IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 932 

Expressing the sense of the Congress that all State public health departments, 

local public health departments, hospitals, doctor offices, and other health 

care providers should adhere to guidelines issued from the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention with regard to the H1N1 influenza 

virus. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 19, 2009 

Ms. CHU (for herself and Ms. MATSUI) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Congress that all State public 

health departments, local public health departments, hospitals, doctor offices, and other health care providers 

should adhere to guidelines issued from the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention with regard to the H1N1 

influenza virus. 

Whereas, on April 21, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention (CDC) first reported that 2 children in 

California had recovered from a unique influenza strain, 

which contained gene segments from H1N1 viruses; 

Whereas on April 26, Charles E. Johnson, then the Acting 

Secretary of Health and Human Services, declared a 


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public health emergency pursuant to section 319 of the 

Public Health Service Act; 

Whereas, on June 11, 2009, in response to the global spread 

of a new strain of H1N1 influenza, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak to be an influenza pandemic, the first since 1968; 

Whereas in the United States from August 30 though November 7, 2009, there have been 22,364 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations and 877 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated deaths reported to 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there have been 22,000,000 H1N1 influenza cases 

between April and October of this year; 

Whereas many public health departments, hospitals, and doctors are doing a good job identifying, preventing, and 

treating cases of H1N1; 

Whereas 46 States are reporting widespread influenza activity; 

Whereas Monica Rodriguez, a pregnant mother of 3, was not 

given proper treatment from a hospital in Los Angeles 

County after 2 visits; 

Whereas she had severe flu symptoms including fever, congestion, and cough that had lasted for several days and she 

was sent away with cough syrup; 

Whereas Monica and her husband knew they weren’t getting 

the help they needed and they went to another hospital 

where she was immediately admitted in intensive care; 

Whereas the time that had passed when she wasn’t adequately treated was critical to her survival and Monica 


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Rodriguez and her unborn child passed away on October 

25th; 

Whereas Monica Rodriguez’s death might have been prevented had the El Monte hospital strictly followed the 

guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 

Whereas this resolution is named in honor of Monica 

Rodriguez who died of the H1N1 influenza virus; 

Whereas the standard of care is the responsibility of the 

health care provider, not the patient; 

Whereas children are encouraged to seek medical attention 

for the flu if they experience fast breathing or trouble 

breathing; bluish skin color; not drinking enough fluids 

or stopping urinating; not waking up or not interacting; 

being so irritable that a child does not want to be held; 

flu-like symptoms that improve, but then return with 

fever, cough, or fever with a rash; 

Whereas adults are encouraged to seek medical attention for 

the flu if they experience difficulty breathing or shortness 

of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, or severe or persistent vomiting; 

Whereas vaccines are the most important tool we have for 

preventing influenza; 

Whereas the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 

(ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that vaccination efforts should focus 

first on people in 5 target groups who are at higher risk 

for 2009 H1N1 influenza or related complications; 

Whereas the 5 target groups are pregnant women, people 

who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 

months, health care and emergency medical services perVerDate Nov 24 2008 04:24 Nov 20, 2009 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR932.IH HR932

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sonnel, 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; 

Whereas individuals should be encouraged to seek seasonal 

flu vaccine and there is still time for people to get vaccinated to protect themselves from becoming ill; 

Whereas there are many millions of doses yet to be distributed this season; 

Whereas 89,000,000 doses, or 77 percent of the total seasonal influenza vaccine doses expected this season have 

been distributed in the private and public sectors; 

Whereas people can find seasonal vaccine distribution information by checking the www.Flu.gov web site that identifies clinics that have influenza vaccine available; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is 

working closely with States to ensure that vaccines get to 

the public as soon as the vaccines are received, and the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has worked 

with its distributors to ensure round-the-clock shipping 

capabilities and 24 hour turn-around time on distribution; and 

Whereas the United States should be investing in shortening 

the time for development of vaccines as well as increasing 

the production capacity of vaccines: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is a sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) all State public health departments, local 

4 public health departments, hospitals, doctor offices, 

5 and other health care providers should adhere to 


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1 guidelines issued from the Centers for Disease Con2 trol and Prevention with regard to the H1N1 influ3 enza virus; 

4 (2) the 5 target groups of pregnant women, in5 cluding people who live with or provide care for in6 fants younger than 6 months, health care and emer7 gency medical services personnel, people 6 months 

8 through 24 years of age, and people 25 years 

9 through 64 years of age who have certain medical 

10 conditions should be encouraged to seek the vaccine 

11 and be the first priority for government responses; 

12 (3) the Federal Government should work closely 

13 with States, localities, and hospitals to ensure the 

14 vaccine for the H1N1 influenza virus is distributed 

15 as quickly and efficiently as possible; and 

16 (4) the Federal Government should study their 

17 response to the H1N1 influenza virus pandemic and 

18 work to improve the system and processes to en19 hance its response in the case that the United States 

20 faces another pandemic in the future. 

Æ 


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