[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 35 (Thursday, March 11, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1463-S1464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 453--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF ``NATIONAL 
                          PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK''

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico (for himself, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Burris, 
Mr. Wyden, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Tester, Mr. Begich, Mr. Durbin, 
and Mr. Merkley) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 453

       Whereas the week of April 5 through 11, 2010, is ``National 
     Public Health Week'';

[[Page S1464]]

       Whereas the theme of ``National Public Health Week'' is ``A 
     Healthier America: One Community at a Time'';
       Whereas the United States spends more on health care than 
     any other country in the world, but an estimated 47,000,000 
     people in the United States do not have health insurance and 
     millions more do not have access to life-saving clinical 
     preventive services;
       Whereas millions of people in the United States do not have 
     access to cost-effective, community-based preventive 
     services;
       Whereas many of the illnesses that are caused by tobacco 
     use, poor diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption 
     are potentially preventable;
       Whereas many neighborhoods lack access to safe walkways and 
     bikeways, are inaccessible by public transportation, and are 
     too far from offices, schools, health providers, and grocery 
     stores to walk;
       Whereas studies have shown that 10,500,000 cases of 
     infectious disease and 33,000 deaths can be prevented in the 
     United States by the standard childhood immunization series;
       Whereas public health professionals and lawmakers are 
     working to enact a health reform bill that emphasizes 
     prevention and supports a strong public health 
     infrastructure, despite challenges; and
       Whereas a change in individual communities will improve the 
     health of the people of the United States: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Public 
     Health Week'';
       (2) recognizes the efforts of public health professionals, 
     the Federal Government, States, municipalities, local 
     communities, and individuals in improving the health of the 
     people of the United States;
       (3) recognizes the role of public health programs in 
     preventing disease, promoting good health, protecting the 
     food supply, protecting worker health and safety, ensuring 
     access to clean air and water, promoting nutrition for 
     children, and achieving the many other benefits of public 
     health programs that promote the health of the people of the 
     United States;
       (4) encourages efforts to increase access to both clinical 
     and community-based preventive services and to strengthen the 
     public health system of the United States to improve the 
     health of the people of the United States;
       (5) encourages community planners to consider the health 
     implications of planning decisions and to plan communities 
     and transportation systems that enable all residents to 
     access safe, affordable housing, nutritious foods, clean air 
     and water, public transportation, safe sidewalks, safe 
     streets, and public health services; and
       (6) encourages each person in the United States to learn 
     about the role of public health programs in improving the 
     health of the people of the United States.

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. President, I rise to ask the U.S. Senate 
to resolve that April 5th-11th be known as National Public Health Week 
2010. I submit this resolution along with my colleagues Senators Akaka, 
Begich, Sherrod Brown, Burris, Durbin, Menendez, Tester, Wyden, and 
Berkley.
  Since 1995, we have recognized the first week in April as National 
Public Health Week in order to help focus the efforts of hundreds of 
thousands of public health professionals and organizations to educate 
the public, policymakers, and practitioners about the importance of 
public health.
  This year's theme is ``A Healthier America: One Community at a 
Time.'' This is especially timely since I hope that we sill soon pass 
comprehensive health care reform and because for the first time, the 
next generation is not expected to be healthier that the previous one. 
This is also consistent with the First Lady Michelle Obama's efforts to 
reduce child obesity.
  Our Nation's health is in poor shape. Despite spending more money on 
health care than any other country, more than 47 million Americans 
still do not have health insurance, nearly 900,000 people die from 
deaths that can be prevented each year, and we lag far behind the rest 
of the developed world in preventing obesity, HIV/AIDS infections, and 
many other diseases.
  During this week, public health workers across the country will be 
focusing on how to more fully and effectively achieve a healthier 
Nation. They will be addressing the underlying social and economic 
conditions that encourage individuals and communities to be healthy, as 
well as shifting us from a Nation solely focused on treating individual 
illness to one that also promotes population-based health services that 
encourage preventive and early intervention practices.
  For example, public health and prevention strategies from the 
foundation for health system reform. Community-level intervention has 
more positive health impact on people than individual interventions 
alone. Population-based programs address main causes of disease, 
disability and health disparities for a wide range of people and can 
help achieve increased value for our health dollar.
  During National Public Health Week, Americans will be asked to 
champion public health by making healthy changes--big and small--in 
their families, individual neighborhoods, workplaces and schools.
  I wish to thank the American Public Health Association for leading 
this effort and the National Association of County and City Health 
Officials, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and 
Partnership for Prevention for endorsing this recognition, and helping 
us highlight the importance of strengthening our public health system 
and encouraging Americans to value public health and take part in 
preventing disease and building healthier communities.

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