[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 3, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1362-H1364]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL SHAKEN 
                      BABY SYNDROME AWARENESS WEEK

  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 59) expressing the sense of 
Congress regarding the establishment of National Shaken Baby Syndrome 
Awareness Week, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 59

       Whereas more than 1,000,000 children were abused or 
     neglected in the United States during the most recent year 
     for which Government data is available regarding child abuse 
     and neglect;
       Whereas more than 3 children die from abuse or neglect each 
     day in the United States;
       Whereas, in 1998, 37.9 percent of all fatalities of 
     children under the age of 1 were caused by child abuse or 
     neglect, and 77.5 percent of all fatalities of children under 
     the age of 5 were caused by child abuse or neglect;
       Whereas head trauma, including the trauma known as shaken 
     baby syndrome, is the leading cause of death of abused 
     children;
       Whereas shaken baby syndrome is the loss of vision, brain 
     damage, paralysis, seizures, or death that is caused by 
     severely or violently shaking a baby;
       Whereas an estimated 3,000 babies, usually younger than 1 
     year of age, are diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome every 
     year, with thousands more misdiagnosed or undetected;
       Whereas shaken baby syndrome often results in permanent, 
     irreparable brain damage or death;
       Whereas the medical costs associated with caring for a baby 
     suffering from shaken baby syndrome often exceed $1,000,000 
     in the first few years of the life of the baby;
       Whereas the most effective method for ending the occurrence 
     of shaken baby syndrome is to prevent the abuse which causes 
     it;
       Whereas educational and prevention programs regarding 
     shaken baby syndrome may prevent enormous medical costs and 
     unquantifiable grief at minimal cost;
       Whereas programs to prevent shaken baby syndrome have been 
     shown to raise awareness and provide critically important 
     information about shaken baby syndrome to parents, 
     caregivers, day care workers, child protection employees, law 
     enforcement personnel, health care professionals, and legal 
     representatives;
       Whereas programs and techniques to prevent child abuse and 
     shaken baby syndrome are supported by the Shaken Baby 
     Alliance, Children's Defense Fund, National Children's 
     Alliance, American Humane Association, Prevent Child Abuse 
     America, National Exchange Club Foundation, Child Welfare 
     League of America, National Association of Children's 
     Hospitals and Related Institutions, Center for Child 
     Protection and Family Support, Inc., American Academy of 
     Pediatrics, and American Medical Association; and
       Whereas increased awareness of shaken baby syndrome and of 
     the techniques to prevent it would help end the abuse that 
     causes shaken baby syndrome: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) strongly supports efforts to protect children from 
     abuse and neglect; and
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to educate 
     themselves regarding shaken baby syndrome and the techniques 
     to prevent it.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts).


                             General Leave

  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Con. Res. 59, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the House consider House 
Concurrent Resolution 59, legislation introduced by the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McKeon), my esteemed colleague. This resolution 
expresses the sense of Congress regarding the prevention of shaken baby 
syndrome. Shaken baby syndrome is a medical term used to describe the 
violent shaking and resulting injury sustained from shaking a young 
child. Often there are no external signs of injury to a baby or young 
child's body, but there is injury inside, particularly in the head or 
behind the eyes. The term was first discussed in medical literature in 
1972, but knowledge about the syndrome continues to develop today.
  Shaken baby syndrome can occur when children are violently shaken, 
either as part of a pattern of abuse, or simply because an adult or 
young caretaker has momentarily succumbed to the challenges of 
responding to a crying baby. Violent shaking is especially dangerous to 
infants and young children because their neck muscles are 
underdeveloped, and their brain tissue is exceptionally fragile. Their 
small size further adds to the risk of injury. Vigorous shaking 
repeatedly pitches the brain in different directions.
  Shaken baby syndrome can have disastrous consequences for the victim, 
the family, and society in total. If the child survives the syndrome, 
medical bills can be enormous. The victim may require lifelong care for 
injuries such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy. The child may 
even require institutionalization or other types of long-term care.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution expresses Congress' support to protect 
children from abuse and neglect. I encourage all Members to support 
this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support 
of this resolution, a very important resolution which seeks to protect 
the most innocent among us, children; children who are a few days to 5 
years old. These children often need protection from parents and 
caregivers who shake their babies beyond control. Shaken baby syndrome 
is caused by vigorous shaking of an infant or young child by the arms, 
legs, chest or shoulders. Forceful shaking will result in brain damage, 
leading to mental retardation, speech and learning disabilities, 
paralysis, seizures, hearing loss and even deafness. It may cause 
bleeding around the brain and eyes, resulting in blindness.
  An estimated 50,000 cases of shaken baby syndrome occur each year. 
One shaken baby in four dies as a result of this abuse. Some studies 
estimate that 15 percent of children's deaths are due to battering or 
shaking. The average victim is 6 to 8 months old.
  Madam Speaker, we ask ourselves why babies are being shaken, and how 
can this resolution help. Crying is the most common trigger for shaking 
a baby. The normal crying infant spends 2 to 3 hours each day crying. 
Crying becomes particularly problematic during the 6-week to 4-month 
age bracket, an age period that coincides with the peak incidence of 
shaken baby syndrome.

