IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 25 
Supporting the goals and ideals of ‘‘National Sudden Cardiac Arrest 
Awareness Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 22, 2009 
Mr. BILBRAY (for himself, Mr. ISSA, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. SUTTON, and Mr. 
FILNER) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Supporting the goals and ideals of ‘‘National Sudden Cardiac 
Arrest Awareness Month’’. 
Whereas sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in 
the United States; 
Whereas sudden cardiac arrest takes the lives of more than 
250,000 people in the United States each year, according 
to the Heart Rhythm Society; 
Whereas anyone can experience sudden cardiac arrest, includ-
ing infants, high school athletes, and people in their 30s 
and 40s who have no sign of heart disease; 
Whereas sudden cardiac arrest is extremely deadly, with the 
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute giving the dis-
ease a mortality rate of approximately 95 percent; 
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•HCON 25 IH 
Whereas the American Heart Association states that, to have 
a chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest, victims 
must receive a lifesaving defibrillation within the first 4 
to 6 minutes of the attack; 
Whereas for every minute that passes without a shock from 
an automated external defibrillator, the chance of sur-
vival decreases by approximately 10 percent; 
Whereas lifesaving treatments for sudden cardiac arrest are 
effective if administered in time; 
Whereas according to joint research by the American College 
of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, 
implantable cardioverter defibrillators are 98 percent ef-
fective at protecting people at risk for sudden cardiac ar-
rest; 
Whereas according to the American Heart Association, 
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early defibrillation 
with an automated external defibrillator more than dou-
ble the chances that a victim will survive; 
Whereas the Yale-New Haven Hospital and the New England 
Journal of Medicine state that women and African-Amer-
icans are at a higher risk than the general population for 
dying as a result of sudden cardiac arrest, yet this fact 
is not well known to people at risk; 
Whereas there is a need for comprehensive educational efforts 
designed to increase awareness of sudden cardiac arrest 
and related therapies among medical professionals and 
the greater public in order to promote early detection and 
proper treatment of this disease and to improve quality 
of life; and 
Whereas the Heart Rhythm Society and the Sudden Cardiac 
Arrest Coalition are preparing related public awareness 
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•HCON 25 IH 
and education campaigns on sudden cardiac arrest to be 
held each year during the month of October: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘National 
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month’’; 
(2) supports efforts to educate people about 
sudden cardiac arrest and to raise awareness about 
the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, the identification 
of warning signs, and the need to seek medical at-
tention in a timely manner; 
(3) acknowledges the critical importance of sud-
den cardiac arrest awareness to improving national 
cardiovascular health; and 
(4) calls upon the people of the United States 
to observe this month with appropriate programs 
and activities. 
Æ 
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