H. Res. 526
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
September 19, 2006.
Whereas 2005 was the 50th anniversary of the injectable 
killed polio vaccine; 
Whereas the polio vaccines eliminated naturally occurring 
polio cases in the United States but have not yet elimi-
nated polio in other parts of the world; 
Whereas as few as 57 percent of American children receive 
all doses of necessary vaccines during childhood, includ-
ing the polio vaccine; 
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rec-
ommends that every child in the United States receive all 
doses of the inactivated polio vaccine; 
Whereas the success of the polio vaccines has caused people 
to forget the 1,630,000 Americans born before the devel-
opment of the vaccines who had polio during the 
epidemics in the middle of the 20th century; 
Whereas at least 70 percent of paralytic polio survivors and 
40 percent of nonparalytic polio survivors are developing 
post-polio sequelae, which are unexpected and often dis-
abling symptoms that occur about 35 years after the po-
liovirus attack, including overwhelming fatigue, muscle 
weakness, muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, height-
•HRES 526 EH 
ened sensitivity to anesthesia, cold pain, and difficulty 
swallowing and breathing; 
Whereas 2006 is the 132nd anniversary of the diagnosis of 
the first case of post-polio sequelae and is the 21st anni-
versary of the creation of the International Post-Polio 
Task Force; 
Whereas research and clinical work by members of the Inter-
national Post-Polio Task Force have discovered that 
post-polio sequelae can be treated, and even prevented, if 
polio survivors are taught to conserve energy and use as-
sistive devices to stop damaging and killing the reduced 
number of overworked, poliovirus-damaged neurons in the 
spinal cord and brain that survived the polio attack; 
Whereas many medical professionals, and polio survivors, do 
not know of the existence of post-polio sequelae, or of the 
available treatments; 
Whereas the mission of the International Post-Polio Task 
Force includes educating medical professionals and the 
world’s 20,000,000 polio survivors about post-polio 
sequelae through the international Post-Polio Letter 
Campaign, The Post-Polio Institute at New Jersey’s En-
glewood Hospital and Medical Center, the publication of 
The Polio Paradox, and the television public service an-
nouncement provided by the National Broadcasting Com-
pany; and 
Whereas it would be appropriate to observe the year begin-
ning October 1, 2006, as the Year of Polio Awareness: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) recognizes the need for every child, in America 
and throughout the world, to be vaccinated against polio;
•HRES 526 EH 
(2) recognizes the 1,630,000 Americans who sur-
vived polio, their new battle with post-polio sequelae, and 
the need for education and appropriate medical care; 
(3) requests that all appropriate Federal depart-
ments and agencies take steps to educate—
(A) the people of the United States about the 
need for polio vaccination; and 
(B) polio survivors and medical professionals in 
the United States about the cause and treatment of 
post-polio sequelae; and 
(4) supports the goals and ideals of observing the 
Year of Polio Awareness to promote vaccination and 
post-polio sequelae education and treatment. 
Attest:
Clerk.