[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 161 (Thursday, September 17, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





   SENATE RESOLUTION 706--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF 
 SEPTEMBER 2020 AS ``SICKLE CELL DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH'' IN ORDER TO 
EDUCATE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ABOUT SICKLE CELL DISEASE 
     AND THE NEED FOR RESEARCH, EARLY DETECTION METHODS, EFFECTIVE 
      TREATMENTS, AND PREVENTATIVE CARE PROGRAMS WITH RESPECT TO 
COMPLICATIONS FROM SICKLE CELL DISEASE AND CONDITIONS RELATED TO SICKLE 
                              CELL DISEASE

  Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Booker, Mrs. Hyde-
Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Van 
Hollen, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Jones, Mr. Braun, Mr. Coons, Mr. Young, Ms. 
Warren, and Mr. Lankford) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 706

       Whereas sickle cell disease (referred to in this preamble 
     as ``SCD'') is an inherited blood disorder that is a major 
     health problem in the United States and worldwide;
       Whereas SCD causes the rapid destruction of sickle cells, 
     which results in multiple medical complications, including 
     anemia, jaundice, gallstones, strokes, restricted blood flow, 
     damaged tissue in the liver, spleen, and kidneys, and death;
       Whereas SCD causes acute and chronic episodes of severe 
     pain;
       Whereas SCD affects an estimated 100,000 individuals in the 
     United States;
       Whereas approximately 1,000 babies are born with SCD each 
     year in the United States, with the disease occurring in 
     approximately 1 in 365 newborn African-American infants and 1 
     in 16,300 newborn Hispanic-American infants, and can be found 
     in individuals of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian, and 
     Indian origin;
       Whereas more than 3,000,000 individuals in the United 
     States have the sickle cell trait and 1 in 13 African 
     Americans carries the trait;
       Whereas there is a 1 in 4 chance that a child born to 
     parents who both have the sickle cell trait will have the 
     disease;
       Whereas the life expectancy of an individual with SCD is 
     often severely limited;
       Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has 
     reported, based on the evidence available as of September 
     2020, that individuals of all ages who are affected by SCD 
     are at increased risk of developing severe illness from the 
     Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19);
       Whereas, while hematopoietic stem cell transplantation 
     (commonly known as ``HSCT'') is currently the only cure for 
     SCD and advances in treating the associated complications of 
     SCD have occurred, more research is needed to find widely 
     available treatments and cures to help individuals with SCD; 
     and
       Whereas September 2020 has been designated as Sickle Cell 
     Disease Awareness Month in order to educate communities 
     across the United States about SCD, including early detection 
     methods, effective treatments, and preventative care programs 
     with respect to complications from SCD and conditions related 
     to SCD: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease 
     Awareness Month; and
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to hold 
     appropriate programs, events, and activities during Sickle 
     Cell Disease Awareness Month to raise public awareness of 
     preventative care programs, treatments, and other patient 
     services for those suffering from sickle cell disease, 
     complications from sickle cell disease, and conditions 
     related to sickle cell disease.

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