TAW Sample Proclamation

Sample Proclamation: (printer-friendly version)

 

WHEREAS, Tinnitus, often defined as "ringing in the ears," causes a person to hear ringing, buzzing, or a variety of other sounds without an external cause, and to have a heightened sensitivity to sound; tinnitus can be a debilitating condition, reducing the quality of life for those chronically affected; and

WHEREAS, Tinnitus is most often the result of extreme noise exposure from either a single impulse noise or the accumulation of noise exposure, but may also be caused by conditions such as an ear infection, the use of certain medications, a blocked auditory tube or canal, or a head injury; and  

WHEREAS, As many as 50 million Americans experience tinnitus to some degree, of those, approximately 16 million have chronic tinnitus and seek medical attention for their condition, and nearly two million are debilitated by tinnitus; and

WHEREAS, According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the maximum allowable noise exposure is 85 dBA for eight hours and, even at that level, an individual can sustain hearing damage; even though there are recommended maximum allowable exposure times, cumulative noise exposure over several years, even at safe levels, can cause tinnitus; and

WHEREAS, Americans live in an age of amplified sound where many everyday noise sources produce decibel levels that can be hazardous to our hearing, resulting in tinnitus or other types of hearing loss; some everyday sounds that exceed the allowable noise exposure level of 85 dBA include those from a blow dryer, subway train, power lawn mower, chain saw, jackhammer, screaming child, rock concert, thunderclap, jet engine and an MP3 player; and

WHEREAS, The Army is the only branch of the military that requires earplugs as part of a recruit's uniform, but many types of military equipment exceed the 85 dBA limit, including an Apache helicopter, a nine millimeter pistol and a grenade; as a result, in at the end of 2011, over 840,000 American veterans were service connected for tinnitus; and

WHEREAS, Tinnitus is the number one service-related disability suffered by military personnel returning from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; by 2014, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs will be paying nearly $2.2 billion in tinnitus disability compensation annually to this country's veterans; and

WHEREAS, Even with a combination of public and private funding, only 10 million dollars is spent on tinnitus research in the United States, far less than what is spent on research for most other medical conditions; and

WHEREAS, Current therapies used to treat tinnitus cannot permanently rid a patient of the condition, and not all tinnitus patients benefit from the different treatments currently available, but new, sophisticated brain-imaging technologies have allowed researchers to identify the areas of the brain that involve tinnitus and have led scientists to study tinnitus on several new fronts; and

WHEREAS, Tinnitus is a condition that can affect anyone, young or old, and increased public awareness of the condition's debilitating effects should be promoted to encourage both public and private health care organizations to provide funding for continuing  research on ways to alleviate the symptoms of tinnitus, and to find a cure for this incapacitating condition; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the (House or Senate or other government agency/body) of the State of:_______________

 1.    This (House/Assembly/Legislative body) hereby declares the week of May 13 through May 19, 2012 as "Tinnitus Awareness Week" in the (State/town/city/county) of XXX to promote public awareness about the debilitating effects of tinnitus in order to encourage both public and private health care organizations to provide funding for continuing research on ways to alleviate the symptoms of tinnitus, and to find a cure for this incapacitating condition.

2.    The (Governor/Commissioner/other elected or appointed representative) is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon public officials and the citizens of this State/County to observe "Tinnitus Awareness Week" with appropriate activities and programs.   
 
3.    A duly authenticated copy of this resolution, signed by the President of the (Senate or House or other legislative body) and attested by the Secretary of the Senate, shall be transmitted to the American Tinnitus Association.