[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 41 (Tuesday, April 4, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S2805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. OBAMA (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Clinton, and Mr. 
        Kerry):
  S. 2506. A bill to require Federal agencies to support health impact 
assessments and take other actions to improve health and the 
environmental quality of communities, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, this is National Public Health Week, and 
the American Public Health Association and its over 200 partner 
organizations and sponsors have organized events to raise awareness 
about the importance of public health in this nation. This year, the 
theme of National Public Health Week, ``Designing Healthy Communities: 
Raising Healthy Kids,'' focuses on building healthy communities to 
promote and protect the health of our children.
  This focus on building healthy communities is both timely and 
critical. We are losing ground with respect to the health of our 
Nation's children. Studies have found that the percentage of overweight 
children and adolescents has more than doubled in the last few decades; 
without intervention, 1 in 3 children born in 2000 can expect to 
develop diabetes in their lifetime. My home State of Illinois has the 
unfortunate distinction of having the highest number of lead-poisoned 
children. And other diseases and conditions, including high blood 
pressure and asthma, are on the rise in young populations.
  As bleak as the health situation is for so many children, there is 
good news. Many of these diseases and health conditions are completely 
preventable or can be delayed for many, many years. The American Public 
Health Association and countless other expert organizations have told 
us, and shown us, that if we make a real commitment to and investment 
in building healthy communities, we can substantially improve the 
health of our children and adults. Today I am introducing the Healthy 
Places Act of 2006, which will do just that.
  The Healthy Places Act of 2006 focuses on the built environment, 
which includes our homes, schools, workplaces, parks and recreation 
areas, business areas, and transportation systems. Where we work, live, 
and play has tremendous implications for our health, and improvements 
to these environments will lead to: greater opportunities for physical 
activity and a reduction in injuries because of safe sidewalks, biking 
paths, and parks; less reliance on personal automobiles which reduces 
toxic emissions; better access to fresh fruits and vegetables which 
leads to healthier nutrition; and the planning and building of 
``green'' homes and buildings which decreases energy consumption.
  Like many other States, Illinois has already begun to take steps to 
improve the environment. City leaders in Chicago have recognized that 
many low-income families have no access to fresh foods and medicine 
because there are no grocery stores and pharmacies in their 
neighborhoods. Retail Chicago, an initiative of the city's Department 
of Planning and Development, is now using redevelopment funds to entice 
local developers to bring grocery stores and pharmacies into these 
neighborhoods.
  The Lieutenant Governor's initiative ``Six Weeks to a Greener 
Illinois'' is another fine example. Now in its 4th week, this effort 
has encouraged Illinoisans to participate in making the State a 
healthier place to live, and rewarded those communities that are 
already taking steps to do so.
  The Healthy Places Act of 2006 would expand these and other efforts 
to improve the planning and design of communities that can promote 
healthier living. It establishes and supports health impact assessment 
programs, which would assist States and local communities in examining 
potential health effects of major health policy or programmatic 
changes. The newly created Interagency Working Group on Environmental 
Health would facilitate communication and collaboration on projects 
among the agencies in order to better address environmental health 
issues. In addition, the bill creates a grant program to address 
environmental health hazards, particularly those that contribute to 
health disparities. Finally, the Healthy Places Act provides additional 
support for research on the relationship between the built environment 
and the health status of residents as recommended by two Institute of 
Medicine's reports: ``Does the Built Environment Influence Physical 
Activity?'' and ``Rebuilding the Unity of Health and the Environment: A 
New Vision of Environmental Health for the 21st Century''.
  As the health of our children continues to decline, and our health 
expenditures continue to soar, it is imperative that the Congress take 
action, and focusing on building healthier communities is a necessary 
step in this regard. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me and 
support passage of this bill.

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