[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 52 Engrossed in House (EH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 52
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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas heart disease affects adult men and women of every age and race in the
United States;
Whereas heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United
States;
Whereas an estimated 79 million adult Americans, nearly one in every 3, have 1
or more types of heart disease, including high blood pressure, coronary
heart
disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, and congenital heart defects;
Whereas extensive clinical and statistical studies have identified major and
contributing factors that increase the risk of heart disease;
Whereas these studies have identified the following as major risk factors that
cannot be changed: age (the risk of developing heart disease gradually
increases as people age; advanced age significantly increases the risk);
gender (men have greater risk of developing heart disease than women);
and heredity (children of parents with heart disease are more likely to
develop it themselves; African Americans have more severe high blood
pressure than Caucasians and therefore are at higher risk; the risk is
also higher among Latina Americans, some Asian Americans, and Native
Americans and other indigenous populations);
Whereas these studies have identified the following as major risk factors that
Americans can modify, treat or control by changing their lifestyle or
seeking appropriate medical treatment: high blood pressure, high blood
cholesterol, smoking tobacco products and exposure to tobacco smoke,
physical inactivity, obesity, and diabetes mellitus;
Whereas these studies have identified the following as contributing risk factors
that Americans can also take action to modify, treat or control by
changing their lifestyle or seeking appropriate medical treatment:
individual response to stress, excessive consumption of alcoholic
beverages, use of certain illegal drugs, and hormone replacement
therapy;
Whereas more than 72 million adult Americans have high blood pressure;
Whereas more than 36.6 million Americans have cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or
higher, the level at which it becomes a major risk factor;
Whereas an estimated 46 million Americans put themselves at risk for heart
disease every day by smoking cigarettes;
Whereas data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows
that more than 60 percent of American adults do not get enough physical
activity, and more than 25 percent are not physically active at all;
Whereas 66 percent of adult Americans are overweight or obese;
Whereas 20 million adult Americans have diabetes and 65 percent of those so
afflicted will die of some form of heart disease;
Whereas the American Heart Association projects that in 2007 1.2 million
Americans will have a first or recurrent heart attack and 452,000 of
these people will die as a result;
Whereas in 2007 approximately 700,000 Americans will suffer a new or recurrent
stroke and 150,000 of these people will die as a result;
Whereas advances in medical research have significantly improved our capacity to
fight heart disease by providing greater knowledge about its causes,
innovative diagnostic tools to detect the disease, and new and improved
treatments that help people survive and recover from this disease;
Whereas the Congress by Joint Resolution approved on December 30, 1963, (77
Stat. 843; 36 U.S.C. 101) has requested that the President issue an
annual proclamation designating February as ``American Heart Month'';
and
Whereas every year since 1964 the President has issued a proclamation
designating the month February as ``American Heart Month'': Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of American Heart Month;
(2) invites the chief executive officers of the States,
territories, and possessions of the United States to issue
proclamations designating American Heart Month and recognizing
the goals and ideals of American Heart Month;
(3) commends the efforts of States, territories and
possessions of the United States, localities, non-profit
organizations, businesses, and other entities, and the people
of the United States who support the goals and ideals of
American Heart Month;
(4) recognizes and reaffirms our Nation's commitment to
fighting heart disease by promoting awareness about its causes,
risks, and prevention and by promoting new education programs,
supporting research, and expanding access to medical treatment;
(5) recognizes all Americans battling heart disease,
expresses gratitude to their family members and friends who are
a source of love and encouragement to them as they combat this
disease, and salutes the health care professionals and medical
researchers who provide assistance to those so afflicted and
continue to work to find cures and improve treatments; and
(6) encourages each and every American to take to heart the
four simple healthy life, healthy heart goals identified by the
HealthierUS Initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services: exercise regularly and maintain a healthy
weight; develop good eating habits; avoid tobacco products,
drugs and excessive alcohol; and have regular medical checkups
to take advantage of screenings that can detect heart-disease
related problems early.
Passed the House of Representatives February 28, 2007.
Attest:
Clerk.
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 52
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of American Heart Month.