[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1333 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1333

     Supporting the goals and ideals of Tay-Sachs Awareness Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 10, 2008

   Mr. Arcuri (for himself, Mr. Welch of Vermont, Mr. McGovern, Ms. 
Matsui, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Ms. Castor, Ms. Sutton, Mr. Ellsworth, 
   Mr. Carney, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Berry, Mr. Donnelly, Ms. Bean, Mr. 
  Chandler, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Boren, Mr. Sires, Mr. Barrett of South 
Carolina, Mr. Israel, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mr. Space, Mr. Ross, Mr. 
Altmire, Mr. Shuster, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Weiner, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. 
Braley of Iowa, Mr. Murphy of Connecticut, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Ackerman, 
Mr. McNulty, Mr. Klein of Florida, Mr. Hodes, Mr. Rothman, Mr. Kennedy, 
Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Hare, Ms. 
DeGette, and Mrs. Lowey) submitted the following resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Supporting the goals and ideals of Tay-Sachs Awareness Month.

Whereas Tay-Sachs disease is a rare, genetic disorder that causes destruction of 
        nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord due to the poor functioning of 
        an enzyme called beta-hexosaminidase A;
Whereas there is no proven treatment or cure for Tay-Sachs disease, which is 
        always fatal in children;
Whereas the disorder was named after Warren Tay, an ophthalmologist from the 
        United Kingdom, and Bernard Sachs, a neurologist from the United States, 
        both of whom contributed to the discovery of the disease in 1881 and 
        1887, respectively;
Whereas Tay-Sachs disease often affects families with no prior history of the 
        disease;
Whereas approximately 1 in 27 Ashkenazi Jews, 1 in 30 Louisianan Cajuns, 1 in 30 
        French Canadians, 1 in 50 Irish Americans, and 1 in every 250 people are 
        carriers of Tay-Sachs disease;
Whereas approximately 1,200,000 Americans are carriers of Tay-Sachs disease;
Whereas these unaffected carriers of the disease possess the recessive gene that 
        can trigger the disease in future generations;
Whereas if both parents of a child are carriers of Tay-Sachs disease, there is a 
        1 in 4 chance that the child will develop Tay-Sachs disease;
Whereas a simple and inexpensive blood test can determine if an individual is a 
        carrier of Tay-Sachs disease, and all people in the United States, 
        especially those citizens who are members of high-risk populations, 
        should be screened; and
Whereas heightened awareness and increased research are the best ways to 
        eradicate this horrific disease: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the goals and 
ideals of Tay-Sachs Awareness Month and encourages and supports 
education and research efforts with respect to Tay-Sachs disease.
                                 <all>