[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 14, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     FEBRUARY, AMERICAN HEART MONTH

  (Mrs. MORELLA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, as has been mentioned, this is 
Valentine's Day, and it has been designated as American Heart Month.
  As a member of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition, I and 
others of my colleagues will continue to work to increase funding for 
the National Institutes of Health. I am pleased that for the past 2 
years we have seen annual increases of 15 percent for NIH. The previous 
2 years' funding increases for the NIH has translated into increases 
for the Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of $138 million 
over fiscal year 1999, for a total of $1.148 billion for the current 
fiscal year.
  Eighty-one percent of Americans support increased Federal funding for 
heart research, and 78 percent support increased Federal funding for 
stroke research. Heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular 
diseases remain this country's number one killer, causing nearly 
960,000 deaths every year, and are a leading cause of long-term 
disability.
  Cardiovascular disease has claimed more lives than the next seven 
leading causes of death combined. One in five Americans suffers from 
cardiovascular diseases. Heart disease is the number one killer in 
Maryland, stroke is the number three killer in Maryland, and this 
reflects the Nation.
  Let us resolve on this Valentine's Day to remember what American 
Heart Month is about, to preserve the health of our loved ones.

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