IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 327 

Recognizing the importance of vaccinations and immunizations in the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 16, 2017 

Mr. SCHIFF (for himself, Mr. MARINO, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. 

CLARKE of New York, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 

LANGEVIN, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico, Mr. COOPER, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. 

DEGETTE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. 

ESHOO, and Mr. DENT) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of vaccinations and 

immunizations in the United States. 

Whereas the contributions of Louis Pasteur and Edward Jenner to the discovery of the principles of vaccination and 

immunology are among the most consequential health 

findings in human history; 

Whereas vaccines have made it possible for the world to have 

eradicated smallpox, saving approximately 5 million lives 

annually, and for the international community to be on 

the brink of eradicating polio and to have saved an estimated 5 million people from this incurable disease over 

the past 2 decades, 


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Whereas vaccines have dramatically reduced the spread of 

many more crippling and potentially life-threatening diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, and 

rubella, and vaccines prevent the spread of commonly infectious and potentially fatal diseases such as chickenpox, 

shingles, influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, 

meningococcal disease, pneumococcal, rotavirus, and 

whooping cough (pertussis); 

Whereas the scientific and medical communities are in overwhelming consensus that vaccines are both effective and 

safe, and the dissemination of unfounded, and debunked, 

theories about the dangers of vaccinations pose a great 

risk to public health, and scientifically sound education 

and outreach campaigns about vaccination and immunization are fundamental for a well-informed public; 

Whereas an estimated 43,000 adults and 300 children die annually from vaccine-preventable diseases or their complications in the United States, and the health and livelihood of young children, seniors, individuals with immunodeficiency disorders, and those who cannot be vaccinated, 

is particularly compromised by communities with low vaccination rates; 

Whereas substantial research has shown that vaccination is 

a highly cost-effective form of preventive medicine, and 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

estimates that vaccinations will save nearly $295 billion 

in direct costs and $1.38 trillion in total societal costs in 

the United States; 

Whereas vaccines in the United States undergo exhaustive 

safety testing before they are licensed by the Food and 

Drug Administration (FDA) and are monitored for adVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 May 17, 2017 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR327.IH HR327

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verse events after health care providers begin administering them to patients; 

Whereas there are three post-marketing surveillance systems 

in the United States tracking adverse events after vaccination; 

Whereas it is estimated that vaccinations will prevent more 

than 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths 

among children born in the last 20 years, and that more 

than 100 million children all over the world are immunized each year and vaccines have saved an estimated 2.5 

million children annually; 

Whereas one in five children worldwide still lack access to 

even the most basic vaccines and, as a result, an estimated 1.5 million children a year die from vaccine-preventable conditions such as diarrhea and pneumonia or 

suffer from permanently debilitating illnesses; 

Whereas a strong investment in medical research to improve 

existing vaccines and develop many more life-saving vaccines is beneficial to all, both at home and abroad, and 

a robust immunization infrastructure is essential to the 

public health and well-being of the people of the United 

States by preventing and isolating outbreaks of contagious diseases where they start; 

Whereas encouraging high vaccination rates in the United 

States protects our citizens from contracting vaccine-preventable diseases that are pandemic in countries with low 

vaccination and immunization rates; 

Whereas routine and up-to-date immunization is the most effective method available to prevent the infection and 

transmission of potentially fatal diseases; and 


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Whereas the United States has been a leader in promoting 

vaccinations around the world through the United States 

Agency for International Development, the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, UNICEF, 

the World Health Organization, and a host of other multilateral and nongovernmental organizations: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) commends the international community, 

3 global and domestic health organizations, the private 

4 sector, school and community leaders, and faith5 based organizations for their tireless work and im6 mense contributions to bolstering our global and do7 mestic health through vaccination; 

8 (2) affirms vaccines and immunizations save 

9 lives and are essential to maintain the public health, 

10 and the economic and national security of the people 

11 of the United States; 

12 (3) recognizes that the lack of vaccination can 

13 cause a true public health crisis, and that there is 

14 no credible evidence to show that vaccines cause life15 threatening or disabling diseases in healthy children 

16 or adults; 

17 (4) encourages a continued commitment to re18 search to improve vaccines and to develop new vac19 cines against other infectious and fatal diseases; and 


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1 (5) urges parents, in consultation with their 

2 health care provider, to follow the scientific evidence 

3 and consensus of medical experts in favor of timely 

4 vaccinations to protect their children and their com5 munity. 

Æ 


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