[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 247 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 247

Expressing support for advancing vital United States interests through 
  increased engagement in health programs that alleviate disease and 
 poverty, and reduce premature death in developing nations, especially 
through programs that combat high levels of infectious disease, improve 
children's and women's health, decrease malnutrition, reduce unintended 
pregnancies, fight the spread of HIV/AIDS, encourage healthy behaviors, 
                  and strengthen health care capacity.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 6, 2007

    Mr. Payne (for himself, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. 
McDermott, Ms. Woolsey, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Mr. Honda, Ms. Lee, 
   Ms. Clarke, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Ms. 
   Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Hastings of 
Florida, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Watt, and Mr. Rush) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
    Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for advancing vital United States interests through 
  increased engagement in health programs that alleviate disease and 
 poverty, and reduce premature death in developing nations, especially 
through programs that combat high levels of infectious disease, improve 
children's and women's health, decrease malnutrition, reduce unintended 
pregnancies, fight the spread of HIV/AIDS, encourage healthy behaviors, 
                  and strengthen health care capacity.

Whereas health is integral to social and economic development and to building 
        stable, independent, and productive societies;
Whereas unnecessarily high levels of preventable death and disability persist in 
        developing nations, including over 10,000,000 child deaths every year--
        30,000 each day--a majority of which are from easily preventable or 
        treatable causes, including pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, malnutrition, 
        measles, and complications immediately following birth; 40,000,000 
        people infected with HIV and 3,000,000 AIDS deaths per year; 530,000 
        deaths of women every year from complications related to pregnancy and 
        childbirth and millions of cases of trauma and disability caused by 
        obstetric fistula and other preventable injuries; an unmet need for 
        family planning among over 100,000,000 married women; 1,000,000 deaths 
        annually from malaria, most of which are among young children and in 
        sub-Saharan Africa; an expanding threat from tuberculosis, which is a 
        principal cause of death among those infected with HIV and is evolving 
        into forms increasingly resistant to all known drugs; the increasing 
        impact of preventable, non-communicable disease, especially those 
        deriving from tobacco use, alcohol and drug abuse, and other risky 
        lifestyle behaviors; and the potential of new disease threats, such as 
        avian influenza, which demand new levels of preparedness and health 
        capacity;
Whereas the short- and long-term economic, military, and political security of 
        countries is directly threatened by increased mortality and morbidity 
        resulting from infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and 
        malaria, poor maternal and newborn health, the lack of family planning 
        services, and the absence of clean water;
Whereas HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria disproportionately affect the poor;
Whereas proven and cost-effective solutions that have already achieved 
        astonishing successes are readily available and could dramatically 
        further reduce the burden of death and disease, including access to 
        immunization, antibiotics, diarrheal disease control, newborn care, 
        improved nutrition, antiretrovirals, essential obstetric care, family 
        planning, anti-malarials and insecticide treated nets, and tuberculosis 
        treatment;
Whereas long-term gains in health require a comprehensive approach that 
        addresses the range of critical health problems and builds local 
        capacity while ensuring equitable access, especially by the poor, women 
        and girls, and other vulnerable populations, to services;
Whereas on May 25, 2007, a United States citizen was quarantined by the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention under authorities of the Public 
        Health Service Act after tests indicated the individual was infected 
        with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB)--an emergent type 
        of tuberculosis which is resistant to almost all medications available 
        to treat the disease;
Whereas the United States citizen had traveled to France, Italy, the Czech 
        Republic, and Canada before returning to the United States, potentially 
        infecting dozens of people;
Whereas, although XDR TB cases have been found primarily in Africa and Eastern 
        Europe, the case of this United States citizen demonstrates that 
        infectious diseases have no borders and underscores the need for sound 
        public health systems abroad and in the United States; and
Whereas the United States has a history of leadership and success in building 
        international consensus and improving health throughout the world by 
        investing in basic health services, particularly services for poor and 
        vulnerable populations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes that contributing to improving health in 
        developing nations is in the vital interest of the United 
        States, as it helps protect the health of the American people, 
        facilitates development among partner nations, cultivates a 
        positive image for the United States, and projects the 
        humanitarian values of the American people;
            (2) acknowledges the need to strengthen health care systems 
        to meet essential health needs, including surveillance and 
        information systems, facilities and equipment, management 
        capacity, and an adequately compensated health care work force 
        that is appropriate in number, composition, and skills;
            (3) recognizes that investments in health, particularly 
        investments that reach disadvantaged populations, contribute to 
        poverty alleviation;
            (4) supports the unprecedented and unparalleled investments 
        of the United States in reducing the global burdens of HIV/AIDS 
        and malaria through the President's Emergency Program for AIDS 
        Relief and the President's Malaria Initiative; and
            (5) encourages the United States Government to expand its 
        adoption and implementation of policies and programs that 
        alleviate the greatest burden of disease in developing nations 
        in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible.
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