[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 39 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 39

    Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding viral hepatitis.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 12, 2003

Mr. Wynn (for himself, Mr. Upton, Mr. Ford, Mr. Kildee, Ms. Norton, Mr. 
Towns, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Snyder, Mr. Janklow, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mrs. 
Christensen, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Engel, Mr. Strickland, Mr. 
   Frost, Mr. Dingell, Ms. Granger, and Mr. McDermott) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding viral hepatitis.

Whereas viral hepatitis is a serious public health problem affecting millions of 
        Americans;
Whereas in the United States, approximately 3,900,000 Americans have been 
        infected with hepatitis C (of whom 2,700,000 are chronically infected), 
        1,250,000 Americans are infected with hepatitis B, and hepatitis A 
        infection exceeds 20 cases per 100,000 citizens;
Whereas approximately 10,000 to 15,000 Americans die annually from complications 
        arising from chronic viral hepatitis infections;
Whereas all viral hepatitis is preventable through education and immunization;
Whereas viral hepatitis is typically asymptomatic, and therefore infected 
        individuals may unknowingly transmit the virus to others;
Whereas persons infected with hepatitis B or hepatitis C may not learn of their 
        infection until 10 to 20 years later when complications arise from 
        chronic viral hepatitis;
Whereas hepatitis C infection is the largest single cause for liver 
        transplantation and one of the principal causes of liver cancer and 
        cirrhosis;
Whereas vaccinations exist for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, and there is a need 
        to promote immunizations, especially for those who are infected with 
        other hepatitis viruses;
Whereas no vaccine exists for hepatitis C, and treatments have limited success, 
        making this infection among the most costly diseases in terms of health 
        care costs, lost wages, and reduced productivity;
Whereas approximately one quarter of HIV-infected persons in the United States 
        are also infected with hepatitis C;
Whereas hepatitis C infection progresses more rapidly to liver damage in HIV-
        infected persons and may impact the course and management of HIV 
        infection;
Whereas hepatitis C affects 1.5 percent of the United States population and is 2 
        to 3 times more common among African Americans and Hispanics than 
        Caucasians;
Whereas therapy for hepatitis C is evolving, and currently recommended regimens 
        are effective in approximately 40 percent of patients;
Whereas the response rate to therapy for hepatitis C in African Americans is 
        much lower than in Caucasians;
Whereas although end-stage liver disease is more common in minority individuals, 
        those individuals are less likely to undergo liver transplantation;
Whereas the survival rate after liver transplantation appears to be lower for 
        African Americans than for Caucasians;
Whereas early diagnosis can lead to the possibility of preventing further 
        transmission of viral hepatitis;
Whereas prevention education and other preventive measures, such as vaccination, 
        can lead to the prevention of viral hepatitis; and
Whereas the Congress as an institution, and Members of Congress as individuals, 
        are in unique positions to help raise public awareness about the need 
        for increased funding for prevention education and immunization for 
        hepatitis A and B, and increased research on viral hepatitis: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) national and community organizations and health care 
        providers should be applauded for their role in promoting 
        awareness about viral hepatitis and the importance of early 
        detection, prevention education, other preventive measures 
        (such as vaccination), and ongoing screening;
            (2) the Federal Government, with respect to viral 
        hepatitis, has a responsibility--
                    (A) to endeavor to raise awareness about the 
                importance of prevention education, other preventive 
                measures (such as vaccination), counseling, and 
                appropriate treatment;
                    (B) to increase funding for prevention education, 
                other preventive measures (such as vaccination), and 
                research, so that transmission of viral hepatitis is 
                reduced and early detection of viral hepatitis is 
                promoted;
                    (C) to increase efforts to find more effective 
                treatments and cures; and
                    (D) to continue to consider ways to improve access 
                to high-quality health care services for the early 
                detection and treatment of viral hepatitis;
            (3) the Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and 
        Digestive and Kidney Diseases should continue to take a 
        leadership role in the fight against viral hepatitis through 
        the expansion of basic, clinical, and genetic research; and
            (4) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention should give priority consideration to the 
        establishment of a national viral hepatitis roundtable that is 
        aimed at providing leadership, support, and organization for 
        viral hepatitis prevention, education, and treatment, and that 
        includes representatives of the Federal Government and private, 
        nonprofit organizations that play a role in hepatitis 
        prevention, education, treatment, and advocacy.
                                 <all>