| Sponsor | Rep. Sires, Albio |
| Committee | Education and Labor |
| Date | September 14, 2009 (111th Congress, 1st Session) |
| Staff Contact | Andy Koenig |
H.Res. 57 is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Monday, September 14, 2009, under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage. The resolution was introduced by Rep. Sires (D-NJ) on January 13, 2009, and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, which took no official action.
H.Res. 57 would express the sense that the House of Representatives:
- "Expresses the importance of access to swimming lessons for all communities in the United States as an integral part of drowning prevention;
- "Recognizes the danger of fatal unintentional drowning in the United States;
- "Condemns the persistent high rates of fatal drowning among all children, especially minority children;
- "Celebrates the passage of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act;
- "Celebrates the work of initiatives like USA Swimming Foundation's `Make A Splash' and Safe Kids USA to educate parents and caregivers on water safety and drowning prevention messages; and
- "Encourages public and private funding to support current and future initiatives that provide all children access to swimming education." (Emphasis added)
According to the resolution's findings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cited 3,582 drowning fatalities in 2005, and drowning represents the second most common cause of accidental death among children between the ages of one and 14. The CDC also reports that the drowning rate for African-American children is three times higher than the rate for white children.