[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 175 (Monday, November 30, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S12013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 364--SUPPORTING THE OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL DIABETES 
                                 MONTH

  Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. Durbin) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 364

       Whereas there are nearly 24,000,000 people in the United 
     States with diabetes and 57,000,000 with pre-diabetes;
       Whereas diabetes contributed to the deaths of over 300,000 
     people in the United States in 2007, making diabetes the 
     seventh leading cause of death;
       Whereas every minute, 3 people are diagnosed with diabetes;
       Whereas each day approximately 4,384 people are diagnosed 
     with diabetes and, in 2007, approximately 1,600,000 new cases 
     of diabetes were diagnosed in people 20 years or older;
       Whereas between 1990 and 2001, diabetes prevalence in the 
     United States increased by more than 60 percent;
       Whereas over 24 percent of diabetes is undiagnosed, down 
     from 30 percent in 2005, and 50 percent 10 years ago;
       Whereas over 10 percent of adults and nearly \1/4\ (23.1 
     percent) of people in the United States age 60 and older have 
     diabetes;
       Whereas diabetes is a serious chronic condition that 
     affects people of every age, race, income level, and 
     ethnicity;
       Whereas Hispanic, African, Asian, and Native Americans are 
     disproportionately affected by diabetes and suffer at rates 
     much higher than the general population;
       Whereas annually, 15,000 youth in the United States are 
     diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and approximately 3,700 youth 
     are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes;
       Whereas 1 in 3 people in the United States born in the year 
     2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime, and this 
     statistic grows to nearly 1 in 2 for minority populations;
       Whereas diabetes costs the United States an estimated 
     $174,000,000,000 in 2007, and $1 in every $10 spent on health 
     care is attributed to diabetes and its complications;
       Whereas approximately 1 out of every 4 Medicare dollars is 
     spent on the care of people with diabetes;
       Whereas every day 230 people with diabetes undergo an 
     amputation, 120 people enter end-stage kidney disease 
     programs, and 55 people go blind from diabetes;
       Whereas there is not yet a cure for diabetes;
       Whereas there are proven means to reduce the incidence of 
     and delay the onset of type 2 diabetes;
       Whereas people with diabetes live healthy, productive lives 
     with the proper management and treatment; and
       Whereas National Diabetes Month is celebrated in November: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Diabetes 
     Month, including encouraging people in the United States to 
     fight diabetes through raising public awareness about 
     stopping diabetes and increasing education about the disease;
       (2) recognizes the importance of early detection, awareness 
     of the symptoms of diabetes, and the risk factors for 
     diabetes, which include--
       (A) being over the age of 45;
       (B) coming from certain ethnic backgrounds;
       (C) being overweight;
       (D) having a low physical activity level;
       (E) having high blood pressure; and
       (F) a family history of diabetes or a history of diabetes 
     during pregnancy; and
       (3) supports decreasing the prevalence of diabetes, 
     developing better treatments, and working toward an eventual 
     cure in the United States through increased research, 
     treatment, and prevention.

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