House Resolution 1476
By: Representatives Cooper of the 45th, Smith of the 70th, Au of the 50th, and Reese of the
140th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, vaccination is proven to be a safe, invaluable tool to proactively safeguard
public health and prevent the devastating effects of vaccine-preventable diseases; and
WHEREAS, vaccination has averted over 154 million deaths globally since 1974, of which
146 million were among children younger than 5 years of age; and
WHEREAS, vaccination reduces morbidity and mortality by eradicating vaccine-
preventable diseases, such as smallpox, and reduces the incidence of infections like
meningitis, measles, polio, and rubella; and
WHEREAS, timely meningococcal vaccination in children and young adults helps protect
against the debilitating effects of meningococcal disease, including death, and has led to a
significant decrease in incidence; and
WHEREAS, in 2025, declining measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination rates
contributed to 49 measles outbreaks in the United States, with over 2,200 confirmed cases,
the highest in over three decades; and
WHEREAS, ongoing measles outbreaks entering 2026 risk the loss of measles elimination
status in the United States, which has been in place since 2000; and
WHEREAS, an analysis of costs associated with invasive meningococcal disease outbreaks
found that the average cost per outbreak containment strategy was almost $440,000,
$299,641 and $579,851 for small and large containment strategies, respectively; and
WHEREAS, among the approximately 117 million children born during 1994-2023 in the
United States, vaccination averted 508 million lifetime cases of illness, 32 million
hospitalizations, and 1.1 million deaths, resulting in estimated savings of $540 billion in
direct medical costs and $2.7 trillion in societal costs; and
WHEREAS, public health analyses suggest that skipping or delaying the hepatitis B birth
dose could result in thousands of preventable hepatitis B infections and hundreds of millions
in avoidable healthcare costs in the United States; and
WHEREAS, vaccination for four common diseases in older adults, including shingles, is
estimated to prevent 64 million cases and $185 billion in treatment costs over the next 30
years in the United States; and
WHEREAS, while vaccinating children provides substantial health and economic benefit,
vaccinating adults is also important, many childhood vaccines provide life-long protection,
however, immunity can decrease over a person’s lifetime, and some vaccine-preventable
diseases can be more severe in adults; and
WHEREAS, there continues to be disease burden in adults, especially in those with
comorbidities, advanced age, or immunocompromising conditions, warranting timely
vaccination – especially against viruses that change frequently, such as influenza; and
WHEREAS, for example, vaccination against shingles for high-risk adults aged 19 and older,
as well as all adults aged 50 and older, has proven highly effective in preventing the infection
and its transmission, offering protection for several years after immunization; and
WHEREAS, for example, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination in older adults is an
effective preventive measure that reduces the likelihood of hospitalization and critical illness
due to RSV infection; and
WHEREAS, while rare side effects may occur in some individuals, the federal Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
maintain a robust, transparent vaccine safety reporting system, including the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS); and
WHEREAS, nonetheless, vaccines remain a safe and effective tool critical to safeguarding
public health and protecting the citizens of our great state.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize August as National Immunization Awareness Month and
promote vaccination as a highly effective and safe public health measure while continuing
to be transparent about potential side effects associated with some vaccines.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
public and the press.