                              {time}  1445

  The shaking of the infant is often repeated because the infant stops 
crying but only because the infant has been injured by the shaking. 
Shaking often occurs when a frustrated caregiver loses control with an 
inconsolable crying baby. Parents and caregivers must be made aware of 
how to deal with a crying infant and that shaking an infant is abusive 
and criminal. By making Americans more aware of shaken baby syndrome, 
we can save more of America's children. I urge my colleagues to support 
this resolution and help save the babies.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon).
  Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of this 
legislation. This bill expresses the sense that Congress strongly 
supports shaken

[[Page H1363]]

baby syndrome prevention and urges all Americans to educate themselves 
about shaken baby syndrome and the techniques to prevent it.
  First I would like to thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), 
the chairman of the Committee on Government Reform, for his assistance 
in bringing this bill to the floor and the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Platts) for managing the bill on the floor. I would also like to 
thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the majority whip, for his 
cosponsorship and his dedication to child advocacy. Also supporting 
this cause are the Shaken Baby Alliance, the Childrens Defense Fund, 
the National Childrens Alliance as well as many other children and 
family organizations.
  This cause was presented to me by one of my constituents, Joyce 
Edson. Joyce's son, James, was shaken by his licensed child care 
provider between March and April of 1998. As a result, James was sent 
to the emergency room with a skull fracture, subdural hematoma, 
bilateral retinal hemorrhages and a broken right femur. All of this and 
he was only 5 months old. While James survived this tragic period, he 
unfortunately has experienced periodic seizures up to 1 year after the 
abuse. James is still currently under the continual care of a pediatric 
neurologist and an ophthalmologist. The Edson family will not know 
about learning disabilities or behavioral problems until he enters a 
more structured environment such as kindergarten or the first grade.
  Madam Speaker, many other children are not as lucky as James. Each 
day, more than three children in the United States die from abuse and 
neglect. Furthermore, over 3,000 babies under the age of 1 are 
diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome annually while thousands more are 
misdiagnosed or go completely undetected. Madam Speaker, it saddens me 
that this situation even exists. However, I am hopeful with this 
resolution, Congress can increase the knowledge of and ultimately 
prevent this dreadful occurrence.
  Therefore, I urge all my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 59.
  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the majority whip.
  Mr. DeLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support this resolution 
which demonstrates the importance of National Shaken Baby Syndrome 
Awareness Week. I also want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
McKeon) for bringing this issue to the House's attention during the 
month that President Bush has proclaimed as National Child Abuse 
Prevention Month and also thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Platts) for bringing it to the floor. It is my hope that the facts and 
consequences of abuse will create a national consensus that underscores 
the importance of prevention.
  This issue requires that we answer several fundamental questions. 
First, what do we know about children who are abused? Second, who are 
the abusers? Third, what do we know about the way abuse hurts children 
and its attendant costs to society? And, finally, what have we learned 
about preventing child abuse?
  Let us begin with abused children. The years before a child's 5th 
birthday are the most dangerous age for children in the United States. 
That is because more than three-quarters of the children who die from 
abuse are preschoolers. We know that the leading cause of death among 
infants is head trauma. It most often happens when abusers violently 
shake a baby.
  Now, let us talk about the perpetrators. Nearly 9 out of every 10 
perpetrators are parents. Sadly, the most dangerous place for a child 
to be is in a home with parents or those entrusted with their care when 
those people intend to abuse children.
  Next, we need to consider how abuse impacts children and ponder the 
associated costs to society. The victims of child abuse suffer in many 
ways. Some die. Other kids suffer brain damage. Many are haunted 
through life by a familiar pattern of debilitating injuries. For the 
young victims of shaken baby syndrome, approximately 15 to 30 percent 
die while the rest of these children suffer from disabilities that last 
their whole lives. Of the few SBS victims who escape without physical 
injuries, many are destined to suffer more abuse from the people who 
care for them. We find a consistent pattern of symptoms among abused 
children: school failure, feelings of worthlessness, and the aggressive 
behavior that too often culminates in criminal activity.
  It is estimated that each child abuse case costs society $2,500 
initially. And that expense only covers the short-term costs of abuse, 
including the initial investigation and the short-term placement of the 
child in a safe home. All told, this costs $3 billion every year. When 
a child is hospitalized or placed in foster care, the costs soar 
higher.
  Finally, let us talk about our ability to prevent child abuse. We 
know that it is very difficult to prevent very young children from 
being abused by their parents. Half of the children killed by abusers 
are from families who have never been investigated. Even among cases 
that are under active investigation, abused children are left at risk 
in dangerous homes. An unpopular body of evidence warns us that every 
abusive family cannot be sufficiently changed to protect every child. 
But that does not mean that we ought to abandon the goal of protecting 
every child. Prevention is worth the risk. It is worth it even if some 
programs fail. Prevention is worth it because we may still be able to 
save additional lives through education, counseling, and home visits by 
specially trained nurses.
  Preventing child abuse is a pro-life policy. Some programs do cut 
child abuse rates. These programs should be supported across our 
society by Federal, State and local governments as well as private and 
faith-based organizations. Only by combining our prayers and efforts 
will we protect every possible young life. That goal is worthy of our 
full commitment.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I reiterate my strong support 
for this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  As the parent of two young children, I especially commend and 
appreciate the efforts of the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) 
for introducing this important resolution and for his efforts to bring 
it to the floor to raise the awareness of the public of the need to 
protect our children.
  Most of the time, shaken baby syndrome occurs because a parent or 
caretaker is frustrated or angry with the child. Other times children 
become victims when a parent or caretaker, not realizing how seriously 
this behavior can harm, throws a child into the air vigorously or plays 
too roughly or hits an infant too hard on the back. Anyone who takes 
care of a baby or small child, parents, older siblings, baby-sitters, 
child care professionals, grandparents and others, should be reminded 
to never shake babies or small children. There are organizations in 
each of our communities that can provide help to parents whose patience 
has been strained by the burden of caring for an infant who cries 
continually or who might need more help with parenting or coping 
skills.
  I want to add my words of thanks to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Burton), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough), the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Waxman), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis), the committee and subcommittee chairmen, and ranking members 
for working expeditiously to bring this important resolution to the 
floor. I urge all Members to lend their support to this resolution 
which seeks to protect our Nation's most precious resource and our 
Nation's most innocent citizens, our children.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 
59, which expresses the sense of Congress that a National Shaken Baby 
Syndrome Awareness Week should be established.
  As a cosponsor of this resolution, I want to bring attention to a 
problem that is often overlooked: Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). This 
issue was brought to my attention by one of my constituents, Janet 
Goree of Clearwater, Florida, whose granddaughter Kimberlin lost her 
life as a result of SBS. While nothing can be done for Kimberlin, it is 
my sincere hope that bringing the public's attention to this important 
issue will prevent further tragedies.
  Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a serious acquired traumatic brain 
injury caused by ``shaking'' a child in order to stop them from

