Not only has Senator Debbie Halvorson's SB 10 mandating the HPV vaccine for 11 year old girls ready to be voted in the Senate, State Rep. Naomi Jakobbson's House version -- HB 115 -- could be called for a House floor vote as soon as next week.
Evidently, our Illinois Senate and House sponsors have more insight into the mandatory vaccination issue than physician and U.S. Congressman Phil Gringey (R-GA) does. He's proposed a ban on federal funding of the HPV vaccine mandate.
Dr. Gringey said against the HPV vaccine mandate in the Atlanta Constitution here last month:
To combat this growing trend, I have introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would prohibit federal funds from being used to implement mandatory state vaccination programs. I believe this is the best way we can encourage states to leave these important health care decisions to parents and doctors, not legislators and bureaucrats.
Under my legislation, states with voluntary programs could still use federal Medicaid, education and health care dollars to ensure girls who want the vaccination can afford it. This delivers control back to the family, where it belongs.
The Congressman has 47 co-sponsors on the HB 1153. Thus far, only Congressman Don Manzullo has added his name to the list of Illinois-based co-sponsors.
