[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 648 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 648

Supporting the goals and ideals of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 10, 2007

Mr. Issa submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the goals and ideals of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day.

Whereas nationwide more than 325,000 Americans die each year from sudden cardiac 
        arrest, which amounts to 900 people per day at a rate of one person 
        every 90 seconds;
Whereas more Americans die each year from sudden cardiac arrest than from cancer 
        and car accidents combined;
Whereas almost 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before they reach 
        a hospital or obtain other emergency medical attention;
Whereas 80 percent of sudden cardiac arrests are caused by ventricular 
        fibrillation, a heart rhythm variance for which defibrillation and 
        cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are the only effective treatments;
Whereas sudden cardiac arrest causes the brain to begin dying within four to six 
        minutes of onset;
Whereas for every minute that passes while a person is experiencing sudden 
        cardiac arrest, chances of survival decrease by 10 percent;
Whereas after six minutes, according to studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic, 
        the chance of resuscitating a sudden cardiac arrest victim is almost 
        zero;
Whereas although sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in 
        the United States, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can prevent 
        these deaths;
Whereas AEDs enable medical and nonmedical rescuers to deliver a potentially 
        lifesaving defibrillation to sudden cardiac arrest victims;
Whereas the national sudden cardiac arrest survival rate without defibrillation 
        and CPR is less than 5 percent;
Whereas the Federal Government has already mandated every commercial airplane to 
        have an AED on board;
Whereas a sudden cardiac arrest event is 30 times more likely to occur in a 
        school than on an airplane;
Whereas on any given day, 20 percent of the population, both adults and 
        children, occupy the Nation's schools;
Whereas an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 school-aged children die each year from 
        sudden cardiac arrest;
Whereas in the United States, one out of every 100,000 to 300,000 high school 
        athletes will die each year from sudden cardiac arrest;
Whereas in communities with strong public access defibrillation programs, the 
        sudden cardiac arrest survival rate, when defibrillation and CPR are 
        provided within the first three minutes, is up to 75 percent;
Whereas education, training, and preparedness are critical factors in the 
        ability to successfully save the life of a sudden cardiac arrest victim; 
        and
Whereas heightened public awareness of how critical time is in providing 
        treatment to sudden cardiac arrest victims can help save lives: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of Sudden Cardiac Arrest 
        Awareness Day; and
            (2) encourages awareness and education efforts on the 
        subject of sudden cardiac arrest and the timely use of an 
        automated external defibrillator and cardiopulmonary 
        resuscitation.
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