[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 19, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3599-H3601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               NATIONAL CHILDHOOD OBESITY AWARENESS MONTH

  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 996) expressing support for designation of 
September as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 996

       Whereas during the past four decades, obesity rates have 
     soared among all age groups, increasing more than fourfold 
     among children ages 6 to 11;
       Whereas 31.8 percent or 23,000,000 children and teenagers 
     ages 2 to 19 are obese or overweight, a statistic that health 
     and medical experts consider an epidemic;
       Whereas significant disparities exist among the obesity 
     rates of children based on race and poverty; for example on 
     average 38 percent of Mexican-American children and 34.9 
     percent of African-American children ages 2 to 19 are 
     overweight or obese, compared with 30.7 percent of White 
     children and 39.5 percent of low-income American Indian and 
     Alaska Native children ages 2 to 5;
       Whereas the financial implications of childhood obesity 
     pose a financial threat to our economy and health care 
     system, carrying up to $14,000,000,000 per year in direct 
     health care cost, with people in the United States spending 
     about 9 percent of their total medical costs on obesity-
     related illnesses;
       Whereas obese young people have an 80 percent chance of 
     being obese adults and are more likely than children of 
     normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and 
     therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems, 
     including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, 
     stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis;
       Whereas in part due to the childhood obesity epidemic, 1 in 
     3 children (and nearly 1 in 2 minority children) born in the 
     year 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes at some point in their 
     lifetime if current trends continue;
       Whereas some consequences of childhood and adolescent 
     obesity are psychosocial and

[[Page H3600]]

     can hinder academic and social functioning and persist into 
     adulthood;
       Whereas participating in physical activity is important for 
     children and teens as it may have beneficial effects not only 
     on body weight, but also on blood pressure and bone strength;
       Whereas proper nutrition is important for children before 
     birth and through their life span as nutrition has beneficial 
     effects for health and body weight, and is important in the 
     prevention of various chronic diseases;
       Whereas childhood obesity is preventable, yet does not 
     appear to be declining;
       Whereas public, community-based, and private sector 
     organizations and individuals throughout the United States, 
     including First Lady Michelle Obama, are working to decrease 
     childhood obesity rates for people in the United States of 
     all races through a range of efforts, including educational 
     presentations, media campaigns, Web sites, policies, 
     healthier food options, and greater opportunities for 
     physical activity; and
       Whereas America on the Move, American Beverage Association, 
     American College of Sports Medicine, American Diabetes 
     Association, American Dietetic Association, American Heart 
     Association, American Medical Association, American Medical 
     Group Association, American Sleep Apnea Association, American 
     Society of Bariatric Physicians, American Society for 
     Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, American Society for 
     Nutrition, American Society of Landscape Architects, 
     Amerinet, BET Foundation, Black Leadership Forum, Black 
     Women's Health Imperative, Campaign to End Obesity, Canyon 
     Ranch Institute, Center for Science in the Public Interest, 
     Children's Health Fund, Children's National Medical Center, 
     Children Now, COSHAR Foundation, First Focus, Grocery 
     Manufacturers Association, Healthcare Leadership Council, 
     HealthCorps, Healthways, International, Health, Racquet, and 
     Sportsclub Association, Medical Fitness Association, NAACP, 
     National Association of Children's Hospitals, National 
     Association of Chronic Disease Directors, National 
     Association of School Nurses, National Association for Sport 
     and Physical Education, National Black Nurses Association, 
     National Collaboration for Youth, National Congress of Black 
     Women, Inc., National Council of Urban Indian Health, 
     National Family Caregivers Association, National Football 
     League, National Football League Players Association, 
     National Indian Health Board, National Latina Health Network, 
     National League of Cities, National Medical Association, 
     National Recreation and Park Association, Nemours, Obesity 
     Action Coalition, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, 
     Partnership for Prevention, PepsiCo, Richard Simmons' Ask 
     America PE Crusade, Safe Routes to School National 
     Partnership, ShapeUp America!, STOP Obesity Alliance, The 
     Coca-Cola Company, The Obesity Society, Trust for America's 
     Health, United Fresh Produce Association, United Way, 
     University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, 
     U.S. Conference of Mayors, U.S. Preventive Medicine, Inc., 
     Voices for America's Children, YMCA of the USA, YWCA USA, and 
     other organizations support the designation of September as 
     National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month to educate the 
     public about the need for increased education and proactive 
     steps to prevent childhood obesity in the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the designation of National Childhood Obesity 
     Awareness Month to raise public awareness and mobilize the 
     country to address childhood obesity;
       (2) recognizes the importance of preventing childhood 
     obesity and decreasing its prevalence in the United States; 
     and
       (3) requests that the President encourage the Federal 
     Government, States, tribes and tribal organizations, 
     localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, 
     other entities, and the people of the United States to 
     observe the month with appropriate programs and activities 
     with the goal of promoting healthy eating and physical 
     activity and increasing awareness of childhood obesity among 
     individuals of all ages and walks of life.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Capps) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of House Resolution 996, expressing support 
for the designation of September as National Childhood Obesity 
Awareness Month. I would like to commend my colleague from Ohio, Marcia 
Fudge, for introducing this resolution which I am proud to cosponsor.
  This is a bipartisan resolution, supported by over 75 national 
organizations representing both the public and private sectors. By 
dedicating September, the month when most children have returned to 
school, to focus attention on combating childhood obesity, we can set 
our kids on a healthier course for the entire school year. 
Consideration of this resolution is particularly timely, given last 
week's release of the Task Force on Childhood Obesity's report by the 
White House and the strong championship of First Lady Michelle Obama on 
this issue.
  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 
every three American children ages 2 to 19 is overweight or obese, and 
studies conducted at the National Center for Health Statistics of the 
CDC found that obesity more than tripled among children and adolescents 
between 1976 and 2008. Childhood obesity is a problem for the entire 
Nation, but it is more common among certain racial and ethnic groups, 
with the highest obesity rates present among African American girls and 
Hispanic boys.
  Obesity is a serious health threat. It's estimated to cause 112,000 
deaths per year, and one in three children born in the year 2000 are 
expected to develop diabetes during his or her lifetime. Unless this 
trend is reversed, at least 23 million American kids will be in danger 
of becoming the first generation in American history to have shorter 
life spans than their parents. As a former school nurse, I've seen all 
too well that the consequences of obesity aren't just manifested 
physically. There are also devastating behavioral and mental health 
implications, as obesity is associated with lower self-esteem, poor 
academic achievement and depression.
  Supporting awareness and prevention of childhood obesity can help us 
eliminate billions of dollars in unnecessary health care costs and help 
promote a healthier lifestyle that will prolong and improve the lives 
of the next generation of Americans. I urge my colleagues to vote in 
favor of this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H. Res. 996, to support the designation of 
September as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. A third of the 
people ages 2 to 19 are obese now, and experience tells us that they 
probably will grow both literally and figuratively into obese adults. 
It means that in just a few years, a disproportionately high number of 
them will hear a doctor explain that they have heart disease or 
diabetes or cancer or arthritis or an increased chance of having a 
stroke. But childhood obesity is preventable, and so it doesn't have to 
lead to bad news in a doctor's office later in life. Exercise and good 
nutrition that start early not only fight childhood obesity but also 
instill the habits that promote lifelong health.
  Let me say a word about personal responsibility here. No 
congressional resolution can replace the good sense of concerned 
parents. I think most parents know instinctively that healthy families 
produce healthy adults, and I commend them. I also think they deserve 
our recognition and appreciation and encouragement. In the final 
analysis, any attempt to raise awareness of a problem like childhood 
obesity must involve individuals making good choices for the sake of 
their own health. Raising our voices to help advance public awareness 
of that crucial, beneficial truth is worthwhile business for the 
people's House to undertake.
  I would like to thank the sponsor of this resolution, Representative 
Marcia Fudge from Ohio, for all of her work on this resolution. I would 
also like to thank Representative Bono Mack who has labored so hard to 
bring attention to the childhood obesity problem. We stand in support 
of this legislation and hope that our colleagues will join us.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlelady from Ohio, Congresswoman Fudge.
  Ms. FUDGE. I thank the gentlewoman from California so much. This is 
something for which I am very, very passionate, and I am pleased and 
proud

