Blake Moore: “My amendment relates to the Centers for Disease Control, establishing a national standard for investigating childhood…”

“My amendment relates to the Centers for Disease Control, establishing a national standard for investigating childhood deaths from sudden infant death syndrome. The death of a child, Madam Chair, is always a tragedy, but the unexplained nature of some of these deaths only makes it harder for grieving families, as well as public health officials and policymakers who are working to prevent them. I have had the heartrending experience of walking into the home of parents who are grieving. That grief doesn't just begin when their infant dies, but goes on for a lifetime, wondering: Was it my fault? Could I have done something? Am I a bad parent? My amendment would help us better understand why thousands of infants between the age of birth and 1, and hundreds of children between the ages of 1 and 4, are still dying unexpectedly in our country. These deaths include those from sudden infant death syndrome. Scarlett Lillian Pauley was one of those children, Madam Chair. Scarlett loved her pets, including her dog, Stitch, who she called ``Sitch,'' and her cat, Colby, who she called ``Max'' or ``Maps.'' Scarlett loved to smile. She loved books. Her favorite book was ``Barnyard Dance'' by Sandra Boynton, which her mom read to her right before she put her to sleep on January 7, 2017. A few hours later, her mama went to check on her and Scarlett was not breathing in her crib.…”