[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9] [Senate] [Pages 12487-12488] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]SENATE RESOLUTION 594--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2008 AS ``TAY-SACHS AWARENESS MONTH'' Mr. BROWN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. S. Res. 594 Whereas Tay-Sachs disease is a rare, genetic disorder that causes destruction of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord due to the poor functioning of an enzyme called beta- hexosaminidase A; Whereas there is no proven treatment or cure for Tay-Sachs disease and the disease is always fatal in children; Whereas the disorder was named after Warren Tay, an ophthalmologist from the United Kingdom, and Bernard Sachs, a neurologist from the United States, both of whom contributed to the discovery of the disease in 1881 and 1887, respectively; Whereas Tay-Sachs disease often affects families with no prior history of the disease; Whereas approximately 1 in 27 Ashkenazi Jews, 1 in 30 Louisianan Cajuns, 1 in 30 French Canadians, 1 in 50 Irish Americans, and 1 in every 250 people are carriers of Tay- Sachs disease, which means approximately 1,200,000 Americans are carriers; Whereas these unaffected carriers of the disease possess the recessive gene that can trigger the disease in future generations; Whereas, if both parents of a child are carriers of Tay- Sachs disease, there is a 1 in 4 chance that the child will develop Tay-Sachs disease; Whereas a simple and inexpensive blood test can determine if an individual is a carrier of Tay-Sachs disease, and all people in the United States, especially those citizens who are members of high-risk populations, should be screened; and Whereas raising awareness of Tay-Sachs disease is the best way to fight this horrific disease: Now, therefore, be it [[Page 12488]] Resolved, That the Senate designates September 2008 as ``Tay-Sachs Awareness Month''. ____________________