Whereas stroke, also known as a cerebrovascular accident, is an acute neurologic injury that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted by a clot in the artery or a burst of the artery; Whereas stroke is a medical emergency that can cause permanent neurologic damage or even death if not promptly diagnosed and treated; Whereas in the United States, stroke is now the fifth leading cause of death; Whereas 1 person in the United States dies from stroke every 3 minutes and 14 seconds; Whereas every year, approximately 795,000 people in the United States experience a new or recurrent stroke; Whereas, in the United States, the total annual costs from stroke are $103,500,000,000 annually, with indirect costs (lost productivity and premature death) at $68,300,000,000; Whereas the total annual costs of stroke in the United States are projected to increase to $240,670,000,000 by 2030, an increase of 129 percent from 2012; Whereas stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability; Whereas those disabilities may require ongoing physical, occupational, speech-language, and other therapy and surgeries; Whereas the permanent health concerns and treatments resulting from stroke have a considerable impact on children, families, and society; Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that the most effective stroke treatments are available only if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within 3 hours of the first symptoms and recommends the public be familiar with and use the mnemonic F.A.S.T. to identify the signs and symptoms of stroke, including— (1) F—Face Drooping: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? ; (2) A—Arm Weakness: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? ; (3) S—Speech Difficulty: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange? ; and (4) T—Time to Call 9–1–1: If you see any of these signs, call 9–1–1 right away.