IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 858 
Supporting the goals and ideals of the National Congenital Heart Defect 
Awareness Week. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 11, 2007 
Mr. ANDREWS (for himself, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. BISHOP of 
Georgia, and Ms. SUTTON) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the goals and ideals of the National Congenital 
Heart Defect Awareness Week. 
Whereas congenital heart defects and diseases (‘‘CHDs’’) are 
the most common of all birth defects, affecting 40,000 
newborns in the United States each year; 
Whereas CHDs are the number one cause of birth defect-re-
lated deaths, and many children and adults die of con-
genital heart defect complications due to the severity of 
the defect, failure of early diagnosis, lack of heart trans-
plant donors, and insufficient knowledge of medical inter-
vention options; 
Whereas there is still no known cause of CHDs and, there-
fore, no identifiable way to recommend preventive meas-
ures during pregnancy; 
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•HRES 858 IH 
Whereas there are more than 35 recognized heart defects and 
diseases that may present as congenital cardiovascular 
malformations, a disorder of the myocardial function, or 
a disorder of electrical conduction; 
Whereas the causes of and most of the treatments for CHDs 
are distinctly different from acquired heart disease, ne-
cessitating specialized research and medical treatment 
that reach beyond the scope of acquired heart disease; 
Whereas despite the strides that have been made in under-
standing and treating this disorder, more resources are 
needed for education and research to meet the needs of 
patients and their families; 
Whereas not addressing the care of adults with CHDs and 
the lack of research and physicians specializing in this 
area will eventually create a medical crisis for these 
adults as their medical needs grow; 
Whereas raising public awareness will alert parents and phy-
sicians to the symptoms of CHDs, thereby prompting 
them to seek specialized medical care in a timely manner 
and saving lives; 
Whereas those who have lost their battles with CHDs, and 
those who continue to face the medical and financial con-
straints placed on CHDs survivors and their loved ones, 
deserve to be recognized and commemorated; 
Whereas each year the Congenital Heart Information Net-
work recognizes February 7 through February 14 as Na-
tional Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week; and 
Whereas medical professionals and researchers who seek to 
learn more about the development of the heart to find in-
novative methods of treating CHDs, and to improve the 
quality of life for survivors, should be recognized and 
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•HRES 858 IH 
honored by our thanks and increased funding: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of the Na-
tional Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week 
sponsored by the Congenital Heart Information Net-
work; 
(2) supports efforts to reinvigorate research on 
congenital heart defects and diseases (‘‘CHDs’’) 
through increasing funding for such research, there-
by attracting the best and the brightest researchers 
and physicians to the field; 
(3) supports the education of parents and the 
medical community on CHDs symptoms and on the 
importance of newborn screenings for such symp-
toms, which may potentially save and improve the 
lives of countless newborns, children, and adults; 
(4) encourages awareness of the often life-long 
medical, financial, and emotional toll faced by CHDs 
victims, survivors, and their loved ones; and 
(5) requests that the President issue a procla-
mation for all Americans to acknowledge, celebrate 
and honor CHDs survivors, families, medical profes-
sionals, and researchers. 
Æ 
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