[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 84 (Thursday, May 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1751-S1752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 221--PROMOTING MINORITY HEALTH AWARENESS AND 
 SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL MINORITY HEALTH MONTH IN 
APRIL 2023, WHICH INCLUDE BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE HEALTH DISPARITIES 
  FACED BY MINORITY POPULATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES SUCH AS AMERICAN 
INDIANS, ALASKA NATIVES, ASIAN AMERICANS, AFRICAN AMERICANS, HISPANICS, 
            AND NATIVE HAWAIIANS OR OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDERS

  Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Padilla, 
Mr. Menendez, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
Braun, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Brown) submitted the following resolution; 
which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 221

       Whereas the origin of National Minority Health Month is 
     National Negro Health Week, established in 1915 by Dr. Booker 
     T. Washington;
       Whereas the theme for National Minority Health Month in 
     2023 is ``Better Health Through Better Understanding'';
       Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services has set 
     goals and strategies to enhance and protect the health and 
     well-being of the people of the United States;
       Whereas African American women were as likely to have been 
     diagnosed with breast cancer as non-Hispanic White women, but 
     African American women were 41 percent more likely to die 
     from breast cancer than non-Hispanic White women between 2015 
     and 2019;
       Whereas African American women were twice as likely to be 
     diagnosed with and 2.3 times more likely to die of stomach 
     cancer than non-Hispanic White women;
       Whereas African American men are 70 percent more likely to 
     die from a stroke than non-Hispanic White men;
       Whereas Hispanics are twice as likely as non-Hispanic 
     Whites to be hospitalized for end-stage renal disease caused 
     by diabetes, and are 30 percent more likely to die of 
     diabetes, than non-Hispanic Whites;
       Whereas Asian Americans are 40 percent more likely to be 
     diagnosed with diabetes than non-Hispanic Whites;
       Whereas the HIV or AIDS case rate among Hispanic men is 4 
     times the HIV or AIDS case rate among non-Hispanic White men;
       Whereas Hispanic women are 3 times as likely as non-
     Hispanic White women to die of HIV infection;
       Whereas, in 2019, African Americans accounted for 42.1 
     percent of HIV infections and Hispanic Americans accounted 
     for almost 30 percent of HIV infections;
       Whereas, in 2019, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders 
     were 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than non-
     Hispanic Whites;
       Whereas, in 2018, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders 
     were 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than 
     non-Hispanic Whites;
       Whereas, although the prevalence of obesity is high among 
     all population groups in the United States, 48.1 percent of 
     American Indian and Alaska Natives, 51.7 percent of Native 
     Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, 38.3 percent of African 
     Americans, 34.9 percent of Hispanics, 30 percent of non-
     Hispanic Whites, and 13 percent of Asian Americans older than 
     18 years old were obese;
       Whereas Asian American and Pacific Islander adults 
     accounted for 30.1 percent of chronic Hepatitis B cases, and 
     non-Hispanic White adults accounted for 13.5 percent of 
     chronic Hepatitis B cases;
       Whereas heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes are 
     some of the leading causes of death among American Indians 
     and Alaska Natives;
       Whereas American Indians and Alaska Natives have higher 
     prevalence and are at a higher risk of diabetes, substance 
     use, obesity, sudden infant death syndrome, liver disease, 
     viral hepatitis, and suicide than other groups in the United 
     States;
       Whereas American Indians and Alaska Natives have a life 
     expectancy that is 2.2 years shorter than the life expectancy 
     of the overall population of the United States;
       Whereas African American women die from childbirth or 
     pregnancy-related causes at a rate that is 3 to 4 times 
     higher than the rate for non-Hispanic White women;
       Whereas African American infants are almost 4 times more 
     likely to die due to complications related to low birth 
     weight than non-Hispanic White infants;
       Whereas American Indians and Alaska Natives have an infant 
     mortality rate twice as high as that of non-Hispanic Whites;
       Whereas American Indian and Alaska Native infants are 2.7 
     times more likely to die from accidental deaths before their 
     first birthday than non-Hispanic White infants;
       Whereas approximately 1,000 babies are born with sickle 
     cell disease each year in the United States, with the disease 
     occurring in approximately 1 in 365 newborn Black or African-
     American infants and 1 in 16,300 newborn Hispanic-American 
     infants, and can be found in individuals of Mediterranean, 
     Middle Eastern, Asian, and Indian origin;
       Whereas, while more than 1 in 6 older adults have untreated 
     cavities, non-Hispanic Black older adults have between 2 and 
     3 times the rate of untreated cavities as non-Hispanic White 
     older adults;
       Whereas the 2022 National Healthcare Quality and 
     Disparities Report found American Indians and Alaska Natives 
     received worse care than non-Hispanic Whites for 43 percent 
     of quality measures;

[[Page S1752]]

       Whereas, as of 2023, with respect to hospitalizations due 
     to COVID-19, American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.4 
     times more likely, African Americans are 2.1 times more 
     likely, and Hispanics are 1.8 times more likely to be 
     hospitalized compared to non-Hispanic Whites;
       Whereas, as of 2023, with respect to deaths due to COVID-
     19, American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2 times more 
     likely, African Americans are 1.6 times more likely, and 
     Hispanics are 1.7 times more likely to die compared to non-
     Hispanic Whites; and
       Whereas the health innovations of the United States present 
     a unique opportunity to improve public health and health care 
     practices across the United States and to reduce disparities 
     among racial and ethnic minority populations: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate supports the recognition of 
     National Minority Health Month in April 2023, which includes 
     bringing attention to the health disparities faced by 
     minority populations in the United States, such as American 
     Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, African Americans, 
     Hispanics, and Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders.

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