[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 38 (Monday, March 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S3418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mrs. HUTCHISON:
S. 583. 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 disease; to the Committee on Health
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by Senators
Voinovich, DeWine, Mikulski and Warner to offer health legislation that
will bring great benefits to many of our Nation's families.
Bacterial meningitis affects 3,000 people across the United States
each year. Approximately 10 percent of patients with bacterial
meningitis die despite receiving antibiotics early in the course of the
disease. Meningitis occurs most frequently in infants and young adults
living in dormitory settings. The disease can result in permanent brain
damage, hearing loss, learning disability, limb amputation, kidney
failure or death.
In 2001, Lydia Evans entered her sophomore year at North Texas
University as a healthy 20-year-old. Now she's lost both of her legs,
parts of seven fingers and endured 15 surgeries and intensive physical
therapy. She is a victim of a terrible, yet little-known disease called
meningococcal meningitis.
Carolyn Waghorne of Dallas contacted me after the tragic death of her
son, Carter, who contracted meningitis at boarding school in 1998. Mrs.
Waghorne has led the battle in our State to create awareness about the
dangers of the illness. After hearing her story, I knew we needed to
help educate all Americans about this devastating--yet preventable--
disease.
My bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in
consultation with the Director of the Centers of Disease Control, CDC,
to develop and make information available about bacterial meningitis.
In addition, it would provide information about the availability and
effectiveness of bacterial meningitis vaccinations for children and
adults.
The information would be distributed at institutions, including child
care centers, schools, universities, boarding schools, summer camps,
detention facilities, and other entities that provide housing in a
dorm-like setting.
Meningitis is spread through close contact such as coughing or
sneezing and direct contact with persons infected with meningitis. The
bacteria cannot live outside the body for very long, so the disease is
not as easily transmitted as a cold virus. Many healthy people carry
the bacteria, but if a person has a suppressed immune system they may
contract the disease. A spinal tap procedure enables doctors to
diagnose meningitis, and if the disease is discovered, it is treated
with antibiotics.
The disease can result in permanent brain damage, hearing loss,
learning disability, limb amputation, kidney failure or death.
The CDC reports that two-thirds of cases on college campuses could
have been prevented with a vaccine. In fact, the Advisory Commission on
Immunization Practices, part of the CDC, recommends what this bill
provides.
I commend the Senators for their support and hope other Senators will
join us in this effort to prevent the tragedies that befell Lydia Evans
and Carolyn Waghorne as well as thousands of families every year.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 583
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Meningitis Immunization
Awareness Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Approximately 3,000 cases of meningococcal disease
occur each year in the United States. Approximately 10 to 13
percent of patients with such disease die despite receiving
antibiotics early in the disease. Of those individuals who
survive, an additional 10 percent have severe after-effects
of the disease, including mental retardation, hearing loss,
and loss of limbs.
(2) There is a vaccine that protects individuals against
some types of bacterium Neisseria meningitidis (also known as
meningococcus), an important cause of bacterial meningitis
and sepsis in children and young adults. A single dose of the
vaccine is recommended, and vaccination will decrease the
risk of the disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis.
(3) Currently, the only group of individuals that is
vaccinated against bacterial meningitis is the members of the
armed forces. The only other group of individuals that have
been encouraged to get the vaccine are those individuals
attending college.
SEC. 3. PROVISION OF INFORMATION.
(a) Development of Information.--The Secretary of Health
and Human Services, in consultation with the Director of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall develop and
make available to entities described in subsection (b)
information concerning bacterial meningitis and the
availability and effectiveness of vaccinations for
individuals 2 years of age or older with respect to such
disease.
(b) Entities.--An entity is described in this subsection if
the entity--
(1) is--
(A) a child care center or provider that is licensed or
certified under an appropriate State law;
(B) an elementary or secondary school (as such terms are
defined in the Elementary and Secondary School Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
(C) a college or university;
(D) a boarding school or summer camp;
(E) a prison or other detention facility; or
(F) any other entity that provides for the housing of
individuals in a dorm-like setting; and
(2) any other entity determined appropriate by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services.
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