H. Res. 1003 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

January 26, 2010. 

Whereas National Influenza Vaccination Week may provide 

an important opportunity to encourage seasonal flu and 

H1N1 vaccination at a time when demand for flu vaccines usually drops significantly but the risk for infection 

remains; 

Whereas each year 5 to 20 percent of the population in the 

United States gets the flu, an average of more than 

200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications, and about 36,000 people die from flu-related 

causes; 

Whereas between April and mid-November, the United States 

saw approximately 47,000,000 cases of the 2009 H1N1 

flu, more than 200,000 hospitalizations, and nearly 

10,000 deaths; 

Whereas the United States is fortunate that the flu activity 

has declined in recent weeks, but flu experts warn that 

the public is still at risk of infection and we should also 

prepare for a possible third wave of H1N1 flu; 

Whereas people in the United States have a window of opportunity to get the H1N1 vaccine and lessen the impact of, 

or even prevent, another wave of illness; 
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Whereas getting vaccinated is a shared responsibility to protect families and communities that is safe and effective, 

and it is the best defense against all types of flu; 

Whereas seasonal flu vaccines have been safely used for more 

than 60 years and data compiled for H1N1 vaccines indicate a similarly excellent safety profile; 

Whereas information on seasonal flu vaccine distribution and 

availability is available at the Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention’s (CDC) www.Flu.gov Web site; 

Whereas over 135,000,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine are 

now available, with more coming every day; 

Whereas Congress recognizes the hard work of public health 

officials in responding to the 2009 H1N1 flu; 

Whereas one of the goals, in addition to fostering continuing 

influenza vaccination, of National Influenza Vaccination 

Week is to engage H1N1 at-risk audiences who are not 

yet vaccinated; 

Whereas when the vaccine was first made available, the 

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 

(ACIP) recommended that vaccination efforts should 

focus first on people in five target groups who are at 

higher risk for the 2009 H1N1 influenza or related complications; 

Whereas the five target groups for H1N1 are pregnant 

women, people who live with or provide care for infants 

younger than 6 months, health care and emergency medical services personnel, people 6 months through 24 years 

of age, and people 25 years through 64 years of age who 

have certain medical conditions that put them at higher 

risk for influenza-related complications; 
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Whereas Monica Rodriguez, a pregnant mother from El 

Monte, California, could likely have prevented her death 

if she was able to get vaccinated; 

Whereas January 13 is Families Flu Vaccination Day and 

will highlight the importance of the 2009 H1N1 vaccination for pregnant women, children, and caregivers of children less than 6 months of age; 

Whereas H1N1 flu shots are widely available and everyone, 

even those not in the high-risk groups are urged to get 

vaccinated; 

Whereas the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as State and local public health departments 

and other partners, such as Families Fighting Flu, are 

planning National Influenza Vaccination Week events 

around the country and have additional information 

available at www.cdc.gov/flu/NIVW/; 

Whereas the American Public Health Association, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Families 

Fighting Flu, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 

the American Medical Association, the American Nurses 

Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the 

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the 

National Environmental Health Association, the National 

Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, 

the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the American Osteopathic Association, the National Association of 

Community Health Centers, the National Association of 

Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, the American Red Cross, 

the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the National Hispanic Medical Association, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American College of 
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Preventive Medicine, the National Alliance for Hispanic 

Health, the International Association of Firefighters, the 

American Academy of Family Physicians, the Association 

for Profession in Infection Control and Epidemiology, the 

American Pharmacists Association, the American College 

Health Association, the American College of Physicians, 

the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health 

Association, the National Association of School Nurses, 

the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 

the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, the National Community Pharmacists 

Association, the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, Epocrates, the American 

Academy of Neurology, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare support 

the H1N1 flu vaccine; and 

Whereas people can find seasonal and H1N1 vaccine distribution information by checking the www.Flu.gov Web site 

that identifies clinics that have influenza vaccine available: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) supports the designation of National Influenza 

Vaccination Week, including raising public awareness 

that vaccination is the best defense against the flu; and 

(2) encourages people in the United States to get 

vaccinated, especially those with underlying health condi-
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tions, pregnant women, children, young adults, caretakers of infants, and healthcare workers. 

Attest: 

Clerk.