[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 84 (Monday, June 13, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S3738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING NATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to S. Res. 207.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 207) Supporting National Men's Health
Week.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider
be laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 207) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 207
Whereas despite advances in medical technology and
research, men continue to live an average of more than 5
years less 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 ages 45 and 54, men are over 1\1/2\ times
more likely than women to die of heart attacks;
Whereas men die of heart disease at 1\1/2\ times the rate
of women;
Whereas men die of cancer at almost 1\1/2\ times the rate
of women;
Whereas testicular cancer is 1 of the most common cancers
in men aged 15 to 34, and, when detected early, has a 96
percent survival rate;
Whereas the number of cases of colon cancer among men will
reach almost 49,470 in 2010, and nearly half of those men
will die from the disease;
Whereas the likelihood that a man will develop prostate
cancer is 1 in 6;
Whereas the number of men who developed prostate cancer in
2010 is expected to reach more than 217,730, and an estimated
32,050 of those men will die 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 health problems that affect
men, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, colon
cancer, and infertility, could be detected and treated if
awareness among men of those problems was more pervasive;
Whereas more than \1/2\ of the elderly widows now living in
poverty were not poor before the death of their husbands, and
by age 100, women outnumber men by a ratio of 4 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 those
diseases;
Whereas appropriate use of tests such as prostate specific
antigen 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 those problems in their early stages
and increase the survival rates to nearly 100 percent;
Whereas women are 2 times more likely than men to visit
their doctor for annual examinations and preventive services;
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;
Whereas Congress established National Men's Health Week 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 all 50 States issue proclamations
annually declaring Men's Health Week in their respective
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 United States that
promote health awareness events focused on men and family;
Whereas the National Men's Health Week Internet 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 lifespans and
their roles 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;
Whereas June 13 through 19, 2011, is National Men's Health
Week; and
Whereas the purpose of National Men's Health Week is to
heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and
encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men
and boys: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the annual National Men's Health Week; and
(2) calls upon the people of the United States and
interested groups to observe National Men's Health Week with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
____________________