110 HRES 718 IH: Supporting the goals and ideals of National U.S. House of Representatives 2007-10-09 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. RES. 718 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 9, 2007 Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Upton, Mr. Markey, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Mr. Matheson, and Mr. Yarmuth) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week, recognizing the importance to the United States of residents of long-term care facilities, including senior citizens and individuals living with disabilities, and for other purposes.

Whereas there are nearly 1,700,000 individuals living in 17,000 nursing homes and 1,000,000 individuals living in 46,000 board and care and assisted living facilities in the United States; Whereas residents of long-term care facilities, including senior citizens and individuals living with disabilities, are one of the United States most valued resources; Whereas residents of long-term care facilities include the Greatest Generation of Americans who protected the freedoms of the people of the United States during World War II and helped rebuild the world in the postwar years; Whereas almost 160,000 people younger than 65 years of age live in nursing homes in the United States; Whereas the United States should honor and celebrate long-term care residents, recognize their rich individuality, and reaffirm their rights as community members and citizens, including the right to vote; Whereas subtitle C of title IV of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (commonly known as the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987) guaranteed important rights, such as the right to privacy, the right to be treated with dignity, the right to exercise self-determination, the right to participate in the review of one’s care plan, the right to be fully informed in advance of any changes in treatment, and the right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal; Whereas long-term care ombudsmen, citizen advocates, facility staff, and family and resident councils work to educate and empower residents in the exercise of their rights; Whereas the week beginning October 7, 2007, will be celebrated as National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week with the theme Advancing Excellence: A Resident’s Perspective on Quality, to emphasize the importance of affirming those rights through facility practices, public policy, and resident-centered decision-making; Whereas in recognition of National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week, individuals and groups around the country will be affirming the importance of quality of care and quality of life for long-term care residents; and Whereas National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week originated in 1980, with resolutions introduced by Representative Claude Pepper and Senator David Pryor to designate a Nursing Home Residents Day: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)supports the goals and ideals of National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week; (2)recognizes the importance to the United States of residents of long-term care facilities, including senior citizens and individuals living with disabilities; and (3)encourages the President to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week with appropriate ceremonies and activities to demonstrate the importance of long-term care residents to the everyday lives of the people of the United States.