[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16842-16844]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING SICKLE CELL DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1663) supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle 
Cell Disease Awareness Month.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1663

       Whereas Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited blood disorder 
     that is a major health problem in the United States and 
     worldwide;
       Whereas Sickle Cell Disease causes the rapid destruction of 
     sickle cells, which results in multiple medical 
     complications, including anemia, jaundice, gallstones, 
     strokes, and restricted blood flow, damaging tissue in the 
     liver, spleen, and kidneys, and death;
       Whereas Sickle Cell Disease causes episodes of considerable 
     pain in one's arms, legs, chest, and abdomen;
       Whereas Sickle Cell Disease affects an estimated 70,000 to 
     100,000 Americans;
       Whereas approximately 1,000 babies are born with Sickle 
     Cell Disease each year in the United States, with the disease 
     occurring in approximately 1 in 500 newborn African American 
     infants, 1 in 1,000 newborn Hispanic Americans, and is found 
     in persons of

[[Page 16843]]

     Greek, Italian, East Indian, Saudi Arabian, Asian, Syrian, 
     Turkish, Cypriot, Sicilian, and Caucasian origin;
       Whereas more than 2,000,000 Americans have the sickle cell 
     trait, and 1 in 12 African Americans carry 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 a person with Sickle Cell 
     Disease is severely limited, with an average life span for an 
     adult being 45 years;
       Whereas, though researchers have yet to identify a cure for 
     this painful disease, advances in treating the associated 
     complications have occurred;
       Whereas researchers are hopeful that in less than two 
     decades, Sickle Cell Disease may join the ranks of chronic 
     illnesses that, when properly treated, do not interfere with 
     the activity, growth, or mental development of affected 
     children;
       Whereas Congress recognizes the importance of researching, 
     preventing, and treating Sickle Cell Disease by authorizing 
     treatment centers to provide medical intervention, education, 
     and other services and by permitting the Medicaid program to 
     cover some primary and secondary preventative medical 
     strategies for children and adults with Sickle Cell Disease;
       Whereas the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, 
     Inc. remains the preeminent advocacy organization that serves 
     the sickle cell community by focusing its efforts on public 
     policy, research funding, patient services, public awareness, 
     and education related to developing effective treatments and 
     a cure for Sickle Cell Disease; and
       Whereas the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, 
     Inc. has requested that the Congress designate September as 
     Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month in order to educate 
     communities across the Nation about sickle cell and the need 
     for research funding, early detection methods, effective 
     treatments, and prevention programs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease 
     Awareness Month; and
       (2) promotes education of teachers, school nurses, and 
     school personnel in educational strategies such as distance 
     learning and tutoring that will ensure children with Sickle 
     Cell Disease can continue to access and pursue their 
     education.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Hawaii.


                             General Leave

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House 
Resolution 1663 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HIRONO. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1663, which 
supports the designation of the month of September as Sickle Cell 
Disease Awareness Month. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood 
disorder that affects between 70,000 and 100,000 Americans and many 
more around the world.
  While there is no cure, there have been recent advancements in the 
search, giving hope to millions affected by the disease. Researchers 
believe that with continued research and funding, sickle cell disease 
may become more manageable within the next two decades and no longer 
interfere with the activity, growth, or mental development of those 
affected. In addition, education and public awareness can play a 
critical role in fighting the disease, as early diagnosis can often 
help those who suffer from sickle cell disease manage its effects.
  I want to thank Representative Fudge for introducing this resolution. 
Once again, I express my support for House Resolution 1663, and I urge 
my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
  Two million Americans have the sickle cell trait, including 1 in 12 
African-Americans. Children born to parents with the sickle cell trait 
have a 1 in 4 chance of having the disease.
  Sickle cell disease is devastating to those who suffer from it. The 
rapid destruction of sickle cells can result in anemia, jaundice, 
gallstones, strokes, and possible liver, spleen and kidney damage. As a 
result, individuals with the disease often experience considerable pain 
in their arms, legs, chest, and abdomen as well as shortened life 
spans.
  Once again I express my support for House Resolution 1663 which 
designates the month of September as Sickle Cell Awareness Month. I 
urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 1663, supporting the 
goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.
  Sickle cell anemia is a serious disease in which the body makes 
sickle-shaped red blood cells. Sickle shaped means that the red blood 
cells are shaped like the letter ``C.'' Normal red blood cells are disc 
shaped and look like doughnuts without holes in the center. They move 
easily through your blood vessels. Red blood cells contain the protein 
hemoglobin. This iron-rich protein gives blood its red color and 
carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Sickle cells 
contain abnormal hemoglobin that causes the cells to have a sickle 
shape. Sickle-shaped cells do not move easily through your blood 
vessels. They are stiff and sticky and tend to form clumps and get 
stuck in the blood vessels. The clumps of sickle cells block blood flow 
in the blood vessels that lead to the limbs and the organs. Blocked 
blood vessels can cause pain, serious infections, and organ damage.
  This disease affects an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 people in this 
country. Approximately 1,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease 
each year in the United States. More than 2 million Americans have the 
sickle cell trait, and 1 in 12 African Americans carry the trait. There 
is a 1 in 4 chance that a child born to parents who have the trait will 
have the disease. The life expectancy of a person with sickle cell 
disease is about 45 years of age. Researchers have yet to find a cure 
for this disease. However, there is hope that sickle cell disease, when 
properly treated like other chronic diseases, will not interfere with 
activity, growth, and development of affected children.
  Today we recognize the importance of prevention, treatment, research, 
and education on sickle cell disease and support the designation of 
September as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. I urge my colleagues 
to support this resolution, and I simply want to close by saying that 
this is primarily a disease of African Americans. For years it has been 
known that they tend to have, by far, the largest number of sickle 
cells in their bodies; and, therefore, there is a real demand, a great 
need to find out what the source of this disease is and what can be 
done to prevent it because it has a dramatic affect on the African 
Americans in our Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I support H. Res. 1663, a bill 
supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. 
In 1983, Congress first recognized September as the month to nationally 
commemorate sickle cell disease awareness. And it is in that same vein 
today that I ask for support of H. Res. 1663.
  More than 2.5 million Americans have the sickle cell trait. The 
sickle cell trait is found in 1 of 12 African Americans. There is a 1 
in 4 chance that a child born to parents who both have the Sickle Cell 
Trait will develop the sickle cell disease. The average life span for 
an adult with the sickle cell disease is 45 years.
  Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by 
affected red blood cells that mutate into the shape of a crescent or 
sickle, and as such are unable to pass through small blood vessels. It 
is a recessive genetic condition that occurs when a child inherits two 
sickle cell genes- or traits- from each parent. The horrific outcomes 
of this condition include considerable pain in one's arms, chest, legs 
and abdomen, anemia, gallstone, strokes, as well as damaging tissue in 
the liver, spleen, kidney, and death. The sickle cell disease primarily 
affects African-Americans and other ethnic groups.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also just note that the devastation of this 
disease on those who are affected by it is, indeed, tremendous. I have 
had firsthand experience with it by virtue of having run a sickle cell 
community education project for the University of Illinois in Chicago 
and came in contact with many of the patients

[[Page 16844]]

and their families; saw the pain and suffering firsthand.
  I would urge all my colleagues to support the passage of this 
resolution.
  Ms. HIRONO. In closing, I too want to ask my colleagues to support 
this important resolution, as it affects so many thousands and 
thousands of people, particularly the African American community.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1663.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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