustained permanent neurological injury; 

Whereas between May and August, drowning deaths among 

children increase 89 percent; 


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•HRES 331 IH 

Whereas in 2000, total drowning injuries cost the Nation 

over $16 billion; 

Whereas 91 percent of the reported non-fatal drowning incidents for 2005 through 2007 and 89 percent of drowning 

fatalities for 2003 through 2005 for children under age 

5 occurred in a residential setting; 

Whereas there is a need to educate individuals and to promote awareness within society as to the causes of drowning and near drowning incidents; 

Whereas State and local governments need to partner with 

policymakers, educators, nonprofits, community leaders, 

and others to develop strategies to prevent future drowning and near drowning incidents; and 

Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes May 2009 

as ‘‘National Drowning Prevention and Water Safety 

Month’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) National Drowning Prevention and Water 

4 Safety Month provides an opportunity to urge pol5 icymakers, educators, nonprofits, community leaders, 

6 and others to educate the people of the United 

7 States on drowning and near drowning prevention 

8 and how to use primary and secondary prevention 

9 strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality associ10 ated with drowning and submersion injuries; 

11 (2) parents, caregivers, supervisors, and others 

12 should be encouraged to be aware of the hazards asVerDate Nov 24 2008 07:45 Apr 03, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR331.IH HR331

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•HRES 331 IH 

1 sociated with children near swimming and water rec2 reational facilities, use appropriate prevention strate3 gies, and be prepared with the skills to save a child’s 

4 life in the event of emergencies; 

5 (3) it is important to incorporate ‘‘layers of 

6 protection’’, including active adult supervision, the 

7 use of drain entrapment prevention devices and sys8 tems on pools and spas to prevent entrapment, and 

9 the use of enclosures to prevent small children from 

10 gaining unsupervised access to pools and spas; and 

11 (4) the people of the United States, interested 

12 groups, and State and local governments should pro13 mote awareness of, and volunteer involvement in, 

14 National Drowning Prevention and Water Safety 

15 Month. 

Æ 


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