IV 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 429 
Expressing support for the designation of May 17, 2025, as ‘‘Necrotizing 
Enterocolitis Awareness Day’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 19, 2025 
Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself, Mr. KILEY of California, and Mr. 
MCGARVEY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of May 17, 2025, 
as ‘‘Necrotizing Enterocolitis Awareness Day’’. 
Whereas necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common 
cause of death in hospitalized premature infants after 
two weeks of age; 
Whereas babies born prematurely or with a medical complica-
tion, like congenital heart disease, are most at risk of 
NEC; 
Whereas thousands of babies develop NEC each year and 
hundreds of babies die from this complex condition; 
Whereas necrotizing enterocolitis causes a severe inflam-
matory process that can lead to intestinal tissue damage 
and death and, once NEC is diagnosed, many babies only 
live for a few hours or days; 
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•HRES 429 IH 
Whereas surgery for NEC is not curative, and the babies who 
survive often have lifelong neurological and nutritional 
complications; 
Whereas necrotizing enterocolitis results in approximately 
$5,000,000,000 of hospitalization expenses per year and 
roughly 19 percent of neonatal health care expenditures 
in the United States, with an estimated cost of $200,000 
or more for each case of surgical necrotizing enterocolitis; 
Whereas breast milk is one of the most effective ways to help 
prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in medically fragile in-
fants, and when the mother’s milk is unavailable, pas-
teurized donor human milk is the next-safest option for 
babies at risk of NEC; 
Whereas formula does not protect against the risk of NEC 
in medically fragile infants, and infants at risk of NEC 
receive the most protection from their mother’s own milk 
and pasteurized donor milk; 
Whereas, although the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis cannot 
be fully eliminated and there are not yet sure ways to 
stop or cure NEC, preventative measures are effective at 
reducing risks; 
Whereas parents must be trusted and valued as the most im-
portant member of their baby’s care team, and health 
care providers should partner with families to provide the 
best care for infants at risk of NEC; 
Whereas necrotizing enterocolitis can develop in both pre-
mature babies and babies born at term, and more data 
are desperately needed to better understand how and why 
NEC occurs in preterm and term infants; 
Whereas disparities and variation in care lead to Black in-
fants being disproportionately affected by, and dying 
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•HRES 429 IH 
from, necrotizing enterocolitis compared to White infants; 
and 
Whereas to build a world without necrotizing enterocolitis 
and improve outcomes for infants and families, we must 
bring Americans together to raise awareness about this 
devastating neonatal disease: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the importance of raising aware-
ness about necrotizing enterocolitis; and 
(2) expresses support for the designation of 
‘‘Necrotizing Enterocolitis Awareness Day’’. 
Æ 
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