IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 208 
Recognizing the University of Pittsburgh and Dr. Jonas Salk on the fiftieth 
anniversary of the milestone discovery of the Salk polio vaccine, which 
has virtually eliminated the disease and its harmful effects. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 12, 2005 
Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. HIN-
CHEY, Ms. HART, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. ENGLISH of Penn-
sylvania, Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsyl-
vania, Mr. GERLACH, Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. 
WELDON of Pennsylvania, Mr. CASE, Mr. DENT, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. 
TOWNS, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. SKELTON, Mr. 
SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. BOEHNER, 
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. CHOCOLA, Mr. PITTS, Mr. WELDON of Florida, 
Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. SHERWOOD, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. RYUN 
of Kansas, Mr. NEY, Mr. TURNER, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. BONNER, Mr. 
BACHUS, Mr. BURGESS, Mrs. BONO, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. SHIMKUS, and 
Mrs. BLACKBURN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the University of Pittsburgh and Dr. Jonas Salk 
on the fiftieth anniversary of the milestone discovery 
of the Salk polio vaccine, which has virtually eliminated 
the disease and its harmful effects. 
Whereas Dr. William S. McEllroy, Dean of the University of 
Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in 1947 recruited Dr.
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Jonas Salk to develop a virus research program at the 
University of Pittsburgh; 
Whereas Dr. Salk, the first member of his family to go to 
college, during his previous 51⁄2 years at Michigan, who 
had become known for his expertise on the immunology 
of influenza during World War II had helped to develop 
the vaccine that continues to be used against influenza; 
Whereas Dr. Salk set up a research laboratory in The Munic-
ipal Hospital for Contagious Diseases, now Salk Hall at 
the University of Pittsburgh; 
Whereas the epidemic of polio peaked in 1952, having af-
fected nearly 58,000 people, mainly children and young 
adults; 
Whereas many of those affected were confined to mechanical 
ventilators known as iron lungs to breathe while many 
others were crippled and needed crutches for mobility; 
Whereas University of Pittsburgh faculty member Dr. Jonas 
Salk and his team of researchers developed the first vac-
cine against polio; 
Whereas in April 1955 the results of an unprecedented and 
successful nationwide clinical trial of the polio vaccine de-
veloped at the University of Pittsburgh were announced 
indicating that the vaccine was safe and effective; 
Whereas the Salk polio vaccine was approved for widespread 
public use and the incidence of polio in the United States 
fell by 85–90 percent during the first 3 years of wide-
spread use of Salk’s polio vaccine (1955–1957); 
Whereas the Salk polio vaccine developed at the University of 
Pittsburgh is considered one of the most significant med-
ical achievements of the twentieth century;
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Whereas the international immunization of children and 
young adults at that time resulted in the worldwide eradi-
cation of polio by 1962 and since that time has prevented 
any significant re-emergence of the disease; 
Whereas in 1963 Dr. Salk founded the Jonas Salk Institute 
for Biological Studies, an innovative center for medical 
and scientific research; and 
Whereas Dr. Salk’s last years were spent searching for a vac-
cine against AIDS: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the University of Pittsburgh on 
the fiftieth anniversary of the milestone discovery of 
the Salk polio vaccine, which has virtually eliminated 
the disease and its harmful effects; 
(2) recognizes the pioneering achievement of 
Dr. Jonas Salk and his team of researchers at the 
University of Pittsburgh in the development of the 
Salk polio vaccine; 
(3) states its appreciation to— 
(A) the University of Pittsburgh for the 
elimination of a disease that caused countless 
deaths and disabling consequences; 
(B) the members of Dr. Salk’s research 
team; 
(C) the individuals, a majority of whom 
were residents of Allegheny County, Pennsyl-
vania, who generously agreed to participate in
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clinical trials to validate the efficacy of the polio 
vaccine; and 
(D) the family members of Dr. Salk for 
their participation in medical history. 
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