IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 57 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 23, 2009 Mr. Sessions (for himself, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers, Mr. Kennedy, and Ms. Norton) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued to promote public awareness of Down syndrome.

Whereas Down syndrome occurs when an individual has 3 rather than 2 copies of the 21st chromosome, and this additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome; Whereas there are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States; Whereas the incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother, but due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80 percent of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age; Whereas people with Down syndrome have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer's disease, childhood leukemia, and thyroid conditions, and because many of these conditions are now treatable, most people with Down syndrome lead healthy lives; Whereas a few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm, yet every person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees or not at all; and Whereas life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent decades, from 25 in 1983 to 60 today, and people with Down syndrome attend school, work, participate in decisions that affect them, and contribute to society in many wonderful ways: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of Congress that— (1)the United States Postal Service should issue a commemorative postage stamp to promote public awareness of Down syndrome; and (2)the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the United States Postal Service should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.