[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 93 (Monday, June 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  INTRODUCTION OF THE HeLP AMERICA ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 7, 2007

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, adaptable lifestyle factors 
such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, unmanaged stress, 
and obesity account for approximately half of premature deaths in the 
United States. Spending on chronic diseases related to lifestyle and 
other preventable diseases accounts for an estimated 75 percent of 
total healthcare spending and it is estimated that by 2014 our 
country's total health care expenditures will be $3.6 trillion.
  Clearly we cannot continue down this path. We must shift the focus of 
our nation's health care system to prevention and wellness programs. In 
so doing, we can reduce health care costs, improve health, improve 
quality of life, and boost productivity. Unfortunately, a very small 
percentage of health care spending is devoted to health promotion. The 
national investment in prevention is currently estimated to be less 
than 5 percent of annual health care costs. Our nation needs a new 
approach to healthcare---one that puts prevention front and center.
  That is why I rise today to introduce the Healthier Lifestyles and 
Prevention America Act, also known as the HeLP America Act. This 
important bill, which is companion legislation to a bill recently 
introduced by Senator Harkin, is designed to reduce health care costs 
and improve health outcomes by reorienting our nation's health care 
system towards prevention, wellness, and self care.
  The HeLP America Act is a comprehensive approach to prevention and 
health promotion. It provides tools and incentives for schools to 
improve their nutrition programs. It provides tax incentives for 
employers to implement wellness programs. It provides grants for 
communities to implement activities to prevent and reduce the incidence 
of obesity, and chronic diseases associated with this condition. It 
establishes a federal taskforce on childhood obesity to provide a 
coordinated leadership in Federal effort to prevent and reduce 
childhood obesity.
  These are just a few of the many provisions included in the HeLP 
America Act, all aimed squarely at attacking the problem of 
skyrocketing health care costs associated with the increasing rates of 
obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.
  With a greater focus on prevention, we will be able to greatly reduce 
the number of individuals who suffer from all types of ailments. It 
will improve health outcomes, improve people's lives, and help cut down 
on our exploding healthcare expenditures.
  Madam Speaker, as is noted in the findings of this bill, per capita 
health spending in the United States is 56 percent greater than the 
median for countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
Development. This is unacceptable. We need to get more bang for our 
healthcare buck and we need to look no further than focusing on 
prevention. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound 
of cure.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in seeking a new and more effective 
approach to curing our nation's ills by cosponsoring the HeLP Act.

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