[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2172]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 IN RECOGNITION OF AMERICAN HEART MONTH

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, February is American Heart Month. As 
cochair of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition, I rise today 
to urge my colleagues to commit to the fight against this devastating 
disease.
  Heart disease remains the Nation's leading cause of death. Stroke is 
the No. 3 killer. More than 70 million adults in the United States 
suffer from heart disease, stroke, or other cardiovascular diseases. 
Cardiovascular diseases will cost our Nation an estimated $403 billion 
in 2006, including more than $250 billion in direct medical costs.
  Although we need to continue to fund research to unlock the many 
mysteries that remain, we can make real progress in the fight against 
cardiovascular diseases by applying the knowledge that we already have 
today. A recent study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood 
Institute found that by quitting smoking, reducing obesity and 
controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels, you can add 10 years 
to your life.
  Thanks to our prior investments in cardiovascular research and 
prevention programs, we are now at a point where we have the tools in 
hand to make substantial progress. Yet, we find ourselves at a 
crossroads. As the population ages, the number of Americans affected by 
cardiovascular diseases will rapidly increase if we don't take the 
right steps today. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of deaths 
from heart disease will increase by nearly 130 percent.
  Now is the time to redouble our efforts to fight heart disease, 
stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, not back away from our 
commitment. Yet, the President's budget proposal for fiscal year 2007 
would cut funding for medical research and cardiovascular disease 
prevention programs.
  The administration has even proposed eliminating a program to help 
rural communities purchase automated external defibrillators, AEDs. 
Last year, over my objection, Congress cut funding for this program by 
more than 80 percent. This makes no sense to me. AEDs are small, laptop 
size devices that help restore normal heart function after cardiac 
arrest. AEDs save lives, especially when placed in areas where large 
numbers of people congregate and in rural communities where emergency 
medical personnel are not readily available.
  That is why I was pleased to see the Architect of the Capitol 
announce last month that AEDs will be placed around the Capitol 
complex. However, I find it highly ironic that Congress decided to 
purchase AEDs for its own buildings while slashing funding for programs 
that help rural communities purchase the same devices.
  In the next several weeks, we will have a serious debate in the 
Senate about the administration's budget proposal. The decisions we 
will make will clearly show our priorities. I urge my colleagues to 
make the fight against heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular 
diseases a top priority.

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