[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 178 (Friday, November 16, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14644-S14645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 54--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF A WEEK 
  AS ``NATIONAL CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION AND AUTOMATED EXTERNAL 
                     DEFIBRILLATOR AWARENESS WEEK''

  Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Feingold, and Mr. Dorgan) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                            S. Con. Res. 54

       Whereas heart disease remains the leading cause of death in 
     the United States;
       Whereas heart disease affects men, women, and children of 
     every age and race in the United States, regardless of where 
     they live;
       Whereas approximately 325,000 coronary heart disease deaths 
     annually occur out of hospital or in an emergency room;
       Whereas approximately 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest 
     victims die before arriving at the hospital;
       Whereas sudden cardiac arrest results from an abnormal 
     heart rhythm in most adults;
       Whereas in 27.4 percent of cases of sudden cardiac arrest, 
     the victim is located in a place other than a hospital and 
     receives cardiopulmonary resuscitation by a bystander;
       Whereas prompt delivery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation 
     more than doubles the chance of survival from sudden cardiac 
     arrest by helping to maintain vital blood flow to the heart 
     and brain, increasing the amount of time that an electric 
     shock from a defibrillator can be effective;
       Whereas an automated external defibrillator, even when used 
     by a bystander, is safe, easy to operate, and highly 
     effective in restoring a normal heart rhythm, significantly 
     increasing the chance of survival for many victims if used 
     immediately after the onset of sudden cardiac arrest;
       Whereas death or severe brain injury is likely to occur 
     unless resuscitation measures are started no later than 10 
     minutes after the onset of sudden cardiac arrest;
       Whereas the interval between the 911 call and the arrival 
     of EMS personnel is typically longer than 5 minutes, and 
     achieving high survival rates therefore depends on a public 
     trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated 
     external defibrillator use; and
       Whereas the American Heart Association, the American Red 
     Cross, and the National

[[Page S14645]]

     Safety Council are preparing related public awareness and 
     training campaigns on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 
     automated external defibrillation to be held during the first 
     week of June each year: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of a National 
     Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External 
     Defibrillator Awareness Week to establish well-organized 
     programs to increase public training in cardiopulmonary 
     resuscitation and automated external defibrillator use and to 
     increase public access to automated external defibrillators; 
     and
       (2) calls upon the people of the United States and 
     interested organizations to observe such a week with 
     appropriate ceremonies and activities.

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my good friend and 
colleague from Wisconsin, Senator Feingold, in introducing a resolution 
in support of the designation of a week as National Cardiopulmonary 
Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week.
  Heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country. 
Approximately 325,000 of the 450,000 coronary heart disease deaths that 
occur annually in the U.S. are due to sudden cardiac arrest suffered 
outside of the hospital or in hospital emergency departments. About 80 
percent of the out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home, so being 
properly trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation--or CPR--can mean the 
difference between life and death for a loved one.
  Sudden cardiac arrest in adults is most often caused by an abnormal 
heart rhythm. While approximately 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest 
victims die before reaching the hospital, death from sudden cardiac 
arrest is not inevitable. Prompt delivery of CPR can more than double 
an individual's chance of survival by helping to maintain vital blood 
flow to the heart and brain, increasing the window of opportunity in 
which an electric shock from an automated external defibrillator--or 
AED--can be effective.
  AEDs are easy-to-use, computerized devices that can shock a heart 
back into normal rhythm and restore life to a cardiac arrest victim. 
Even when used by an untrained bystander, AEDs are safe and can be 
highly effective in restoring a normal heart rhythm. They must, 
however, be used promptly. For every minute that passes before a 
victim's normal heart rhythm is restored, his or her chance of survival 
falls by as much as 10 percent.
  In 2000, Senator Feingold and I introduced the Rural AED Act to 
increase access to AEDs for small towns and rural communities where 
those first on the scene may not be paramedics or others who would 
normally have AEDs. The Rural AED Act was subsequently signed into law 
and, since its passage, has provided rural communities with more than 
$40 million to purchase AEDs. This has greatly increased access to 
these life-saving devices.
  Now it is time to take another step. Increasing the number of 
Americans who are trained in CPR and AED use will help us to 
dramatically improve sudden cardiac arrest survival rates. The 
designation of a week as National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and 
Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week will complement the 
campaigns that the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, 
and the National Safety Council are preparing to increase public 
training in CPR and AED use and to increase public access to AEDs. I 
therefore urge all of our colleagues to join us as cosponsors of this 
resolution.

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