IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 648 
Supporting the goals and ideals of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 10, 2007 
Mr. ISSA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the goals and ideals of Sudden Cardiac Arrest 
Awareness Day. 
Whereas nationwide more than 325,000 Americans die each 
year from sudden cardiac arrest, which amounts to 900 
people per day at a rate of one person every 90 seconds; 
Whereas more Americans die each year from sudden cardiac 
arrest than from cancer and car accidents combined; 
Whereas almost 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims 
die before they reach a hospital or obtain other emer-
gency medical attention; 
Whereas 80 percent of sudden cardiac arrests are caused by 
ventricular fibrillation, a heart rhythm variance for which 
defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) 
are the only effective treatments; 
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Whereas sudden cardiac arrest causes the brain to begin 
dying within four to six minutes of onset; 
Whereas for every minute that passes while a person is expe-
riencing sudden cardiac arrest, chances of survival de-
crease by 10 percent; 
Whereas after six minutes, according to studies conducted by 
the Mayo Clinic, the chance of resuscitating a sudden 
cardiac arrest victim is almost zero; 
Whereas although sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading 
causes of death in the United States, automated external 
defibrillators (AEDs) can prevent these deaths; 
Whereas AEDs enable medical and nonmedical rescuers to 
deliver a potentially lifesaving defibrillation to sudden 
cardiac arrest victims; 
Whereas the national sudden cardiac arrest survival rate 
without defibrillation and CPR is less than 5 percent; 
Whereas the Federal Government has already mandated 
every commercial airplane to have an AED on board; 
Whereas a sudden cardiac arrest event is 30 times more like-
ly to occur in a school than on an airplane; 
Whereas on any given day, 20 percent of the population, both 
adults and children, occupy the Nation’s schools; 
Whereas an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 school-aged children 
die each year from sudden cardiac arrest; 
Whereas in the United States, one out of every 100,000 to 
300,000 high school athletes will die each year from sud-
den cardiac arrest; 
Whereas 
in 
communities 
with 
strong 
public 
access 
defibrillation programs, the sudden cardiac arrest sur-
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•HRES 648 IH 
vival rate, when defibrillation and CPR are provided 
within the first three minutes, is up to 75 percent; 
Whereas education, training, and preparedness are critical 
factors in the ability to successfully save the life of a sud-
den cardiac arrest victim; and 
Whereas heightened public awareness of how critical time is 
in providing treatment to sudden cardiac arrest victims 
can help save lives: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of Sudden 
Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day; and 
(2) encourages awareness and education efforts 
on the subject of sudden cardiac arrest and the 
timely use of an automated external defibrillator and 
cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 
Æ 
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