[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 86 (Thursday, June 12, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7861-S7862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Con. 
Res. 48 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the concurrent resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 48) supporting the 
     goals and ideals of ``National Epilepsy Awareness Month'' and 
     urging funding for epilepsy research and service programs.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
amendment to the concurrent resolution be agreed to; that the 
resolution, as amended, be agreed to; that the amendment to the 
preamble be agreed to; that the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; 
that the amendment to the title be agreed to; that the title, as 
amended, be agreed to; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, all without intervening action or debate; and that any 
statements relating to the concurrent resolution be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 924) was agreed to, as follows:

       On page 3, line 2, strike ``an annual'' and insert ``a''.
       On page 3, line 6, after the semicolon insert ``and''.
       On page 3, line 7, strike ``an increase in funding'' and 
     insert ``support''.
       On page 3, line 10, strike ``; and'' and all that follows 
     and insert a period.

  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 48), as amended, was agreed 
to.
  The amendment (No. 925) was agreed to, as follows:

       After the eighth clause of the preamble, insert the 
     following:
       Whereas a significant number of people with epilepsy may 
     lack access to medical care for the treatment of the disease;

  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as 
follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 48

       Whereas epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes 
     seizures and affects 2,300,000 people in the United States;
       Whereas a seizure is a disturbance in the electrical 
     activity of the brain, and 1 in every 12 Americans will 
     suffer at least 1 seizure;
       Whereas 180,000 new cases of seizures and epilepsy are 
     diagnosed each year, and 3 percent of Americans will develop 
     epilepsy by the time they are 75;
       Whereas 41 percent of people who currently have epilepsy 
     experience persistent seizures despite the treatment they are 
     receiving;
       Whereas a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention demonstrated that the hardships 
     imposed by epilepsy are comparable to those imposed by 
     cancer, diabetes, and arthritis;
       Whereas epilepsy in older children and adults remains a 
     formidable barrier to leading a normal life by affecting 
     education, employment, marriage, childbearing, and personal 
     fulfillment;
       Whereas uncontrollable seizures in a child can create 
     multiple problems affecting the child's development, 
     education, socialization, and daily life activities;
       Whereas the social stigma surrounding epilepsy continues to 
     fuel discrimination, and isolates people who suffer from 
     seizure disorders from mainstream life;
       Whereas a significant number of people with epilepsy may 
     lack access to medical care for the treatment of the disease;
       Whereas in spite of these formidable obstacles, people with 
     epilepsy can live healthy and productive lives and make 
     significant contributions to society;

[[Page S7862]]

       Whereas November is an appropriate month to designate as 
     ``National Epilepsy Awareness Month''; and
       Whereas the designation of a ``National Epilepsy Awareness 
     Month'' would help to focus attention on, and increase 
     understanding of, epilepsy and those people who suffer from 
     it: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of a ``National Epilepsy 
     Awareness Month'';
       (2) requests the President to issue a proclamation 
     declaring a ``National Epilepsy Awareness Month'';
       (3) calls upon the American people to observe ``National 
     Epilepsy Awareness Month'' with appropriate programs and 
     activities; and
       (4) urges support for epilepsy research programs at the 
     National Institutes of Health and at the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention.
  The amendment (No. 926) was agreed to, as follows:

       Amend the title as to read: A concurrent resolution 
     supporting the goals and ideals of ``National Epilepsy 
     Awareness Month'' and urging support for epilepsy research 
     and service programs.
  The title, as amended, was agreed to.

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