III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 403 

Designating February 2018 as ‘‘American Heart Month’’ and February 2, 

2018, as ‘‘National Wear Red Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 12, 2018 

Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. HEITKAMP, 

Ms. CANTWELL, Ms. STABENOW, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. CAPITO, Ms. BALDWIN, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. WARREN, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. 

HASSAN, Ms. SMITH, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, and Ms. DUCKWORTH) submitted 

the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating February 2018 as ‘‘American Heart Month’’ 

and February 2, 2018, as ‘‘National Wear Red Day’’. 

Whereas cardiovascular disease affects men, women, and children of every age and race in the United States; 

Whereas, between 2003 and 2013, the death rate from cardiovascular disease fell nearly 30 percent, but cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of 

death in the United States, taking the lives of approximately 800,000 individuals in the United States each 

year and accounting for 1 in 3 deaths across the United 

States; 


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Whereas congenital heart defects are the most common birth 

defect in the United States, as well as the leading killer 

of infants with birth defects; 

Whereas, each year, an estimated 790,000 individuals in the 

United States have a heart attack, of whom an estimated 

115,000 die; 

Whereas cardiovascular disease accounts for 

$555,000,000,000 in health care expenditures and lost 

productivity annually; 

Whereas, by 2035, cardiovascular disease will account for 

$1,093,900,000,000 in health care expenditures and lost 

productivity annually; 

Whereas individuals in the United States have made great 

progress in reducing the death rate for cardiovascular 

disease, but this progress has been more modest with respect to the death rate for cardiovascular disease in 

women and minorities; 

Whereas many people do not recognize that cardiovascular 

disease is the leading killer of women in the United 

States, taking the lives of 400,000 women in 2014; 

Whereas nearly 2⁄3 of women who unexpectedly die of cardiovascular disease have no previous symptoms of the disease; 

Whereas nearly 1⁄2 of all African-American adults have some 

form of cardiovascular disease, including 47.7 percent of 

African-American women and 46 percent of AfricanAmerican men; 

Whereas Alaska Natives die from cardiovascular disease at 

younger ages than individuals from other ethnic groups; 


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Whereas it is estimated that 36 percent of Alaska Natives 

and American Indians who die of cardiovascular disease 

die before reaching 65 years of age; 

Whereas many minority women, including African-American, 

Hispanic, Asian-American, and Native American women 

and women from indigenous populations, have a greater 

prevalence of risk factors or are at a higher risk of death 

from heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases, but are less likely to know of the risk; 

Whereas, between 1965 and 2017, treatment of cardiovascular disease for women was largely based on medical 

research on men; 

Whereas, due to the differences in cardiovascular disease between men and women, more research and data on the 

effects of cardiovascular disease treatments for women is 

vital; 

Whereas extensive clinical and statistical studies have identified major and contributing factors that increase the risk 

of cardiovascular disease, including— 

(1) high blood pressure; 

(2) high blood cholesterol; 

(3) smoking tobacco products; 

(4) exposure to tobacco smoke; 

(5) physical inactivity; 

(6) obesity; and 

(7) diabetes mellitus; 

Whereas an individual can greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease through lifestyle modification coupled 

with medical treatment when necessary; 

Whereas greater awareness and early detection of risk factors 

for cardiovascular disease can improve and save the lives 


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of thousands of individuals in the United States each 

year; 

Whereas, under section 101(1) of title 36, United States 

Code, the President is requested to issue an annual proclamation designating February as American Heart 

Month; 

Whereas the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of 

the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart 

Association, and many other organizations celebrate National Wear Red Day during February by ‘‘going red’’ to 

increase awareness about cardiovascular disease as the 

leading killer of women; and 

Whereas, every year since 1964, the President has issued a 

proclamation designating the month of February as 

American Heart Month: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates— 

3 (A) February 2018 as ‘‘American Heart 

4 Month’’; and 

5 (B) February 2, 2018, as ‘‘National Wear 

6 Red Day’’; 

7 (2) supports the goals and ideals of American 

8 Heart Month and National Wear Red Day; 

9 (3) recognizes and reaffirms the commitment in 

10 the United States to fighting cardiovascular disease 

11 by— 

12 (A) promoting awareness about the causes, 

13 risks, and prevention of cardiovascular disease; 


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1 (B) supporting research on cardiovascular 

2 disease; and 

3 (C) expanding access to medical treatment; 

4 (4) commends the efforts of States, territories, 

5 and possessions of the United States, localities, non6 profit organizations, businesses and other entities, 

7 and the people of the United States who support 

8 American Heart Month and National Wear Red 

9 Day; and 

10 (5) encourages every individual in the United 

11 States to learn about his or her risk for cardio12 vascular disease. 

Æ 


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