S.Res. 258 — Agreed to in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 258 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 25 (legislative day, September 24), 2013Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mr. Burr, and Mr. Menendez) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, 2013. Whereas the term infant mortality refers to the death of a baby before the first birthday of the baby; Whereas the United States ranks 50th among countries in the rate of infant mortality; Whereas high rates of infant mortality are especially prevalent in African American, Native American, Alaskan Native, Latino, Asian, and Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander communities, communities with high rates of unemployment and poverty, and communities with limited access to safe housing and medical providers; Whereas premature birth and low birth weight are leading causes of infant mortality; Whereas, according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, premature birth costs the United States more than $26,000,000,000 annually; Whereas infant mortality can be substantially reduced through community-based services, such as outreach, home visitation, care coordination, health education, interconceptional care, and fatherhood involvement; Whereas support for community-based programs to reduce infant mortality may 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 Department of Health and Human Services, acting through the Office of Minority Health, has implemented the A Healthy Baby Begins With You campaign; Whereas the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration has provided national leadership on the issue of infant mortality; Whereas the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on reducing infant mortality and improving the health status of infants and pregnant women; Whereas the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to developing a national strategy for reducing infant mortality; Whereas public awareness and education campaigns on infant mortality are held during the month of September each year; and Whereas September 2013 has been designated as National Infant Mortality Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) supports— (A) the goals and ideals of National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, 2013; (B) efforts to educate people in the United States about infant mortality and the factors that contribute to infant mortality; and (C) efforts to reduce infant deaths, low birth weight, pre-term births, and disparities in perinatal outcomes; (2) recognizes the critical importance of including efforts to reduce infant mortality and the factors that contribute to infant mortality as part of prevention and wellness strategies; and (3) calls on the people of the United States to observe National Infant Mortality Awareness Month with appropriate programs and activities.