III 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 172 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 8, 2009 Mr. Johnson submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating June 2009 as National Aphasia Awareness Month and supporting efforts to increase awareness of aphasia.

Whereas aphasia is a communication impairment caused by brain damage that typically results from a stroke; Whereas, while aphasia is most often the result of stroke or brain injury, it can also occur with other neurological disorders, such as a brain tumor; Whereas many people with aphasia also have weakness or paralysis in the right leg and right arm, usually due to damage to the left hemisphere of the brain, which controls language and movement on the right side of the body; Whereas the effects of aphasia may include a loss of or reduction in the ability to speak, comprehend, read, and write, but the intelligence of a person with aphasia remains intact; Whereas, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (referred to in this resolution as the NINDS), stroke is the 3rd-leading cause of death in the United States, ranking behind heart disease and cancer; Whereas stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States; Whereas the NINDS estimates that there are about 5,000,000 stroke survivors in the United States; Whereas the NINDS estimates that people in the United States suffer about 750,000 strokes per year, with approximately 1/3 of the strokes resulting in aphasia; Whereas, according to the NINDS, aphasia affects at least 1,000,000 people in the United States; Whereas the NINDS estimates that more than 200,000 people in the United States acquire the disorder each year; Whereas the National Aphasia Association is a unique organization that provides communication strategies, support, and education for people with aphasia and their caregivers throughout the United States; and Whereas, as an advocacy organization for people with aphasia and their caregivers, the National Aphasia Association envisions a world that recognizes the silent disability of aphasia and provides opportunity and fulfillment for people affected by aphasia: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)designates June 2009 as National Aphasia Awareness Month; (2)supports efforts to increase awareness of aphasia; (3)recognizes that strokes, a primary cause of aphasia, are the 3rd-largest cause of death and disability in the United States; (4)acknowledges that aphasia deserves more attention and study in order to find new solutions for serving individuals experiencing aphasia and their caregivers; (5)supports efforts to make the voices of people with aphasia heard, because people with aphasia are often unable to communicate with others; and (6)encourages all people in the United States to observe National Aphasia Awareness Month with appropriate events and activities.