IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 842 

Recognizing Meningitis B Awareness Day. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 24, 2018 

Mr. PAULSEN (for himself and Mr. BISHOP of Michigan) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 

Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing Meningitis B Awareness Day. 

Whereas it is the custom of the House of Representatives to 

increase awareness of serious illnesses that affect the 

lives of United States citizens; 

Whereas meningococcal disease, more commonly referred to 

as bacterial meningitis, is any infection caused by the 

bacterium Neisseria meningitidis; 

Whereas meningococcal disease is uncommon; however, when 

it strikes, its flu-like symptoms make diagnosis difficult; 

Whereas meningococcal disease can cause serious illness, such 

as infection of the lining of the brain and spinal column 

(meningitis) or blood infections (sepsis); 

Whereas the disease strikes quickly and can lead to severe or 

permanent disabilities, such as hearing loss, brain damVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:56 Apr 25, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR842.IH HR842

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age, seizures, and limb amputation, or even lead to death 

within 24 to 48 hours; 

Whereas, although 1 in 10 people are carriers for this bacteria with no signs or symptoms of disease, sometimes 

Neisseria meningitidis bacteria can cause illness; 

Whereas there are different strains of bacterial meningitis, 

including serogroups A, C, W, Y, and B, and vaccines 

exist to help provide protection against all the serogroups 

commonly seen in the United States; 

Whereas the single best way to help prevent all common 

strains of meningococcal disease is to be vaccinated with 

both a MenACWY vaccine and a separate MenB vaccine; 

Whereas meningococcal disease is spread from person to person via the exchange of the bacteria through respiratory 

and throat secretions during close or lengthy contact, 

such as sharing beverages or eating utensils, kissing, or 

spending time in close contact with someone who is sick 

or who carries the bacteria; 

Whereas community settings in which large groups of people 

gather, like college campuses, can increase the risk of the 

spread of meningococcal disease; 

Whereas, because of the way meningitis is spread through 

close personal contact, the social behavior of young adults 

ages 17 to 23 increases their risk of contracting the disease; 

Whereas students in dormitory settings and crowded events 

are particularly vulnerable to meningococcal disease; 

Whereas while vaccines for serogroups A, C, W, and Y have 

been available for many years, prior to 2014, there were 

no vaccines available for serogroup B; 


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Whereas despite the existence of a serogroup B vaccine, meningitis B has been responsible for all United States college campus outbreaks since 2011, with some cases resulting in death; 

Whereas because the B strain of meningitis requires a new, 

separate vaccination, students heading to college may 

mistakenly think that if they received the MenACWY 

vaccine that they are protected against all strains and 

may not realize they are not protected against the B 

strain; 

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B accounts 

for approximately half of all meningococcal cases among 

persons ages 17 to 23 years in the United States; 

Whereas vaccination for serogroups A, C, W, and Y is routinely recommended by the Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) 

recommends that decisions to vaccinate adolescents and 

young adults 16 through 23 years of age against 

serogroup B meningococcal disease should be made at the 

individual level with health care providers; 

Whereas meningitis vaccines are covered by public and private insurance plans, and individuals are encouraged to 

contact their health insurance plan to determine coverage 

of MenACWY and MenB vaccines; 

Whereas the Federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program 

will cover both MenACWY and MenB vaccines for children and adults who have no health insurance or whose 

health insurance does not cover these vaccines, as well as 


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for children less than 19 years of age who are American 

Indian or Alaska Native or eligible for Medicaid or other 

State health plan coverage; 

Whereas Kimberly Coffey was 17 and a high school senior on 

Long Island when she died from meningitis B in 2012 

(before meningitis B vaccines were available in the 

United States); 

Whereas Kimberly’s mother, Patti Wukovits, R.N., created 

the Kimberly Coffey Foundation and, today, this vital organization remains true to its mission in providing education to the public and health care professionals about 

meningococcal disease and advocating for two types of 

meningococcal vaccination; 

Whereas the Kimberly Coffey Foundation’s goal is to ensure 

that no other family will endure the loss of a child or 

have a loved one experience the devastating effects of 

meningococcal disease; 

Whereas June 15, 2018, marks the sixth anniversary of Kimberly Coffey’s death; 

Whereas Emily Stillman was a 19-year-old sophomore at 

Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan, when she 

tragically contracted bacterial meningitis (before meningitis B vaccines were available in the United States); 

Whereas, on February 2, 2013, after just 36 hours in the 

hospital, Emily passed away; 

Whereas Emily’s mother, Alicia, created the Emily Stillman 

Foundation in 2014 to preserve the memory of Emily Nicole Stillman and to advocate for organ/tissue donation 

and for the increased availability of meningitis B vaccines 

for children; 


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Whereas students, parents, educators, and health care providers need to know about all strains of meningitis and 

how to protect against all strains; and 

Whereas April 24, 2018, should be considered National Meningitis B Awareness Day: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog2 nizes Meningitis B Awareness Day. 

Æ 


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