[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 8, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H15-H16]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IMPROVING EFFORTS TO ATTACK SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, today marks a sobering anniversary. Three 
years ago today, Scarlett Lillian Pauley, a magnetic, vibrant, 16-
month-

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old died suddenly and unexpectedly. She was born at 11:25 a.m. on 
August 31, 2015, a happy and healthy 6-pound, 4-ounce, 20-inch-long 
baby.
  This vibrant little girl loved her mama and her dada and her pets. 
Scarlett loved books. She could read for hours. Her favorite book was 
``Barnyard Dance!'' by Sandra Boynton. She loved and she was loved.
  Unfortunately, this is not an isolated story. Each year, hundreds of 
children die unexpectedly and their deaths go unexplained, even after 
an investigation. Each year, nearly 3,500 children up to age 1 die 
suddenly. Among infants, my colleagues may have heard of the leading 
cause being SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
  These devastated families want answers which, unfortunately, don't 
come. One reason is that States and municipalities all over the country 
collect inconsistent and often incomplete data on these unexplained 
sudden deaths; and, even with these efforts, they are irreconcilable.
  If we can't even collect good and consistent data, how can we expect 
to reverse this trend or even prevent it?
  Mr. Speaker, we can and we must do more to save the lives of our most 
vulnerable, which is why I introduced the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden 
Unexpected Death Act, H.R. 2271, named in honor of little Scarlett. 
This bill would authorize efforts to improve the investigation of these 
deaths nationwide to help find answers that can guide prevention 
efforts.
  It would also support better data initiatives of safe sleep education 
and other efforts to prevent such deaths and support for grieving 
families, among other provisions.
  Mr. Speaker, I was so inspired to do this because I have, in fact, 
been to the homes of grieving parents who have lost their child to 
sudden infant death.
  I am so grateful that this is bipartisan legislation. There are 62 
bipartisan sponsors, and I just want to name a few of them on the other 
side.
    Tom Cole is the cosponsor on the Republican side, along with Jaime 
Herrera Beutler, who has given birth to three children since she has 
become a Member of this body, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is on the 
Energy and Commerce Committee.
  This bipartisan legislation has also been endorsed by the American 
Academy of Pediatrics, the March of Dimes, Children's Hospital 
Association, Cribs for Kids, First Candle, SUDC Foundation, KID: 
Fighting for Product Safety, Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Guild of 
Seattle Children's Hospital, the Mackenzie Blair Foundation of New 
Jersey, Jaxin's Cause in Ohio, the Scarlett Lillian Pauley Foundation, 
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and Safe Kids Worldwide.
  Today, the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce 
Committee will hold hearings on this legislation, bringing it one step 
closer to law. One of the witnesses will be Scarlett's mom, someone who 
took her grief and turned it into activism, and I believe she is going 
to speak eloquently of the challenges that families across our country 
who experience such a tragedy face.
  Though Scarlett is gone, she is not forgotten. Passing this 
bipartisan bill is one way we can honor her and save lives. If this 
bill helps save one life--and I am confident that it will do more than 
that--it is worth it.
  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation.

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