[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 134 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5220-S5221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 332--HONORING THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND 
PREVENTION ON THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS ESTABLISHMENT AND EXPRESSING 
  DEEP GRATITUDE ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE 
  SCIENTISTS, DISEASE DETECTIVES, CAREER CIVIL SERVANTS, AND SUPPORT 
   STAFF AT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION FOR THEIR 
DEDICATION TO PROTECTING THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND SECURITY OF THE UNITED 
  STATES AND TO STRENGTHENING PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE UNITED STATES AND 
                                 ABROAD

  Mr. OSSOFF (for himself and Mr. Warnock) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 332

       Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
     (referred to in this preamble as the ``CDC''), based in 
     Atlanta, Georgia, was established by the United States 
     Government on July 1, 1946, initially to prevent the spread 
     of malaria in the United States, and soon became the premier 
     public health agency of the United States;
       Whereas because medical epidemiologists were scarce in the 
     United States prior to the establishment of the CDC, disease 
     surveillance became the cornerstone of the mission of service 
     of the CDC to the States;
       Whereas, since 1946, the scientists, disease detectives, 
     career civil servants, and support staff of the CDC have 
     worked every day to combat diseases like malaria, yellow 
     fever, smallpox, polio, influenza, and Ebola;
       Whereas the Epidemic Intelligence Service of the CDC has 
     trained disease detectives at home and abroad, producing some 
     of the top epidemiologists in the world;
       Whereas the CDC has played a vital role in implementing 
     high-profile and innovative programs, including the 
     President's Malaria Initiative, the President's Emergency 
     Plan for AIDS Relief, and the Global Health Security Agenda, 
     helping save millions of human lives;
       Whereas the staff of the CDC were instrumental in global 
     efforts to effectively eradicate smallpox in 1980 and are 
     currently working to eliminate polio worldwide;
       Whereas the CDC has spent decades building public health 
     infrastructure and capacity around the world to detect, 
     respond to, and contain outbreaks of deadly diseases like 
     Zika and Ebola;
       Whereas the CDC assisted with disaster relief in Haiti, 
     partnering with the Haitian public health ministry to respond 
     to the cholera outbreak after the devastating 2010 
     earthquake;
       Whereas the CDC has an established record of working to 
     improve access to cancer screenings and treatment, prevent 
     child malnutrition, protect workers, reduce developmental 
     disabilities and birth defects, prevent injuries, and protect 
     the public from dangerous environmental exposures;
       Whereas the National Asthma Control Program of the CDC 
     funds programs for States, schools, and nongovernmental 
     organizations to help train professionals and educate people 
     living with asthma and their families;
       Whereas the CDC has worked to end the opioid overdose 
     crisis by funding efforts to improve data collection about 
     opioid use and implement evidence-based strategies to save 
     lives;
       Whereas a core principle of public health is that every 
     person should be able to reach his or her full health 
     potential, and the CDC seeks to remove barriers to health 
     linked to race or ethnicity, education, income, location, or 
     other social factors, including vital work to improve health 
     equity;
       Whereas the CDC employs more than 23,000 employees around 
     the world, supporting the agency's 24/7 mission of saving 
     lives and protecting people from health threats;
       Whereas political leaders of the United States should 
     support and empower the public health experts at the CDC and 
     other leading national health agencies to guide with science 
     during public health crises; and
       Whereas the strength and efficacy of the public health 
     system of the United States and the response of the United 
     States to the COVID-19 pandemic depends upon the leadership, 
     expertise, and professionalism of the CDC staff who continue 
     working tirelessly to fight COVID-19 and provide science-
     based guidance to protect families and save lives in the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this 
     resolution as the ``CDC'');

[[Page S5221]]

       (2) declares its deep gratitude on behalf of the people of 
     the United States to the scientists, disease detectives, 
     career civil servants, and support staff at the CDC for their 
     dedication to fighting diseases and working every day to 
     combat the COVID-19 pandemic;
       (3) urges Federal agencies, State and local governments, 
     and organizations nationwide to study and incorporate the 
     evidence-based public health guidance and recommendations 
     provided by the CDC;
       (4) expresses its confidence in the scientific method, 
     evidence-based policymaking, and the medical and public 
     health professions, including the scientific field of 
     epidemiology; and
       (5) honors the contributions of the CDC staff for their 
     leadership and dedicated public service to protecting the 
     health, safety, and security of the United States, and to 
     strengthening public health in the United States and abroad.

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