•HRES 32 IH 
Whereas up to an estimated 6,100,000 people in the United 
States are infected with either hepatitis B or hepatitis C, 
and up to an estimated 2,200,000 who are chronically in-
fected with hepatitis B and up to an estimated 3,900,000 
people who are chronically infected with hepatitis C; 
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(‘‘CDC’’) estimated that there were 19,200 new acute 
hepatitis B infections and 30,500 new acute hepatitis C 
infections, respectively, in the United States in 2014; 
Whereas the CDC has found significant increases in the 
transmission of new hepatitis cases in the United States 
since 2010, including a 158 percent increase between 
2010 and 2014 in new transmissions of hepatitis C in the 
United States; 
Whereas chronic viral hepatitis claims thousands of lives each 
year in the United States, with an estimated 19,659 
deaths due to hepatitis C in the United States in 2014; 
Whereas, in 2014, $4,700,000,000 in Medicare funds were 
spent on hepatitis C treatments; 
Whereas up to an estimated 80 percent of people with acute 
Hepatitis C do not have any symptoms; 
Whereas African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Pacific Island-
ers, Latinos, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, gay and 
bisexual men, and persons who inject drugs intravenously 
all have higher rates of chronic viral hepatitis infections 
in the United States than other groups of people; 
Whereas Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders bear the 
greatest burden of hepatitis B-related deaths in the 
United States; 
Whereas hepatitis C is 10 times more infectious than human 
immunodeficiency virus (‘‘HIV’’); 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Jan 06, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR32.IH
HR32
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 32 IH 
Whereas hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more infectious than 
HIV; 
Whereas an estimated 25 percent of people who live in the 
United States and are infected with HIV are also in-
fected with hepatitis C; 
Whereas life expectancies for persons infected with HIV have 
increased with antiretroviral treatment, and liver disease, 
much of which is related to hepatitis B and hepatitis C 
infections, has become the most common cause of death 
among this population that is not related to acquired im-
mune deficiency syndrome; 
Whereas, despite the fact that chronic viral hepatitis is the 
most common blood-borne infection in the United States, 
65 percent of people living with hepatitis B and an esti-
mated 75 percent of people living with hepatitis C are 
unaware of their infection; 
Whereas hepatitis B is preventable through vaccination, and 
both hepatitis B and hepatitis C are preventable with 
proper public health interventions, including programs 
that offer access to sterile injection equipment for people 
who inject drugs intravenously; 
Whereas effective and safe treatment is available for people 
living with hepatitis B and hepatitis C, including new cu-
rative treatments for hepatitis C; and 
Whereas the goals of ‘‘World Hepatitis Day’’ on July 28, 
2017, are to— 
(1) highlight the global nature of chronic viral hepa-
titis epidemics; 
(2) recognize that hepatitis can be prevented and 
eliminated in part through a comprehensive public edu-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Jan 06, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR32.IH
HR32
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 32 IH 
cation and awareness campaign designed to identify those 
at risk for, and living with, hepatitis; 
(3) inform patients about new treatments that are 
available for hepatitis; and 
(4) help increase the length and quality of life for 
people diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis 
C infections: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes ‘‘World Hepatitis Day’’; 
(2) supports broad access to hepatitis B and 
hepatitis C treatments; 
(3) supports raising awareness of the risks and 
consequences of undiagnosed chronic hepatitis B and 
hepatitis C infections; and 
(4) calls for a robust governmental and public 
health response to protect the health of the approxi-
mately 5,300,000 people in the United States and 
400,000,000 people worldwide who suffer from 
chronic viral hepatitis. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:58 Jan 06, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR32.IH
HR32
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS