Designating the month of March 2008 as "MRSA Awareness Month".

Mr. Speaker, I also rise in favor of House Resolution 988 and support designating the month of March as the Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Awareness Month. I also want to thank the sponsor of this resolution, Representative Jim Matheson of Utah, for his work on this issue.

Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as ``staph,'' is a potentially dangerous bacterium that can cause skin infections that look like pimples or boils. Staph infections also can cause redness, swelling, pain, and drainage at the site of infection. They can be warm to the touch and cause a fever.

Some staph infections are resistant to certain antibiotics and this makes it harder to treat. These infections are known as methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. They result from direct contact with people who have the infection.

Now anyone can get a staph infection, anyone can get a resistant staph infection. It is becoming more and more common. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that Americans visit their physicians approximately 12 million times a year to get checked for potential staph infections. In some areas of the country, more than half of the skin infections are caused by resistant strains of staph, according to the CDC.

While most serious methicillin-resistant staph infections occur among individuals in hospitals and health care facilities, there are community-acquired infections among competitive sports teams, correctional facilities, schools, workplaces, military facilities, homeless shelters, and other community settings. These infections usually occur through skin-to-skin contact, and even individuals who are not infected with resistant staph can be a vehicle for its transmission.

This resolution recognizes the importance of raising the awareness of methicillin-resistant staph aureus and methods of preventing infections through appropriate hygienic practices, such as hand washing, appropriate first aid to open wounds. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control conducts MRSA surveillance, prevention, education campaigns to raise awareness, and laboratory research to identify genetic patterns or relationships among the different types of resistant staph that could be used for prevention and control strategies.

I urge my colleagues to join us in recognizing March as the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Awareness Month, and I urge Members to support the resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 988, a resolution honoring MRSA awareness. I introduced this resolution with my colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Cubin. First, I would like to thank Representative Cubin for working with me on this resolution, as well as the staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee, several stakeholder organizations who advocated in support of this resolution, and most importantly over 80 of my colleagues who joined me on this resolution.

Since the 1940s, the widespread availability of antibiotics, such as penicillin, and the subsequent discovery of additional antibiotics have led to a dramatic reduction in illness and death from infectious diseases. Today, antibiotics continue to save lives and also have led to many other advances. However, bacteria and other infectious disease- causing organisms through mutation and other mechanisms are able to develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs. The more antimicrobials are used, whether appropriately or inappropriately, the quicker resistance develops. Worrisome recent examples of drug resistance which have been highlighted in the news include community-associated MRSA.

An October 2007 article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concluded that more than 94,000 invasive methicillin-resistant Staph aureus, MRSA, infections occurred in the United States in 2005. More than 18,500 of these infections ended in death. The CDC estimates that Americans visit doctors more than 12 million times per year for skin infections typical of those caused by staph bacteria. In some areas of the country, more than half of the skin infections are MRSA. In my home State of Utah, reported cases of MRSA are steadily rising. According to the Bureau of Epidemiology for the Utah Department of Health, there were 4,904 cases in 2006.

MRSA and other drug-resistant microbes that were once confined to ill hospital patients are now striking down otherwise healthy individuals, including schoolchildren, athletes and members of the Armed Forces. The resulting ``super infections'' are painful, difficult to treat, and cost billions of dollars to the U.S. health care system annually. Patient stories about this silent, yet sinister, pandemic are tragic and heart-wrenching. They should not go unnoticed and unanswered by Congress.

By bringing much needed attention to MRSA, this resolution will highlight the need for Congress and Federal health agencies to identify and coordinate efforts to address this growing problem.

Thank you and I urge my colleagues to support adoption of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 988) designating the month of March 2008 as ``MRSA Awareness Month,'' as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening in support of H. Res. 988 designating the month of March 2008 as MRSA Awareness Month.

MRSA is a type of infection that is resistant to treatment with regular antibiotics. While healthy individuals can acquire MRSA as well, it is most likely to occur among parts of our population least equipped to deal with its

effects such as those individuals in hospitals and health care facilities who have weakened immune systems.

The latest information regarding MRSA is disconcerting. Infections are on the rise as hospitalizations associated with MRSA more than tripled from 1999 to 2005. We must do more to raise awareness and stem the tide of this infection.

The resolution before us recognizes the need to continue research to find the best ways of preventing hospital and community-acquired MRSA. As a community, we must be careful to prevent overuse of antibiotics and to create hygienic and sanitary conditions in our hospitals and other health care facilities.

This resolution also lends support to advocates, health care practitioners, and others on the front line in the battle against MRSA. Through a unified effort, we can provide hope for those who are personally affected by this infection.

I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Matheson of Utah, for his hard work in bringing this resolution to the floor.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in support of its adoption.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I urge adoption of this MRSA Awareness Month Resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the motions to suspend the rules relating to the following measures be considered as adopted in the form considered by the House on Tuesday, September 23, 2008:

House Resolution 1461, House Concurrent Resolution 393, House Resolution 988, and H.R. 3018.