Senator Hertel offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 12.

            A resolution to commemorate February 7-14, 2017, as Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week.

            Whereas, Congenital heart defect is the No. 1 birth defect; and

            Whereas, Nearly 1 in 100 newborns are born with congenital heart defect; and

            Whereas, 40,000 infants are born in the United States each year with congenital heart defect; and

            Whereas, There is an estimated 2-3 million people living with congenital heart defect (CHD); and

            Whereas, 25 percent of children born with CHD need heart surgery or other interventions to survive; and

            Whereas, 15 percent of babies born with CHD will not see their 18th birthday; and

            Whereas, In 2009, direct hospital costs alone for children and adults with CHD was over $2 billion; and

            Whereas, Those affected with CHD have 3-4 times higher rates of ER visits than the general population; and

            Whereas, Fewer than 10 percent of adults with CHD are receiving recommended care; and

            Whereas, There is no cure for CHD; and

            Whereas, Thanks to advances in medical research, however, more and more children are surviving; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That we hereby commemorate February 7-14, 2017, as Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week in the state of Michigan; and be it further

            Resolved, That we urge all citizens to show their support and help raise awareness in the fight against congenital heart defects by wearing the color purple on February 10, 2017 in honor of all of the CHD warriors like Ruby Jane, Alex, Wren, Karagan, and the countless others across the great state of Michigan by increasing awareness and speaking up we can conquer CHD.