[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1237 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1237

      Supporting the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 24, 2020

      Ms. DeGette (for herself, Mr. Reed, Mr. Ruiz, Mr. Kelly of 
 Pennsylvania, Ms. DelBene, and Mrs. Brooks of Indiana) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
      Supporting the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month.

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (referred 
        to in this preamble as the ``CDC'')--

    (1) 34,200,000 individuals in the United States have diabetes; and

    (2) an estimated 88,000,000 individuals in the United States who are 18 
years of age or older have prediabetes;

Whereas diabetes is a serious chronic condition that affects individuals of 
        every age, race, ethnicity, and income level;
Whereas the CDC reports that--

    (1) Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native 
Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes and develop the 
disease at much higher rates than the general population of the United 
States; and

    (2) an estimated 21.4 percent of individuals with diabetes in the 
United States have not yet been diagnosed with the disease;

Whereas, in the United States, more than 10.5 percent of the population, 
        including 26.8 percent of individuals who are 65 years of age or older, 
        have diabetes;
Whereas, of the 17,400,000 veterans in the United States, 8,800,000 who are 65 
        years of age or older, and 1 in 4 overall, are receiving care for 
        diabetes from the Department of Veterans Affairs;
Whereas the risk of developing diabetes at some point in life is 40 percent for 
        adults in the United States;
Whereas, according to the American Diabetes Association, the United States spent 
        an estimated $237,000,000,000 on direct medical costs for cases of 
        diagnosed diabetes in 2017, and out-of-pocket costs for insulin have 
        grown significantly in recent years for many patients;
Whereas the American Diabetes Association reports that care for people with 
        diagnosed diabetes accounts for 1 in 4 health care dollars spent in the 
        United States;
Whereas the cost of health care is estimated to be 2.3 times higher for 
        individuals in the United States with diabetes than those without 
        diabetes;
Whereas, as of November 2020, a cure for diabetes does not exist;
Whereas there are successful means to reduce the incidence, and delay the onset, 
        of type 2 diabetes;
Whereas, with proper management and treatment, individuals with diabetes live 
        healthy and productive lives; and
Whereas individuals in the United States celebrate American Diabetes Month in 
        November: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of American Diabetes 
        Month, including--
                    (A) encouraging individuals in the United States to 
                fight diabetes through public awareness of prevention 
                and treatment options; and
                    (B) enhancing diabetes education;
            (2) recognizes the importance of awareness and early 
        detection, including awareness of symptoms and risk factors 
        such as--
                    (A) being--
                            (i) older than 45 years of age; or
                            (ii) overweight; and
                    (B) having--
                            (i) a particular racial and ethnic 
                        background;
                            (ii) a low level of physical activity;
                            (iii) high blood pressure;
                            (iv) a family history of diabetes; or
                            (v) a history of diabetes during pregnancy;
            (3) supports decreasing the prevalence of type 1, type 2, 
        and gestational diabetes in the United States through research, 
        treatment, and prevention; and
            (4) recognizes the importance of addressing systemic 
        barriers to health care that--
                    (A) leave many vulnerable communities at a 
                heightened risk for diabetes; and
                    (B) limit access to health care resources that are 
                needed to effectively prevent the onset, and to manage 
                the condition, of diabetes.
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