[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 462 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 462

    Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 12, 2018

 Mr. Udall (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, Ms. Heitkamp, Ms. 
    Warren, Mr. Cardin, Mr. King, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
 Blumenthal, Mr. Heinrich, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Brown, Ms. Hassan, 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 2, 2018, through April 8, 2018, is National Public 
        Health Week;
Whereas the theme for National Public Health Week in 2018 is ``Healthiest Nation 
        2030: Changing Our Future Together'', with the goal of making the United 
        States the healthiest Nation in one generation;
Whereas there is a significant difference in the health status of individuals 
        with different abilities and demographics, such as obesity, poor mental 
        health and infectious disease, of people living in the healthiest States 
        compared to people living in the least healthy States;
Whereas according to the National Academy of Medicine, despite being one of the 
        wealthiest nations in the world, the United States ranks below many 
        other economically prosperous and developing countries with respect to 
        measures of health, including life expectancy, infant mortality and 
        maternal mortality rates;
Whereas the life expectancy for the United States population declined for the 
        second year in a row, and the leading causes of deaths are among the 
        most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems;
Whereas despite having a high infant mortality rate compared to other 
        economically prosperous and developing countries, and the death rate 
        varying greatly among States, overall, the United States was making 
        steady progress, until recently, with the infant mortality rate reaching 
        a historic low of 5.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2016;
Whereas more women die from pregnancy-related deaths in the United States than 
        any other developed country, and the number of maternal deaths per 
        100,000 live births has increased from 16.9 in 1990 to 26.4 in 2015;
Whereas the number of overdose deaths involving opioids was more than five times 
        higher than in 1999 and 115 Americans on average die every day from an 
        opioid-involved death requiring a comprehensive strategy across a range 
        of sectors including robust efforts to prevent substance misuse 
        disorders;
Whereas the percentage of adults using tobacco products in the United States, 
        the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, 
        accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year including more than 
        41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke, decreased from 20.9 
        percent in 2005 to 15.5 percent in 2016;
Whereas approximately 554,000 adults suffered from homelessness in the United 
        States in 2017, an increase since 2010, with 35 percent of homeless 
        individuals still living unsheltered;
Whereas the value of a strong public health system is in the air we breathe, the 
        water we drink, the food we eat, and the places where we all live, 
        learn, work, worship, 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, people are changing the way 
        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 
        to transform a health system focused on treating illness to a health 
        system 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, injury, and 
        promoting quality of life;
            (3) recognizes the role of public health in improving the 
        health of individuals in the United States;
            (4) encourages increased efforts and resources to improve 
        the health of people in the United States to create the 
        healthiest Nation in one generation through--
                    (A) greater opportunities to improve community 
                health and prevent disease and injury;
                    (B) strengthening the public health system in the 
                United States; and
                    (C) using data to guide policies and behaviors that 
                promote health and quality of life; 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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