Recognizing the importance of vaccinations and immunizations in the United States.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 179 Recognizing the importance of vaccinations and immunizations in the United States. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 5, 2019 Mr. SCHIFF (for himself and Mr. BURGESS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Recognizing the importance of vaccinations and immunizations in the United States. Whereas the contributions of Louis Pasteur and Edward Jen- ner to the discovery of the principles of vaccinology are among the most consequential health findings in human history; Whereas vaccines have made it possible to eradicate smallpox, saving approximately 5 million lives annually, and for the international community to be on the brink of eradicating polio and to have saved an estimated 18 million people from paralysis over the past three decades; Whereas vaccines have dramatically reduced the spread of crippling and potentially life-threatening diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, and rubella, and vaccines have prevented the spread of commonly infec- VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR179.IH HR179 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 179 IH tious and potentially fatal diseases such as chickenpox, shingles, influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococ- cal disease, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, and whoop- ing cough (pertussis); Whereas the scientific and medical communities are in over- whelming consensus that vaccines are both effective and safe, and the dissemination of unfounded, and debunked, theories about the dangers of vaccinations pose a great risk to public health, and scientifically sound education and outreach campaigns about vaccination and immuni- zation are fundamental for a well-informed public; Whereas an estimated 43,000 adults and 300 children die an- nually from vaccine-preventable diseases or their com- plications in the United States, and the health and liveli- hood of young children, seniors, individuals with immuno- deficiency disorders, and those who cannot be vaccinated, are particularly compromised by communities with low vaccination rates; Whereas substantial research has shown that vaccination is a highly cost-effective form of preventive medicine, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that between 1994 and 2013, vaccinations saved nearly $295 billion in direct costs and $1.38 tril- lion in total societal costs in the United States; Whereas vaccines in the United States undergo extensive safety and efficacy testing before licensure by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are continually monitored for adverse events after health care providers administer them to patients; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR179.IH HR179 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 179 IH Whereas there are four post-marketing surveillance systems in the United States tracking adverse events after vac- cination; Whereas it is estimated that vaccinations will prevent more than 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths among children born in the last 20 years, and that more than 100 million children worldwide are immunized each year and vaccines save an estimated 2.5 million children under age five annually; Whereas one in five children worldwide still lack access to common vaccines and, as a result, an estimated 1.5 mil- lion children die annually from complications of vaccine- preventable diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia or suffer from permanently debilitating illnesses; Whereas strong investments in biomedical research to im- prove existing vaccines and develop many more life-saving vaccines are beneficial to all, both at home and abroad, and a robust immunization infrastructure is essential to the public health and well-being of the people of the United States by preventing and isolating outbreaks of infectious diseases at their source; Whereas encouraging high vaccination rates and promoting vaccine confidence in the United States protects our citi- zens from contracting vaccine-preventable diseases that are endemic in countries with low vaccination and immu- nization rates; Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) recently identified vaccine hesitancy as a top health threat for 2019, and addressing the many factors that contribute to vaccine hesitancy is crucial in increasing vaccination rates and achieving herd immunity; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR179.IH HR179 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HRES 179 IH Whereas routine and up-to-date vaccination is the most effec- tive method available to prevent the transmission of po- tentially fatal infectious diseases; and Whereas the United States has been a leader in promoting vaccinations around the world through the United States Agency for International Development, the CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Polio Eradication Initia- tive, UNICEF, the WHO, and a host of other multilat- eral and non-governmental organizations: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) commends the international community, 2 global and domestic health organizations, the private 3 sector, school and community leaders, and faith- 4 based organizations for their tireless work and im- 5 mense contributions to bolstering our global and do- 6 mestic health through vaccination; 7 (2) affirms vaccines and immunizations save 8 lives and are essential to maintain the public health, 9 and the economic and national security of the people 10 of the United States; 11 (3) recognizes that the lack of vaccination can 12 create an environment in which a public health crisis 13 could emerge, and that there is no credible evidence 14 demonstrating that vaccines cause life-threatening or 15 disabling diseases in healthy children or adults; 16 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR179.IH HR179 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HRES 179 IH (4) encourages a continued commitment to bio- 1 medical research to improve vaccines and to develop 2 new vaccines against other infectious and fatal dis- 3 eases; and 4 (5) urges everyone, in consultation with their 5 health care provider, to follow the scientific evidence 6 and consensus of medical experts in favor of timely 7 vaccinations to protect themselves, their children, 8 their family, and their community. 9 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 Mar 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR179.IH HR179 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS