[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 67 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 67

 Expressing the need for enhanced public awareness of traumatic brain 
   injury and supporting the designation of a National Brain Injury 
                            Awareness Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 11, 2003

Mr. Cochran (for himself, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Graham of 
 South Carolina) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 
             was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the need for enhanced public awareness of traumatic brain 
   injury and supporting the designation of a National Brain Injury 
                            Awareness Month.

Whereas traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability 
        among children and young adults in the United States;
Whereas at least 5,300,000 Americans currently live with permanent disabilities 
        resulting from traumatic brain injury;
Whereas at least 1,500,000 Americans sustain traumatic brain injury each year;
Whereas another 80,000 Americans each year sustain lifelong disabilities from 
        traumatic brain injury, resulting in life-altering experiences that can 
        include the most serious physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments;
Whereas every 21 seconds, 1 person in the United States sustains traumatic brain 
        injury;
Whereas traumatic brain injury costs the United States $48,300,000,000 annually, 
        consisting of approximately $31,700,000,000 for hospitalization 
        expenditures and approximately $16,600,000,000 for fatal brain injury 
        expenditures;
Whereas the lack of public awareness is so vast that traumatic brain injury is 
        known in the disability community as the Nation's ``silent epidemic'';
Whereas the designation of a National Brain Injury Awareness Month will work 
        toward enhancing the public awareness of traumatic brain injury;
Whereas former President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the month of October 1984 as 
        National Head Injury Awareness Month; and
Whereas the Brain Injury Association of America has recognized October as Brain 
        Injury Awareness Month since 1980: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the life-altering impact that traumatic 
        brain injury can have, both on Americans living with the 
        resultant disabilities and on their families;
            (2) recognizes the need for enhanced public awareness of 
        traumatic brain injury;
            (3) supports the designation of an appropriate month as 
        National Brain Injury Awareness Month; and
            (4) encourages the President to issue a proclamation 
        designating National Brain Injury Awareness Month.
                                 <all>