[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 15 (Friday, February 15, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          AMERICAN HEART MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 14, 2002

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, on this day devoted to affairs of the heart 
I want to remind my colleagues that February is American Heart Month. 
Right now, over 61 million Americans are suffering from cardiovascular 
diseases. And by the time I finish this statement, another two 
Americans will have died from those causes.
  This is why I introduced the community Access to Emergency 
Defibrillation Act with Representative Shimkus and the STOP Stroke Act 
with Representative Pickering. The Community AED Act would provide 
funding to localities for them to purchase Automatic External 
Defibrillators and place them in public buildings, so that emergency 
care for cardiac arrest is only seconds away. And the STOP Stroke Act 
will help states develop better stroke treatment programs because 
immediate treatment can make the difference between nearly total 
recovery and death.
  Both of these bills were passed by the other body recently without 
objection and I hope that the House can also do so quickly. I urge my 
colleagues to support these and other efforts to address the scourge of 
cardiovascular diseases. Let's have a heart! Happy Valentine's Day!

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