[Congressional Bills 110th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H. Res. 1062 Introduced in House (IH)] 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1062 Expressing support for National Facial Protection Month. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 31, 2008 Mrs. McCarthy of New York submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION Expressing support for National Facial Protection Month. Whereas 5,000,000 teeth are knocked out each year during sports activities; Whereas an athlete participating in contact sports has a 10 percent chance of sustaining a significant oral-facial injury each season; Whereas studies indicate that approximately one third of all dental injuries and approximately 19 percent of head and face injuries are sports-related; Whereas an athlete is 60 times more likely to sustain damage to the teeth when not wearing a protective mouth guard; Whereas emerging evidence supports that youth athletes wearing full facial protection during baseball, softball, hockey, and lacrosse can significantly reduce their risk of oral-facial trauma; Whereas the Task Force on Community Preventive Services found that there is insufficient evidence, due to a lack of available research data, to support intervention programs to encourage the use of helmets, facemasks, and mouth guards to reduce oral-facial trauma in contact sports; Whereas the Task Force on Community Preventive Services has recommended additional research on the effectiveness of intervention programs to encourage the use of helmets, facemasks, and mouth guards; and Whereas April 2008 would be an appropriate month to designate as ``National Facial Protection Month'': Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) expresses support for National Facial Protection Month; (2) declares it is critical-- (A) to raise awareness about the importance of using proper dental and facial protection during sporting activities; and (B) to conduct additional research to study the effectiveness of intervention programs to encourage use of helmets, facemasks, and mouth guards; (3) calls on sports health care professionals, parents, and coaches to-- (A) educate athletes about the importance of protective equipment and encourage the use of all protective devices to ensure the athlete's safety; and (B) recommend using protective equipment that meets the standards of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) and is clearly identified as being in compliance; and (4) requests the President to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe National Facial Protection Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities. <all>