[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 25, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S1895]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 115--DESIGNATING APRIL 2015 AS ``NATIONAL CONGENITAL 
                 DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA AWARENESS MONTH''

  Mr. SESSIONS (for himself and Mr. Cardin) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 115

       Whereas congenital diaphragmatic hernia (referred to in 
     this preamble as ``CDH'') occurs when the diaphragm fails to 
     fully form, allowing abdominal organs to migrate into the 
     chest cavity and preventing lung growth;
       Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
     recognizes CDH as a birth defect;
       Whereas the majority of CDH patients suffer from 
     underdeveloped lungs or poor pulmonary function;
       Whereas babies born with CDH endure extended hospital stays 
     in intensive care with multiple surgeries;
       Whereas CDH patients often endure long-term complications, 
     such as pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary hypoplasia, asthma, 
     gastrointestinal reflex, feeding disorders, and developmental 
     delays;
       Whereas CDH survivors sometimes endure long-term mechanical 
     ventilation dependency, skeletal malformations, supplemental 
     oxygen dependency, enteral and parenteral nutrition, and 
     hypoxic brain injury;
       Whereas CDH is treated through mechanical ventilation, a 
     heart and lung bypass (commonly known as ``extracorporeal 
     membrane oxygenation''), machines, and surgical repair;
       Whereas surgical repair is often not a permanent solution 
     for CDH and can lead to reherniation and require additional 
     surgery;
       Whereas CDH is diagnosed in utero in less than 50 percent 
     of cases;
       Whereas infants born with CDH have a high mortality rate, 
     ranging from 20 to 60 percent, depending on the severity of 
     the defect and interventions available at delivery;
       Whereas CDH has a rate of occurrence of 1 in every 3,800 
     live births worldwide;
       Whereas CDH affects approximately 1,088 babies each year in 
     the United States;
       Whereas CDH has affected more than 700,000 babies worldwide 
     since 2000;
       Whereas CDH does not discriminate based on race, gender, or 
     socioeconomic status;
       Whereas the cause of CDH is unknown;
       Whereas the average CDH survivor will face postnatal care 
     of at least $100,000; and
       Whereas Federal support for CDH research at the National 
     Institutes of Health for 2014 is estimated to be not more 
     than $2,500,000: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates April 2015 as ``National Congenital 
     Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month'';
       (2) encourages that steps should be taken to--
       (A) raise awareness of and increase public knowledge about 
     congenital diaphragmatic hernia (referred to in this 
     resolution as ``CDH'');
       (B) inform all Americans about the dangers of CDH, 
     especially those groups that may be disproportionately 
     affected by CDH or have lower survival rates;
       (C) disseminate information on the importance of quality 
     neonatal care of CDH patients;
       (D) promote quality prenatal care and ultrasounds to detect 
     CDH in utero; and
       (E) support research funding of CDH to--
       (i) improve screening and treatment for CDH;
       (ii) discover the causes of CDH; and
       (iii) develop a cure for CDH; and
       (3) calls on the people of the United States, interest 
     groups, and affected persons to--
       (A) promote awareness of CDH;
       (B) take an active role in the fight against this 
     devastating birth defect; and
       (C) observe National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia 
     Awareness Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

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