IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 466 

Recognizing World Hepatitis Awareness Month and World Hepatitis Day 

May 19, 2009. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 20, 2009 

Mr. HONDA (for himself, Mr. DENT, Mr. CAO, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. MCDERMOTT, 

Mr. MEEKS of New York, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. WU, 

Ms. SPEIER, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. 

SERRANO, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. BACA, Mr. CASSIDY, 

Ms. LEE of California, Mr. CROWLEY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mrs. 

CHRISTENSEN, Mr. GERLACH, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, 

Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. BECERRA, 

Mr. SABLAN, and Ms. RICHARDSON) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 

addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing World Hepatitis Awareness Month and World 

Hepatitis Day May 19, 2009. 

Whereas infection with the hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C 

virus and the incidence of liver disease caused by these 

viruses have become a global problem of urgent proportions; 


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•HRES 466 IH 

Whereas it is estimated that 2,000,000,000 people worldwide 

have been infected with the hepatitis B virus and up to 

400,000,000 live with chronic infection; 

Whereas an estimated 600,000 people die each year due the 

consequences of hepatitis B infection; 

Whereas it is estimated that 170,000,000 people world-wide 

are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus, with 

an estimated 3,500,000 new infections every year; 

Whereas an estimated 1,700,000 die each year due to liver 

failure or primary liver cancer from chronic infection of 

the hepatitis C virus; 

Whereas an estimated 4,600,000 people in the United States 

are infected with either the hepatitis B or hepatitis C 

virus, of those, 1,400,000 people in the United States are 

chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus and 

3,200,000 people in the United States are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus; 

Whereas an estimated 46,000 new infections of the hepatitis 

B virus and 19,000 new infections of the hepatitis C 

virus occur each year domestically; 

Whereas chronic viral hepatitis claims roughly 14,000 lives 

each year; and the overall rate of hepatitis C-related 

deaths in the United States is expected to triple by 2019 

and currently accounts for roughly 9,000 deaths each 

year; 

Whereas chronic hepatitis B and C infections cost the United 

States $16,000,000,000 each year, and a person who has 

become chronically infected with the hepatitis B or C 

virus may not have symptoms for up to 40 years after 

the initial infection has occurred; 


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•HRES 466 IH 

Whereas African-Americans, Asian-American and Pacific Islanders, and Latinos, as well as Native Americans and 

Alaskan Natives, gay and bisexual men, and persons who 

inject drugs, have higher rates of chronic viral hepatitis 

infections in the United States; 

Whereas 1⁄3 of HIV-positive people in the United States are 

co-infected with the hepatitis C virus and 1 out of 10 

HIV-positive people in the United States are co-infected 

with the hepatitis B virus; 

Whereas life expectancies for HIV-infected persons have increased with therapy, liver disease, much of it related to 

HBV and HCV infections, has become the most common 

non-AIDS-related cause of death among this population; 

Whereas despite the fact that chronic viral hepatitis is the 

most common blood borne infection in the United States, 

there is currently no routine and universal screening in 

place for early detection; 

Whereas the first World Hepatitis Day on May 19, 2008, 

brought messages about the need for action, compassion, 

and understanding about chronic viral hepatitis around 

the world; and 

Whereas the goal of World Hepatitis Day on May 19, 2009, 

is to highlight the global nature of chronic viral hepatitis 

epidemics and recognize the need for a comprehensive 

public education and awareness campaign designed to 

help infected patients and their physicians identify and 

manage the secondary prevention of the disease, and to 

help increase the length and quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and C infection: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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1 (1) recognizes the World Hepatitis Day; 

2 (2) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Hepatitis Awareness Month; and 

4 (3) supports raising awareness of the risks and 

5 consequences of undiagnosed chronic hepatitis B and 

6 hepatitis C infections, and the urgency for a robust 

7 governmental and public health response to protect 

8 the health of approximately 6,000,000 people in the 

9 United States and nearly 600,000,000 people world10 wide who suffer from chronic viral hepatitis. 

Æ 


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