H. Res. 526

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

September 19, 2006.

Whereas 2005 was the 50th anniversary of the injectable 

killed polio vaccine; 

Whereas the polio vaccines eliminated naturally occurring 

polio cases in the United States but have not yet eliminated polio in other parts of the world; 

Whereas as few as 57 percent of American children receive 

all doses of necessary vaccines during childhood, including the polio vaccine; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that every child in the United States receive all 

doses of the inactivated polio vaccine; 

Whereas the success of the polio vaccines has caused people 

to forget the 1,630,000 Americans born before the development of the vaccines who had polio during the 

epidemics in the middle of the 20th century; 

Whereas at least 70 percent of paralytic polio survivors and 

40 percent of nonparalytic polio survivors are developing 

post-polio sequelae, which are unexpected and often disabling symptoms that occur about 35 years after the poliovirus attack, including overwhelming fatigue, muscle 

weakness, muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, height-
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•HRES 526 EH 

ened sensitivity to anesthesia, cold pain, and difficulty 

swallowing and breathing; 

Whereas 2006 is the 132nd anniversary of the diagnosis of 

the first case of post-polio sequelae and is the 21st anniversary of the creation of the International Post-Polio 

Task Force; 

Whereas research and clinical work by members of the International Post-Polio Task Force have discovered that 

post-polio sequelae can be treated, and even prevented, if 

polio survivors are taught to conserve energy and use assistive devices to stop damaging and killing the reduced 

number of overworked, poliovirus-damaged neurons in the 

spinal cord and brain that survived the polio attack; 

Whereas many medical professionals, and polio survivors, do 

not know of the existence of post-polio sequelae, or of the 

available treatments; 

Whereas the mission of the International Post-Polio Task 

Force includes educating medical professionals and the 

world’s 20,000,000 polio survivors about post-polio 

sequelae through the international Post-Polio Letter 

Campaign, The Post-Polio Institute at New Jersey’s Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, the publication of 

The Polio Paradox, and the television public service announcement provided by the National Broadcasting Company; and 

Whereas it would be appropriate to observe the year beginning October 1, 2006, as the Year of Polio Awareness: 

Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) recognizes the need for every child, in America 

and throughout the world, to be vaccinated against polio; 
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•HRES 526 EH 

(2) recognizes the 1,630,000 Americans who survived polio, their new battle with post-polio sequelae, and 

the need for education and appropriate medical care; 

(3) requests that all appropriate Federal departments and agencies take steps to educate—

(A) the people of the United States about the 

need for polio vaccination; and 

(B) polio survivors and medical professionals in 

the United States about the cause and treatment of 

post-polio sequelae; and 

(4) supports the goals and ideals of observing the 

Year of Polio Awareness to promote vaccination and 

post-polio sequelae education and treatment. 

Attest:

Clerk.