SRES-735-118
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4096; text: CR S4090)
Sponsored by Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
What it does
This resolution officially designates July 17, 2024, as "Glioblastoma Awareness Day." It is a simple Senate resolution, meaning it expresses the sense of the Senate but does not create law, appropriate funds, or impose any requirements. It was passed by unanimous consent without amendment.
Who benefits
Patients currently diagnosed with glioblastoma (an aggressive and typically fatal brain cancer), their families and caregivers, glioblastoma research advocacy organizations, and medical researchers who study brain tumors may benefit from increased public visibility of the disease. Awareness designations can draw media attention and public interest to a condition that affects a relatively small but severely impacted population.
Who is hurt
No specific group is directly or materially harmed by this resolution. It carries no regulatory, financial, or legal obligations for any individual, organization, or government entity.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that designating an official awareness day shines a national spotlight on glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and lethal forms of brain cancer, which has a median survival of roughly 15 months after diagnosis. Because the disease is relatively rare, it can struggle to attract the public attention and research funding that more common cancers receive. An official Senate designation costs nothing, imposes no burdens, and can meaningfully amplify the efforts of patient advocacy groups, encourage charitable giving, and prompt media coverage that educates the public about symptoms and the urgent need for research breakthroughs.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that symbolic resolutions like this one consume limited Senate floor time and legislative resources without producing any concrete, measurable benefit for patients or researchers. They contend that if Congress genuinely wants to address glioblastoma, it should direct funding to the National Institutes of Health or other research programs rather than passing non-binding designations. Critics also note that the Senate regularly passes dozens of such awareness day resolutions, which may dilute the significance of each one and give the appearance of action without substantive policy change.