III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 125 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 7, 2017 

Mr. UDALL (for himself, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. MARKEY, Ms. HEITKAMP, 

Ms. WARREN, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. KING, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. FRANKEN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. 

BROWN, 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 3, 2017, through April 9, 2017, 

is National Public Health Week; 

Whereas the theme of National Public Health Week in 2017 

is ‘‘Healthiest Nation 2030’’, with the goal of making the 

United States the healthiest country in 1 generation; 

Whereas, according to the National Academy of Medicine, despite being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, 

the United States ranks below many other economically 

prosperous and developing countries with respect to 

measures of health, including life expectancy and infant 

mortality rates; 


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•SRES 125 IS 

Whereas the life expectancy for the population of the United 

States has declined for the first time in more than 2 decades and the leading causes of deaths are among the 

most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems; 

Whereas there is a significant difference in the health status, 

including with respect to obesity, mental health, and infectious disease, of individuals who live in the healthiest 

States as compared with individuals who live in the least 

healthy States; 

Whereas, despite having a high infant mortality rate compared to other economically prosperous and developing 

countries, and a death rate that varies greatly among 

States, the United States, until recently, was making 

steady progress with respect to overall measures of public 

health, with the infant mortality rate in 2014 reaching a 

historic low of 5.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births; 

Whereas, since 1999, opioid-involved deaths have more than 

quadrupled, requiring a comprehensive strategy across a 

range of sectors, including robust efforts to prevent substance misuse disorders; 

Whereas the percentage of adults in the United States who 

smoke cigarettes, an activity that is the leading cause of 

preventable disease and death in the United States and 

accounts for more than 480,000 deaths each year, decreased from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 15.1 percent in 

2015; 

Whereas a strong public health system results in clean and 

healthy air, water, food, and places in which to live, 

learn, work, and play; 


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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, individuals are changing the way that 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 the transformation from a health 


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system that is focused on treating illness to a health system that is focused on preventing disease and promoting 

wellness: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Public Health Week; 

4 (2) recognizes the efforts of public health pro5 fessionals, the Federal Government, States, tribes, 

6 municipalities, local communities, and individuals in 

7 preventing disease and injury; 

8 (3) recognizes the role of the public health sys9 tem in improving the health of individuals in the 

10 United States; 

11 (4) encourages increased efforts, and the use of 

12 additional resources, to improve the health of people 

13 in the United States and make the United States 

14 the healthiest country in 1 generation— 

15 (A) through greater opportunities to im16 prove community health and prevent disease 

17 and injury; and 

18 (B) by strengthening the public health sys19 tem in the United States; and 

20 (5) encourages the people of the United States 

21 to learn about the role of the public health system 

22 in improving health in the United States. 

Æ 


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