ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION No. 150

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 24, 2025

      The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably Assembly Joint Resolution No. 150.

This resolution designates July of each year as “Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month” in New Jersey.  Cleft lip and palate, together commonly called orofacial clefts, are birth defects that occur when a baby’s lip or mouth do not form properly during pregnancy.  A cleft lip occurs when the tissue that makes up the lip does not join completely before birth and results in an opening in the upper lip.  The opening in the lip can be a small slit, or it can be a large opening that goes through the lip into the nose.  A cleft palate occurs when the tissue that makes up the roof of the mouth does not join together completely during pregnancy.  Some babies are born with both the front and back parts of the palate open while others only part of the palate is open.

     Children with a cleft lip with or without a cleft palate or a cleft palate alone often have problems with feeding and speaking clearly and are prone to have ear infections, hearing problems, and problems with their teeth.  About one in every 1,700 babies is born with cleft palate in the United States.  The causes of orofacial clefts among most infants are unknown and ongoing research is being conducted at the national level to better understand the root causes.

     Cleft lip and palate affects people worldwide, impacting speech, eating, and overall quality of life.  Raising awareness about cleft palate is essential to foster understanding, compassion, and support for New Jersey residents and families affected by this condition, as well as to encourage medical research aimed at identifying the root cause of the orofacial disorder.

      As reported by the committee, Assembly Joint Resolution No. 150 is identical to Senate Joint Resolution No. 100, which was also reported by the committee on this date.