IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 35

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning health 

promotion and disease prevention. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 6, 2005

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives 

concerning health promotion and disease prevention.

Whereas the New England Journal of Medicine has reported 

that modifiable lifestyle factors such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, unmanaged stress, and 

obesity account for approximately 50 percent of the premature deaths in the United States; 

Whereas the New England Journal of Medicine has reported 

that spending on chronic diseases related to lifestyle and 

other preventable diseases accounts for an estimated 70 

percent of total health care spending; 

Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services has 

concluded that the health burden of these behaviors falls 

in greatest proportion on older adults, young children, ra-
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cial and ethnic minorities, and citizens who have less education and income; 

Whereas business leaders in the United States have asserted 

that the economic burden of medical care diverts corporate resources from investments that could produce 

greater financial returns, and reduces the wages paid to 

employees; 

Whereas the Office of Management and Budget reports that 

the Medicaid and Medicare programs consume an increasingly large portion of government funding; 

Whereas the American Journal of Public Health reports that 

the financial burden of the Medicare program will increase substantially as the population ages and increasing 

numbers of people are covered by that program; 

Whereas improving the health of the American people and reducing the need for medical services is a viable way to 

control medical care costs for the Nation; 

Whereas the American Journal of Health Promotion reports 

that a growing research base demonstrates that lifestyle 

factors can be modified to improve health, improve the 

quality of life, reduce medical care costs, and enhance 

workplace productivity through health promotion programs; 

Whereas the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has 

determined that less than 8 percent of health care spending is devoted to the whole area of public health, only a 

very small portion of which is devoted to health promotion; 

Whereas significant additional work is required to develop the 

basic and applied science of health promotion; 
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Whereas additional research is required to clarify the impact 

of health promotion programs on long term health behaviors, health conditions, morbidity and mortality, medical 

care utilization and cost, as well as quality of life and 

productivity; 

Whereas the Institute of Medicine has proclaimed that additional research is required to determine the most effective 

strategies at the individual, organizational, community, 

and societal level to create lasting health behavior 

changes, reduce medical utilization and enhance workplace productivity; 

Whereas health promotion leaders proclaim that additional 

research is required to develop strategies to reach all 

groups with special attention focused on older adults, 

young children, racial and ethnic minorities and citizens 

who have less education and income; 

Whereas health promotion leaders proclaim that significant 

efforts are required to develop standardized management 

and clinical protocols for programs and to disseminate 

these protocols to scientists and practitioners in health 

care, workplace, school, and other community settings; 

Whereas health promotion leaders proclaim that information 

on the benefits of health promotion programs must be 

disseminated to policy makers in public and private sector settings; 

Whereas health promotion leaders proclaim that significant 

efforts are required to develop programs to enhance lifestyle in school, workplace, health care, and other community settings; 

Whereas investments in health promotion contributes directly 

to current efforts of Ending Health Disparities, the 
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Leading Health Indicators, and Healthy People 2010; 

and 

Whereas Research!America reports that most American citizens and scientists have shown strong support for increased investment in health promotion: Now, therefore, 

be it

1 Resolved,

2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

3 This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘National Health 

4 Promotion Resolution of 2005’’. 

5 SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 

6 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that 

7 the powers of the Federal Government should be uti8 lized—

9 (1) to enhance the science base required to fully 

10 develop the field of health promotion and disease 

11 prevention; and 

12 (2) to explore how strategies can integrate life13 style improvement programs into national policy, 

14 health care workplaces, families, and communities.

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