[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 563 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 563

         Recognizing July 28, 2021, as ``World Hepatitis Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2021

  Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. 
 Velazquez, and Ms. Chu) submitted the following resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
         Recognizing July 28, 2021, as ``World Hepatitis Day''.

Whereas hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and the incidence of liver disease caused 
        by these viruses, have become urgent problems of a global proportion;
Whereas an estimated 1,340,000 people worldwide die each year due to hepatitis;
Whereas an estimated 292,000,000 people worldwide live with chronic hepatitis B, 
        and an estimated 884,000 people worldwide die each year mostly due to a 
        liver-related illness caused by hepatitis B;
Whereas an estimated 71,000,000 people worldwide are chronically infected with 
        hepatitis C, and an estimated 399,000 people worldwide die each year due 
        to a liver-related illness caused by hepatitis C;
Whereas up to an estimated 5,900,000 people in the United States are infected 
        with either hepatitis B or hepatitis C, and up to an estimated 2,400,000 
        who are chronically infected with hepatitis B and up to an estimated 
        3,500,000 people who are chronically infected with hepatitis C;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (``CDC'') estimated that 
        there were 20,700 new acute hepatitis B infections and 57,500 new acute 
        hepatitis C infections, respectively, in the United States in 2019;
Whereas the CDC has found significant increases in the transmission of new 
        hepatitis cases in the United States since 2010, including a 63-percent 
        increase between 2015 and 2019 in reported cases of acute hepatitis C in 
        the United States;
Whereas chronic viral hepatitis claims thousands of lives each year in the 
        United States, with an estimated 14,242 deaths due to hepatitis C in the 
        United States in 2016;
Whereas up to an estimated 80 percent of people with acute hepatitis C do not 
        have any symptoms;
Whereas available data suggests that more than 70 percent of new hepatitis C 
        infections and 36 percent of new hepatitis B infections are among people 
        who inject drugs;
Whereas African Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Latinos, Native 
        Americans, Alaska Natives, gay and bisexual men, and persons who inject 
        drugs intravenously all have higher rates of chronic viral hepatitis 
        infections in the United States than other groups of people;
Whereas Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders bear the greatest burden of 
        hepatitis B-related deaths in the United States;
Whereas between 2013 and 2017, liver cancer was the second most common cause of 
        death among Asian American and Pacific Islander males;
Whereas hepatitis C is 10 times more infectious than human immunodeficiency 
        virus (``HIV'');
Whereas hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV;
Whereas an estimated 33 percent of people who live in the United States and are 
        infected with HIV are also infected with hepatitis B or C;
Whereas life expectancies for persons infected with HIV have increased with 
        antiretroviral treatment, and liver disease, much of which is related to 
        hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections, has become the most common cause 
        of death among this population that is not related to acquired immune 
        deficiency syndrome;
Whereas despite the fact that chronic viral hepatitis is the most common blood-
        borne infection in the United States, over half of people living with 
        hepatitis B and hepatitis C are unaware of their infection;
Whereas hepatitis B is preventable through vaccination, and both hepatitis B and 
        hepatitis C are preventable with proper public health interventions, 
        including programs that offer access to sterile injection equipment for 
        people who inject drugs intravenously;
Whereas the CDC has labelled viral hepatitis a ``Winnable Battle,'' a public 
        health priority, where the CDC and its partners can make significant 
        progress ending epidemics and eliminating diseases to help advance the 
        CDC Strategic Framework in a relatively short time frame;
Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services has released an updated 
        Viral Hepatitis National Strategic Plan focused on the elimination of 
        viral hepatitis via a syndemic approach by preventing new infections, 
        improving viral hepatitis-related health outcomes, reducing viral 
        hepatitis-related disparities and health inequities, improving 
        surveillance and data usage, and coordinating such efforts;
Whereas the COVID-19 global pandemic has exacerbated public health challenges, 
        including viral hepatitis prevention, care, and treatment;
Whereas, as a result of COVID-19, hepatitis services have been significantly 
        reduced, and community-based organizations have had to reduce 
        operations, severely reducing hepatitis B and C testing, hepatitis B 
        vaccination, and community outreach;
Whereas, as a result of COVID-19, persons living with hepatitis B or C have 
        faced increased challenges in accessing medical care and treatment due 
        to delayed appointments and de-prioritization of routine hepatitis or 
        primary care services; and
Whereas the goals of ``World Hepatitis Day'' on July 28, 2021, are to--

    (1) highlight the global nature of chronic viral hepatitis epidemics;

    (2) recognize that hepatitis can be prevented and eliminated in part 
through a comprehensive public education and awareness campaign designed to 
identify those at risk for, and living with, hepatitis;

    (3) inform patients about new treatments that are available for 
hepatitis; and

    (4) help increase the length and quality of life for people diagnosed 
with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes ``World Hepatitis Day'';
            (2) supports broad access to hepatitis B and hepatitis C 
        treatments;
            (3) supports raising awareness of the risks and 
        consequences of undiagnosed chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C 
        infections; and
            (4) calls for a robust governmental and public health 
        response to protect the health of the approximately 5,900,000 
        people in the United States.
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