IV 108th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 522 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 10, 2004 Mr. Snyder (for himself, Mrs. Kelly, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Hooley of Oregon, Mr. Kind, Ms. Pryce of Ohio, Ms. Dunn, Mrs. Bono, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Ross, Mr. Engel, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Stupak, and Mr. Berry) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there is a critical need to increase awareness and education about heart disease and the risk factors of heart disease among women.

Whereas heart disease is the number one killer of American women; Whereas heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases claim the lives of more than half a million women each year; Whereas heart disease takes the lives of more women than men; Whereas according to a recent American Heart Association survey, only 13 percent of women consider heart disease their greatest health threat; Whereas one in three women dies of heart disease; Whereas heart disease kills almost twice as many women as all forms of cancer; Whereas African-Americans are at greater risk for heart disease and stroke than Caucasians, affecting African-American females at a rate of 39.6 percent compared to 23.8 percent in Caucasian females; Whereas heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death for Hispanics, and responsible for 33 percent of deaths in Hispanic females; Whereas heart disease risk factors include family history, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, and diabetes; and Whereas women are often unaware of the risk and receive fewer preventive services than recommended: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that there is a critical need to increase awareness and education about heart disease and the risk factors for heart disease among women, and the House of Representatives— (1)commends First Lady Laura Bush and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in their vital campaign to raise public awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of American women; (2)believes that heart disease will remain the number one killer of American women unless we as a society dramatically improve education, preventative care, research, diagnostic capabilities, and treatments; and (3)recognizes that the more women become cognizant of the scourge of heart disease and how to prevent it, the more likely they can make sound lifestyle changes to help reduce their chances of getting heart disease.