Supporting the designation of a week as "National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week".

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 215, which would support the designation of a week as National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week.

I would first like to thank my colleague, Mr. Boren from Oklahoma, for joining me in introducing I this resolution and for his efforts in promoting CPR. I am truly grateful for his leadership and support on this issue.

I introduced this legislation because I believe that we must do all we can to bolster our efforts to combat heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest, as heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 325,000 coronary heart disease deaths occur outside of the hospital or in an emergency room every year, and roughly 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before even reaching a hospital. These statistics serve as a clear reminder that we must take action to save lives at the local and community levels, and this resolution helps to do just that.

CPR more than doubles a victim's chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest by maintaining the vital flow of blood to the heart and the brain. Over 75 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur within the home, so CPR can mean the difference between life and death.

Additionally, automated external defibrillators are easy for even bystanders to operate and are highly effective in restoring a normal heart rhythm if used within minutes after the onset of sudden cardiac arrest. Communities with comprehensive AED programs have achieved survival rates of over 40 percent.

I am proud to have sponsored the New York State law that required public schools to have at least one such device on school grounds. As a State Senator, I worked with State Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg to advance this initiative after a young man from his area, on Long Island, by the name of Louis Acompora died from a blunt impact to the chest while playing lacrosse. Had an AED been available at the time, his life might have been saved. Thankfully, our efforts have helped to save over 35 lives in New York State in the five years since the law's enactment.

The American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and the National Safety Council are preparing related public awareness and training campaigns to be held during the first week of June, and I am pleased to support this bill as a framework for their efforts.

This resolution will help us to save lives across the country and combat heart disease at the community level. I urge my colleagues to join myself and Mr. Boren in supporting H. Con. Res. 215.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 215, legislation that will designate a National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill, and would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Randy Kuhl of New York, for advancing this legislation to help educate the American people about the critical difference cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator training can make in our country.

This legislation has been dear to Mr. Kuhl's heart after a young man in his area, Louis Acompora, died from a blunt impact to the chest while playing lacrosse. Had an automated external defibrillator been available at the time, his life might have been saved. I commend Mr. Kuhl's success as a New York State Senator in working with Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg from Long Island to advance the New York State law requiring public schools to have at least one such device on school grounds. His hard work has helped save over 35 lives in New York State in the five years since the law's enactment.

Mr. Speaker, heart disease kills more people in our Nation every year than any other medical condition. Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the most time sensitive cardiac conditions for which immediate attention is vital. If cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation are not applied within 5 minutes after sudden cardiac arrest, there is virtually no chance of survival. Approximately 325,000 Americans suffer sudden cardiac arrest each year and more than 95 percent die before ever reaching the hospital.

Mr. Speaker, these statistics are staggering. Sadly, if more Americans were trained in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and in using automated external defibrillators, many of these lives could have been saved. Communities with comprehensive automated external defibrillator programs have improved survival rates from only 5 percent to over 40 percent.

Mr. Speaker, this is why it is so critical that we pass H. Con. Res. 215. Having a week dedicated to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator awareness will increase the profile of this devastating disease, and most importantly, will help save lives. I encourage all my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 215) supporting the designation of a week as ``National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week,'' as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

First of all, I want to thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) for standing in for me.

As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H. Con. Res. 215, as amended, which supports the designation of ``National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week.''

H. Con. Res. 215, which was introduced by Representative John R. ``Randy'' Kuhl, Jr. on September 19, 2007, was reported from the Oversight Committee on November 8, 2007, by voice vote. This measure has been cosponsored by 84 Members.

Mr. Speaker, it is a sad statistic that 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital. Prompt CPR and use of an automated defibrillator, or AED, can more than double a victim's chance of surviving cardiac arrest. Seventy-five to 80 percent of all cardiac arrests occur within the home. Unfortunately, 60 percent of the public have never seen an automated external defibrillator, much less put it into use.

It is time we do all that we can to raise awareness of these much- needed emergency tools and urge training to combat heart disease at the community level.

I commend the sponsor for introducing this measure, thank all the organizations throughout the country for their support, and urge swift passage of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The automated external defibrillator is a critical part of saving lives here in America. In the first 10 minutes of an onset of symptoms, you have an incredibly short period of time, that 10 minutes, to make the difference between life and death. A typical response time, an optimum response time, for a 911 call is 5 minutes. The availability of these devices, once thought to be only in the crash kit on an emergency vehicle or in a hospital, is now spreading. At our airports, including our Nation's Capital airports, these devices are not just available but they are hung throughout the facility, making it possible, and, in fact, it has occurred, for people who have a heart symptom and pass out to be brought back to life in those 10 minutes, those precious 10 minutes. But in order to expand the use of this lifesaving apparatus, we need to have additional training.

I join with the gentleman from Illinois in saying that the importance of this Automatic External Defibrillator Week is not that we can learn to say it without tying our tongue but, in fact, that we can deploy these devices and get people trained. In my own small condominium unit here in Washington, our neighbors have been trained; and it will undoubtedly in time save lives in our community.

I join with the majority in urging that this bill not only become law this year but that we make this an annual event so as to spread the lifesaving capability of this device.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.