[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 88 (Wednesday, June 23, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7346-S7347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             NATIONAL FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS DAY

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 390, which was 
submitted earlier today by Senator Murkowski.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 390) designating September 9, 2004, 
     as ``National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Day.''

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to proceeding to the 
measure at this time?
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I ask 
unanimous consent to be added as a cosponsor of the resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, the notion of reflecting for a moment 
at 9:09 a.m. on September 9, to recognize that during the 9 months of a 
pregnancy a woman should consume no alcohol, originated with three 
individuals. They weren't lobbyists or public relations consultants or 
social marketing experts. They were parents raising fetal alcohol 
children.
  In February of 1999, Bonnie Buxton and Brian Philcox of Toronto, 
Canada and Teresa Kellerman of Tuscon, AZ, all parents of fetal alcohol 
children, asked each other a question.
  The question was, ``What if a world full of fetal alcohol parents all 
got together on the ninth hour, of the ninth day of the ninth month of 
the year and asked the world to remember that during the nine months of 
pregnancy a woman should not drink alcohol?'' They asked, ``Would the 
world listen?''
  This simple question launched a worldwide, grassroots movement, 
organized on e-mail list serves and on the World Wide Web to ask that 
communities everywhere observe Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day on 
September 9. The first International Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness 
Day, or FASDAY as it is known, was observed on September 9, 1999. In 
the ensuing years, the number of communities observing FASDAY has grown 
and grown. I am proud that my State of Alaska strongly supports the 
observance of FASDAY and has published a kit of materials to help 
communities in my State and elsewhere plan their local observances.
  Thanks to the support of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, 
the U.S. Senate will add its voice in support of this worldwide 
observance, with the adoption of my resolution designating September 9, 
2004, as National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Day, which is the 
new name for FASDAY. I especially appreciate the support of the 
distinguished minority leader, a longstanding supporter of the fight 
against fetal alcohol related diseases and a founder of the National 
Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
  We choose to call September 9 National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum 
Disorders Day because science has established that Fetal Alcohol 
Syndrome is just one of a number of disorders that can befall a child 
born to a woman that consumes alcohol during pregnancy. The number of 
children born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome each year dwarfs the number 
born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
  But whatever you call it, women must know that consumption of alcohol 
during pregnancy is the single largest contributor to mental 
retardation,

[[Page S7347]]

learning disabilities and birth defects, and all of the fetal alcohol 
spectrum disorders are completely preventable if a woman consumes no 
alcohol during the 9 months of pregnancy.
  By adopting this resolution we honor Bonnie and Brian and Teresa and 
all of the grassroots volunteers who have worked so hard in their 
communities around the globe to educate women about the dangers of 
alcohol during pregnancy and we recognize the States, counties and 
cities that have answered the call and organized local observances 
around International Fetal alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day.
  A message is simple--alcohol and pregnancy don't mix. No alcohol 
during the 9 months of pregnancy, period. The world is listening.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to this matter be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 390) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 390

       Whereas the term ``fetal alcohol spectrum disorders'' has 
     replaced fetal alcohol syndrome as the umbrella term 
     describing the range of effects that can occur in an 
     individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy;
       Whereas fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are the leading 
     cause of mental retardation in western civilization, 
     including the United States, and are 100 percent preventable;
       Whereas fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are a major cause 
     of numerous social disorders including learning disabilities, 
     school failure, juvenile delinquency, homelessness, 
     unemployment, mental illness, and crime;
       Whereas the incidence rate of fetal alcohol syndrome is 
     estimated at 1 out of 500 live births and of fetal alcohol 
     spectrum disorders is estimated at 1 out of every 100 live 
     births;
       Whereas the economic cost of fetal alcohol syndrome alone 
     to the Nation was $5,400,000,000 in 2003 and that each 
     individual with fetal alcohol syndrome will cost United 
     States taxpayers between an estimated $1,500,000 and 
     $3,000,000 in his or her lifetime;
       Whereas in February 1999, a small group of parents of 
     children who suffer from fetal alcohol spectrum disorders 
     came together with the hope that in 1 magic moment the world 
     could be made aware of the devastating consequences of 
     alcohol consumption during pregnancy;
       Whereas the first International Fetal Alcohol Syndrome 
     Awareness Day was observed on September 9, 1999;
       Whereas Bonnie Buxton of Toronto, Canada, the co-founder of 
     the first International Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day, 
     stated the purpose of the observance as: ``What if . . . a 
     world full of FAS/E parents all got together on the ninth 
     hour of the ninth day of the ninth month of the year and 
     asked the world to remember that during the 9 months of 
     pregnancy a woman should not consume alcohol . . . would the 
     rest of the world listen?''; and
       Whereas on the ninth day of the ninth month of each year 
     since 1999, communities around the world have observed 
     International Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates September 9, 2004, as ``National Fetal 
     Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States to--
       (A) observe ``National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders 
     Awareness Day'' with appropriate ceremonies to--
       (i) promote awareness of the effects of prenatal exposure 
     to alcohol;
       (ii) increase compassion for individuals affected by 
     prenatal exposure to alcohol;
       (iii) minimize further effects; and
       (iv) ensure healthier communities across the United States; 
     and
       (B) observe a moment of reflection on the ninth hour of 
     September 9, 2004, to remember that during the 9 months of 
     pregnancy a woman should not consume alcohol.

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