Expressing support for the prevention of childhood lead poisoning, the Senate on October 16 passed, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Res. 243) designating the week of October 19 through October 25, 2003, as “National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.”
Sponsored by Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the resolution states that “lead poisoning may cause serious, long-term harm to children, including reduced intelligence and attention span, behavior problems, learning disabilities, and impaired growth.” Additionally, the resolution notes that 434,000 preschool children in the U.S. have harmful levels of lead in their blood.
