Senate Resolution 168 PAG LIN 1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. ___ 1 2 BY JOHNSON 1 3 A Resolution recognizing the year 2004 as a significant 1 4 anniversary in the efforts to address polio and encouraging 1 5 the continuation of the efforts so that polio can be 1 6 successfully eradicated throughout the world. 1 7 WHEREAS, 2004 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1 8 successful nationwide trial of the injectable polio 1 9 vaccine; and 1 10 WHEREAS, 2004 marks the 130th anniversary of the 1 11 diagnosis of the first case of postpolio sequelae in 1 12 which often disabling symptoms occur 35 years after 1 13 the initial attack of the polio virus, including 1 14 overwhelming fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle and 1 15 joint pain, sleep disorders, cold pain, and difficulty 1 16 swallowing and breathing; and 1 17 WHEREAS, while the polio vaccines have eliminated 1 18 naturally occurring polio cases in the United States, 1 19 more than 40 percent of children in the United States 1 20 do not receive all doses of the vaccine, polio has not 1 21 been eliminated in other parts of the world, and 1 22 nearly 1.6 million polio survivors live in the United 1 23 States who are susceptible to postpolio sequelae; NOW 1 24 THEREFORE, 1 25 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That 2004 is 1 26 recognized as the 50th anniversary of the injectable 1 27 polio vaccine that virtually eradicated naturally 1 28 occurring polio in the United States; and 1 29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate encourages 1 30 health care providers and health educators to continue 2 1 their efforts to educate health professionals and the 2 2 public concerning polio and to vaccinate children, so 2 3 that eradication of this disease in the United States 2 4 will continue to be the case and so that eradication 2 5 of the disease will become a reality in other parts of 2 6 the world. 2 7 LSB 6655SS 80 2 8 jp/pj/5