[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10132-10134]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  EXPRESSING SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH REGARD TO THE 
               IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL WOMEN'S HEALTH WEEK

  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 833) expressing the sense of the House 
of Representatives with regard to the importance of National Women's 
Health Week, which promotes awareness of diseases that affect women and 
which encourages women to take preventive measures to ensure good 
health, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 833

       Whereas women of all backgrounds have the power to greatly 
     reduce their risk of common diseases through preventive 
     measures such as a healthy lifestyle and frequent medical 
     screenings;
       Whereas significant disparities exist in the prevalence of 
     disease among women of different backgrounds, including women 
     with disabilities, African American women, Asian/Pacific 
     Islander women, Latinas, and American Indian/Alaska Native 
     women;
       Whereas since healthy habits should begin at a young age, 
     and preventive care saves Federal dollars designated to 
     health care, it is important to raise awareness among women 
     and girls of key female health issues;
       Whereas National Women's Health Week begins on Mother's Day 
     annually and celebrates the efforts of national and community

[[Page 10133]]

     organizations working with partners and volunteers to improve 
     awareness of key women's health issues; and
       Whereas in 2006, the week of May 14 through May 20, is 
     dedicated as the National Women's Health Week: Now therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the importance of preventing diseases that 
     commonly affect women;
       (2) calls on the people of the United States to use 
     National Women's Health Week as an opportunity to learn about 
     health issues that face women;
       (3) calls on the women of the United States to observe 
     National Women's Check-Up Day by receiving preventive 
     screenings from their health care providers; and
       (4) recognizes the importance of programs that provide 
     research and collect data on common diseases in women.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on this legislation, and to insert extraneous material on 
the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 833, authored by Mr. 
Hinchey, Mrs. Bono and Mrs. Capps, expressing the sense of Congress on 
the importance of Women's Health Week.
  Each year Women's Health Week promotes awareness about steps women 
can take to improve their health. The focus is on the importance of 
incorporating simple, preventative, and positive health behaviors into 
women's everyday lives.
  When women take simple steps to improve their health, the results can 
be significant. Many of the leading causes of death among women, such 
as heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes are preventable and 
treatable if the warning signs are recognized.
  Events like National Women's Health Week and National Women's Checkup 
Day are great opportunities to tell someone you love that their health 
is important. Remind a mother, sister, spouse, daughter or friend to 
get regular checkups, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, quit 
smoking, and follow safety rules.
  I commend the hundreds of volunteers, women's groups, health 
organizations, businesses, and charitable organizations who have helped 
to make National Women's Health Week a success.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution in 
recognition of National Women's Health Week.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 833, which 
celebrates National Women's Health Week. I would like to thank my 
colleagues, Mr. Hinchey, Mrs. Bono, and Mr. Hayworth, for their work on 
this issue, as well as our chairman, Mr. Deal.
  This week is celebrated annually in order to raise awareness about 
diseases and conditions that specifically affect women. This also 
includes how common diseases affect women differently than they affect 
men. For too long research lacked gender specificity, and because of 
that, we lacked vital information about how women experience disease 
differently from men. This is especially true with respect to heart 
disease, and that happens to be the number one killer of women.
  Women's Health Week is also a time to raise awareness about important 
preventive care measures that all women should take. With the growing 
number of uninsured in this country, it is no surprise that women are 
skipping doctor visits that ought to be routine. Knowing that this is 
especially true for low-income women and minority women, I applaud 
national efforts to use National Women's Health Week as a time to offer 
free screenings and conduct outreach to communities that are often left 
behind.
  National Women's Health Week is not just a concept, but it truly is a 
large-scale effort by individuals, government, local and national 
organizations in order to highlight practical steps women can take to 
improve their lives and their health.
  During this week, women can access essential checkups, services like 
mammograms and bone density screenings. These screenings can catch 
serious conditions like breast cancer early before it is life-
threatening, and osteoporosis before it results in fractures.
  I support this resolution celebrating National Women's Health Week 
because it focuses attention on gender disparities in health care 
delivery. I urge my colleagues to support it as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Hinchey).
  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend and colleague, the 
gentlewoman from California, for organizing the time for this 
discussion this evening.
  I think this resolution before us at the moment is very, very 
important. It calls upon the House of Representatives to recognize the 
importance of National Women's Health Week. The importance of National 
Women's Health Week is to draw people's attention from all across our 
country to the issues that affect the health of women in America. And 
those issues affect women of all ages.
  One of the things that we are attempting to do with regard to 
National Women's Health Week is to draw attention to the necessity to 
try to live better lifestyles, healthier lifestyles, and to take 
advantage of the opportunities for medical screening.

                              {time}  2045

  One of the unfortunate situations that we confront in our country, of 
course, is the fact that we still do not have a system of national 
health insurance. And so consequently, many women will not be able to 
take advantage of opportunities to get medical screening because they 
do not have insurance.
  But, in the meantime, this resolution focuses attention on the need 
to live healthier lifestyles, to be aware of the various diseases and 
other health concerns that affect women, to take the necessary 
precautions to deal with those issues, to live the healthiest possible 
lifestyle, and to get the best appropriate medical attention.
  It also thanks all of the agencies, and organizations across our 
country that devote their time and attention to the issue of womens' 
health. Womens' health is important for all of us, and that is why this 
resolution is so important for the Members of this House and for all of 
our constituents all across America.
  I ask my colleagues to devote their attention to this resolution, to 
support it favorably, and to ensure its passage, because this issue is 
critically important to every single family in America. I ask that we 
give it the appropriate attention that it deserves and that the 
resolution be passed unanimously.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I do have an additional speaker who 
has arrived. I am pleased to recognize my colleague from Georgia, Dr. 
Phil Gingrey, for 2 minutes.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Chairman Deal of the 
Health Subcommittee of Energy and Commerce. I thank Representative 
Hinchey and Representative Capps and all Members who bring this 
resolution, 833, before us this evening.
  Those of us involved in health care, like Representative Capps, as a 
registered nurse, and myself, as a physician, and not only a physician, 
but also a specialist dealing with women's health issues, as an OB-GYN, 
understand the importance of recognizing that this is National Women's 
Health Week. It promotes awareness of diseases that specifically affect 
women and encourage them to take preventive measures to ensure good 
health.
  It is a time when we need to tell all the women in our lives, our 
mothers,

[[Page 10134]]

our wives, our sisters, our daughters, our aunts, in my case, my 
children and grandchildren, and friends, how important it is to take 
time out for their health. It can be as simple as taking the stairs 
instead of an elevator, eating healthier or scheduling an appointment 
with a health care provider.
  Mr. Speaker, as an OB-GYN physician for nearly 30 years, I cannot 
stress enough how important a good relationship with your doctor is in 
maintaining your health. Women need to have conversations with their 
physicians regarding family history. They clearly need to understand 
the importance of screening tests and how to manage chronic diseases.
  I want all of America's women to take a moment to focus on promoting 
health and preventing disease and illness by taking very simple steps 
to improve their physical, mental, social and spiritual health.
  And I thank the chairman for allowing me to address this issue.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I actually have no additional speakers, and 
so I would yield back the balance of my time, by urging our entire body 
to follow as we seem to be in unanimity here this evening discussing 
this legislation that we adopt this resolution unanimously in the House 
as well.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time 
and therefore, I would yield back the balance of my time and urge the 
adoption of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California). The 
question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Deal) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. 
Res. 833, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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