A resolution expressing support for the designation of September 2019 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.

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 373 Expressing support for the designation of September 2019 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. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES OCTOBER 22, 2019 Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. RUBIO, Ms. WARREN, Mr. BRAUN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. COONS, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. JONES, Mr. YOUNG, and Mr. LANKFORD) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of September 2019 as ‘‘Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month’’ in order to educate communities across the United States about sick- le cell disease and the need for research, early detection methods, effective treatments, and preventative care pro- grams with respect to complications from sickle cell dis- ease and conditions related to sickle cell disease. 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; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:00 Oct 22, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR373.ATS SR373 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 373 ATS 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 episodes of considerable pain in the arms, legs, chest, and abdomen of an individual; 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 in- fants and 1 in 16,300 newborn Hispanic-American in- fants, 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, while hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (com- monly known as ‘‘HSCT’’) is currently the only cure for SCD and advances in treating the associated complica- tions of SCD have occurred, more research is needed to find widely available treatments and cures to help individ- uals with SCD; and Whereas September 2019 has been designated as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month in order to educate commu- nities across the United States about SCD, including VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:00 Oct 22, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR373.ATS SR373 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 373 ATS early detection methods, effective treatments, and pre- ventative care programs with respect to complications from SCD and conditions related to SCD: Now, there- fore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) supports the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell 2 Disease Awareness Month; and 3 (2) encourages the people of the United States 4 to hold appropriate programs, events, and activities 5 during Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month to raise 6 public awareness of preventative care programs, 7 treatments, and other patient services for those suf- 8 fering from sickle cell disease, complications from 9 sickle cell disease, and conditions related to sickle 10 cell disease. 11 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:00 Oct 22, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR373.ATS SR373 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS