,,iii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #aei  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #aa1 #bjai,mr4 
,pet]s 7= himself & ,ms4 ,/ab5[7        
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y   
,,resolution  ,designat+ ,april #bd1    
#bjai1 z ,m5+itis ,b ,aw>5ess ,day4     
,:]eas x is ! cu/om ( ! ,s5ate to       
increase aw>5ess ( s]i\s illnesses t    
affect ! lives ( ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 
,:]eas m5+ococcal disease1 m commonly   
ref]r$ to z bact]ial m5+itis1 is any    
infection caus$ by ! bact]ium ,neiss]ia 
m5+itidis2 ,:]eas m5+ococcal disease is 
uncommon1 & ! flu-l symptoms ( ! disease
 make diagnosis difficult2 ,:]eas       
m5+ococcal disease c cause s]i\s        
illnesses1 su* z-- 7#a7 an infection ( !
 l9+ ( ! bra9 & sp9al column kn[n z     
m5+itis2 &  7#b7 blood infections kn[n z
 sepsis2 ,:]eas ! disease /rikes quickly
 & may lead to sev]e or p]man5t         
disabilities1 su* z he>+ loss1 bra9     
damage1 seizures1 & limb amputation1 &  

may ev5 lead to dea? )9 #bd to #dh h\rs2
 ,:]eas1 al?\gh #a 9 #aj p are c>ri]s ( 
,neiss]ia m5+itidis bact]ia ) no signs  
or symptoms ( disease1 ,neiss]ia        
m5+itidis bact]ia may sometimes cause   
illnesses2 ,:]eas !re are diff]5t /ra9s 
( m5+ococcal disease1 includ+ /ra9s     
caus$ by ,neiss]ia m5+itidis s]ogr\ps   
,a1 ,c1 ,w1 ,y1 & ,b2 ,:]eas vacc9es    
exi/ to help provide protection aga9/   
all /ra9s ( m5+ococcal disease caus$ by 
! s]ogr\ps common 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2    
,:]eas m5+ococcal disease is spread f   
p]son to p]son via ! ex*ange ( ,neiss]ia
 m5+itidis bact]ia ?r\gh respiratory &  
?roat secretions dur+ close or l5g?y    
contact1 includ+ contact su* z-- 7#a7   
%>+ bev]ages or eat+ ut5sils2  7#b7     
kiss+2 &  7#c7 sp5d+ "t 9 close contact 
) someone :o is sick or :o c>ries !     
bact]ia2 ,:]eas community sett+s 9 :i*  
l>ge gr\ps ( p ga!r1 su* z college      
campuses1 may increase ! risk (         
transmission ( m5+ococcal disease2      
,:]eas1 because ( ! way m5+ococcal      

disease is spread ?r\gh close p]sonal   
contact1 ! social behavior ( "y adults  
ages #af to #bc increases ! risk ( ^?   
adults contract+ ! disease2 ,:]eas      
/ud5ts 9 dormitory sett+s & at cr[d$    
ev5ts are p>ticul>ly vuln]able to       
m5+ococcal disease2 ,:]eas college      
/ud5ts ages #ah to #bd 7 f\nd to be #c4e
 times m likely to contract m5+itis ,b1 
! /ra9 ( m5+ococcal disease caus$ by    
s]ogr\p ,b1 comp>$ to _! pe]s n 9 s*ool2
 ,:]eas ! s+le be/ way to help prev5t   
all common /ra9s ( m5+ococcal disease is
 to be vacc9at$ )-- 7#a7 a ,men,a,c,w,y 
vacc9e to protect aga9/ ! /ra9s (       
m5+ococcal disease caus$ by s]ogr\ps ,a1
 ,c1 ,w1 & ,y2 &  7#b7 a sep>ate ,men,b 
vacc9e to protect aga9/ ! /ra9 (        
m5+ococcal disease caus$ by s]ogr\p ,b2 
,:]eas ! incid5ce ( m5+ococcal disease 9
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates has /eadily decl9$ f   
#a4bj cases p] #ajj1jjj individuals 9   
#aiie to a hi/oric l[ ( #j4aa cases p]  
#ajj1jjj individuals 9 #bjag2 ,:]eas1   
al?\gh vacc9es = s]ogr\ps ,a1 ,c1 ,w1 & 

,y h be5 available = _m ye>s1 a vacc9e =
 s]ogr\p ,b 0 n available until #bjad2  
,:]eas1 despite ! exi/5ce ( a vacc9e =  
s]ogr\p ,b s9ce #bjad1 m5+itis ,b has   
be5 responsible = all ,unit$ ,/ates     
college campus outbreaks s9ce #bjaa1 )  
"s cases result+ 9 dea?2 ,:]eas1 because
 ! /ra9 ( m5+ococcal disease caus$ by   
s]ogr\p ,b requires a new1 sep>ate      
vacc9ation1 /ud5ts head+ to college may 
mi/ak5ly ?9k t1 if !y receiv$ !         
,men,a,c,w,y vacc9e1 !y are protect$    
aga9/ all /ra9s ( ! disease1 & may n    
realize t !y are n protect$ aga9/ ! /ra9
 caus$ by s]ogr\p ,b2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to
 ! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control &         
,prev5tion1 ,neiss]ia m5+itidis s]ogr\p 
,b acc\nts = approximately half ( all   
cases ( m5+ococcal disease among        
individuals ages #ae to #bb 9 ! ,unit$  
,/ates2 ,:]eas vacc9ation = s]ogr\ps ,a1
 ,c1 ,w1 & ,y is r\t9ely recomm5d$ by ! 
,c5t]s = ,disease ,control & ,prev5tion2
 ,:]eas ! ,advisory ,committee on       
,immunization ,practices ( ! ,c5t]s =   

