[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 24, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6893-S6894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 258--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF 
            NATIONAL INFANT MORTALITY AWARENESS MONTH, 2013

  Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. Burr, and Mr. Menendez) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 258

       Whereas the term ``infant mortality'' refers to the death 
     of a baby before the first birthday of the baby;
       Whereas the United States ranks 50th among countries in the 
     rate of infant mortality;
       Whereas high rates of infant mortality are especially 
     prevalent in African American, Native American, Alaskan 
     Native, Latino, Asian, and Hawaiian and other Pacific 
     Islander communities, communities with high rates of 
     unemployment and poverty, and communities with limited access 
     to safe housing and medical providers;
       Whereas premature birth and low birth weight are leading 
     causes of infant mortality;
       Whereas, according to the Institute of Medicine of the 
     National Academies, premature birth costs the United States 
     more than $26,000,000,000 annually;
       Whereas infant mortality can be substantially reduced 
     through community-based services, such as outreach, home 
     visitation, care coordination, health education, 
     interconceptional care, and fatherhood involvement;
       Whereas support for community-based programs to reduce 
     infant mortality may result in lower future spending on 
     medical interventions, special education, and other social 
     services that may be needed for infants and children who are 
     born with a low birth weight;
       Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services, acting 
     through the Office of Minority Health, has implemented the 
     ``A Healthy Baby Begins With You'' campaign;
       Whereas the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health 
     Resources and Services Administration has provided national 
     leadership on the issue of infant mortality;
       Whereas the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality provides 
     advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services on reducing infant mortality and improving the 
     health status of infants and pregnant women;
       Whereas the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality provides 
     advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services with respect to developing a national strategy 
     for reducing infant mortality;
       Whereas public awareness and education campaigns on infant 
     mortality are held during the month of September each year; 
     and
       Whereas September 2013 has been designated as ``National 
     Infant Mortality Awareness Month'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports--
       (A) the goals and ideals of National Infant Mortality 
     Awareness Month, 2013;
       (B) efforts to educate people in the United States about 
     infant mortality and the factors that contribute to infant 
     mortality; and
       (C) efforts to reduce infant deaths, low birth weight, pre-
     term births, and disparities in perinatal outcomes;
       (2) recognizes the critical importance of including efforts 
     to reduce infant mortality

[[Page S6894]]

     and the factors that contribute to infant mortality as part 
     of prevention and wellness strategies; and
       (3) calls on the people of the United States to observe 
     National Infant Mortality Awareness Month with appropriate 
     programs and activities.

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