IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 407 
Expressing support for designation of May as ‘‘National Asthma and Allergy 
Awareness Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 6, 2009 
Ms. CASTOR of Florida (for herself, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms. BALD-
WIN, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. BISHOP of 
Georgia, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Ms. BORDALLO) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for designation of May as ‘‘National 
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month’’. 
Whereas allergies are among the most common and over-
looked diseases in the United States; 
Whereas an estimated 50,000,000 or 1 in 5 Americans suffer 
from all types of allergies; 
Whereas approximately 2,200,000 million school-aged chil-
dren have food allergy and the number of American chil-
dren under 5 years of age with peanut allergy doubled 
between 1999 and 2004; 
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•HRES 407 IH 
Whereas the prevalence of allergies has consistently increased 
since the early 1980s in the United States across all age, 
sex, and racial groups; 
Whereas allergies are the most frequently reported chronic 
condition in children, the third most common chronic dis-
ease among children under the age of 18, and the third- 
ranking cause of hospitalizations for children; 
Whereas 4,000 people die each year from asthma-related 
causes, and asthma is a contributing factor in another 
7,000 deaths every year; 
Whereas many allergic reactions are severe enough to cause 
death; 
Whereas it is estimated that the cost of allergies is nearly 
$7,000,000,000 each year; 
Whereas an estimated 20,000,000 or 1 in 15 Americans suf-
fer from asthma, and 50 percent of asthma cases are ‘‘al-
lergic-asthma’’; 
Whereas, due to asthma, each day in America 40,000 people 
miss school or work, 30,000 people have an attack, 5,000 
people visit the emergency room, 1,000 people are admit-
ted to the hospital, and 11 people die; 
Whereas asthma is the most common chronic condition 
among children, affecting more than 1 of every 20 chil-
dren; 
Whereas asthma is more common among children (7 to 10 
percent) than adults (3 to 5 percent); 
Whereas nearly 5,000,000 asthma sufferers are under the 
age of 18; 
Whereas ethnic differences in asthma prevalence, morbidity, 
and mortality are highly correlated with poverty, urban 
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•HRES 407 IH 
air quality, indoor allergens, lack of patient education, 
and inadequate medical care; 
Whereas asthma accounts for one-quarter of all emergency 
room visits in the United States each year, with 
2,000,000 emergency room visits; 
Whereas each year, asthma accounts for more than 
10,000,000 outpatient visits and 500,000 hospitaliza-
tions; 
Whereas 44 percent of all asthma hospitalizations are for 
children; 
Whereas asthma is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization 
among children under the age of 15; 
Whereas among children ages 5 to 17, asthma is the leading 
cause of school absences from a chronic illness; 
Whereas asthma accounts for an annual loss of more than 
12,800,000 school days per year, which is approximately 
8 days for each student with asthma, and it is estimated 
that children with asthma spend nearly 8,000,000 days 
per year restricted to bed; 
Whereas the annual cost of asthma is estimated to be nearly 
$19,700,000,000; 
Whereas the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America first 
declared ‘‘National Asthma and Allergy Awareness 
Week’’ 25 years ago in May 1984;
Whereas each year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of 
America declares May as ‘‘National Asthma and Allergy 
Awareness Month’’; and 
Whereas the month of May 2009 would be an appropriate 
month to designate a ‘‘National Asthma and Allergy 
Awareness Month’’: Now, therefore, be it 
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•HRES 407 IH 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘National 
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month’’; 
(2) supports the designation of a ‘‘National 
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month’’; 
(3) encourages local communities to raise 
awareness surrounding the prevalence of asthma and 
allergies; 
(4) encourages awareness about disparities in 
asthma cases based on race, ethnicity, and economic 
status; 
(5) recognizes and salutes health care profes-
sionals that treat asthma- and allergy-related health 
issues each day; and 
(6) recognizes and reaffirms the Nation’s com-
mitment to continued education surrounding asthma 
and allergy treatment and symptoms and to advanc-
ing care for both asthma and allergy conditions. 
Æ 
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