    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 9695 of January 31, 2018

    American Heart Month, 2018

    By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    More than 600,000 Americans die of heart disease each year, making it
    the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
    In addition to remembering our lost loved ones, American Heart Month is
    a time to raise awareness about the risk factors, warning signs, and
    symptoms associated with this killer disease. This February, we renew
    our commitment to the battle against cardiovascular disease. With the
    help of our Nation's leading medical professionals and appropriate
    preventative measures, we hope for a future where heart disease no
    longer claims the lives of so many American men and women.
    Thanks to ongoing advancements, medical procedures to treat heart
    conditions are now more precise and less invasive, recoveries are
    faster, and complications are fewer. We also now better understand
    conditions that increase the risk of heart disease among older adults--
    such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes--and
    more effective therapies and medications to prevent and treat them. And,
    we are better able to identify warning signs at an early stage.
    Even with these encouraging developments, nearly half of all Americans
    between ages 45 and 65 have heart disease or a related condition. The
    risk of heart disease increases with age, so for most people, prevention
    is the best deterrent. People should also understand that they may be
    subject to unique risk factors, often based on family history, which may
    require them to take appropriate, targeted preventative measures.
    Whatever risk factors they may face, there are many steps people can
    take to make coronary disease less likely. The most effective are eating
    a healthy diet, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy body
    weight, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and not smoking.
    During our observance of American Heart Month, we remember those we have
    lost to heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. We honor
    healthcare providers and medical researchers who strive to advance both
    the treatment and prevention of this epidemic. And we encourage all
    Americans to commit to taking charge of their heart health, this month
    and every month.
    In acknowledgement of the importance of the ongoing fight against
    cardiovascular disease, the Congress, by Joint Resolution approved on
    December 30, 1963, as amended (36 U.S.C. 101), has requested that the
    President issue an annual proclamation designating February as American
    Heart Month.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
    America, do hereby proclaim February 2018 as American Heart Month. The
    First Lady and I encourage all Americans to participate in National Wear
    Red Day on February 2, 2018, to raise awareness and reaffirm our
    commitment to fighting heart disease. I also invite the Governors of the
    States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of other areas
    subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and the

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    American people to join me in recognizing and reaffirming our commitment
    to fighting cardiovascular disease.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
    January, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    second.
    DONALD J. TRUMP