SJ 348 — Commending March of Dimes.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 23104491D I SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

348 OfferedE February 15, 2023 N Commending March of Dimes.

TN Patrons––McClellanAgreed andto Hangerby the Senate, February 16, 2023 R ––––––––––Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 20, 2023 O WHEREAS, for 85 years, the nonprofit organization March of Dimes has worked to enhance the OL health and wellness of families around the nation by supporting research, leading programs, andD providing advocacy and education;

andd the nation by supporting research, leading programs, and L WHEREAS, March of Dimes was founded by President Franklin D.

Roosevelt in 1938 to fight polio E and fund the development of two vaccines, still in use today, that virtually eliminated the criCplingcrippling disease;

and D polio to the prevention of birth defects, and through federal and state advocacy, the organization led the way in establishing a nationwide network of birth defect-monitoring programs and research centers;

and WHEREAS, March of Dimes has undertaken decades of groundbreaking research in maternal and infant health, which has led to the discovery of lifesaving products and tests, such as surfactant therapy forforWHEREAS, prematureMarch infantsof andDimes testshas developed a collaborative model to identifystudy life-threateningand prevent preterm birth defects;S through groundbreaking research at its five Prematurity Research Centers;

and 3 WHEREAS, March of Dimes haswas developed a collaborativepioneer modelin the support of newborn screening, urging the United 8 States Congress to studypass and preventfund pretermthe birthNewborn throughScreening groundbreakingSaves researchLives atAct, itswhich fivein Prematurity2008 Researchestablished Centers;R state advocacy ensured that every state screens all newborns for that core set of conditions;

andandrough WHEREAS, March of Dimes wasis a pioneerlongtime inadvocate thefor supportaccess ofto newbornhealth screening,care urgingfor thewomen Unitedof nationalchildbearing guidelinesage, oninfants, thechildren, conditionsand statesfamilies, shouldensuring includethey inhave newbornaccess screeningto programs,quality, andaffordable throughhealth statecare advocacybefore, ensuredduring, thatand everyafter statepregnancy screensthrough allprograms newbornssuch foras thatthe coreChildren's setHealth ofInsurance conditions;childbirth;

a3dandicaid WHEREAS,postpartum Marchextension ofcoverage, Dimeswhich isprovides acoverage longtime advocate for accessone tofull healthyear careafter forWHEREAS, womenMarch of 8Dimes childbearingwas age,a infants,leading children,advocate andfor families,bipartisan ensuringlegislation they have access to quality,ensure affordablereasonable healthaccommodations carefor before,pregnant during,people andin afterthe pregnancyworkplace, throughwhich programsled suchto as the Children'spassage Health Insurance Program and Medicaidenactment postpartumof extensionthe coverage,Pregnant whichWorkers providesFairness coverageAct; for one full year after childbirth;

and WHEREAS,premature Marchbirth ofand Dimeshelp wasfamilies ahave leadingfull-term, advocatehealthy forbabies; bipartisan legislation to ensure reasonable Pregnant Workers Fairness Act;

and in the workplace,organization whichauthored ledthe toPrematurity theResearch passageExpansion and enactmentEducation ofAct thefor WHEREAS,Mothers in(PREEMIE) 2003,Act, Marchwhich ofCongress Dimesenacted launchedin the2006 Prematurity Campaign to addressexpand theresearch, crisiseducation, of premature birth and helpservices familiesto havefight full-term,premature healthybirths; babies;

theand organizationWHEREAS, authoredMarch theof PrematurityDimes Researchhas Expansionset anda Educationnational Actgoal forof Mothersreducing (PREEMIE)preterm Act,birth to 8.1 percent in every state, which Congresswill :result in a healthier start in life for tens of thousands of infants;

35and enactedinfants, insuch 2006as its work to expandprevent research,early education,elective deliveries and servicesmaternal tomortality, fightas prematurewell births;as its NICU Family Support program;

and 36 WHEREAS, March of Dimes hasand setits avolunteers nationalcontinue goal of reducing preterm birth to 8.1advocate percentfor innational 37and everystate state,policies whichand willprograms resultto inimprove athe healthierhealth startof inwomen lifeof forchildbearing tensage, ofinfants, thousandschildren, ofand infants;families;

and 38pregnant WHEREAS,people March of Dimes sponsors numerous programs to support healthy pregnancies and Familyfamilies; Support program;

andonow, preventtherefore, earlybe electiveitng deliveriesthe andnation maternalby mortality,amplifying asthe wellvoices asof itsRESOLVED NICUby WHEREAS,the MarchSenate, ofthe DimesHouse andof itsDelegates volunteersconcurring, continueThat tothe advocateGeneral forAssembly nationalhereby andcommend stateMarch policiesof andDimes programson to improve the healthoccasion of womenits of85th childbearinganniversary; age, infants, children, and families;

and WHEREAS, March of Dimes is committed to mobilizing the nation by amplifying the voices of pregnant people and families;

now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend March of Dimes on the occasion of its 85th anniversary;