Official Summaries

This resolution supports the goals of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. 

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 81 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 81

          Commending efforts to eradicate the wild poliovirus.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 31, 2025

 Mr. Cohen (for himself, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Davis 
 of North Carolina, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. McCollum, Ms. Norton, 
   Mr. Thanedar, and Ms. Wilson of Florida) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
          Commending efforts to eradicate the wild poliovirus.

Whereas nearly 60,000 children in the United States were reported to have polio 
        in 1952 alone, with more than 20,000 cases of paralysis;
Whereas thanks to vaccination, polio was eliminated from the United States in 
        1979;
Whereas the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)--a unique public-private 
        partnership that includes the Federal Government, Rotary International, 
        the Gates Foundation, and GAVI--was established in 1988 with a goal of 
        eradicating polio globally, at a time when there were more than 350,000 
        cases of polio recorded annually;
Whereas Rotary International, a global association founded in Illinois, has 
        contributed more than $2,800,000,000 and volunteered countless hours in 
        the global fight against polio since 1979;
Whereas, since the goal of global polio eradication was set in 1988, polio 
        incidence has been reduced by more than 99.9 percent through the use of 
        the inactivated polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk and the oral polio 
        vaccine developed by Albert Sabin;
Whereas the Americas were the first region to be certified free from wild 
        poliovirus in 1994, with the last case of wild poliovirus in the 
        Americas confirmed in Peru in 1991;
Whereas, since 1994, 4 other regions of the world have been certified free from 
        wild poliovirus and 2 of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus have been 
        certified eradicated worldwide;
Whereas, as of September 2024, only Afghanistan and Pakistan have been unable to 
        fully stop transmission of wild poliovirus, a decrease from more than 
        125 countries in 1988;
Whereas the GPEI reaches the world's most vulnerable children, including those 
        who have been displaced, living in areas of insecurity or conflict, 
        where cases of variant poliovirus remain of concern;
Whereas today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an 
        estimated 20,000,000 people are walking who have been spared from 
        paralysis and 1,500,000 deaths have been averted worldwide thanks to the 
        efforts of the GPEI;
Whereas, in addition to combating polio, the global workforce and infrastructure 
        of the GPEI has frequently served as first responders for natural 
        disasters and other public health crises, including outbreaks of Ebola 
        and the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas progress toward global polio eradication is a testament to what can be 
        achieved through sustained global commitment and collaboration;
Whereas when polio is eradicated, it will be only the second human disease in 
        history to make such an achievement, the first being smallpox;
Whereas the GPEI effectively reaches children to protect them from polio even in 
        fragile and conflict-affected countries including most recently in 
        Palestine;
Whereas countries long considered polio-free, including the United States, which 
        confirmed a case of polio in 2022 in the State of New York, are 
        vulnerable to outbreaks of polio until poliovirus transmission is 
        stopped globally; and
Whereas as long as poliovirus circulates anywhere, it remains a threat to 
        children everywhere: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends the work that has kept the Americas free from 
        wild poliovirus;
            (2) supports the goals and ideals of the Global Polio 
        Eradication Initiative;
            (3) encourages and supports the international community of 
        governments and nongovernmental organizations in remaining 
        committed to the eradication of polio; and
            (4) encourages the Federal Government to continue 
        committing funding to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
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