[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1480 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1480

  Supporting the goals and ideals of National Spina Bifida Awareness 
                                 Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 23, 2008

Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Stupak, Mrs. Schmidt, and Mr. 
   Burton of Indiana) submitted the following resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Supporting the goals and ideals of National Spina Bifida Awareness 
                                 Month.

Whereas Spina Bifida is the most common, permanently disabling birth defect;
Whereas Spina Bifida occurs during the first month of pregnancy and leaves a 
        permanent opening in the spinal column which subsequently impacts nearly 
        every organ system;
Whereas an estimated 70,000 to 130,000 people in the United States currently 
        live with Spina Bifida;
Whereas all women of childbearing age are at risk of having a pregnancy affected 
        by Spina Bifida;
Whereas an estimated 70 percent of neural tube defects, such as Spina Bifida, 
        can be prevented if a woman consumes adequate amounts of folic acid, a 
        supplement found in most over-the-counter multivitamins and foods rich 
        in folate, such as spinach, prior to becoming pregnant;
Whereas Hispanic and Latina women are at the highest risk (1.5 to 2 times higher 
        than the next highest risk population, non-Hispanic white women) for 
        delivering a baby with Spina Bifida or another neural tube defect and 
        are the least likely to consume sufficient amounts of folic acid prior 
        to becoming pregnant;
Whereas there are unprecedented medical complications associated with aging that 
        a person with Spina Bifida faces because they are living beyond previous 
        generations and care is complex, involving a myriad of clinical 
        specialists;
Whereas a 2005 nationwide survey of Spina Bifida clinics uncovered that the 
        current system of care serving people with Spina Bifida does not fully 
        meet current or anticipated needs and physicians have little evidence-
        based research on which to build neurological, orthopedic, or urologic 
        treatment regimens and interventions;
Whereas the National Spina Bifida Program, administered by the Centers for 
        Disease Control and Prevention, exists to improve the health, well-
        being, and overall quality of life for the individuals and families 
        affected by Spina Bifida through the National Spina Bifida Patient 
        Registry and critical quality of life research in Spina Bifida;
Whereas the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry helps to improve the quality 
        of care, reduce morbidity and mortality, increase the efficiency of 
        care, decrease the cost of care, develop quality measures, treatment 
        standards, and best practices, identify centers of excellence in Spina 
        Bifida, evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Spina Bifida treatment, and 
        exchange evidence-based information between health care providers across 
        the United States;
Whereas the Spina Bifida Association is the only national voluntary health 
        agency working for people with Spina Bifida and their families through 
        education, advocacy, research, and service; and
Whereas October is designated as ``National Spina Bifida Awareness Month'' to 
        help increase awareness and prevention of Spina Bifida and to emphasize 
        the need for increased funding to support evidence-based research and to 
        enhance the quality of life of those living with Spina Bifida: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Spina 
        Bifida Awareness Month'' as designated by the Spina Bifida 
        Association;
            (2) recognizes the importance of highlighting the 
        occurrence of Spina Bifida, bringing to light the struggles and 
        successes of those who live with Spina Bifida, and advancing 
        efforts to decrease the incidence of Spina Bifida;
            (3) supports the ongoing development of the National Spina 
        Bifida Patient Registry to improve lives through research and 
        to improve treatment for children and adults;
            (4) recognizes that there is a continued need for resources 
        to reduce and prevent disabling birth defects like Spina 
        Bifida; and
            (5) commends the work of the Spina Bifida Association for 
        its excellent work to educate, support, and provide hope for 
        individuals and their families who are affected by Spina 
        Bifida.
                                 <all>