[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S5173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 540--COMMENDING THE OFFICERS OF THE COMMISSIONED 
  CORPS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE FOR THEIR WORK IN FIGHTING EBOLA

  Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. Isakson) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 540

       Whereas the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service 
     (in this preamble referred to as the ``Commissioned Corps'') 
     traces its antecedents to the creation of the Marine Hospital 
     Service in the Act entitled ``An Act for the relief of sick 
     and disabled seamen'', approved July 16, 1798;
       Whereas the Commissioned Corps today consists of 
     approximately 6,700 commissioned officers who serve in 11 
     specialty areas;
       Whereas thousands of officers of the Commissioned Corps 
     have deployed in the aftermath of natural disasters such as 
     Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and Superstorm Sandy;
       Whereas almost 900 officers of the Commissioned Corps 
     deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to support members of the 
     Armed Forces stationed in those locations;
       Whereas the officers of the Commissioned Corps constitute a 
     rapidly-deployable force of medical professionals who serve 
     public health in the United States and foreign countries;
       Whereas more than 300 officers of the Commissioned Corps 
     deployed to Liberia to treat Ebola patients, voluntarily 
     accepting the risks associated with treating patients who 
     carried this deadly disease;
       Whereas hundreds of other officers of the Commissioned 
     Corps provided support to the officers who were deployed to 
     Liberia;
       Whereas the Ebola epidemic in Liberia no longer represents 
     a public health emergency of international concern, as 
     determined by the World Health Organization, due in part to 
     the intervention of officers of the Commissioned Corps; and
       Whereas the United States was spared the danger of an Ebola 
     outbreak because the disease was contained in West Africa: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate commends all of the officers of 
     the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service who 
     participated in the effort to prevent an Ebola outbreak in 
     the United States.

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