III 110th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 594 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 12, 2008 Mr. Brown (for himself and Mr. Bayh) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary June 26, 2008 Reported by Mr. Leahy, without amendment July 7, 2008 Considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating September 2008 as 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 and the disease 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, which means approximately 1,200,000 Americans are carriers; 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 raising awareness of Tay-Sachs disease is the best way to fight this horrific disease: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate designates September 2008 as Tay-Sachs Awareness Month.