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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 557 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 557

    Urging the president to issue a proclamation declaring a Winter 
Outdoors Month to call attention to the need for all people to exercise 
                   and to get outdoors in the winter.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 16, 2005

   Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself and Mr. Sweeney) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government 
                                 Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Urging the president to issue a proclamation declaring a Winter 
Outdoors Month to call attention to the need for all people to exercise 
                   and to get outdoors in the winter.

Whereas three out of five Americans are overweight and 59 million are obese;
Whereas, in the past 10 years, obesity rates in the United States have increased 
        by more than 60 percent;
Whereas there are 3 times as many overweight adolescents in the United States as 
        there were 30 years ago;
Whereas the National Institute on Aging reported in 2005 that the average life 
        span is about to drop for the first time, and obesity is the culprit;
Whereas 40 percent of adults in the United States do not participate in any 
        leisure time activity;
Whereas among children and adolescents, annual hospital costs related to obesity 
        top $127 million;
Whereas an April 2003 study conducted by the National Association for Sport and 
        Physical Education found that 95 percent of parents think that regular 
        daily physical activity helps children do better academically;
Whereas alpine skiing and snowboarding are great forms of exercise that offer 
        muscle toning and balance improvement;
Whereas snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are two of the best aerobic 
        activities and can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour depending on the 
        intensity of exercise;
Whereas SnowSports Industries America is coordinating a program with the 
        President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the United States 
        Ski and Snowboard Association, the Cross Country Ski Areas Association, 
        and the National Ski Areas Association that encourages children and 
        adults to earn a President's Challenge Lifetime Achievement Award 
        through participation in snow sports; and
Whereas, with the 2006 Winter Olympics being held in February in Torino, Italy, 
        January is an excellent time to encourage Americans to start and 
        maintain a regular activity program outdoors in winter: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives urges the president to 
issue a proclamation declaring a Winter Outdoors Month to call 
attention to the need for all people to exercise and to get outdoors in 
the winter.
                                 <all>
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