[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 6 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 6


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 17, 2003

Received and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                                Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Supporting the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary 
                        Disease Awareness Month.

Whereas chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (``COPD'') is primarily associated 
        with emphysema and chronic bronchitis;
Whereas an estimated 10,000,000 adults in the United States have been diagnosed 
        by a physician with COPD;
Whereas an estimated 24,000,000 adults in the United States have symptoms of 
        impaired lung function, indicating that COPD is underdiagnosed;
Whereas COPD is progressive and is not fully reversible;
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, 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 
        frequent childhood respiratory infections;
Whereas more than half of all adults 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 adults 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 nearly 119,000 adults died in the United States of COPD in 2000, making 
        COPD the fourth leading cause of death in the United States;
Whereas COPD accounted for 8,000,000 office visits to doctors, 1,500,000 
        emergency department visits, and 726,000 hospitalizations by adults in 
        the United States in 2000;
Whereas COPD cost the economy of the United States an estimated $32,100,000,000 
        in 2002;
Whereas too many people with COPD are not diagnosed or are not receiving 
        adequate treatment; and
Whereas the establishment of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness 
        Month would raise public awareness about the prevalence of chronic 
        obstructive pulmonary disease and the serious problems associated with 
        the disease: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress supports the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive 
Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 16, 2003.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.