Further demonstrating the federal governments commitment to aquatic safety, the U.S. House of Representatives recently adopted a resolution applauding the passage of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act and encouraging “public and private funding to support current and future initiatives that provide all children access to swimming education.”
House Resolution 57 notes that the Olympic Gold Medals won last year in swimming competitions in Beijing have raised the level of interest in aquatics, but according to the Centers for Disease Control there is still a significant number of unintentional drownings. It goes on to point to the disparities between white and minority drownings.
As stated in the resolution, the House of Representatives also “expressed the importance of access to swimming lessons for all communities in the United States as an integral part of drowning prevention” and “celebrates the work of initiatives like USA Swimming Foundation’s ‘Make A Splash’ and Safe Kids USA to educate parents and caregivers on water safety and drowning prevention messages.”