[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 159 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.J.Res.159
                       One Hundred Third Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
  the fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-three


                            Joint Resolution


 
   To designate the month of November in 1993 and 1994 as ``National 
                            Hospice Month''.

Whereas hospice care has been demonstrated to be a humanitarian way for 
  terminally ill patients to approach the end of their lives in comfort 
  with appropriate, competent, and compassionate care in an environment 
  of personal individuality and dignity;
Whereas hospice advocates care for the patient and family by attending 
  to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and specifically, 
  the pain and grief they experience;
Whereas hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team of 
  physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, psychological and 
  spiritual counselors, and community volunteers trained in the hospice 
  concept of care;
Whereas hospice has become a full partner in the Nation's health care 
  system;
Whereas the enactment of a permanent medicare hospice benefit and an 
  optional medicaid hospice benefit makes it possible for many more 
  Americans to have the opportunity to elect to receive hospice care;
Whereas private insurance carriers and employers have recognized the 
  value of hospice care by the inclusion of hospice benefits in health 
  care coverage packages; and
Whereas there remains a great need to increase public awareness of the 
  benefits of hospice care: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That the month of November in 
1993 and 1994 is designated as ``National Hospice Month''. The President 
is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon all government 
agencies, the health care community, appropriate private organizations, 
and people of the United States to observe each of those months with 
appropriate forums, programs and activities designed to encourage 
national recognition of and support for hospice care as a humane 
response to the needs of the terminally ill and as a viable component of 
the health care system in this country.







                                Speaker of the House of Representatives.







                             Vice President of the United States and    
                                                President of the Senate.