[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 80 (Monday, June 11, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S6056]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself and Mr. Voinovich):
  S. 1009. A bill to require the provision of information to parents 
and adults concerning bacterial meningitis and the availability of a 
vaccination with respect to such diseases; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by Senator 
Voinovich to offer legislation on a health issue that is very important 
to parents across the Nation.
  Bacterial meningitis affects 3,000 people across the United States 
each year. Approximately 10 to 13 percent of patients with bacterial 
meningitis die despite receiving antibiotics early in the disease. Of 
those individuals who survive, an additional 10 percent have severe 
aftereffects of the disease, including mental retardation, hearing 
loss, and loss of limbs.
  My bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control, to 
develop and make available information about bacterial meningitis. In 
addition, it would make available information about the availability 
and the effectiveness of bacterial meningitis vaccinations for children 
and adults.
  To help prevent these needless deaths, the bill requires the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide this information to a 
list of institutions, including child care centers, schools, 
universities, boarding schools, summer camps, detention facilities, 
and, as determined appropriate by the Secretary any other entity that 
provides housing in a dorm-like setting. This information in turn would 
be provided to both children and adults.
  This will allow parents and others to be more informed about this 
dangerous disease and encourage them to obtain appropriate vaccines.
  I commend the Senator from Ohio for his support on this issue and 
urge other Senators to join us in this effort.
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