[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 197 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 197

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the establishment of Chronic 
             Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2001

   Mr. Stearns (for himself and Mr. Lewis of Georgia) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the establishment of Chronic 
             Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month.

Whereas chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (``COPD'') is primarily associated 
        with emphysema and chronic bronchitis, conditions with which 3,000,000 
        and 9,000,000 people in the United States, respectively, have been 
        diagnosed;
Whereas COPD is progressive and irreversible;
Whereas as COPD progresses, the airways and alveoli in the lungs lose elasticity 
        and the airway walls collapse, closing off smaller airways and narrowing 
        larger ones;
Whereas symptoms of COPD include chronic coughing, chest tightness, shortness of 
        breath, increased effort to breathe, increased mucus production, and 
        frequent clearing of the throat;
Whereas risk factors for COPD include long-term smoking, a family history of 
        COPD, exposure to air pollution or second-hand smoke, and a history of 
        childhood respiratory infections;
Whereas more than half of all people who suffer from COPD report that their 
        condition limits their ability to work, sleep, and participate in social 
        and physical activities;
Whereas more than half of all people who suffer from COPD feel they are not in 
        control of their breathing, panic when they cannot catch their breath, 
        and expect their condition to worsen;
Whereas 16,000,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with some 
        form of COPD and an estimated 16,000,000 people in the United States 
        with COPD are undiagnosed;
Whereas nearly 107,000 people died in the United States of COPD in 1998, making 
        COPD the fourth leading cause of death in the United States;
Whereas COPD accounted for 13,400,000 office visits to doctors in 1997 and 
        668,362 hospitalizations in 1998;
Whereas COPD costs the economy of the United States an estimated $30,400,000,000 
        a year; and
Whereas too many people with COPD are not diagnosed or are not receiving 
        adequate treatment: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month 
        should be established to raise public awareness about the 
        prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the 
        serious problems associated with the disease; and
            (2) the President should issue a proclamation calling on 
        the people of the United States to observe such a month with 
        appropriate programs and activities.
                                 <all>