[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 153 (Thursday, November 17, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13174-S13175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. OBAMA (for himself and Mrs. Clinton):
  S. 2047. A bill to promote healthy communities; to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, today, I am introducing the Healthy 
Communities Act of 2005, and I am pleased to have the support of my 
good friend and colleague Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
  Over the last few decades, our medical researchers and scientists 
have developed increasingly sophisticated and high tech methods to 
diagnose and treat disease. Yet, this approach has caused us to lose 
sight of the need for preventing diseases on the front-end, with 
greater investment in basic public health interventions that too often 
get short shrift.
  Today, I would like to bring it back to the basics and talk about 
environmental quality. The air we breathe, the food we eat, the houses 
in which we live, and the parks in which our children play--all of 
these factors contribute to our health. Environmental health, as 
defined by the World Health Organization, includes both the direct, 
damaging effects of chemicals, radiation, and some biological agents, 
and the effects on health and well-being of the broad physical, 
psychological, social, and aesthetic environment. The legislation that 
I have introduced draws attention to that aspect of the environment 
that is the physical environment--the toxicants and pollutants that we 
may not notice, but are present in our everyday surroundings and taking 
a toll on our health.
  My home State of Illinois faces a number of environmental challenges, 
including high levels of lead poisoning. It is estimated that over 
400,000 children in this country suffer from elevated blood lead 
levels. Chicago has the unfortunate distinction of ranking number 1 for 
children with elevated blood lead levels. 6,691 children have elevated 
blood lead levels, which is 50 percent higher than the number of 
children in the second ranked city of Philadelphia. Elevated blood 
levels are known to cause behavioral and learning problems, slowed 
growth, impaired hearing and damage to the kidneys, brain and bone 
marrow. Adults are not exempt from lead toxicity--poisoned adults 
suffer pregnancy difficulties, high blood pressure, digestive problems, 
nerve disorders, memory and concentration problems, and muscle and 
joint pain. Lead poisoning is completely preventable, and although our 
agencies have made good progress, we can and must do more to address 
this issue.
  Obviously lead is only one of many toxicants and pollutants with 
which we must contend. Different areas of the U.S. face unique 
challenges--States like California are grappling with the repercussions 
of air pollution, while Massachusetts and others in the Northeast are 
challenged with high levels of mercury in the water. As much as we know 
about these hazards, the effects of many chemicals are unknown.
  Less than half of the chemicals produced in this country in 
quantities greater than 10,000 pounds have been tested for their 
potential human toxicity, with less than 10 percent studied to assess 
effects on development. This lack of knowledge has serious health 
repercussions--in children, environmental toxins are estimated to cause

[[Page S13175]]

up to 35 percent of asthma cases, up to 10 percent of cancer cases, and 
up to 20 percent of neurobehavioral disorders. Overall, an estimated 25 
percent of preventable illnesses worldwide can be attributed to poor 
environmental quality. Diseases such as cancer, heart disease, asthma, 
birth defects, infertility, and obesity are all caused or exacerbated 
by toxicants or pollutants in the environment.
  Minority Americans are significantly more likely to be affected than 
other Americans. Some studies have found that 3 of every 5 African- and 
Latino Americans live in communities with one or more toxic waste 
sites. Communities with existing incinerators, and those that are 
proposed for placement of new incinerators, have substantially higher 
numbers of minority residents. Minority Americans are already plagued 
with higher rates of death and disease, and fewer health resources in 
their neighborhoods. As we focus our efforts on environmental health, 
we must be cognizant that some groups are disproportionately affected 
by federal policies and decision-making, and deserve careful attention.
  The Healthy Communities Act of 2005 addresses environmental health 
concerns in a comprehensive fashion, building upon many of the 
successful federal initiatives and filling in gaps in other critical 
areas. The bill establishes an independent advisory committee to 
provide recommendations across all relevant Federal agencies. It asks 
the CDC and the EPA to assess and report the environmental public 
health of the nation, and each State. The Health Action Zone Program 
will provide intense Federal attention and resources to clean up and 
address the health needs of the nation's most blighted communities. 
Environmental research is expanded, including biomonitoring and health 
tracking initiatives. Finally, the Act promotes environmental health 
workforce programs at the CDC and the NIH.
  The Healthy Communities Act of 2005 will increase national attention 
on the importance of the environment, and its relationship to good 
health. As we work to make our future stronger for our communities, let 
us look to our past. In the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, Congress wrote that it is the continuing responsibility of the 
Federal Government to assure that all Americans live in ``safe, 
healthful and aesthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings.'' 
Almost forty years later, our responsibility to the American people 
continues. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me and support 
passage of this bill.
                                 ______