[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1090 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1090

 Supporting the designation of the first week of April as ``Adolescent 
     Immunization Action Week'' and recognizing the importance of 
  encouraging vaccination for adolescents and young adults to protect 
                        against serious illness.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 19, 2024

  Mr. Espaillat (for himself, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Norton, and Ms. 
Barragan) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Supporting the designation of the first week of April as ``Adolescent 
     Immunization Action Week'' and recognizing the importance of 
  encouraging vaccination for adolescents and young adults to protect 
                        against serious illness.

Whereas 2024 marks the third annual nationally recognized ``Adolescent 
        Immunization Action Week'';
Whereas adolescents and young adults are vital to the United States future 
        success and quality of life;
Whereas all adolescents and young adults deserve to be protected against 
        vaccine-preventable illness;
Whereas adolescents and young adults are a particularly vulnerable subset of the 
        United States population with respect to preventive health services;
Whereas through clinical trials and evaluation measures vaccines are proven to 
        be a safe and effective preventive health tool to protect adolescents 
        and young adults, and their communities, from serious illness;
Whereas immunization rates is one of the standards that is measured in the 
        Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2030, a 
        multiobjective plan to improve the Nation's health over the next decade;
Whereas adolescents and young adults are below Healthy People goals for 
        recommended immunizations and have been slow to get up-to-date since the 
        COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas protecting adolescents and young adults from vaccine-preventable illness 
        is a community responsibility held by parents, caregivers, and health 
        care providers to ensure the quality of life of individuals and the 
        community;
Whereas there is a need to address and heal mistrust in vaccines in rural and 
        underserved communities throughout the United States;
Whereas parents rate getting all recommended vaccines, getting a yearly flu 
        shot, and getting the 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine as lowest in importance 
        (70 percent, 57 percent, and 46 percent respectively) compared to many 
        other preventive health behaviors for their teen;
Whereas 60 percent of teens residing in rural communities do not intend to get 
        the COVID-19 vaccine;
Whereas racial and ethnic vaccine coverage disparities persist in communities 
        throughout the United States;
Whereas compared to privately insured adolescents, adolescents with Medicaid or 
        who are uninsured have significantly lower vaccine coverage;
Whereas parents, caregivers, adolescents, and young adults are in need of 
        accurate, easy-to-understand vaccine information to guide vaccination 
        decisions that will support lifelong health;
Whereas parents and caregivers residing in rural communities and in the southern 
        United States are the least trusting of public health or government 
        agencies, and doctors or other health care providers as sources for 
        vaccine information;
Whereas, as the primary source of trusted health information for caregivers and 
        teens, health care providers have a duty to take action toward combating 
        misinformation and disinformation by conveying accurate vaccine 
        information; and
Whereas active collaboration among Federal, State, and local organizations is 
        critical to establishing immunization as a safe and effective 
        contributor to preventative health and to furthering the common goal of 
        high immunization coverage among adolescents and young adults: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of Adolescent Immunization 
        Awareness Week;
            (2) calls upon all citizens, community agencies, faith 
        groups, medical institutions, providers, elected leaders, 
        governmental agencies, and patient advocacy organizations to 
        increase their participation in the effort to support 
        immunizations for adolescents and young adults, thereby 
        protecting from vaccine-related illnesses and strengthening the 
        communities in which we live;
            (3) calls upon health care providers to take active steps 
        to heal the historic medical mistrust in medically underserved 
        communities; and
            (4) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
        calling upon the people of the United States to recognize 
        Adolescent Immunization Awareness Week with such participation, 
        activities, and programming.
                                 <all>