[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 125 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 125
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 7, 2017
Mr. Udall (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, Ms. Heitkamp, Ms.
Warren, Mr. Cardin, Mr. King, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr.
Blumenthal, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Franken, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Brown, and Mr.
Van Hollen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.
Whereas the week of April 3, 2017, through April 9, 2017, is National Public
Health Week;
Whereas the theme of National Public Health Week in 2017 is ``Healthiest Nation
2030'', with the goal of making the United States the healthiest country
in 1 generation;
Whereas, according to the National Academy of Medicine, despite being one of the
wealthiest countries in the world, the United States ranks below many
other economically prosperous and developing countries with respect to
measures of health, including life expectancy and infant mortality
rates;
Whereas the life expectancy for the population of the United States has declined
for the first time in more than 2 decades and the leading causes of
deaths are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health
problems;
Whereas there is a significant difference in the health status, including with
respect to obesity, mental health, and infectious disease, of
individuals who live in the healthiest States as compared with
individuals who live in the least healthy States;
Whereas, despite having a high infant mortality rate compared to other
economically prosperous and developing countries, and a death rate that
varies greatly among States, the United States, until recently, was
making steady progress with respect to overall measures of public
health, with the infant mortality rate in 2014 reaching a historic low
of 5.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births;
Whereas, since 1999, opioid-involved deaths have more than quadrupled, requiring
a comprehensive strategy across a range of sectors, including robust
efforts to prevent substance misuse disorders;
Whereas the percentage of adults in the United States who smoke cigarettes, an
activity that is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in
the United States and accounts for more than 480,000 deaths each year,
decreased from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 15.1 percent in 2015;
Whereas a strong public health system results in clean and healthy air, water,
food, and places in which to live, learn, work, and play;
Whereas public health organizations use National Public Health Week to educate
the public, policymakers, and public health professionals on issues that
are important to improving the health of the people of the United
States;
Whereas studies show that small strategic investments in prevention can result
in significant savings in health care costs;
Whereas each 10-percent increase in local public health spending contributes to
a 6.9-percent decrease in infant deaths, a 3.2-percent decrease in
deaths related to cardiovascular disease, a 1.4-percent decrease in
deaths due to diabetes, and a 1.1-percent decrease in cancer-related
deaths;
Whereas public health professionals help communities prevent, prepare for,
withstand, and recover from the impact of a full range of health
threats, including disease outbreaks, such as the Zika virus, natural
disasters, and disasters caused by human activity;
Whereas public health professionals collaborate with partners that are not in
the health sector, such as city planners, transportation officials,
education officials, and private sector businesses, recognizing that
other sectors have an important influence on health;
Whereas, in communities across the United States, individuals are changing the
way that they care for their health by avoiding tobacco use, eating
healthier, becoming more physically active, and preventing unintentional
injuries at home and in the workplace; and
Whereas efforts to adequately support public health and prevention can continue
the transformation from a health system that is focused on treating
illness to a health system that is focused on preventing disease and
promoting wellness: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Public Health
Week;
(2) recognizes the efforts of public health professionals,
the Federal Government, States, tribes, municipalities, local
communities, and individuals in preventing disease and injury;
(3) recognizes the role of the public health system in
improving the health of individuals in the United States;
(4) encourages increased efforts, and the use of additional
resources, to improve the health of people in the United States
and make the United States the healthiest country in 1
generation--
(A) through greater opportunities to improve
community health and prevent disease and injury; and
(B) by strengthening the public health system in
the United States; and
(5) encourages the people of the United States to learn
about the role of the public health system in improving health
in the United States.
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