[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 23454]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               NATIONAL INFANT MORTALITY AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 299.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 299) expressing support for the goals 
     and ideals of National Infant Mortality Awareness Month 2009.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution 
be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 299) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 299

       Whereas infant mortality refers to the death of a baby 
     before his or her first birthday;
       Whereas the United States ranks 29th among 
     industrialized nations in the rate of infant mortality;
       Whereas premature birth, low-birth weight, and shorter 
     gestation periods account for more than 60 percent of infant 
     deaths in the United States;
       Whereas high rates of infant mortality are especially 
     prevalent in communities with large minority populations, 
     high rates of unemployment and poverty, and limited access to 
     safe housing and medical providers;
       Whereas premature birth is a leading cause of infant 
     mortality and, according to the Institute of Medicine, costs 
     the United States more than $26,000,000,000 annually;
       Whereas infant mortality rates can be substantially reduced 
     through community-based services such as outreach, home 
     visitation, case management, health education, and 
     interconceptional care;
       Whereas support for community-based programs to reduce 
     infant mortality can 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 United States Department of Health and Human 
     Services, through the Office of Minority Health, has 
     implemented the ``A Healthy Baby Begins With You'' campaign;
       Whereas public awareness and education campaigns on infant 
     mortality are held during the month of September 2009; and
       Whereas September 2009 has been designated as National 
     Infant Mortality Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Infant 
     Mortality Awareness Month 2009;
       (2) supports efforts to educate Americans about infant 
     mortality and its contributing factors;
       (3) supports efforts to reduce infant deaths, low-birth 
     weight, pre-term births, and disparities in perinatal 
     outcomes;
       (4) recognizes the critical importance of including efforts 
     to reduce infant mortality and its contributing factors as 
     part of prevention and wellness strategies; and
       (5) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
     National Infant Mortality Awareness Month during September 
     2009 with appropriate programs and activities.

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