First Candle is pleased to announce that the Stillbirth and SUID Prevention, Education and Awareness Act of 2009 was filed on July 14 by Senator Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ. A companion bill was filed in the House by Frank Pallone, Jr., D-NJ-6. This bill will improve the collection of critical data to determine the causes of stillbirth, SIDS and SUID, increase education and awareness about how to prevent these tragedies in the future and expand support services for families who have experienced a stillbirth, SIDS or SUID loss.
Every year there are more than 25,000 stillbirths in the United States. For more than half these deaths there is no known cause, leaving parents with more questions than answers as to why the baby died. The bill would expand activities to identify the causes of stillbirth, identify ways to prevent it in the future and increase education and awareness about the issue among healthcare providers and parents.
In addition, there are more than 4,600 sudden unexpected infant deaths each year (including SIDS) and 200 sudden unexpected deaths of children between the ages of one and four. This bill encourages states to complete scene investigations to better understand why these children died, establishes a national database to track these deaths and identify risk factors to prevent them in the future, supports more comprehensive reviews and creates a national public awareness campaign to educate parents and caregivers.
We hope you will join us in supporting this legislation by contacting your representative in the House and two Senators, urging them to co-sponsor this important bill. The more co-sponsors the bill gets, the more likely it is to pass quickly through the House and Senate.
We encourage you to call your representatives directly, or set up an appointment to meet with them face-to-face. Writing a letter or sending an email can be effective as well. Emails can be sent directly through your representatives’ websites. We have provided a fact sheet about the bill, as well as a sample letter to help guide you.
Whether you are writing a letter or speaking with your representatives directly, be sure to include your personal story. First Candle would love to receive a copy of your letter or an email detailing your conversation with your representatives for our files. Please feel free to contact Laura Reno at 800-221-7437 x223 or laura@firstcandle.org with any questions you may have.
Members of Congress rely on input from their constituents to help them better understand what issues are important to those they serve.
Help give our babies a voice.
(Date)
Dear (insert name),
I am writing to ask your consideration in supporting critically-needed legislation that will help save babies’ lives. The Stillbirth and SUID Prevention, Education and Awareness Act of 2009 (S1445) was filed on July 14 by Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, D-NJ. A companion bill (HR3212) was filed in the House by Frank Pallone, Jr., D-NJ-6.
I urge you to sign on as a co-sponsor of this important bill which would help reduce the number of unexpected infant deaths in the United States by calling for new research and education on stillbirths and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). Every year, there are more than 25,000 stillbirths and more than 4,600 sudden unexpected infant deaths in the United States. Specifically, this bill would improve the collection of critical data to determine the causes of theses tragic deaths, increase education and awareness about how to prevent these tragedies in the future and expand support services for families who have experienced a stillbirth or SUID loss.
This bill is important to me because (insert personal story here).
Thank you so much for your consideration of my request. By working together, we will be one step closer to a future where all babies survive and thrive. For your convenience, I have included a fact sheet on the bill.
If you have questions, or would like to sign on as a co-sponsor, please contact Veronica Valdivieso at Senator Lautenberg’s office at veronica.valdiviieso@lautenberg.senate.gov or 202-224-3224.
In the belief that every baby should live,
(Your name, address, phone number and email)
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