Improving Efforts to Attack Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Floor Speech

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Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, today marks a sobering anniversary. Three years ago today, Scarlett Lillian Pauley, a magnetic, vibrant, 16- month- old died suddenly and unexpectedly. She was born at 11:25 a.m. on August 31, 2015, a happy and healthy 6-pound, 4-ounce, 20-inch-long baby.

This vibrant little girl loved her mama and her dada and her pets. Scarlett loved books. She could read for hours. Her favorite book was ``Barnyard Dance!'' by Sandra Boynton. She loved and she was loved.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated story. Each year, hundreds of children die unexpectedly and their deaths go unexplained, even after an investigation. Each year, nearly 3,500 children up to age 1 die suddenly. Among infants, my colleagues may have heard of the leading cause being SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

These devastated families want answers which, unfortunately, don't come. One reason is that States and municipalities all over the country collect inconsistent and often incomplete data on these unexplained sudden deaths; and, even with these efforts, they are irreconcilable.

If we can't even collect good and consistent data, how can we expect to reverse this trend or even prevent it?

Mr. Speaker, we can and we must do more to save the lives of our most vulnerable, which is why I introduced the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act, H.R. 2271, named in honor of little Scarlett. This bill would authorize efforts to improve the investigation of these deaths nationwide to help find answers that can guide prevention efforts.

It would also support better data initiatives of safe sleep education and other efforts to prevent such deaths and support for grieving families, among other provisions.

Mr. Speaker, I was so inspired to do this because I have, in fact, been to the homes of grieving parents who have lost their child to sudden infant death.

I am so grateful that this is bipartisan legislation. There are 62 bipartisan sponsors, and I just want to name a few of them on the other side. Tom Cole is the cosponsor on the Republican side, along with Jaime Herrera Beutler, who has given birth to three children since she has become a Member of this body, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

This bipartisan legislation has also been endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the March of Dimes, Children's Hospital Association, Cribs for Kids, First Candle, SUDC Foundation, KID: Fighting for Product Safety, Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Guild of Seattle Children's Hospital, the Mackenzie Blair Foundation of New Jersey, Jaxin's Cause in Ohio, the Scarlett Lillian Pauley Foundation, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and Safe Kids Worldwide.

Today, the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold hearings on this legislation, bringing it one step closer to law. One of the witnesses will be Scarlett's mom, someone who took her grief and turned it into activism, and I believe she is going to speak eloquently of the challenges that families across our country who experience such a tragedy face.

Though Scarlett is gone, she is not forgotten. Passing this bipartisan bill is one way we can honor her and save lives. If this bill helps save one life--and I am confident that it will do more than that--it is worth it.

I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation.

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