Sierra Sun Times
U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Tim Scott’s Resolution Raising Awareness of Sickle Cell Disease Passes Senate
Published: Wednesday, 15 December 2021 05:58
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) resolution designating September as Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Awareness Month.
“Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in our country, and yet research, treatment, and awareness efforts for the disease still lag far behind other chronic illnesses,” said Senator Booker. “More work and research remains to be done, and we must continue to raise awareness of sickle cell disease and ensure that communities that are largely affected by this condition have equitable access to care and treatments that help improve their health. I am proud to lead the Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month resolution with Senator Scott and I will continue to champion federal initiatives to raise awareness, improve access to care, and help find a cure for this disease.”
“Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the U.S., affecting one in every 365 Black Americans,” said Senator Scott. “Yet despite the prevalence of SCD, research and treatments remain far too limited. With this resolution, we commit to raising awareness and seeking out legislation that will help our medical community fight—and one day, cure—this painful disease.”
Senator Booker and Scott’s sickle cell legislation, the Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act, was signed into law in 2018, and Booker continues to advocate for the sickle cell community today.
The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).
Read the full resolution here.