[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 52 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. J. RES. 52

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               March 2 (legislative day, January 5), 1993

  Mr. Packwood (for himself, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Dole, Mr. D'Amato, Mr. 
    Bradley, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Boren, and Mr. Glenn) introduced the 
 following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
To designate the month of November 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 is becoming 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 United States 
        citizens 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 authorized and 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 such 
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 the Nation.

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