III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 455 

Designating November 2021 as ‘‘National Hospice and Palliative Care 

Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 17, 2021 

Ms. ROSEN (for herself, Mr. BARRASSO, Ms. BALDWIN, and Mrs. FISCHER) 

submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating November 2021 as ‘‘National Hospice and 

Palliative Care Month’’. 

Whereas palliative care and hospice services— 

(1) can empower individuals to live as fully as possible, surrounded and supported by family and loved 

ones, despite serious illnesses or injuries; and 

(2) are critical parts of the continuum of supports 

and services people with serious illness and their families 

need; 

Whereas the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic public health emergency has— 

(1) led to a sudden and unexpected increase in the 

number of individuals facing a serious illness or injury, 

which has brought attention to the need for better understanding and use of— 


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(A) hospice; 

(B) palliative care; and 

(C) advance care planning; 

(2) disproportionately impacted residents of nursing 

homes and other long-term care facilities; and 

(3) limited access to family caregivers who play a 

critical role in palliative care and hospice for their loved 

ones; 

Whereas ensuring access to palliative care and hospice for all 

individuals in the United States in need, regardless of 

age, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, is important; 

Whereas palliative care and hospice aims to bring patients 

and family caregivers high-quality care delivered by an 

interdisciplinary team of skilled health care professionals, 

including— 

(1) physicians; 

(2) nurses; 

(3) social workers; 

(4) therapists; 

(5) counselors; 

(6) health aides; 

(7) spiritual care providers; and 

(8) other health care professionals; 

Whereas there is a need to increase training opportunities for 

health care professionals to receive interdisciplinary 

team-based training in palliative care and hospice; 

Whereas hospice focuses on quality of life through pain management and symptom control, caregiver assistance, and 

emotional and spiritual support, with the goal of allowing 

patients to live fully until the end of life, surrounded and 

supported by loved ones, friends, and caregivers; 


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Whereas trained palliative care and hospice professionals, 

during a time of trauma and loss, can provide grief and 

bereavement support services to individuals with a serious 

illness or injury, the family members of those individuals, 

and others; 

Whereas palliative care is a patient and family-centered approach to care that— 

(1) provides relief from symptoms and stress; 

(2) can be complementary to curative treatments; 

and 

(3) improves the quality of life of the patient and 

their family; 

Whereas, in 2019, more than 1,660,000 individuals in the 

United States living with a serious illness or injury, and 

the families of those individuals, received care and support from hospice programs in communities across the 

United States; 

Whereas volunteers continue to play a vital role in supporting 

hospice care and operations; and 

Whereas palliative care and hospice providers encourage all 

patients to learn more about their options for care and 

to share their preferences with family, loved ones, and 

health care professionals: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates November 2021 as ‘‘National 

3 Hospice and Palliative Care Month’’; and 

4 (2) encourages the people of the United 

5 States— 

6 (A) to increase their understanding and 

7 awareness of— 


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1 (i) care for hospice patients with a se2 rious illness or injury; and 

3 (ii) the benefits of integrating pallia4 tive care early into the treatment plans for 

5 patients with a serious illness or injury; 

6 (B) to recognize the care and dedication 

7 of— 

8 (i) millions of family caregivers; and 

9 (ii) tens of thousands of palliative 

10 care and hospice staff and volunteers; and 

11 (C) to observe ‘‘National Hospice and Pal12 liative Care Month’’ with appropriate activities 

13 and programs. 

Æ 


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