[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 22, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S3765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. UDALL of New Mexico (for himself and Mr. Rockefeller):
  S. 1014. A bill to reduce sports-related concussions in youth, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, as parents, we can see the scrapes 
and cuts our children get--the unavoidable byproducts of growing up. A 
little bit of ointment and some bandages usually do the trick. But what 
of the injuries we can't see? The ones we can't readily tell, no matter 
how well we know our kids.
  Each year, as many as 3.8 million Americans suffer sports- and 
recreation-related brain injuries. Some are horrific, deadly, and 
visible to the naked eye. But the vast majority are concussions caused 
by an awkward hit, a freak fall, or a routine blow to the head on the 
field. They cannot be seen, but the damage is there in the very place 
that houses our minds and for our children their future.
  Most susceptible are our young athletes, whose bodies and brains are 
still growing, with each concussion increasing the likelihood of 
suffering yet another. This past school year alone, more than 300,000 
of our high school athletes were diagnosed with concussions. Since 
2005, over 1.3 million concussions have been diagnosed among high 
school athletes in just the top nine most common sports. However, 
researchers say these figures likely underestimate--vastly--the true 
extent of the epidemic because so many head injuries go unreported or 
ignored. And when a concussion occurs, few ever lose consciousness, and 
the telltale signs can seem minor in the immediate aftermath. It is 
only later on, perhaps the next day or weeks thereafter, when the 
consequences become clearer and more alarming.
  The urgency to act only grows the more we learn about brain injuries. 
Concussions aren't minor bumps and dings. They aren't something kids 
should just ``play through,'' as some coaches advise. They are injuries 
to the brain that animate our very existence, and they can impair their 
cognitive abilities just when our children need a good head on their 
shoulders. And we, as a society, have already seen the potential 
tragedies that repeated concussions can bring to athletes--their limbs 
paralyzed or their lives cut short by the inner demons the injuries 
eventually bear.
  The role of sports, and all of its innate benefits, is an important 
part of growing up in America. They teach us lessons that can't be 
taught in the classroom, they make us healthier, and they show us the 
value of teamwork, grit, and responsibility. But the pervasiveness of 
concussions and their effects, particularly among children, should no 
longer be disregarded. And, as policymakers and parents, we must ensure 
that we are doing everything we can to learn more and safeguard our 
kids and athletes.
  Senator Tom Udall and I are proud to introduce the Youth Sports 
Concussion Act, which will help ensure that protective sports equipment 
take heed of the latest science and are not sold based on false or 
deceptive premises.
  As chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, we have already revealed and investigated bad actors 
who peddle products with false safety claims to parents of young 
athletes. Under this legislation, the Federal Trade Commission would be 
able to go after them with greater force and ensure this practice comes 
to an end.
  This bill would also direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to 
review a forthcoming study from the National Academies of Science on 
youth concussions. Based on the study's recommendations, the CPSC would 
then be permitted to consider new safety standards for sports equipment 
if manufacturers fail to come up with their own.
  The legislation--I am happy to say--has the strong support of major 
sports leagues and players associations. Pediatricians, scientists, and 
consumer groups have endorsed it, too. Our athletes, whether peewee or 
professional, whether under the lights or on the pitch, inspire and 
bring Americans together, and their efforts to help pass this sensible 
bill will surely garner the appreciation of present and future athletes 
to come.
  This fall, some 3 million children under the age of 14 will don their 
pads and snap on their helmets to play tackle football. For a sport so 
important--and for lives so precious--to our country, let us make sure 
we act as soon as we can. The lessons imparted and the fitness gained 
on the field are moot without the health of our children.
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