[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 967 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 967

   Raising awareness of the impact of COVID-19 on bereaved children.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 7, 2022

    Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself and Ms. Stevens) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

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                               RESOLUTION


 
   Raising awareness of the impact of COVID-19 on bereaved children.

Whereas COVID-19 has taken the lives of more than 950,000 people in the United 
        States, leading to more than 200,000 children experiencing caregiver 
        loss;
Whereas 1 in every 360 children under 18 have lost a coresiding caregiver to 
        COVID-19, and 70 percent of caregiver loss affects children 13 and 
        younger;
Whereas 65 percent of caregiver loss to COVID-19 is experienced by children of 
        color;
Whereas an estimated 4,400,000 children will experience the loss of a parent 
        before the age of 18 in the United States;
Whereas child bereavement disproportionately impacts minority communities;
Whereas children losing primary caregivers have a higher risk of experiencing 
        substance abuse and mental health problems, including anxiety, 
        depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder;
Whereas bereaved children are at higher risk of reduced employment and housing 
        instability, and experience lower rates of academic attainment and 
        higher dropout rates;
Whereas parental bereavement is associated with a higher likelihood of risky 
        behaviors that threaten the health and safety of bereaved children;
Whereas the impacts of caregiver loss on children are amplified during COVID-19 
        due to a lack of stable social support systems commonly provided with 
        consistent school or community; and
Whereas the long-term consequences of caregiver loss during the COVID-19 
        pandemic are still unknown: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the impact of COVID-19 on bereaved children 
        and the unknown long-term consequences of caregiver loss during 
        the COVID-19 pandemic;
            (2) acknowledges that the loss of a primary caregiver 
        disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities; and
            (3) calls upon the Federal Government to prioritize the 
        needs of bereaved children through identifying services and 
        resources that can be used to assist them.
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