[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 156 (Tuesday, September 26, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4686-S4687]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 369--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF 
 SEPTEMBER 2023 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. BOOKER (for Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Booker, 
Mr. Warnock, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Brown, Mr. Rubio, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
Young, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Carper, and 
Ms. Warren)) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 369

       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 Black or 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 Black or 
     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 in 
     the United States is often severely limited;
       Whereas sickle cell anemia can shorten life expectancy by 
     more than 20 years;
       Whereas sickle cell anemia is a common cause of childhood 
     stroke, and, in 2019, fewer than half of children with sickle 
     cell anemia who were 2 to 16 years old received the 
     recommended screening for stroke;
       Whereas, in 2019, only 2 in 5 children with sickle cell 
     anemia who were 2 to 9 years old used recommended medication 
     that can prevent sickle cell anemia complications;

[[Page S4687]]

       Whereas, in 2020, the National Academies of Science, 
     Engineering, and Medicine developed a comprehensive strategic 
     plan and blueprint for action to address sickle cell disease, 
     which, among other things, cited the need for new innovative 
     therapies as well as the need to address barriers that may 
     impact delivery of and access to approved treatments;
       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 2023 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 the 
     sickle cell trait, 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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