[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 14, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2325-S2326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA AWARENESS DAY
Mr. CASEY. I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be
discharged from further consideration, and the Senate now proceed to S.
Res. 204.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk
will report the resolution by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 204) designating March 31, 2010, as
``National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day.''
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. CASEY. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to,
the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon
the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 204) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 204
Whereas the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect is
one of the most prevalent, life-threatening birth defects in
the United States;
Whereas the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect is
a severe, often deadly birth defect that has a devastating
impact, in both human and economic terms, affecting equally
people of all races, sexes, nationalities, geographic
locations, and income levels;
Whereas the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect
occurs in 1 in every 2,000 live births in the United States
and accounts for 8 percent of all major congenital anomalies;
Whereas, in 2004, there were approximately 4,115,590 live
births in the United States, and in approximately 1,800 of
those live births, the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth
defect occurred, causing countless additional friends, loved
ones, spouses, and caregivers to shoulder the physical,
emotional, and financial burdens the congenital diaphragmatic
hernia birth defect causes;
Whereas there is no genetic indicator or any other
indicator available to predict the occurrence of the
congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect, other than
through the performance of an ultrasound during pregnancy;
Whereas there is no consistent treatment or cure for the
congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect;
Whereas the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect is
a leading cause of neonatal death in the United States;
Whereas 50 percent of the patients who do survive the
congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect have residual
health issues, resulting in a severe strain on pediatric
medical resources and on the delivery of health care services
in the United States;
Whereas proactive diagnosis and the appropriate management
and care of fetuses afflicted with the congenital
diaphragmatic hernia birth defect minimize the incidence of
emergency situations resulting from the birth defect and
dramatically improve survival rates among people with the
birth defect;
Whereas neonatal medical care is one of the most expensive
types of medical care provided in the United States and
patients with the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth
defect stay in intensive care for approximately 60 to 90
days, costing millions of dollars, utilizing blood from local
blood banks, and requiring the most technically advanced
medical care;
Whereas the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect is
a birth defect that causes damage to the lungs and the
cardiovascular system;
Whereas patients with the congenital diaphragmatic hernia
birth defect may have long-term health issues such as
respiratory insufficiency, gastroesophageal reflux, poor
growth, neurodevelopmental delay, behavior problems, hearing
loss, hernia recurrence, and orthopedic deformities;
Whereas the severity of the symptoms and outcomes of the
congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect and the limited
public awareness of the birth defect cause many patients to
receive substandard care, to forego regular visits to
physicians, and not to receive good health or therapeutic
management that would help avoid serious complications in the
future, compromising the quality of life of those patients;
Whereas people suffering from chronic, life-threatening
diseases and birth defects, similar to the congenital
diaphragmatic hernia birth defect, and family members of
those people are predisposed to depression and the resulting
consequences of depression because of anxiety over the
possible pain, suffering, and premature death that people
with such diseases and birth defects may face;
Whereas the Senate and taxpayers of the United States want
treatments and cures for disease and hope to see results from
investments in research conducted by the National Institutes
of Health and from initiatives such as the National
Institutes of Health Roadmap to the Future;
Whereas the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect is
an example of how collaboration, technological innovation,
scientific momentum, and public-private partnerships can
generate therapeutic interventions that directly benefit the
people and families suffering from the congenital
diaphragmatic hernia birth defect;
Whereas collaboration, technological innovation, scientific
momentum, and public-private partnerships can save billions
of Federal dollars under Medicare, Medicaid, and other
programs for therapies, and early intervention will increase
survival rates among people suffering from the congenital
diaphragmatic hernia birth defect;
Whereas improvements in diagnostic technology, the
expansion of scientific knowledge, and better management of
care for patients with the congenital diaphragmatic hernia
birth defect already have increased survival rates in some
cases;
Whereas there is still a need for more research and
increased awareness of the congenital diaphragmatic hernia
birth defect and for an increase in funding for that research
in order to provide a better quality of life to survivors of
the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect, and more
optimism for the families and health care professionals who
work with children with the birth defect;
Whereas there are thousands of volunteers nationwide
dedicated to expanding research,
[[Page S2326]]
fostering public awareness and understanding, educating
patients and their families about the congenital
diaphragmatic hernia birth defect to improve their treatment
and care, providing appropriate moral support, and
encouraging people to become organ donors; and
Whereas volunteers engage in an annual national awareness
event held on March 31, making that day an appropriate time
to recognize National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
Awareness Day: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates March 31, 2010, as ``National Congenital
Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day'';
(2) supports the goals and ideals of a national day to
raise public awareness and understanding of the congenital
diaphragmatic hernia birth defect;
(3) recognizes the need for additional research into a cure
for the congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect; and
(4) encourages the people of the United States and
interested groups to support National Congenital
Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day through appropriate
ceremonies and activities, to promote public awareness of the
congenital diaphragmatic hernia birth defect, and to foster
understanding of the impact of the disease on patients and
their families.
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