Energy and Commerce Committee Members Form Pediatric Trauma Caucus

Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee today launched the Pediatric Trauma Caucus.

Reps. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) and Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) launched the caucus with a briefing featuring Richard Childress, a NASCAR team owner and co-founder of the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. A National Institutes of Health expert is also attending.

“Pediatric trauma is the most frequent killer of children in this country and can occur in many forms; from concussions to burns, and from the athletic field to highway accidents,” the two said in a statement. “The chilling reality is that these types of injuries claim the lives of more children than all other causes combined.”

The announcement of the caucus comes as members of the committee have also taken steps to investigate concussions, including the rise of concussions in youth sports.

“The children that survive traumatic injuries may never be the same as severely injured children are often hospitalized and can require surgery and lengthy rehabilitation,” Hudson and Butterfield added. “This briefing is an opportunity to discuss with the world’s foremost pediatric trauma experts how policymakers can help protect children.”