,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #gag  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september
 #bd1 #bjbj,ms4 ,warren 7for herself and
 ,mrs4 ,hyde-,smith7 submitted the      
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,health1          
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions       
,november #ab1 #bjbj;,committee         
discharged2 considered and agreed to    
,,resolution  ,expressing support for   
the designation of ,september #be1      
#bjbj1 as ,national ,ataxia ,awareness  
,day1 and raising awareness of ataxia1  
ataxia research1 and the search for a   
cure4  ,whereas ataxia is a clinical    
manifestation indicating degeneration or
 dysfunction of the brain that          
negatively affects the coordination1    
precision1 and accurate timing of       
physical movements2 ,whereas ataxia can 
strike individuals of all ages1         
including children2 ,whereas the term   
ataxia is used to classify a group of   
rare1 inherited neurodegenerative       

diseases including-- 7#a7 ataxia        
telangiectasia2  7#b7 episodic ataxia2  
7#c7 ,friedreich's ataxia2 and  7#d7    
spinocerebellar ataxia2 ,whereas there  
are many known types of genetic ataxia1 
but the genetic basis for ataxia in some
 patients is still unknown2 ,whereas all
 inherited ataxias affect fewer than    
#bjj1jjj individuals and1 therefore1 are
 recognized as rare diseases under the  
,orphan ,drug ,act 7,public ,law        
#ig-dad2 #if ,stat4 #bjdi72 ,whereas    
some genetic ataxias are inherited in an
 autosomal dominant manner1 while others
 are inherited in an autosomal recessive
 manner2 ,whereas ataxia symptoms can   
also be caused by noninherited health   
conditions and other factors1 including 
stroke1 tumor1 cerebral palsy1 head     
trauma1 multiple sclerosis1 alcohol     
abuse1 and certain medications2 ,whereas
 ataxia can present physical1           
psychological1 and financial challenges 
for patients and their families2        
,whereas symptoms and outcomes of ataxia

 progress at different rates and        
include-- 7#a7 lack of coordination2    
7#b7 slurred speech2  7#c7              
cardiomyopathy2  7#d7 scoliosis2  7#e7  
eye movement abnormalities2  7#f7       
difficulty walking2  7#g7 tremors2  7#h7
 trouble eating and swallowing2  7#i7   
difficulties with other activities that 
require fine motor skills2 and  7#aj7   
death2 ,whereas most patients with      
ataxia require the use of assistive     
devices1 such as wheelchairs and        
walkers1 to aid in their mobility1 and  
many individuals may need physical and  
occupational therapy2 ,whereas there is 
no treatment or cure approved by the    
,food and ,drug ,administration for     
ataxia2 and ,whereas clinical research  
to develop safe and effective treatments
 for ataxia is ongoing3 ,now1 therefore1
 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7         
recognizes the need for greater public  
awareness of ataxia2  7#b7 expresses    
support for the designation of          
,september #be1 #bjbj1 as ,national     

,ataxia ,awareness ,day2  7#c7 supports 
the goals of ,national ,ataxia          
,awareness ,day1 which are-- 7,a7 to    
raise awareness of the causes and       
symptoms of ataxia among the general    
public and health care professionals2   
7,b7 to improve diagnosis of ataxia and 
access to care for patients affected by 
ataxia2 and  7,c7 to accelerate ataxia  
research1 including on safe and         
effective treatment options and1        
ultimately1 a cure2  7#d7 acknowledges  
the challenges facing individuals in the
 ,united ,states who have ataxia and the
 families of those individuals2 and     
7#e7 encourages ,states1 territories1   
and localities to support the goals of  
,national ,ataxia ,awareness ,day4