Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. this morning. I feel compelled to speak again about the necessity of increasing the knowledge and the notice given by the FDAthe Food and Drug Administrationand the Centers for Disease Control on what seems to be a surge in the getting of measles by many across this country. The numbers have gone past 100. It is clear that measles is a disease that quickly spreads. and it is also clear that medical science affirms the value of vaccines. So I believe it is extremely important today to again ask the FDA and the CDC. as I did yesterday in a letter. to raise the level of warning and concern to parents. schools. counties. and States in the entire Nation on being able to provide information to encourage vaccination. if that is what is the ability to haveif you are the age or if your child is of the age to be able to receive that vaccination and to do so. Over the last couple of weeks. we have seen measles spread to enormous numbers. We have seen the numbers grow in California and then spread. We have heard of cases in which the measles started in an entertainment facility. and people moved around the country. One example. in particular. I think. is potent because the father of the children has been speaking out. He is a pediatrician. and he is calling upon families to vaccinate. particularly the MMR. which is the vaccination dealing with measles. Unfortunately. an innocent visit to a clinic. which a child needs to do for pediatric services. exposed an 8monthold to the possibility of measles and exposed his 3yearold sister. who is suffering from leukemia. Now. as I understand it. they are in isolation. There is the thought of someone traveling on an airplane with measles. Unlike a number of other diseases. measles spreads extremely quickly. Stories have been told or examples have been given that if you have measles and if you are in a room and if you leave that roomand maybe you have coughed or done somethingan hour later. someone comes in. and there is the possibility that you still may be exposed to it. When riding on an airplane. you may expose a whole number of persons to measles if you are. in fact. infected. I think it is extremely important. Though we realize there are differences of opinion. I am glad to find in the political landscape that this is not a political football and that. in essence. we come together and recognize the importance of having this information and of encouraging vaccination. I am asking for the State and city health departments and county health departments across the Nation to provide their own information to parents and schools. I wonder whether or not there is need to again reassess the importance of reinstating the obligation and the responsibility of all families who have children who are going into a public school system to have them vaccinated within the realm of their own health conditions and their own assessments by their pediatricians. Mr. Speaker. this is an important issue. This is an issue of which we in a modern day. 21st century nationand as an example of health care to those around the worldneed to show the importance of preventative medicine and protecting our children. We have worked on these issues in many ways. We have fought for a vaccine for HIV. As has been said in the past. they are looking for a vaccine for Ebola because we understand how that can intervene and. in those instances. save lives. In this instance. in not knowing the condition of individuals. we know that this disease can be damaging. It is important that we focus on educating the public. I believe an alert should go out that we have a problem and that we should be working with our local health facilities and disciplines and districts to be able to establish best practices and protocols. and that parents and others should be informed to make intelligent decisions. More importantly. I think this is an issue that should be quickly assessed on behalf of the CDC and the FDA. Mr. Speaker. it is important for the children of America that we provide them the safety and security for their lives.