[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 2, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 APPLAUDING THE TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE

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                           HON. PHIL GINGREY

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 2, 2007

  Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud the Texas State 
legislature for passing House Bill 1098, which prevents mandatory 
human-papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for middle school girls in the 
State of Texas until at least 2011.
  This legislation was a necessary response to the ill-advised 
executive order signed by Governor Perry in February of this year, 
which requires every girl in the state of Texas to receive a vaccine 
against HPV. I stand tonight to encourage the Governor of Texas to 
quickly sign H.B. 1098 into law and return important healthcare choices 
to parents and physicians--not the state or Federal government.
  Madam Speaker, HPV is a sexually transmitted disease of which two 
strains, types 16 and 18, are associated with about 70 percent of 
cervical cancers. In June of 2006, the Food and Drug Administration 
approved the first vaccine that protects against 4 types of HPV. As an 
OB/GYN physician, I applaud this achievement in modern medicine. 
However, I am greatly concerned with the trend in many states to 
introduce legislation or sign executive orders mandating young girls--
6th graders--receive the HPV vaccine in order to attend school.
  States have historically established and enforced their own vaccine 
and immunization practices that dictate their school admittance 
policies.
  Requiring school-aged children to receive certain vaccines in order 
to attend school started as a public health concern so as to avoid 
widespread outbreaks of communicable diseases. However, Madam Speaker, 
since HPV can only be spread through sexual contact, mandating this 
vaccine is unprecedented, and I believe it is an egregious intrusion by 
government into what should be a parent- physician-patient decision.
  Accordingly, I have introduced legislation, the Parental Right to 
Decide Protection Act, which would prohibit federal funds from being 
used to implement any type of mandatory HPV vaccine program. We need to 
stand up against this government interference into the lives of our 
children, which side-steps parental rights and responsibilities.
  This is why I am so encouraged by the action of the Texas State 
legislature to stand up for the rights of our children, protect the 
role of parents and preserve the physician-patient relationship.
  Madam Speaker, our government should not insert itself into this 
conversation--and I want to join the many medical groups, patient 
groups and parental rights groups--to call on the Governor of Texas to 
sign this very important piece of legislation.
    




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