Expressing support for designation of April 2015 as "National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month".

Bill: 114-hres-224
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Holding, George [R-NC-13]
Introduced: 2015-04-28
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Birth defects

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Child health

Commemorative events and holidays

Health promotion and preventive care

Medical research

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Research administration and funding
Latest action: action_date: 2015-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-04-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Expresses support for the designation of National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month. (Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is a birth defect that occurs when the diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs to migrate into the chest cavity and preventing lung growth.)</p> <p>Encourages that steps should be taken to:</p> <ul> <li>raise awareness of and increase public knowledge about congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH);</li> <li>inform all Americans about the dangers of CDH;</li> <li>disseminate information on the importance of quality neonatal care for CDH patients;</li> <li>promote quality prenatal care and the use of ultrasounds to detect CDH in utero; and</li> <li>support research funding of CDH to improve screening and treatment, discover its causes, and develop a cure. </li> </ul>

tv_txt: IV 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 224 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 28, 2015 Mr. Holding submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Expressing support for designation of April 2015 as National 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 recognizes CDH as a birth defect; Whereas the majority of CDH patients suffer from underdeveloped lungs or poor pulmonary function; Whereas babies born with CDH endure extended hospital stays in intensive care with multiple surgeries; Whereas CDH patients often endure long-term complications, such as pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary hypoplasia, asthma, gastrointestinal reflex, feeding disorders, and developmental delays; Whereas CDH survivors sometimes endure long-term mechanical 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 3,800 live births worldwide; Whereas CDH affects approximately 1,088 babies each year in the United States; Whereas CDH has affected more than 700,000 babies worldwide since 2000; Whereas CDH does not discriminate based on race, gender, or socioeconomic status; Whereas the cause of CDH is unknown; Whereas the average CDH survivor will face postnatal care of at least $100,000; Whereas Federal support for CDH research at the National Institutes of Health for 2014 is estimated to be not more than $2,500,000; and Whereas April 2015 would be an appropriate month to designate as National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month : Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the designation of National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month ; (2) encourages that steps should be taken to— (A) raise awareness of and increase public knowledge about congenital diaphragmatic hernia (referred to in this resolution as CDH ); (B) inform all Americans 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 importance 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 (3) calls on the people of the United States, interest 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 Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.