IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 297 
Expressing support for designation of April 2017 as ‘‘National Congenital 
Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2017 
Mr. HOLDING (for himself, Mr. CONNOLLY, and Mr. MEEHAN) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for designation of April 2017 as ‘‘Na-
tional Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness 
Month’’. 
Whereas congenital diaphragmatic hernia (referred to in this 
preamble as ‘‘CDH’’) occurs when the diaphragm fails to 
fully form, allowing abdominal organs to migrate into the 
chest cavity and preventing lung growth; 
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rec-
ognizes CDH as a birth defect; 
Whereas the majority of CDH patients suffer from under-
developed lungs or poor pulmonary function; 
Whereas babies born with CDH endure extended hospital 
stays in intensive care with multiple surgeries; 
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Whereas CDH patients often endure long-term complications, 
such as pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary hypoplasia, 
asthma, gastrointestinal reflux, feeding disorders, and de-
velopmental delays; 
Whereas CDH survivors sometimes endure long-term me-
chanical ventilation dependency, skeletal malformations, 
supplemental oxygen dependency, enteral and parenteral 
nutrition, and hypoxic brain injury; 
Whereas CDH is treated through mechanical ventilation, a 
heart 
and 
lung 
bypass 
(commonly 
known 
as 
‘‘extracorporeal membrane oxygenation’’), machines, and 
surgical repair; 
Whereas surgical repair is often not a permanent solution for 
CDH and can lead to reherniation and require additional 
surgery; 
Whereas CDH is diagnosed in utero in less than 50 percent 
of cases; 
Whereas infants born with CDH have a high mortality rate, 
ranging from 20 to 60 percent, depending on the severity 
of the defect and interventions available at delivery; 
Whereas CDH has a rate of occurrence of 1 in every 2,500 
live births worldwide; 
Whereas CDH affects approximately 1,600 babies each year 
in the United States; 
Whereas CDH has affected more than 700,000 babies world-
wide since 2000; 
Whereas CDH does not discriminate based on race, gender, 
or socioeconomic status; 
Whereas the cause of CDH is unknown; 
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Whereas the average CDH survivor will face postnatal care 
of at least $100,000; and 
Whereas Federal support for CDH research at the National 
Institutes of Health for 2017 is estimated to be not more 
than $4,000,000: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Con-
genital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month’’; 
(2) encourages that steps should be taken to— 
(A) raise awareness of and increase public 
knowledge about congenital diaphragmatic her-
nia (referred to in this resolution as ‘‘CDH’’); 
(B) inform the people of the United States 
about the dangers of CDH, especially those 
groups that may be disproportionately affected 
by CDH or have lower survival rates; 
(C) disseminate information on the impor-
tance of quality neonatal care of CDH patients; 
(D) promote quality prenatal care and 
ultrasounds to detect CDH in utero; and 
(E) support research funding of CDH to— 
(i) improve screening and treatment 
for CDH; 
(ii) discover the causes of CDH; and 
(iii) develop a cure for CDH; and 
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(3) calls on the people of the United States, in-
terest groups, and affected persons to— 
(A) promote awareness of CDH; 
(B) take an active role in the fight against 
this devastating birth defect; and 
(C) observe National Congenital Diaphrag-
matic Hernia Awareness Month with appro-
priate ceremonies and activities. 
Æ 
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