IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 539 
Calling for sickle-cell trait research, surveillance, and public education and 
awareness. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 
Ms. LEE (for herself, Mr. BURGESS, Ms. NORTON, Ms. WILSON of Florida, 
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. EVANS, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. 
JACKSON LEE, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. MEEKS, and Mr. PAYNE) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Calling for sickle-cell trait research, surveillance, and public 
education and awareness. 
Whereas sickle-cell disease is the most common inherited 
blood disorder in the United States, affecting approxi-
mately 100,000 people in the United States; 
Whereas more than 3,000,000 people in the United States 
have the sickle-cell trait, and many are unaware of their 
status; 
Whereas in 2010, the total number of babies born with sick-
le-cell trait was estimated to have exceeded 60,000, and 
the total United States incidence estimate was 15.5 cases 
per 1,000 births; 
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•HRES 539 IH 
Whereas African Americans (1 in 12) and Hispanic Ameri-
cans (1 in 100) are most at risk for carrying the sickle- 
cell trait, and the trait has been found in persons of 
Greek, Italian, East Indian, Saudi Arabian, Asian, Syr-
ian, Turkish, Cypriot, Sicilian, and Caucasian origin; 
Whereas individuals who have sickle-cell trait have a 50-per-
cent chance of passing on the abnormal sickle-cell gene 
to future offspring and 25-percent chance of having fu-
ture children with sickle-cell disease if both parents have 
the trait; 
Whereas sickle-cell disease can be identified before birth by 
testing a sample of amniotic fluid or tissue from the pla-
centa; 
Whereas individuals with sickle-cell trait have the same life 
expectancy as the general population, but are at risk for 
certain conditions, including blood in the urine, kidney 
cancer, complications with trauma to the eye, and tissue 
death in the spleen at high altitudes, or may have a false 
positive A1C test; 
Whereas according to a 2007 study in the American Journal 
of Medical Genetics, all States have been required to 
screen for sickle-cell disease/trait since 2006; however, 
most States lack a protocol for disseminating results of 
trait status, with parents being notified only 37 percent 
of the time; 
Whereas communication of a screening result consistent with 
sickle-cell trait should always be accompanied by appro-
priate counseling on the implications, provided by an in-
dividual with adequate training and understanding of the 
information; 
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•HRES 539 IH 
develop a surveillance and public awareness cam-
paign regarding the importance of knowing one’s 
sickle-cell trait status and to gain knowledge on sick-
le-cell disease for all racial and ethnic groups in the 
United States; 
(4) calls on the Department of Health and 
Human Services to expand access for screening and 
appropriate counseling for carriers of sickle-cell 
trait; and 
(5) commits to ensuring support for research 
that expands our understanding of the health out-
comes and other implications of sickle-cell trait and 
the health outcomes associated with sickle-cell dis-
ease. 
Æ 
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