[[Page H1364]]

crying. SBS frequently occurs in children less than one year of age, 
although there have been documented cases of SBS in children as old as 
five years of age.
  Madam Speaker, most individuals with experience dealing with small 
children can relate to the frustration of not knowing how to meet the 
needs of a consistently crying child. However, it is important that 
everyone understands that infants cannot and should never be shaken as 
a remedy to stop them from crying.
  The typical causes of SBS is an adult holding a child by the arms or 
trunk and shaking him or her back and forth with a repeated force. When 
a child is shaken, delicate veins between the brain and skull are 
ruptured and begin to bleed. Naturally, the pooling of blood between 
the skull and the dura--a fibrous membrane that lies next to the 
brain--causes the formation of subdural hematomas, which produces 
pressure that, along with the natural swelling of the bruised brain, 
causes damage to brain cells. Once brain cells are damaged, they can 
never be regenerated or replaced.
  The swelling and pressure associated with SBS also causes the brain 
to push and squeeze down on the brainstem, which controls vital 
functions such as breathing and heartbeat. If the swelling and pressure 
are not alleviated, vital functions will cease and the child will die. 
Previous studies have suggested that 15-30% of the children die, and it 
is estimated that only 15% escape SBS without any type of permanent 
damage.
  Medications may be administered to reduce the swelling and surgical 
methods may be used to relieve pressure on the brain, but an ounce of 
prevention is always worth a pound of cure. Parents, child care 
workers, and anyone who deals with small children should remember that 
much less force is required to cause significant damage to a child's 
brain than an adult's. Although no scientific studies have documented 
the exact amount of force needed to cause SBS in humans, most medical 
professionals recognize that shaking is often so violent that any 
reasonable person would know it to be dangerous to a child.
  I am pleased that individuals such as Janet Goree are taking action 
to educate the public about the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome. The 
Shaken Baby Alliance maintains a database of victim families willing to 
offer support, as well as provides volunteers to run an electronic mail 
support group for families as well as professionals. Information on the 
Alliance can be found on their website at www.shakenbaby.com.
 On Saturday, April 28, the Shaken Baby Alliance is sponsoring a 
candlelight vigil on the West Front steps of the Capitol to remember 
the lives of those children lost to SBS and shine a light on this 
problem so that future tragedies can be prevented.
  Madam Speaker, Shaken Baby Syndrome is a form of child abuse. Like 
any other form of abuse against children, it cannot be tolerated. I 
hope that my colleagues will support H. Con. Res. 59, and join us in 
efforts to educate the public about SBS, reminding our constituents to 
``never, never, never shake a baby.''
  Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
59, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as 
amended, was agreed to.
  The title of the concurrent resolution was amended so as to read: 
``Concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding the 
prevention of shaken baby syndrome.''
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________