[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 226 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 226

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should 
           be established a Children's Vision Awareness Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 2, 2001

    Mr. Matsui (for himself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Carson of Indiana, Mr. 
  Capuano, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Skelton, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. 
 Pastor, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Price of North Carolina, and Mr. 
 Reyes) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should 
           be established a Children's Vision Awareness Day.

Whereas the National Society to Prevent Blindness concluded in a 1990 report 
        that in the United States vision disorders are the fourth most common 
        disability and the most prevalent handicapping condition in childhood;
Whereas according to the United States Center for Health Statistics, only about 
        14 percent of children in the United States under the age of 6 receive 
        an eye exam;
Whereas according to the Saratoga Vision Center, 1 of every 6 children in the 
        United States is 2 or more grade levels behind in reading, and 80 
        percent of these children have difficulty in eye control and 
        coordination;
Whereas according to a 1999 study by Helen Keller International, 25 percent of 
        junior high school age children in the United States cannot read a 
        blackboard because of near-sightedness;
Whereas untreated eye problems can affect learning ability, personality, 
        adjustment in school, athletic ability, and self-esteem;
Whereas parents and teachers may have difficulty recognizing some vision 
        problems of children;
Whereas there is a national focus on education, but the essential role of good 
        vision in education is often forgotten;
Whereas Vision Service Plan and America's Promise have a Sight for Students 
        Program to help low-income, uninsured children obtain eye exams and 
        glasses;
Whereas Vision Service Plan, Prevent Blindness America, Head Start, and other 
        community benefit programs with an emphasis on vision will conduct eye 
        screenings at the Capitol and at State capitols across the Nation on 
        September 26, 2001; and
Whereas the establishment of a Children's Vision Awareness Day on September 26, 
        2001, would recognize the importance of early childhood vision care: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
there should be established a Children's Vision Awareness Day.
                                 <all>