[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 23, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H8684-H8685]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST 
                            AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 393) supporting the goals and 
ideals of ``National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month''.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 393

       Whereas sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death 
     in the United States;
       Whereas sudden cardiac arrest takes the lives of more than 
     250,000 people in the United States each year, according to 
     the Heart Rhythm Society;
       Whereas anyone can experience sudden cardiac arrest, 
     including infants, high school athletes, and people in their 
     30s and 40s who have no sign of heart disease;
       Whereas sudden cardiac arrest is extremely deadly, with the 
     National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute giving the disease 
     a mortality rate of approximately 95 percent;
       Whereas to have a chance of surviving an attack, the 
     American Heart Association states that victims of sudden 
     cardiac arrest must receive a lifesaving defibrillation 
     within the first 4 to 6 minutes of an attack;
       Whereas for every minute that passes without a shock from 
     an automated external defibrillator, the chance of survival 
     decreases by approximately 10 percent;
       Whereas lifesaving treatments for sudden cardiac arrest are 
     effective if administered in time;
       Whereas according to joint research by the American College 
     of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, implantable 
     cardioverter defibrillators are 98 percent effective at 
     protecting people at risk for sudden cardiac arrest;
       Whereas according to the American Heart Association, 
     cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early defibrillation with 
     an automated external defibrillator more than double the 
     chances that a victim will survive;
       Whereas the Yale-New Haven Hospital and the New England 
     Journal of Medicine state that women and African-Americans 
     are at a higher risk than the general population for dying as 
     a result of sudden cardiac arrest, yet this fact is not well 
     known to people at risk;
       Whereas there is a need for comprehensive educational 
     efforts designed to increase awareness of sudden cardiac 
     arrest and related therapies among medical professionals and 
     the greater public in order to promote early detection and 
     proper treatment of this disease and to improve quality of 
     life; and
       Whereas the Heart Rhythm Society and the Sudden Cardiac 
     Arrest Coalition are preparing related public awareness and 
     education campaigns on sudden cardiac arrest to be held each 
     year during the month of October: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Sudden 
     Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month'';
       (2) supports efforts to educate people about sudden cardiac 
     arrest and to raise awareness about the risk of sudden 
     cardiac arrest, identifying warning signs, and the need to 
     seek medical attention in a timely manner;
       (3) acknowledges the critical importance of sudden cardiac 
     arrest awareness to improving national cardiovascular health; 
     and
       (4) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
     this month with appropriate programs and activities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 393, a 
resolution expressing support for the goals and ideals of National 
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month.
  While many of us are aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy 
diet in order to mitigate the risk of heart attacks, there is much less 
information concerning the risk of cardiac arrest. However, the dangers 
to the public are no less severe. It's estimated that more than 250,000 
people die each year from sudden cardiac arrest.
  Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops functioning 
properly, usually as a result of an irregular heart rhythm. Any type of 
heart disease can lead to cardiac arrest.

                              {time}  2100

  Often, though, two or more major coronary arteries are narrowed due 
to fatty buildups.
  H. Con. Res. 393 recognizes October as an appropriate month to 
support National Sudden Cardiac Heart Awareness. This resolution would 
support efforts to educate the American public about cardiac arrest and 
raise awareness regarding prevention and warning signs.
  It's especially important that warning signs are recognized 
immediately because death can occur in as little as 6 minutes after 
experiencing cardiac arrest. Moreover, women and African Americans need 
to make themselves particularly familiar with this health problem as 
they are at a higher risk than other populations.
  I want to thank my colleague, Representative Pickering, for his work 
in bringing this resolution to the floor. I urge my colleagues to join 
me in support of H. Con. Res. 393.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I will yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 393, 
recognizing October as the National Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month.
  Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the Nation's leading killers, 
claiming the lives of over a quarter million Americans a year. The most 
incidents of sudden cardiac arrest occur without any warning signs and 
can strike at any age, even in healthy infants, high school athletes, 
and adults with no prior signs of distress or heart disease.
  Most victims of sudden cardiac arrest--95 percent--die because they 
are not able to receive a life-saving shock from an automated external 
defibrillator within 4 to 6 minutes before brain and permanent death 
start to occur.
  Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops working and no 
blood is

[[Page H8685]]

pumped to vital organs. The heart's electrical system malfunctions. And 
in fact, for those who can be identified to be at risk for SCA, an 
implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is very effective at preventing 
a deadly arrest.
  This resolution will support continued efforts to raise awareness 
about the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, to improve the public's 
ability to identify warning signs and encourage individuals to seek 
medical attention in a timely manner.
  I certainly would like to thank the Heart Rhythm Society and the 29 
organizations that comprise the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition for 
their support. I would also like to point out their ongoing efforts 
promoting public awareness and education campaigns that will be held 
each year during the month of October.
  Certainly I also want to thank the sponsor of the resolution, Mr. 
Chip Pickering of Mississippi, for raising awareness about sudden 
cardiac arrest and improving national cardiovascular health.
  I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution.
  I will yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 2 minutes to the sponsor of 
the legislation, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 393 which would recognize October as Sudden Cardiac Arrest 
Awareness Month, and I want to thank my colleague from New Jersey, our 
chairman of our Health Subcommittee, for recognizing me. I also want to 
thank the resolution's sponsor, Chip Pickering, and thank him for his 
leadership on this topic.
  I have proudly served with Mr. Pickering as cochair of the Heart and 
Stroke Coalition for the past 2 years. I have enjoyed working with him 
as well on the Stop Stroke Act, which we are so close to passing into 
law, and for his advocacy on behalf of these issues. He will sorely be 
missed when he retires this year from Congress.
  Sudden cardiac arrest claims the life of over 300,000 people per 
year. It's known as SCA, and it can strike at any age in people who 
appear to be otherwise healthy. We all know the famous stories of young 
athletes mysteriously dying on the basketball court or the football 
field. But perhaps none of us know enough about how to prevent it from 
happening in the future in our families with our loved ones and in the 
future.
  There are certain warning signs for sudden cardiac arrest which can 
be identified through screenings, and we hope that establishing a 
Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month will help more Americans learn what 
those warning signs are and to encourage more medical professionals to 
conduct proper screenings.
  I'd also like to take this time to promote awareness about the 
greatest chance for survival after a sudden cardiac arrest: the 
automated external defibrillators, or AEDs. Throughout my tenure in 
Congress, I have been proud of the efforts to increase the presence of 
AEDs on school campuses and other public buildings. Many of you are 
probably familiar with the placement of AEDs on every floor through the 
Capitol and our office buildings. They are so simple to use and are 
crucial to improving survival.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of House Concurrent Resolution 
393 and help improve awareness about sudden cardiac events and AEDs.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I would urge 
passage of this resolution with regard to sudden cardiac arrest.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 393.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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