On the recordJanuary 8, 2020
Today marks a sobering anniversary. Three years ago today, Scarlett Lillian Pauley, a magnetic, vibrant, 16- month- old died suddenly and unexpectedly. She was born at 11:25 a.m. on August 31, 2015, a happy and healthy 6-pound, 4-ounce, 20-inch-long baby. This vibrant little girl loved her mama and her dada and her pets. Scarlett loved books. She could read for hours. Her favorite book was ``Barnyard Dance!'' by Sandra Boynton. She loved and she was loved. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated story. Each year, hundreds of children die unexpectedly and their deaths go unexplained, even after an investigation. Each year, nearly 3,500 children up to age 1 die suddenly. Among infants, my colleagues may have heard of the leading cause being SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. These devastated families want answers which, unfortunately, don't come. One reason is that States and municipalities all over the country collect inconsistent and often incomplete data on these unexplained sudden deaths; and, even with these efforts, they are irreconcilable. If we can't even collect good and consistent data, how can we expect to reverse this trend or even prevent it? Mr. Speaker, we can and we must do more to save the lives of our most vulnerable, which is why I introduced the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act, H.R. 2271, named in honor of little Scarlett.…
