[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 46 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 46

Supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 17, 2007

  Mr. Obama submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.

Whereas Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited blood disorder that is a major 
        health problem in the United States, primarily affecting African 
        Americans;
Whereas Sickle Cell Disease causes the rapid destruction of sickle cells, which 
        results in multiple medical complications, including anemia, jaundice, 
        gallstones, strokes, and restricted blood flow, damaging tissue in the 
        liver, spleen, and kidneys, and death;
Whereas Sickle Cell Disease causes episodes of considerable pain in one's arms, 
        legs, chest, and abdomen;
Whereas Sickle Cell Disease affects over 70,000 Americans;
Whereas approximately 1,000 babies are born with Sickle Cell Disease each year 
        in the United States, with the disease occurring in approximately 1 in 
        300 newborn African American infants;
Whereas more than 2,000,000 Americans have the sickle cell trait, and 1 in 12 
        African Americans carry the trait;
Whereas there is a 1 in 4 chance that a child born to parents who both have the 
        sickle cell trait will have the disease;
Whereas the life expectancy of a person with Sickle Cell Disease is severely 
        limited, with an average life span for an adult being 45 years;
Whereas, though researchers have yet to identify a cure for this painful 
        disease, advances in treating the associated complications have 
        occurred;
Whereas researchers are hopeful that in less than two decades, Sickle Cell 
        Disease may join the ranks of chronic illnesses that, when properly 
        treated, do not interfere with the activity, growth, or mental 
        development of affected children;
Whereas Congress recognized the importance of researching, preventing, and 
        treating Sickle Cell Disease by authorizing treatment centers to provide 
        medical intervention, education, and other services and by permitting 
        the Medicaid program to cover some primary and secondary preventative 
        medical strategies for children and adults with Sickle Cell Disease;
Whereas the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. remains the 
        preeminent advocacy organization that serves the sickle cell community 
        by focusing its efforts on public policy, research funding, patient 
        services, public awareness, and education related to developing 
        effective treatments and a cure for Sickle Cell Disease; and
Whereas the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. has requested that 
        the Congress designate September as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month 
        in order to educate communities across the Nation about sickle cell and 
        the need for research funding, early detection methods, effective 
        treatments, and prevention programs: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That the Congress supports the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease 
Awareness Month.
                                 <all>