[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          COMPREHENSIVE FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME PREVENTION ACT

                                 ______


                          HON. BILL RICHARDSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 24, 1995
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the 
Comprehensive Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Prevention Act. Fetal Alcohol 
Syndrome [FAS] is the leading cause of mental retardation in the United 
States and is one of the most common birth defects to occur in our 
country. Diagnosis is rare prior to birth and there is no cure for FAS 
or Fetal Alcohol Effects [FAE], its less severe counterpart.
  This disease is completely preventable, by simply avoiding alcohol 
during pregnancy, but the number of affected children is rising 
sharply. Recent studies indicate that the percentage of babies stricken 
by FAS has increased sixfold in the last 15 years.
  The statistics are appalling: the disease affects 1 in 250 live 
births; 5,000 infants are born each year with the recognizable facial, 
physical and mental abnormalities caused by FAS; 50,000 babies are born 
annually with FAE, and suffer from learning disabilities, central 
nervous system damage, and physical disorders.
  Not only are the emotional impacts of these diseases devastating, the 
costs associated with treatment are very high: health care costs for 
one child stricken with FAS total $44,000.
  FAS and FAE strike without regard to race or economic status, but the 
rate of incidence is higher among certain groups; for instance, the 
rate is 30 times higher among Native Americans. This disease threatens 
to destroy whole generations on some reservations if stronger federal 
action is not initiated.
  Surprisingly, much of the public is still unaware of the dangers of 
drinking during pregnancy. The medical community does not uniformly 
caution against alcohol consumption for pregnant women, and most 
medical schools do not provide curriculum on FAS prevention and 
detection.
  This bill seeks to address each of these issues comprehensively. It 
requires the Department of Health and Human Services to close the gaps 
in our current efforts to prevent FAS and FAE by establishing a 
coordinating committee to streamline program development and eliminate 
duplicative research programs. The committee will develop professional 
practice standards and curriculum for health care providers, and will 
initiate a national public awareness program to outline the dangers of 
alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Finally, additional research will 
be conducted to aid detection and a cure for FAS so that future 
generations will not suffer from this debilitating disease.
  This bill, as evidence by our bipartisan list of cosponsors, deserves 
the support of all Members, and I look forward to working toward its 
passage.


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