[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 462 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 462
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 12, 2018
Mr. Udall (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, Ms. Heitkamp, Ms.
Warren, Mr. Cardin, Mr. King, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr.
Blumenthal, Mr. Heinrich, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Brown, Ms. Hassan, and Mr.
Van Hollen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.
Whereas the week of April 2, 2018, through April 8, 2018, is National Public
Health Week;
Whereas the theme for National Public Health Week in 2018 is ``Healthiest Nation
2030: Changing Our Future Together'', with the goal of making the United
States the healthiest Nation in one generation;
Whereas there is a significant difference in the health status of individuals
with different abilities and demographics, such as obesity, poor mental
health and infectious disease, of people living in the healthiest States
compared to people living in the least healthy States;
Whereas according to the National Academy of Medicine, despite being one of the
wealthiest nations in the world, the United States ranks below many
other economically prosperous and developing countries with respect to
measures of health, including life expectancy, infant mortality and
maternal mortality rates;
Whereas the life expectancy for the United States population declined for the
second year in a row, and the leading causes of deaths are among the
most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems;
Whereas despite having a high infant mortality rate compared to other
economically prosperous and developing countries, and the death rate
varying greatly among States, overall, the United States was making
steady progress, until recently, with the infant mortality rate reaching
a historic low of 5.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2016;
Whereas more women die from pregnancy-related deaths in the United States than
any other developed country, and the number of maternal deaths per
100,000 live births has increased from 16.9 in 1990 to 26.4 in 2015;
Whereas the number of overdose deaths involving opioids was more than five times
higher than in 1999 and 115 Americans on average die every day from an
opioid-involved death requiring a comprehensive strategy across a range
of sectors including robust efforts to prevent substance misuse
disorders;
Whereas the percentage of adults using tobacco products in the United States,
the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States,
accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year including more than
41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke, decreased from 20.9
percent in 2005 to 15.5 percent in 2016;
Whereas approximately 554,000 adults suffered from homelessness in the United
States in 2017, an increase since 2010, with 35 percent of homeless
individuals still living unsheltered;
Whereas the value of a strong public health system is in the air we breathe, the
water we drink, the food we eat, and the places where we all live,
learn, work, worship, and play;
Whereas public health organizations use National Public Health Week to educate
the public, policymakers, and public health professionals on issues that
are important to improving the health of the people of the United
States;
Whereas studies show that small strategic investments in prevention can result
in significant savings in health care costs;
Whereas each 10 percent increase in local public health spending contributes to
a 6.9 percent decrease in infant deaths, a 3.2 percent decrease in
deaths related to cardiovascular disease, a 1.4 percent decrease in
deaths due to diabetes, and a 1.1 percent decrease in cancer-related
deaths;
Whereas public health professionals help communities prevent, prepare for,
withstand, and recover from the impact of a full range of health
threats, including disease outbreaks such as the Zika virus, natural
disasters, and disasters caused by human activity;
Whereas public health professionals collaborate with partners that are not in
the health sector, such as city planners, transportation officials,
education officials, and private sector businesses, recognizing that
other sectors have an important influence on health;
Whereas in communities across the United States, people are changing the way
they care for their health by avoiding tobacco use, eating healthier,
becoming more physically active, and preventing unintentional injuries
at home and in the workplace; and
Whereas efforts to adequately support public health and prevention can continue
to transform a health system focused on treating illness to a health
system focused on preventing disease and promoting wellness: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Public Health
Week;
(2) recognizes the efforts of public health professionals,
the Federal Government, States, Tribes, municipalities, local
communities, and individuals in preventing disease, injury, and
promoting quality of life;
(3) recognizes the role of public health in improving the
health of individuals in the United States;
(4) encourages increased efforts and resources to improve
the health of people in the United States to create the
healthiest Nation in one generation through--
(A) greater opportunities to improve community
health and prevent disease and injury;
(B) strengthening the public health system in the
United States; and
(C) using data to guide policies and behaviors that
promote health and quality of life; and
(5) encourages the people of the United States to learn
about the role of the public health system in improving health
in the United States.
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