IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 718 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Long-Term Care Residents’ 

Rights Week, recognizing the importance to the United States of residents of long-term care facilities, including senior citizens and individuals 

living with disabilities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 9, 2007 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY (for herself, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. GRIJALVA, 

Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. UPTON, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. ZOE

LOFGREN of California, Mr. MATHESON, and Mr. YARMUTH) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Long-Term Care 

Residents’ Rights Week, recognizing the importance to 

the United States of residents of long-term care facilities, 

including senior citizens and individuals living with disabilities, and for other purposes. 

Whereas there are nearly 1,700,000 individuals living in 

17,000 nursing homes and 1,000,000 individuals living in 

46,000 board and care and assisted living facilities in the 

United States; 

Whereas residents of long-term care facilities, including senior citizens and individuals living with disabilities, are one 

of the United States most valued resources; 


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•HRES 718 IH 

Whereas residents of long-term care facilities include the 

‘‘Greatest Generation’’ of Americans who protected the 

freedoms of the people of the United States during World 

War II and helped rebuild the world in the postwar 

years; 

Whereas almost 160,000 people younger than 65 years of age 

live in nursing homes in the United States; 

Whereas the United States should honor and celebrate longterm care residents, recognize their rich individuality, 

and reaffirm their rights as community members and 

citizens, including the right to vote; 

Whereas subtitle C of title IV of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (commonly known as the ‘‘Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987’’) guaranteed important 

rights, such as the right to privacy, the right to be treated with dignity, the right to exercise self-determination, 

the right to participate in the review of one’s care plan, 

the right to be fully informed in advance of any changes 

in treatment, and the right to voice grievances without 

discrimination or reprisal; 

Whereas long-term care ombudsmen, citizen advocates, facility staff, and family and resident councils work to educate and empower residents in the exercise of their 

rights; 

Whereas the week beginning October 7, 2007, will be celebrated as National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights 

Week with the theme ‘‘Advancing Excellence: A Resident’s Perspective on Quality’’, to emphasize the importance of affirming those rights through facility practices, 

public policy, and resident-centered decision-making; 


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•HRES 718 IH 

Whereas in recognition of National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week, individuals and groups around the 

country will be affirming the importance of quality of 

care and quality of life for long-term care residents; and 

Whereas National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week 

originated in 1980, with resolutions introduced by Representative Claude Pepper and Senator David Pryor to 

designate a Nursing Home Residents Day: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Week; 

4 (2) recognizes the importance to the United 

5 States of residents of long-term care facilities, in6 cluding senior citizens and individuals living with 

7 disabilities; and 

8 (3) encourages the President to issue a procla9 mation calling upon the people of the United States 

10 to observe National Long-Term Care Residents’ 

11 Rights Week with appropriate ceremonies and activi12 ties to demonstrate the importance of long-term care 

13 residents to the everyday lives of the people of the 

14 United States. 

Æ 


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