IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 407 

Expressing support for designation of May as ‘‘National Asthma and Allergy 

Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 6, 2009 

Ms. CASTOR of Florida (for herself, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. BISHOP of 

Georgia, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Ms. BORDALLO) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for designation of May as ‘‘National 

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas allergies are among the most common and overlooked diseases in the United States; 

Whereas an estimated 50,000,000 or 1 in 5 Americans suffer 

from all types of allergies; 

Whereas approximately 2,200,000 million school-aged children have food allergy and the number of American children under 5 years of age with peanut allergy doubled 

between 1999 and 2004; 


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•HRES 407 IH 

Whereas the prevalence of allergies has consistently increased 

since the early 1980s in the United States across all age, 

sex, and racial groups; 

Whereas allergies are the most frequently reported chronic 

condition in children, the third most common chronic disease among children under the age of 18, and the thirdranking cause of hospitalizations for children; 

Whereas 4,000 people die each year from asthma-related 

causes, and asthma is a contributing factor in another 

7,000 deaths every year; 

Whereas many allergic reactions are severe enough to cause 

death; 

Whereas it is estimated that the cost of allergies is nearly 

$7,000,000,000 each year; 

Whereas an estimated 20,000,000 or 1 in 15 Americans suffer from asthma, and 50 percent of asthma cases are ‘‘allergic-asthma’’; 

Whereas, due to asthma, each day in America 40,000 people 

miss school or work, 30,000 people have an attack, 5,000 

people visit the emergency room, 1,000 people are admitted to the hospital, and 11 people die; 

Whereas asthma is the most common chronic condition 

among children, affecting more than 1 of every 20 children; 

Whereas asthma is more common among children (7 to 10 

percent) than adults (3 to 5 percent); 

Whereas nearly 5,000,000 asthma sufferers are under the 

age of 18; 

Whereas ethnic differences in asthma prevalence, morbidity, 

and mortality are highly correlated with poverty, urban 


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•HRES 407 IH 

air quality, indoor allergens, lack of patient education, 

and inadequate medical care; 

Whereas asthma accounts for one-quarter of all emergency 

room visits in the United States each year, with 

2,000,000 emergency room visits; 

Whereas each year, asthma accounts for more than 

10,000,000 outpatient visits and 500,000 hospitalizations; 

Whereas 44 percent of all asthma hospitalizations are for 

children; 

Whereas asthma is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization 

among children under the age of 15; 

Whereas among children ages 5 to 17, asthma is the leading 

cause of school absences from a chronic illness; 

Whereas asthma accounts for an annual loss of more than 

12,800,000 school days per year, which is approximately 

8 days for each student with asthma, and it is estimated 

that children with asthma spend nearly 8,000,000 days 

per year restricted to bed; 

Whereas the annual cost of asthma is estimated to be nearly 

$19,700,000,000; 

Whereas the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America first 

declared ‘‘National Asthma and Allergy Awareness 

Week’’ 25 years ago in May 1984;

Whereas each year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of 

America declares May as ‘‘National Asthma and Allergy 

Awareness Month’’; and 

Whereas the month of May 2009 would be an appropriate 

month to designate a ‘‘National Asthma and Allergy 

Awareness Month’’: Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 407 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘National 

3 Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month’’; 

4 (2) supports the designation of a ‘‘National 

5 Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month’’; 

6 (3) encourages local communities to raise 

7 awareness surrounding the prevalence of asthma and 

8 allergies; 

9 (4) encourages awareness about disparities in 

10 asthma cases based on race, ethnicity, and economic 

11 status; 

12 (5) recognizes and salutes health care profes13 sionals that treat asthma- and allergy-related health 

14 issues each day; and 

15 (6) recognizes and reaffirms the Nation’s com16 mitment to continued education surrounding asthma 

17 and allergy treatment and symptoms and to advanc18 ing care for both asthma and allergy conditions. 

Æ 


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