110 HCON 247 IH: Expressing support for advancing vital U.S. House of Representatives 2007-11-06 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

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

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.