[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 2548-2549]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          AMERICAN HEART MONTH

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today, there will be a lot 
of focus on hearts, and I would like to talk about heart health.

[[Page 2549]]

  February marks American Heart Month, which is an annual awareness 
campaign for the number one killer in the United States--heart disease.
  The first American Heart Month was declared in 1964 by President 
Lyndon B. Johnson. While the death rate from heart disease has dropped 
considerably since the 1960s, we still have much work to do.
  More than 17 million deaths a year are attributed to heart disease 
and stroke. But studies show that 80 percent of cardiac events and 
strokes are preventable.
  What is truly important for Americans to know is that heart disease 
is within their control if they have a family history where a loved one 
has suffered, or even died, from heart disease.
  The good news is that the risk of heart disease can be lowered 
through a healthy lifestyle and regular checkups.
  It is my hope that all Americans will take their heart health 
seriously and educate themselves on how to lead a healthy life in the 
spirit of American Heart Month.

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