[[Page H3601]]

to be one of the sponsors of this legislation and to be on this floor 
today to talk just briefly about it. I, along with Representative Kay 
Granger of Texas, introduced House Resolution 996, designating 
September 2010 as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. This is a 
bipartisan resolution, supported by over 75 national organizations 
including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Education 
Association, the YMCA, the YWCA, the American Medical Association, 
United Way, NAACP, and the National Indian Health Board.
  Dedicating at least one month out of each year to bring awareness to 
the issue of childhood obesity will help maximize the effect of 
programming, messaging and campaigns--all aligned with the sole purpose 
of eradicating childhood obesity. According to the Alliance for a 
Healthier Generation, one in three children are already overweight or 
obese. Unless we work to reverse this epidemic, these 23 million kids 
will be in danger of never being grandparents. Imagine living a life, 
and you know that you may never live long enough to be a grandparent. 
Imagine a day when our children can't play on playgrounds because they 
can't play kickball because they're winded; or they can't play 
basketball because they're winded; or they can't run track. This is 
very, very important. I want to say that it is significant that we 
today work with the White House and so many others who are looking at 
how we deal with not just obesity but nutrition. It is important for us 
to be sure that young people receive a healthy start, and a lot of that 
is not in the hands of young people. It is in our hands.
  The financial implications of childhood obesity are overwhelming, at 
$14 billion per year in direct health care costs. Supporting awareness 
and prevention of childhood obesity will eliminate billions of dollars 
in unnecessary health care costs and help promote a healthier lifestyle 
that will prolong and improve the lives of the next generation of 
Americans.

                              {time}  1345

  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).
  Ms. TITUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 996, a 
resolution to recognize September as National Childhood Obesity 
Awareness Month, and I applaud Congresswoman Fudge for introducing this 
resolution to bring awareness to such an important issue.
  Obesity has been linked to a wide range of negative health outcomes, 
and the alarming rise of childhood obesity, if left unchecked, could 
lead to a national health crisis. Obese children are at greater risk 
for a number of diseases and are more likely to have health problems 
that put them at risk throughout their life for diabetes, 
cardiovascular illness, and cancer.
  According to the Centers for Disease Control, childhood obesity has 
more than tripled in the past 30 years, so it is vital that we take 
action, recognize the problem, and begin to address it.
  I, too, would like to commend First Lady Michele Obama and, in 
Nevada, State Senator Valerie Weiner for their tireless efforts to 
combat this problem.
  I am also proud to serve on the Education and Labor Committee which 
will soon be taking up reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. I 
look forward to the opportunity to address childhood obesity and the 
crisis it creates through that important legislation.
  In the meantime, I am pleased to support the resolution before us 
today, H. Res. 996, brought by the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge) 
because it will help raise awareness of childhood obesity, acknowledge 
its adverse lifetime consequences, and offer ways to combat the growing 
problem.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, so I urge my 
colleagues to support H. Res. 996, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 996, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
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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