[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 100 (Thursday, July 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8667-S8668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. Chafee, and Mr. Reid):
  S. 1442. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a 
Coordinated Environmental Health Network, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce, with my 
colleagues Senators Chafee and Reid, the Coordinated Environmental 
Health Tracking Act of 2005.
  There is a saying--``what you don't know can't hurt you.'' But when 
it comes to chronic disease, what we don't know can hurt all of us. The 
bill we are introducing today will help us solve the mysteries behind 
the high rates of chronic diseases such as cancer, autism, and 
Alzheimer's that afflict so many American communities.
  Once we are able to track diseases, and detect links to environmental 
or other causes, we will be able to prevent public health crises before 
they occur.
  The environmental links to the onset of diseases are not well 
understood. They are hidden health hazards that manifest themselves in 
chronic diseases. We are only beginning to understand what these 
hazards are and what is the scope of their effects on our health.
  We need more specifics on these environmental factors. For example, 
we need to know what is the cumulative effect of extended exposure to a 
variety of environmental factors over time.
  One way to get those specifics is to track the outbreak of chronic 
diseases, just like we track the outbreaks of infectious diseases.

[[Page S8668]]

  This legislation would establish a comprehensive national tracking 
system for chronic diseases, so that we can identify, address and 
prevent them.
  It would help States to participate in this national tracking system- 
by providing them with Environmental Health Tracking Network Grants, 
assisting them in developing the infrastructure necessary to 
participate in this network.
  It would also create a chronic disease response force, bringing the 
expertise of environmental, scientific and health experts to areas with 
potential clusters of chronic diseases, like Long Island's breast 
cancer cluster.
  It will allow us to monitor our environmental health by requiring an 
annual report of the results of the Nationwide Health Tracking Network, 
helping to educate and arm us with valuable information in the fight 
against chronic diseases.
  Finally, it will help us build the public health expertise we need to 
address these issues in the future, by providing funding for the 
establishment of at least seven biomonitoring labs and setting up 
epidemiology fellowships and centers of excellence for environmental 
health.
  I believe that this legislation will help obtain and act on the best 
possible evidence to improve our Nation's health and to begin to tackle 
the extraordinary human and economic costs that chronic disease imposes 
on our country.
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