I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1153 

To prohibit Federal funding or other assistance for mandatory human 

papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2007 

Mr. GINGREY (for himself, Mr. PITTS, Mr. CARTER, Mr. GOODE, Mrs. 

MYRICK, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. BOOZMAN, 

Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mrs. 

BLACKBURN, Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. PAUL, Mr. AKIN, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. SOUDER, 

Mr. MCCOTTER, Mrs. MUSGRAVE, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. PENCE, 

Mr. SALI, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. FORTENBERRY, 

and Mr. JORDAN of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To prohibit Federal funding or other assistance for mandatory human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Parental Right to De5 cide Protection Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds as follows: 


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1 (1) HPV, the human papillomavirus, is the 

2 most common sexually transmitted infection in the 

3 United States. HPV types 16 and 18 cause about 70 

4 percent of cervical cancers. The Centers for Disease 

5 Control and Prevention estimates that about 

6 6,200,000 Americans become infected with HPV 

7 each year and that over half of all sexually active 

8 men and women become infected at some time in 

9 their lives. On average, there are 9,710 new cases of 

10 cervical cancer and 3,700 deaths attributed to it in 

11 the United States each year. 

12 (2) Early detection is the key to diagnosing and 

13 curing cervical cancer, and therefore the Food and 

14 Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that all 

15 women get regular Pap tests. The Pap test looks for 

16 cell changes caused by HPV, so the cervix can be 

17 treated before the cells turn into cancer. The FDA 

18 also states the Pap test can also find cancer in its 

19 early stages so it can be treated before it becomes 

20 too serious, and reaches the conclusion that it is 

21 rare to die from cervical cancer if the disease is 

22 caught early. 

23 (3) On June 8, 2006, the FDA approved 

24 Gardasil, the first vaccine developed to prevent cer25 vical cancer, precancerous genital lesions, and genVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:34 Feb 22, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1153.IH H1153

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1 ital warts due to human papillomavirus (HPV) types 

2 6, 11, 16, and 18. Gardasil is a recombinant vac3 cine, it does not contain a live virus, and it is given 

4 as three injections over a six-month period. The vac5 cine is approved for use in females 9–26 years of 

6 age. However, the FDA also states that since the 

7 vaccine is new, more studies need to be done to de8 termine how long women will be protected from 

9 HPV. For example, the FDA does not know if a 

10 booster is needed after a couple of years to ensure 

11 continuity of protection. 

12 (4) As detailed by the FDA, four studies were 

13 conducted in 21,000 women, one in the United 

14 States and three multinational, to show how well 

15 Gardasil worked in women between the ages of 16 

16 and 26. The study period was not long enough for 

17 cervical cancer to develop; however, preventing cer18 vical precancerous lesions is believed highly likely to 

19 result in the prevention of cervical cancer. 

20 (5) In January 2007 the Advisory Committee 

21 on Immunization Practices (ACIP), under the Cen22 ters for Disease Control and Prevention, issued 

23 changes to the previous childhood and adolescent im24 munization schedule. The ACIP recommends the 

25 new human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) to be adVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:34 Feb 22, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1153.IH H1153

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1 ministered in a 3-dose schedule with the second and 

2 third doses administered 2 and 6 months after the 

3 first dose. Routine vaccination with HPV is rec4 ommended for females aged 11–12 years, the vac5 cination series can be started in females as young as 

6 age 9 years, and a catch up vaccination is rec7 ommended for females aged 13–26 years who have 

8 not been vaccinated previously or who have not com9 pleted the full vaccine series. 

10 (6) States historically have maintained the 

11 practice of applying immunization recommendations 

12 to their school admittance policies so as to protect 

13 schoolchildren from outbreaks of contagious disease. 

14 The Association of American Physicians and Sur15 geons states that there is no public health purpose 

16 for mandating HPV vaccine for schoolchildren. HPV 

17 is a sexually transmitted disease. 

18 (7) With at least 16 States entertaining legisla19 tion which takes the unprecedented step in requiring 

20 young girls to obtain a vaccine for a disease that is 

21 not spread by casual contact in order to attend 

22 school, many organizations and associations have 

23 come out against mandatory HPV vaccine programs. 

24 (8) The Texas Medical Association has stated 

25 that although it strongly supports the ability of phyVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:34 Feb 22, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1153.IH H1153

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1 sicians to provide the HPV vaccine, at this point, it 

2 does not support a State mandate. 

3 (9) The American College of Pediatricians and 

4 the Association of American Physicians and Sur5 geons are opposed to any legislation which would re6 quire HPV vaccination for school attendance. They 

7 have stated that excluding children from school for 

8 refusal to be vaccinated for a disease spread only by 

9 intercourse is a serious, precedent-setting action that 

10 trespasses on the right of parents to make medical 

11 decisions for their children as well as on the rights 

12 of the children to attend school. 

13 (10) Federal funds should not be used to imple14 ment a mandatory vaccine program for a disease 

15 that does not threaten the public health of school16 children in the course of casual, daily interaction be17 tween classmates and inserts the government into 

18 the lives of children, parents, and physicians. 

19 SEC. 3. PROHIBITION AGAINST FUNDING FOR MANDATORY 

20 HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) VACCINA21 TION PROGRAMS. 

22 No Federal funds or other assistance may be made 

23 available to any State or political subdivision of a State 


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1 to establish or implement any requirement that individuals 

2 receive vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV). 

Æ 


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