[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 100 (Tuesday, July 7, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H7714-H7716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPORTING NATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 142) supporting National Men's 
Health Week.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 142

       Whereas despite the advances in medical technology and 
     research, men continue to live an average of almost 6 fewer 
     years than women and African-American men have the lowest 
     life expectancy;
       Whereas 9 of the 10 leading causes of death, as defined by 
     the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, affect men at 
     a higher percentage than women;
       Whereas between the ages of 45 and 54, men are 3 times more 
     likely than women to die of heart attacks;
       Whereas men die of heart disease at almost twice the rate 
     of women;
       Whereas men die of cancer at almost one and a half times 
     the rate of women;
       Whereas testicular cancer is one of the most common cancers 
     in men between the ages of 15 and 34, and when detected 
     early, has a 95 percent survival rate;
       Whereas the number of cases of colon cancer among men was 
     almost 54,000 in 2008, and almost half of such men died from 
     the disease;
       Whereas the likelihood that a man will develop prostate 
     cancer is 1 in 6;
       Whereas the number of men contracting prostate cancer 
     reached over 186,000 in 2008, and almost 29,000 of such men 
     died from the disease;
       Whereas African-American men in the United States have the 
     highest incidence in the world of prostate cancer;
       Whereas significant numbers of male-related health 
     problems, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, 
     infertility, and colon cancer, could be detected and treated 
     if men's awareness of these problems was more pervasive;
       Whereas more than one-half the elderly widows now living in 
     poverty were not poor before the death of their husbands, and 
     by age 100 women outnumber men 8 to 1;
       Whereas educating both the public and health care providers 
     about the importance of early detection of male health 
     problems will result in reducing rates of mortality for these 
     diseases;
       Whereas appropriate use of tests such as Prostate Specific 
     Antigen (PSA) exams, blood pressure screens, and cholesterol 
     screens, in conjunction with clinical examination and self-
     testing for problems such as testicular cancer, can result in 
     the detection of many of these problems in their early stages 
     and increases in the survival rates to nearly 100 percent;
       Whereas women are 100 percent more likely to visit the 
     doctor for annual examinations and preventive services than 
     men;
       Whereas men are less likely than women to visit their 
     health center or physician for regular screening examinations 
     of male-related problems for a variety of reasons, including 
     fear, lack of health insurance, lack of information, and cost 
     factors;
       Whereas National Men's Health Week was established by 
     Congress and first celebrated in 1994 and urged men and their 
     families to engage in appropriate health behaviors, and the 
     resulting increased awareness has improved health-related 
     education and helped prevent illness;
       Whereas the Governors of over 45 States issue proclamations 
     annually declaring Men's Health Week in their States;
       Whereas since 1994, National Men's Health Week has been 
     celebrated each June by dozens of States, cities, localities, 
     public health departments, health care entities, churches, 
     and community organizations throughout the Nation, that 
     promote health awareness events focused on men and family;
       Whereas the National Men's Health Week website has been 
     established at www.menshealthweek.org and features Governors' 
     proclamations and National Men's Health Week events;
       Whereas men who are educated about the value that 
     preventive health can play in prolonging their lifespan and 
     their role as productive family members will be more likely 
     to participate in health screenings;
       Whereas men and their families are encouraged to increase 
     their awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, 
     regular exercise, and medical checkups; and
       Whereas June 15 through 21, 2009, is National Men's Health 
     Week, which has the purpose of heightening the awareness of 
     preventable health problems and encouraging early detection 
     and treatment of disease among men and boys: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the annual National Men's Health Week; and
       (2) requests that the President of the United States issue 
     a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States 
     and interested groups to observe National Men's Health Week 
     with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. 
Harper) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members may have 5 legislative 
days within which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.

[[Page H7715]]

