IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 25 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 22, 2009 Mr. Bilbray (for himself, Mr. Issa, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. Sutton, and Mr. Filner) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month.

Whereas sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States; Whereas sudden cardiac arrest takes the lives of more than 250,000 people in the United States each year, according to the Heart Rhythm Society; Whereas anyone can experience sudden cardiac arrest, including infants, high school athletes, and people in their 30s and 40s who have no sign of heart disease; Whereas sudden cardiac arrest is extremely deadly, with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute giving the disease a mortality rate of approximately 95 percent; Whereas the American Heart Association states that, to have a chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest, victims must receive a lifesaving defibrillation within the first 4 to 6 minutes of the attack; Whereas for every minute that passes without a shock from an automated external defibrillator, the chance of survival decreases by approximately 10 percent; Whereas lifesaving treatments for sudden cardiac arrest are effective if administered in time; Whereas according to joint research by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, implantable cardioverter defibrillators are 98 percent effective at protecting people at risk for sudden cardiac arrest; Whereas according to the American Heart Association, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator more than double the chances that a victim will survive; Whereas the Yale-New Haven Hospital and the New England Journal of Medicine state that women and African-Americans are at a higher risk than the general population for dying as a result of sudden cardiac arrest, yet this fact is not well known to people at risk; Whereas there is a need for comprehensive educational efforts designed to increase awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and related therapies among medical professionals and the greater public in order to promote early detection and proper treatment of this disease and to improve quality of life; and Whereas the Heart Rhythm Society and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition are preparing related public awareness and education campaigns on sudden cardiac arrest to be held each year during the month of October: Now, therefore, be it

That the Congress— (1)supports the goals and ideals of National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month; (2)supports efforts to educate people about sudden cardiac arrest and to raise awareness about the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, the identification of warning signs, and the need to seek medical attention in a timely manner; (3)acknowledges the critical importance of sudden cardiac arrest awareness to improving national cardiovascular health; and (4)calls upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities.