III 110th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 640 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 31, 2008 Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mrs. Clinton) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate that there should be an increased Federal commitment to public health and the prevention of diseases and injuries for all people in the United States.

Whereas the United States has the highest rate of preventable deaths among 19 industrialized countries and lags behind 28 other members of the United Nations in life expectancy; Whereas various research studies suggest that nearly 60 percent of premature deaths in the United States are attributable to environmental conditions, social circumstances, or behavioral choices that could be prevented; Whereas more money is spent each year on health care in the United States than in any other country in the world; Whereas, of the more than $2,200,000,000,000 spent on health care in the United States each year, less than 4 cents out of every dollar are spent on improving public health and preventing diseases and injuries; Whereas chronic diseases are the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the United States, accounting for 7 out of every 10 deaths and killing more than 1,700,000 people in the United States each year; Whereas those often preventable chronic diseases account for approximately 75 percent of health care spending in the United States each year, including more than 96 cents out of every dollar spent under the Medicare program and more than 83 cents out of every dollar spent under the Medicaid program; Whereas those chronic diseases cost the United States an additional $1,000,000,000,000 each year in lost productivity and are a major contributing factor to the overall poor health that is placing the Nation’s economic security and competitiveness in jeopardy; Whereas the number of people with chronic diseases is rapidly increasing, and it is estimated that by 2050 nearly half of the population of the United States will suffer from at least one chronic disease if action is not taken; Whereas the use of clinically-based preventive services has been demonstrated to prevent or result in early detection of cancer and other diseases, save lives, and reduce overall health care costs; and Whereas research has shown that investing in community-level interventions that promote and enable proper nutrition, increased access to physical activity, and smoking cessation programs can prevent or mitigate chronic diseases, improve quality of life, increase economic productivity, and reduce health care costs: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)recognizes that, in order to reduce the disease burden and health care costs associated with preventable diseases and injuries, it is imperative that the United States strengthen its public health system— (A)to provide all people in the United States with the information, resources, and environment necessary to make healthier choices and live healthier lives; and (B)to protect all people in the United States from health threats beyond their control, such as bioterrorism, natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks, and environmental hazards; (2)commits to creating public health strategies to eliminate health disparities and improve the health of all people in the United States, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status; (3)supports the prioritizing of public policies focusing on the prevention of disease and injury; (4)calls for community-based programs to support healthy lifestyles, including programs that promote proper nutrition and increased access to physical activity; (5)urges the expansion of clinical preventive activities, including screenings and immunizations; and (6)pledges to help significantly improve the health of all people in the United States by supporting increased investment in Federal public health programs.