[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 139 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 139

  Expressing the sense of Congress that there should be established a 
 National Minority Health and Health Disparities Month, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 17, 2002

Mr. Torricelli submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that there should be established a 
 National Minority Health and Health Disparities Month, and for other 
                               purposes.

Whereas in 2000, the Surgeon General announced a goal of eliminating, by 2010, 
        health disparities experienced by racial and ethnic minorities in health 
        access and outcome in 6 areas: infant mortality, cancer screening, 
        cardiovascular disease, diabetes, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and 
        human immunodeficiency virus infection, and immunizations;
Whereas despite notable progress in the overall health of the Nation there are 
        continuing health disparities in the burden of illness and death 
        experienced by African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaska 
        Natives, Asians, and Pacific Islanders, compared to the population of 
        the United States as a whole;
Whereas minorities are more likely to die from cancer, cardiovascular disease, 
        stroke, chemical dependency, diabetes, infant mortality, violence, and, 
        in recent years, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome than nonminorities 
        suffering from those same illnesses;
Whereas there is a national need for scientists in the fields of biomedical, 
        clinical, behavioral, and health services research to focus on how best 
        to eliminate health disparities between minorities and the population of 
        the United States as a whole;
Whereas the diverse health needs of minorities are more effectively addressed 
        when there are minorities in the health care workforce; and
Whereas behavioral and social sciences research has increased awareness and 
        understanding of factors associated with health care utilization and 
        access, patient attitudes toward health services, and behaviors that 
        affect health and illness, and these factors have the potential to be 
        modified to help close the health disparities gap that effects minority 
        populations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) a National Minority Health and Health Disparities Month 
        should be established to promote educational efforts on the 
        health problems currently facing minorities and other 
        populations experiencing health disparities;
            (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services should, as 
        authorized by the Minority Health and Health Disparities 
        Research and Education Act of 2000, present public service 
        announcements on health promotion and disease prevention that 
        target minorities and other populations experiencing health 
        disparities in the United States and educate the public and 
        health care professionals about health disparities;
            (3) the President should issue a proclamation recognizing 
        the immediate need to reduce health disparities in the United 
        States and encouraging all health organizations and Americans 
        to conduct appropriate programs and activities to promote 
        healthfulness in minority and other communities experiencing 
        health disparities;
            (4) Federal, State, and local governments should work in 
        concert with the private and nonprofit sector to recruit and 
        retain qualified individuals from racial, ethnic, and gender 
        groups that are currently underrepresented in health care 
        professions;
            (5) the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality should 
        continue to collect and report data on health care access and 
        utilization on patients by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic 
        status, and where possible, primary language, as authorized by 
        the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and 
        Education Act of 2000, to monitor the Nation's progress toward 
        the elimination of health care disparities; and
            (6) the information gained from research about factors 
        associated with health care utilization and access, patient 
        attitudes toward health services, and risk and protective 
        behaviors that affect health and illness, should be 
        disseminated to all health care professionals so that they may 
        better communicate with all patients, regardless of race or 
        ethnicity, without bias or prejudice.
                                 <all>