[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 130 (Wednesday, July 31, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5258-S5259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 300--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL 
                           PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK

  Mr. UDALL (for himself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Cardin, Mr. 
Brown, Mr. Markey, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. King, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. 
Hassan, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Van Hollen, and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 300

       Whereas the week of April 1, 2019, through April 7, 2019, 
     is National Public Health Week;
       Whereas the theme for National Public Health Week in 2019 
     is ``Creating the Healthiest Nation: For science. For action. 
     For health.'';
       Whereas the goal of National Public Health Week in 2019 is 
     to recognize the contributions of public health to--
       (1) improving the health of the people of the United 
     States; and
       (2) achieving health equity;
       Whereas, in 2017, the life expectancy for the United States 
     population declined for the third year in a row, and some of 
     the leading causes of death are among the most common, 
     costly, and preventable of all health problems;
       Whereas there is a significant difference in the health 
     status of people living in the healthiest States compared to 
     people living in the least healthy States, including 
     differences in obesity rates, the prevalence of chronic 
     disease, and the prevalence of infectious disease;
       Whereas, despite significant progress in reducing the 
     infant mortality rate in the United States to a historic low 
     of 5.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017, the 
     number of infant deaths in the United States greatly varies 
     among States;
       Whereas women die from pregnancy-related deaths in the 
     United States at a higher rate than in many other developed 
     countries, and an estimated 60 percent of maternal deaths are 
     preventable;
       Whereas poisoning, including drug overdose, has become the 
     leading cause of accidental death in the United States, with 
     the number of drug overdoses more than tripling between 1999 
     and 2016;
       Whereas, on average, 130 people in the United States die 
     every day from an opioid overdose;
       Whereas the smoking of cigarettes is the leading cause of 
     preventable disease and death in the United States, 
     accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year, including 
     more than 41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke;
       Whereas the percentage of adults in the United States who 
     smoke cigarettes has decreased from 20.9 percent of the 
     population in 2005 to 14 percent of the population in 2017;
       Whereas, according to data from the National Youth Tobacco 
     Survey, between 2017 and 2018, current electronic cigarette 
     use by students in the United States increased by 78 percent 
     among high school students and by 48 percent among middle 
     school students;
       Whereas public health organizations use National Public 
     Health Week to educate the public, policymakers, and public 
     health professionals on issues that are important to

[[Page S5259]]

     improving the health of the people of the United States;
       Whereas studies show that small strategic investments in 
     prevention can result in significant savings in health care 
     costs;
       Whereas vaccination is 1 of the most significant public 
     health achievements in history and has resulted in 
     substantial decreases in--
       (1) the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths 
     associated with vaccine-preventable diseases; and
       (2) the amount of health care costs associated with 
     vaccine-preventable diseases;
       Whereas each 10 percent increase in local public health 
     spending contributes to--
       (1) a 6.9 percent decrease in infant deaths;
       (2) a 3.2 percent decrease in deaths related to 
     cardiovascular disease;
       (3) a 1.4 percent decrease in deaths due to diabetes; and
       (4) a 1.1 percent decrease in cancer-related deaths;
       Whereas public health professionals help communities 
     prevent, prepare for, withstand, and recover from the impact 
     of a full range of health threats, including--
       (1) disease outbreaks, such as the Zika virus and measles;
       (2) natural disasters; and
       (3) disasters caused by human activity;
       Whereas public health professionals collaborate with 
     partners that are not in the health sector, such as city 
     planners, transportation officials, education officials, and 
     private sector businesses, recognizing that other sectors 
     have an important influence on health;
       Whereas, in communities across the United States, people 
     are changing the way they care for their health by avoiding 
     tobacco use, eating healthier, becoming more physically 
     active, and preventing unintentional injuries at home and in 
     the workplace; and
       Whereas efforts to adequately support public health and the 
     prevention of disease and injury can continue to transform a 
     health system focused on treating illness into a health 
     system focused on preventing disease and injury and promoting 
     wellness: 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, Tribes, municipalities, local 
     communities, and individuals in preventing disease and 
     injury;
       (3) recognizes the role of public health in improving the 
     health of individuals in the United States;
       (4) encourages increased efforts and resources to improve 
     the health of people in the United States and make the United 
     States, in 1 generation, the healthiest nation in the world--
       (A) by providing greater opportunities to improve community 
     health and prevent disease and injury; and
       (B) by strengthening the public health system in the United 
     States; and
       (5) encourages the people of the United States to learn 
     about the role of the public health system in improving 
     health in the United States.

                          ____________________