IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1480 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Spina Bifida Awareness Month. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. STUPAK, Mrs. SCHMIDT, and Mr. 
BURTON of Indiana) submitted the following resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Spina Bifida 
Awareness Month. 
Whereas Spina Bifida is the most common, permanently dis-
abling birth defect; 
Whereas Spina Bifida occurs during the first month of preg-
nancy and leaves a permanent opening in the spinal col-
umn which subsequently impacts nearly every organ sys-
tem; 
Whereas an estimated 70,000 to 130,000 people in the 
United States currently live with Spina Bifida; 
Whereas all women of childbearing age are at risk of having 
a pregnancy affected by Spina Bifida; 
Whereas an estimated 70 percent of neural tube defects, such 
as Spina Bifida, can be prevented if a woman consumes 
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adequate amounts of folic acid, a supplement found in 
most over-the-counter multivitamins and foods rich in 
folate, such as spinach, prior to becoming pregnant; 
Whereas Hispanic and Latina women are at the highest risk 
(1.5 to 2 times higher than the next highest risk popu-
lation, non-Hispanic white women) for delivering a baby 
with Spina Bifida or another neural tube defect and are 
the least likely to consume sufficient amounts of folic 
acid prior to becoming pregnant; 
Whereas there are unprecedented medical complications asso-
ciated with aging that a person with Spina Bifida faces 
because they are living beyond previous generations and 
care is complex, involving a myriad of clinical specialists; 
Whereas a 2005 nationwide survey of Spina Bifida clinics un-
covered that the current system of care serving people 
with Spina Bifida does not fully meet current or antici-
pated needs and physicians have little evidence-based re-
search on which to build neurological, orthopedic, or uro-
logic treatment regimens and interventions; 
Whereas the National Spina Bifida Program, administered by 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exists to 
improve the health, well-being, and overall quality of life 
for the individuals and families affected by Spina Bifida 
through the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry and 
critical quality of life research in Spina Bifida; 
Whereas the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry helps to 
improve the quality of care, reduce morbidity and mor-
tality, increase the efficiency of care, decrease the cost of 
care, develop quality measures, treatment standards, and 
best practices, identify centers of excellence in Spina 
Bifida, evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Spina Bifida 
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treatment, and exchange evidence-based information be-
tween health care providers across the United States; 
Whereas the Spina Bifida Association is the only national vol-
untary health agency working for people with Spina 
Bifida and their families through education, advocacy, re-
search, and service; and 
Whereas October is designated as ‘‘National Spina Bifida 
Awareness Month’’ to help increase awareness and pre-
vention of Spina Bifida and to emphasize the need for in-
creased funding to support evidence-based research and 
to enhance the quality of life of those living with Spina 
Bifida: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘National 
Spina Bifida Awareness Month’’ as designated by 
the Spina Bifida Association; 
(2) recognizes the importance of highlighting 
the occurrence of Spina Bifida, bringing to light the 
struggles and successes of those who live with Spina 
Bifida, and advancing efforts to decrease the inci-
dence of Spina Bifida; 
(3) supports the ongoing development of the 
National Spina Bifida Patient Registry to improve 
lives through research and to improve treatment for 
children and adults; 
(4) recognizes that there is a continued need for 
resources to reduce and prevent disabling birth de-
fects like Spina Bifida; and 
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(5) commends the work of the Spina Bifida As-
sociation for its excellent work to educate, support, 
and provide hope for individuals and their families 
who are affected by Spina Bifida. 
Æ 
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