[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1049 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1049

 Expressing the need for enhanced public awareness of traumatic brain 
   injury and support for the designation of a National Brain Injury 
                            Awareness Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2024

   Mr. Pascrell (for himself and Mr. Bacon) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the need for enhanced public awareness of traumatic brain 
   injury and support for the designation of a National Brain Injury 
                            Awareness Month.

Whereas traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when brain function is altered by an 
        external force, such as when something strikes the head or when the head 
        hits something as the result of a fall, motor vehicle accident, assault, 
        or other event;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that 
        2,500,000 people sustain a nonfatal TBI each year;
Whereas the CDC estimated that 5,300,000 Americans are living with long-term 
        disabilities as a result of brain injury and millions more are suffering 
        from the residual effects of less severe TBIs;
Whereas CDC data suggests that TBIs accounted for approximately 214,110 
        hospitalizations annually in 2021;
Whereas the CDC found that there were 69,473 TBI-related deaths in 2021, meaning 
        about 190 Americans died from TBI-related injury each day;
Whereas traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been called a ``signature injury'' of 
        Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts;
Whereas the Department of Defense reported that between the years 2000 and 2017, 
        375,000 military members were diagnosed with a TBI;
Whereas the Institute of Medicine concluded that military servicemembers are at 
        increased risk of long-term health issues from TBIs including 
        depression, Alzheimer's-like symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder, 
        seizures, and problems with social functioning;
Whereas the effects of a TBI diagnosis of our men and women in uniform is 
        difficult because these injuries are oftentimes invisible and hard to 
        trace;
Whereas traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability among 
        children and young adults in the United States;
Whereas 15 percent of high school youth report sports or recreation-related 
        concussions annually;
Whereas most cases of traumatic brain injury are preventable;
Whereas the lack of public awareness is so vast that traumatic brain injury has 
        been known in the disability community as the Nation's ``silent 
        epidemic'';
Whereas the designation of a National Brain Injury Awareness Month will enhance 
        public awareness of traumatic brain injury; and
Whereas advocacy organizations, including the Brain Injury Association of 
        America, the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators 
        and the United States Brain Injury Alliance, have all recognized March 
        as Brain Injury Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the life-altering impact traumatic brain 
        injury may have both on Americans living with the resultant 
        disabilities and on their families;
            (2) recognizes the need for enhanced public awareness of 
        traumatic brain injury;
            (3) supports the designation of an appropriate month as 
        National Brain Injury Awareness Month; and
            (4) encourages the President to issue a proclamation 
        designating such a month.
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