IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 40 
Expressing the need for enhanced public awareness of traumatic brain injury 
and support for the designation of a National Brain Injury Awareness Month. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2009 
Mr. PASCRELL (for himself, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 
MCDERMOTT, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. HINCHEY, 
Mr. CARNEY, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. GEORGE 
MILLER of California, Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. 
BERKLEY, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. ROSS, 
Mr. MURTHA, Mr. HOLT, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. LAMBORN, Ms. ROS- 
LEHTINEN, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. 
TAYLOR, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Ms. SUTTON, Mrs. DAVIS of Cali-
fornia, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. SESTAK, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. NYE, Mr. 
MARKEY of Massachusetts, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. HOLDEN, 
Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. CAPUANO, Ms. GIFFORDS, Mrs. 
CHRISTENSEN, Mr. WALZ, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. HARE, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. 
GONZALEZ, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. 
RYAN of Ohio, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. SIRES, Mr. CONNOLLY 
of Virginia, Mrs. EMERSON, and Mr. LEWIS of Georgia) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the need for enhanced public awareness of trau-
matic brain injury and support for the designation of 
a National Brain Injury Awareness Month. 
Whereas traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death 
and disability among children and young adults in the 
United States; 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:23 Feb 05, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HC40.IH
HC40
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
•HCON 40 IH 
Whereas at least 1.4 million Americans sustain a traumatic 
brain injury each year; 
Whereas each year, more than 125,000 of such Americans 
sustain permanent life-long disabilities from a traumatic 
brain injury, resulting in a life-altering experience that 
can include the most serious physical, cognitive, and emo-
tional impairments; 
Whereas every 21 seconds, one person in the United States 
sustains a traumatic brain injury; 
Whereas at least 3.17 million Americans currently live with 
permanent disabilities resulting from a traumatic brain 
injury; 
Whereas concussions are serious injuries to the brain and 
multiple concussions can lead to lifelong disability and 
death; 
Whereas most cases of traumatic brain injury are prevent-
able; 
Whereas traumatic brain injuries cost the Nation $60 billion 
annually; 
Whereas the lack of public awareness is so vast that trau-
matic brain injury is known in the disability community 
as the Nation’s ‘‘silent epidemic’’; 
Whereas traumatic brain injury is the signature wound of the 
global war on terrorism as a result of roadside bombs 
and blasts; 
Whereas the military personnel who have served in the 
Armed Forces of the United States in such war and who 
return to the United States with traumatic brain injuries 
will require additional Federal, State, and local resources; 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:23 Feb 05, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HC40.IH
HC40
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
•HCON 40 IH 
Whereas the designation of a National Brain Injury Aware-
ness Month will work toward enhancing public awareness 
of traumatic brain injury; and 
Whereas the Brain Injury Association of America has recog-
nized March as Brain Injury Awareness Month: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress— 
(1) recognizes the life-altering impact traumatic 
brain injury may have both on Americans living with 
the resultant disabilities and on their families; 
(2) recognizes the need for enhanced public 
awareness of traumatic brain injury; 
(3) supports the designation of an appropriate 
month as National Brain Injury Awareness Month; 
and 
(4) encourages the President to issue a procla-
mation designating such a month. 
Æ 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:23 Feb 05, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HC40.IH
HC40
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS