[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 848 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 848

Recognizing and honoring Prevent Blindness America for its 100 years of 
      dedication to preventing blindness and preserving eyesight.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 6, 2007

   Ms. Schakowsky (for herself and Mr. Kirk) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing and honoring Prevent Blindness America for its 100 years of 
      dedication to preventing blindness and preserving eyesight.

Whereas in 1908, the New York State Committee on Prevention of Blindness, now 
        known as Prevent Blindness America, led by Dr. Park Lewis and social and 
        public health leader, Louisa Lee Schuyler, fought for and helped pass 
        Federal legislation that virtually eliminated ophthalmia neonatorum, 
        then a leading cause of blindness in infants;
Whereas thanks to that effort, newborns around the country were protected from 
        lifelong vision loss, and the association that eventually became Prevent 
        Blindness America was born;
Whereas for the past 100 years, Prevent Blindness America has been the leading 
        national organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving vision 
        through education, advocacy, vision screener certification, research 
        grants and community based programs;
Whereas Prevent Blindness America is the only national organization with a 
        certification programs for vision screeners, training approximately 
        2,500 new screeners each year, and providing 20,000 vision screening 
        personnel with the skills they need to help people in their communities;
Whereas Prevent Blindness America's vision screenings help identify preschoolers 
        at risk of vision loss from lazy eye, school children who depend on good 
        vision for learning, and adults threatened by glaucoma and other serious 
        vision problems;
Whereas in 2006, Prevent Blindness America screened more than 2,300,000 children 
        and adults for potentially blinding eye diseases, referring more than 
        200,000 to eye doctors for follow-up professional care;
Whereas Prevent Blindness America is leading the effort to bridge the gap 
        between vision screenings and follow up care and treatment, to ensure 
        positive outcomes;
Whereas half of all blindness can be prevented through early detection, 
        intervention, and treatment;
Whereas the work of Prevent Blindness America is increasingly important, as the 
        incidence of blindness is expected to double in the next 20 years with 
        the aging adult population; and
Whereas Prevent Blindness America has set visionary goals for the year 2020 to 
        address these issues by working to ensure that every child receives 
        appropriate eye care prior to entering school, to double the number of 
        adults, especially adults over 40, visiting the eye doctor, and to 
        reduce eye injuries: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the invaluable contributions and positive 
        impact of Prevent Blindness America, and its affiliates and 
        divisions, to individuals in communities and to all Americans; 
        and
            (2) congratulates and commends Prevent Blindness America 
        for 100 years of preventing blindness and preserving sight.
                                 <all>