[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 183 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S8151]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. HAGAN (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Kirk, 
        and Mr. Akaka):
  S. 1935. A bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint 
coins in recognition and celebration of the 75th anniversary of the 
establishment of the March of Dimes Foundation; to the Committee on 
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mrs. HAGAN. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce the March of 
Dimes Commemorative Coin Act.
  For almost 75 years, the March of Dimes has fought to combat and 
prevent diseases that strike our youngest children, while also 
supporting mothers-to-be and families with infants in intensive care. 
The March of Dimes was founded in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt 
as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, at a time when 
polio was on the rise. The Foundation established a polio patient aid 
program and funded research for vaccines developed by Jonas Salk, MD, 
and Albert Sabin, MD. These vaccines effectively ended epidemic polio 
in the United States.
  Today one in 33 babies born in the United States is affected by a 
birth defect, and tragically, more than 5,500 infants die every year 
because of a birth defect. Moreover, an additional 500,000 children are 
diagnosed with developmental disabilities each year.
  Almost 13 percent of babies born in America are born prematurely--an 
increase of 36 percent since the early 1980s. In 2003, the March of 
Dimes took on the cause of reducing the number of infants who are born 
prematurely. And thanks to the great work of the March of Dimes and 
others, after three decades of increase, the pre-term birth rate has 
now dropped for the third year in a row.
  You would be hard pressed to find someone today who doesn't have a 
friend, a family member, a neighbor or a coworker who's had a baby born 
prematurely or born with some kind of birth defect. A month ago, I had 
the pleasure of meeting the 2011 March of Dimes National Ambassador: 
Lauren Fleming, and her parents, Nikki and Densel from Marvin, NC. 
Lauren was born three and a half months early and weighed just 2 
pounds, 1 ounce. She spent the first 5 months of her life in the 
intensive care unit, being treated for respiratory distress and 
undergoing multiple surgeries. In part, because of the research and 
support provided by the March of Dimes, Lauren is now an adorable, 
vivacious 7-year old, and a hero to young children and their families 
throughout the country.
  Although some progress has been made over the past several decades on 
reducing and preventing birth defects and prematurity, we need 
organizations such as the March of Dimes to continue to push for more 
research, more innovation and more prevention efforts.
  The March of Dimes makes a difference. By investing millions of 
dollars to study premature births, birth defects, and infant mortality, 
including $5.6 million in North Carolina over the past 5 years, the 
March of Dimes is helping to ensure that we can reduce these 
occurrences.
  But we can do more. That is why today I am introducing the March of 
Dimes Commemorative Coin Act of 2011. This bill would mint coins in 
recognition and celebration of the March of Dimes' 75 anniversary in 
2014. Proceeds from the commemorative coin will be used to support the 
March of Dimes' Prematurity Campaign, an intensive multi-year campaign 
to raise awareness among health professionals and the general public 
and find the causes of prematurity.
  Not only will the Commemorative Coin raise awareness of the March of 
Dimes' efforts, but it will also help raise more funding for their 
efforts. I cannot think of a more appropriate way to honor the March of 
Dimes than to mint actual ``dimes'' celebrating their work.
  I want to thank my Republican colleague, Senator Susan Collins, as 
well as Senators Schumer, Kirk, and Akaka for joining me in 
cosponsoring this measure.
  I urge my other colleagues to join us in supporting this important 
bill.
                                 ______