,disease ,control & ,prev5tion recomm5ds
 t decisions to vacc9ate adolesc5ts & "y
 adults ages #af to #bc aga9/ ! /ra9 (  
m5+ococcal disease caus$ by s]ogr\p ,b  
%\ld be made at ! individual level )    
heal? c>e provid]s2 ,:]eas a rec5t /udy 
f\nd t _m doctors are n talk+ to pati5ts
 ab\t ! ,men,b vacc9e1 includ+ #di p]c5t
 ( p$iatricians & #fi p]c5t ( family    
physicians :o d n regul>ly discuss !    
,men,b vacc9e dur+ r\t9e visits )       
individuals ages #af to #ah2 ,:]eas     
m5+itis vacc9es are cov]$ by public &   
private heal? insurance plans1 &        
individuals %\ld be enc\rag$ to contact 
heal? insurance plans to det]m9e cov]age
 ( ,men,a,c,w,y & ,men,b vacc9es2 ,:]eas
 ! ,f$]al ,vacc9es = ,*ildr5 program    
cov]s bo? ,men,a,c,w,y & ,men,b vacc9es 
=-- 7#a7 *ildr5 & adults :o h no heal?  
insurance or ^: heal? insurance does n  
cov] ^? vacc9es2 &  7#b7 *ildr5 less ?an
 #ai ye>s ( age :o are ,am]ican ,indian1
 ,alaska ,native1 or eligible = ,m$icaid
 or o!r ,/ate heal? plan cov]age2       

,:]eas1 9 #bjab1 be=e m5+itis ,b vacc9es
 7 available 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ,kimb]ly
 ,c(fey1 a #ag-ye>-old high s*ool s5ior 
on ,long ,isl&1 ,new ,york1 di$ f       
m5+itis ,b2 ,:]eas ,patti ,wukovits1    
,r4,n41 ! "m ( ,kimb]ly ,c(fey1 creat$ !
 ,kimb]ly ,c(fey ,f\ndation1 a vital    
organization ) ! mission (-- 7#a7       
provid+ education to ! public & heal?   
c>e pr(essionals ab\t m5+ococcal        
disease2 &  7#b7 advocat+ = two types ( 
vacc9ation = m5+ococcal disease2 ,:]eas 
! goal ( ! ,kimb]ly ,c(fey ,f\ndation is
 to ensure t no o!r family w endure !   
loss ( a *ild or h a lov$ "o exp]i5ce ! 
deva/at+ effects ( m5+ococcal disease2  
,:]eas ,june #ae1 #bjai1 m>ks ! sev5?   
anniv]s>y ( ! dea? ( ,kimb]ly ,c(fey2   
,:]eas #ai-ye>-old ,emily ,nicole       
,/illman1 :ile a sophomore at ,kalamazoo
 ,college 9 ,kalamazoo1 ,mi*igan1       
tragically contract$ bact]ial m5+itis   
be=e m5+itis ,b vacc9es 7 available 9 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas1 on ,febru>y #b1  
#bjac1 aft] j #cf h\rs 9 ! hospital1    

,emily ,nicole ,/illman pass$ away2     
,:]eas1 9 #bjad1 ,alicia ,/illman1 ! "m 
( ,emily ,nicole ,/illman1 creat$ !     
,emily ,/illman ,f\ndation-- 7#a7 to    
pres]ve ! memory ( ,emily ,nicole       
,/illman2  7#b7 to advocate = organ &   
tissue donation2 &  7#c7 to advocate = !
 increas$ availability ( vacc9es = all  
vacc9e-prev5table diseases1 includ+ !   
increas$ availability ( m5+itis vacc9es 
= *ildr52 ,:]eas ,febru>y #bjai m>k$ !  
six? anniv]s>y ( ! dea? ( ,emily        
,/illman2 ,:]eas ! ,m5+itis ,b ,action  
,project1 a jo9t initiative ( ! ,kimb]ly
 ,c(fey ,f\ndation & ! ,emily ,/illman  
,f\ndation1 is committ$ to rais+ aw>5ess
 ab\t m5+ococcal disease ?r\gh\t !      
,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas /ud5ts1 p>5ts1    
educators1 & heal? c>e provid]s %\ld    
le>n ab\t all /ra9s ( m5+ococcal disease
 & h[ to protect aga9/ all /ra9s ( !    
disease2 & ,:]eas ,april #bd1 #bjai1    
%\ld be designat$ z ,m5+itis ,b ,aw>5ess
 ,day to co9cide ) ! obs]vance ( ,_w    
,m5+itis ,day3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t !    

,s5ate-- 7#a7 designates ,april #bd1    
#bjai1 z ,m5+itis ,b ,aw>5ess ,day2 &   
7#b7 enc\rages-- 7,a7 all individuals to
 contact heal? insurance plans to       
det]m9e cov]age ( ,men,a,c,w,y & ,men,b 
vacc9es2 &  7,b7 /ud5ts1 p>5ts1         
educators1 & heal? c>e provid]s to le>n 
ab\t all /ra9s ( m5+ococcal disease & h[
 to protect aga9/ all /ra9s ( ! disease4