III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 367 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 26 (legislative day, September 22), 2023 Mr. Rubio (for himself and Ms. Baldwin ) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating September 2023 as National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month .

Whereas approximately 302,000 individuals in the United States live with spinal cord injuries, which cost society billions of dollars in health care costs and lost wages; Whereas there are approximately 18,000 new spinal cord injuries in the United States each year; Whereas more than 42,000 individuals with spinal cord injuries are veterans; Whereas motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries; Whereas almost half of all spinal cord injuries sustained by individuals 30 years of age or younger occur as a result of a vehicular accident; Whereas the average remaining years of life for individuals living with spinal cord injuries has not improved significantly since the 1980s; Whereas there is an urgent need to develop new neuroprotection, pharmacological, and regeneration treatments to reduce, prevent, and reverse paralysis; and Whereas increased education and investment in research are key factors in improving outcomes for individuals living with spinal cord injuries, enhancing the quality of life of individuals with spinal cord injuries, and ultimately curing paralysis: Now, therefore, be it