[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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