IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 195 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that a National Dysphagia Awareness 
Month should be established. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 27, 2007 
Mr. WAMP submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that a National 
Dysphagia Awareness Month should be established. 
Whereas dysphagia, or difficulty with swallowing, is a medical 
dysfunction that affects as many as 15,000,000 Ameri-
cans; 
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has 
estimated that 1,000,000 people in the United States an-
nually are diagnosed with dysphagia; 
Whereas the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has 
estimated that 60,000 Americans die annually from com-
plications associated with dysphagia; 
Whereas based on Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion mortality data, this is more than the total number 
of Americans dying from all forms of liver disease, kidney 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:46 Jul 28, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HC195.IH
HC195
bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HCON 195 IH 
disease, and HIV/AIDS combined—and nearly as many 
as those dying from diabetes, the number 6 killer of 
Americans; 
Whereas the most common complication arising from dys-
phagia is aspiration pneumonia—caused by food or saliva 
entering the windpipe and into the lungs; 
Whereas one in 17 people will develop some form of dys-
phagia in their lifetime, including 50 to 75 percent of 
stroke patients and 60 to 75 percent of patients who un-
dergo radiation therapy for head and neck cancer; 
Whereas as many as half of all Americans over 60 will experi-
ence dysphagia at some point; 
Whereas complications due to dysphagia increase health care 
costs by resultant hospital readmissions, emergency room 
visits, extended hospital stays, the necessity for long-term 
institutional care, and the need for expensive respiratory 
and nutritional support; 
Whereas the cost of managing a patient with a feeding tube, 
which for many has been the primary treatment option 
for this condition, is reported to average over $31,000 
per patient per year; 
Whereas the total annual cost to Medicare just for enteral 
feeding 
supplies 
for 
outpatients 
was 
more 
than 
$670,000,000 in 2003, nearly 6 percent of the total 
Medicare budget for that year; 
Whereas including the monies spent in hospitals, the total 
cost of dysphagia to the health care system is well over 
$1,000,000,000 annually; 
Whereas the condition of dysphagia is a vastly underreported 
condition and not widely understood by the general pub-
lic; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:46 Jul 28, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HC195.IH
HC195
bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HCON 195 IH 
Whereas observing June 2008 as National Dysphagia Aware-
ness Month would raise public awareness about dys-
phagia and the need for early detection and treatment: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that a 
National Dysphagia Awareness Month should be estab-
lished. 
Æ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:46 Jul 28, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HC195.IH
HC195
bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS