IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 247 

Expressing support for advancing vital United States interests through increased engagement in health programs that alleviate disease and poverty, and reduce premature death in developing nations, especially 

through programs that combat high levels of infectious disease, improve 

children’s and women’s health, decrease malnutrition, reduce unintended 

pregnancies, fight the spread of HIV/AIDS, encourage healthy behaviors, 

and strengthen health care capacity. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 6, 2007 

Mr. PAYNE (for himself, Mr. KIRK, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. 

MCDERMOTT, Ms. WOOLSEY, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. HONDA, 

Ms. LEE, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of 

Texas, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. 

HASTINGS of Florida, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. WATT, and Mr. 

RUSH) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 

on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by 

the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for advancing vital United States interests through increased engagement in health programs 

that alleviate disease and poverty, and reduce premature 

death in developing nations, especially through programs 

that combat high levels of infectious disease, improve 

children’s and women’s health, decrease malnutrition, reduce unintended pregnancies, fight the spread of HIV/ 


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•HCON 247 IH 

AIDS, encourage healthy behaviors, and strengthen 

health care capacity. 

Whereas health is integral to social and economic development and to building stable, independent, and productive 

societies; 

Whereas unnecessarily high levels of preventable death and 

disability persist in developing nations, including over 

10,000,000 child deaths every year—30,000 each day— 

a majority of which are from easily preventable or treatable causes, including pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, malnutrition, measles, and complications immediately following birth; 40,000,000 people infected with HIV and 

3,000,000 AIDS deaths per year; 530,000 deaths of 

women every year from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth and millions of cases of trauma and 

disability caused by obstetric fistula and other preventable injuries; an unmet need for family planning among 

over 100,000,000 married women; 1,000,000 deaths annually from malaria, most of which are among young 

children and in sub-Saharan Africa; an expanding threat 

from tuberculosis, which is a principal cause of death 

among those infected with HIV and is evolving into forms 

increasingly resistant to all known drugs; the increasing 

impact of preventable, non-communicable disease, especially those deriving from tobacco use, alcohol and drug 

abuse, and other risky lifestyle behaviors; and the potential of new disease threats, such as avian influenza, which 

demand new levels of preparedness and health capacity; 

Whereas the short- and long-term economic, military, and political security of countries is directly threatened by increased mortality and morbidity resulting from infectious 

diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, poor 


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•HCON 247 IH 

maternal and newborn health, the lack of family planning 

services, and the absence of clean water; 

Whereas HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria disproportionately affect the poor; 

Whereas proven and cost-effective solutions that have already 

achieved astonishing successes are readily available and 

could dramatically further reduce the burden of death 

and disease, including access to immunization, antibiotics, diarrheal disease control, newborn care, improved 

nutrition, antiretrovirals, essential obstetric care, family 

planning, anti-malarials and insecticide treated nets, and 

tuberculosis treatment; 

Whereas long-term gains in health require a comprehensive 

approach that addresses the range of critical health problems and builds local capacity while ensuring equitable 

access, especially by the poor, women and girls, and other 

vulnerable populations, to services; 

Whereas on May 25, 2007, a United States citizen was quarantined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under authorities of the Public Health Service Act 

after tests indicated the individual was infected with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB)—an 

emergent type of tuberculosis which is resistant to almost 

all medications available to treat the disease; 

Whereas the United States citizen had traveled to France, 

Italy, the Czech Republic, and Canada before returning 

to the United States, potentially infecting dozens of people; 

Whereas, although XDR TB cases have been found primarily 

in Africa and Eastern Europe, the case of this United 

States citizen demonstrates that infectious diseases have 


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•HCON 247 IH 

no borders and underscores the need for sound public 

health systems abroad and in the United States; and 

Whereas the United States has a history of leadership and 

success in building international consensus and improving 

health throughout the world by investing in basic health 

services, particularly services for poor and vulnerable 

populations: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes that contributing to improving 

4 health in developing nations is in the vital interest 

5 of the United States, as it helps protect the health 

6 of the American people, facilitates development 

7 among partner nations, cultivates a positive image 

8 for the United States, and projects the humanitarian 

9 values of the American people; 

10 (2) acknowledges the need to strengthen health 

11 care systems to meet essential health needs, includ12 ing surveillance and information systems, facilities 

13 and equipment, management capacity, and an ade14 quately compensated health care work force that is 

15 appropriate in number, composition, and skills; 

16 (3) recognizes that investments in health, par17 ticularly investments that reach disadvantaged popu18 lations, contribute to poverty alleviation; 

19 (4) supports the unprecedented and unparal20 leled investments of the United States in reducing 


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•HCON 247 IH 

1 the global burdens of HIV/AIDS and malaria 

2 through the President’s Emergency Program for 

3 AIDS Relief and the President’s Malaria Initiative; 

4 and 

5 (5) encourages the United States Government 

6 to expand its adoption and implementation of poli7 cies and programs that alleviate the greatest burden 

8 of disease in developing nations in the most efficient 

9 and cost-effective manner possible. 

Æ 


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