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I present House Concurrent Resolution 142 for 
consideration. This resolution expresses our support for the goals and 
ideals of the annual National Men's Health Week, the observance of 
which is designed to heighten awareness of preventable health problems 
and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men.
  Introduced by my colleague, Mr. Cummings of Maryland, on June 3, 
2009, and reported out of the Oversight Committee by unanimous consent 
on June 18, 2009, H. Con. Resolution 142 enjoys strong bipartisan 
support.
  Mr. Speaker, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, nine of 10 of the leading causes of death in America among 
men, including heart disease and cancer, affect men at a significantly 
higher percentage than women. In addition, the CDC has reported that 
women are 100 percent more likely than men to seek annual medical 
examinations and preventative health care.
  Moreover, health statistics also indicate that, despite advances in 
medical care, men continue to live an average of approximately 6 fewer 
years than women--with African American men having the lowest life 
expectancy.
  Nonetheless, many male-related health problems, including prostate 
cancer, testicular cancer, and colon cancer, are treatable upon early 
detection. Specifically, the use of prostate cancer-specific antigen 
exams, blood pressure screenings, and other exams, when coupled with 
clinical examination and self-testing for testicular cancer, can lead 
to early detection and increase survival rates to nearly 100 percent.
  Accordingly, we must do more to encourage healthy behavior and 
disease prevention within America's male population. A more 
concentrated focus on male-related health conditions such as prostate, 
colon, and testicular cancer, along with a genuine commitment to 
addressing heart health, will go a long way toward ensuring that men 
have access to critical health information and treatment.
  In addition, it's important to remember that prevention and treatment 
of men's health conditions are critical not only to men, but also to 
the health and well-being of the American family; and having just 
recently celebrated Father's Day, I believe that it is important for 
this legislative body to recognize men's health from a family 
perspective.
  Furthermore, while an effort to encourage prevention and wellness 
among the male population can help meet our primary goal of improving 
health outcomes, in aggregate, utilization of these preventive services 
can lower health costs that currently are spiraling out of control.
  Mr. Speaker, since 1994, National Men's Health Week has served as a 
catalyst for increased attention towards men's health issues. I 
strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting House Concurrent 
Resolution 142, recognizing the tremendous importance of these efforts.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARPER. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 142, supporting National 
Men's Health Week. Since first being signed into law on May 31, 1994, 
National Men's Health Week has been celebrated all over the Nation 
during the week leading up to Father's Day as a way to raise men's 
health awareness and to promote a healthy way of living among men.
  Men suffer from many health problems at a higher rate than women. 
They are almost twice more likely than women to die of heart disease; 
and between the ages of 45 and 54, men are three times more likely than 
women to die of heart attacks.
  Additionally, diseases such as testicular cancer and prostate cancer 
affect thousands of men every year. Studies have shown, however, that 
with proper lifestyle choices and medical assistance, men can fight and 
survive these diseases.
  Many health discrepancies between men and women can be attributed to 
lifestyle differences such as drinking, smoking, and other high-risk 
behavior, with men more likely than women to partake in these 
practices. But these differences only contribute a portion of the 
shorter life span and poorer health of men. In reality, men are less 
likely than women to visit a doctor, missing opportunities to pinpoint 
and change unhealthy habits and to diagnosis and treat diseases.
  Significant numbers of male-related health problems such as prostate, 
colon, and testicular cancer could be detected and treated with men's 
greater awareness of their susceptibility to these health problems. 
When detected early, men who are diagnosed with these cancers have a 
high survival rate.
  Awareness, combined with the appropriate use of tests such as exams 
and cholesterol screenings, can detect many health problems early and 
increase the survival rate of these diseases to nearly 100 percent.
  National Men's Health Week not only benefits men, but also the 
important people in their lives. National Men's Health Week encourages 
men and their families to increase their awareness of the importance of 
a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, and medical checkups. Moreover, 
better long-term health among men can contribute to fewer medical 
expenses for their families, for taxpayers, and for employers.
  I encourage my fellow Members to join me in supporting House 
Concurrent Resolution 142.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, at this time I don't believe we have any 
further speakers on this issue, so I will continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
House Concurrent Resolution 142.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. I thank the gentleman from Mississippi for his kind words 
and his support.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Con. Res. 142, supporting National Men's Health Week. I would 
like to thank my colleague Representative Elijah Cummings from Maryland 
for introducing this important piece of legislation, as well as its 
many co-sponsors.
  I stand in support of this legislation because it highlights the 
importance of increasing attention to personal health. Men in the 
United States are disproportionately affected by health issues. These 
issues are particularly acute within minority populations. In the state 
of Georgia, these disparities are especially evident. African-American 
men have a life expectancy of 64 years while Caucasian men have a life 
expectancy of 73, both of which are dwarfed by the nearly 79 years of 
life expected from Caucasian women. Georgia has a tragic death rate of 
79.2 for African-American men with prostate cancer compared to 28.8 
among Caucasian men.
  These issues impact not only men's personal wellbeing but radiate 
throughout our families, our businesses, and our society. Indeed, 
health has an impact on America's economic well-being. Recent 
statistics indicate that more than half of the elderly widows now 
living in poverty were not poor before the death of their husbands.
  Many of the issues affecting men's health are treatable and 
manageable if caught early, but women are 100 percent more likely than 
men to visit a doctor for annual exams and preventive services. There 
is a Spanish proverb that says, ``A man too busy to take care of his 
health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.'' Men 
throughout the United States owe it to their loved ones to take better 
care of their health. Increasing men's health will improve families' 
fullness and will help ensure healthy living at all levels: social, 
economic, and political. To quote President Obama, ``children who grow 
up without a father are five-times more likely to live in poverty and 
commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of schools and twenty 
times more likely to end up in prison . . . We need fathers to realize 
that responsibility does not end at conception. We need them to realize 
that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child--it's the 
courage to raise one.'' Part of that responsibility is caring for your 
health. Eat healthier, perform self-exams, visit your doctor, and get 
screened. We owe it to ourselves and our families. I ask my colleagues 
to join me in supporting this call for increased awareness and self-
responsibility for men's health.
  Mr. LYNCH. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 142.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a

[[Page H7716]]

quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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