HR0806

LRB094 16116 HSS 51355 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the 
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State of Illinois recognize the dedication and efforts of the 
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March of Dimes Illinois Chapter and its volunteers who for over 
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67 years have been fighting for the health and well-being of 
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America's children and are now taking on the problem of 
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premature births; and

 
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    WHEREAS, More than a half million babies were born too soon 
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in the United States last year, according to preliminary data 
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released by the National Center for Health Statistics, and 
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approximately 12.5% of all babies - about 508,000 - were born 
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prematurely (less than 37 completed weeks gestation) in 2004, 
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according to "Preliminary Births for 2004: Infant and Maternal 
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Health" released by the March of Dimes during its Third Annual 
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National "Prematurity Awareness Day"; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The March of Dimes Illinois Chapter has made a 
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difference in the lives of over 22,000 premature babies 
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annually born in Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The March of Dimes Illinois Chapter is recognized 
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for its programs to improve prematurity risk detection and 
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prevent preterm births; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Thanks to the research and education programs 
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funded by the March of Dimes, every premature baby born has an 
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increased chance for survival; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The March of Dimes Illinois Chapter serves as a 
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resource for information about healthy pregnancies and 
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premature births; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The March of Dimes Illinois Chapter works to 
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increase awareness of the risk factors associated with 
 


 






HR0806
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LRB094 16116 HSS 51355 r




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premature birth such as smoking, drinking, and substance use; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, The March of Dimes Illinois Chapter has 
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successfully advocated to expand access to health coverage for 
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pregnant women, infants, and children; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The March of Dimes annually promotes November as 
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"Prematurity Awareness Month" and November 15 as "Prematurity 
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Awareness Day" to recognize the serious crisis of premature 
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birth; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we do hereby proclaim November 15, 2006, as Premature Birth 
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Awareness Day in Illinois and encourage all citizens to be 
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cognizant of the many wonderful and lifesaving services the 
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March of Dimes Illinois Chapter provides to the people of 
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Illinois; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the March of Dimes Illinois Chapter as an 
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expression of our esteem.