III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 509 

Recognizing the week of April 7, 2008, to April 13, 2008, as ‘‘National 

Public Health Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 9, 2008 

Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. KERRY, Mrs. CLINTON, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. 

LEAHY, and Mr. NELSON of Florida) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the week of April 7, 2008, to April 13, 2008, 

as ‘‘National Public Health Week’’. 

Whereas the week of April 7th, 2008, is National Public 

Health Week, and the theme is ‘‘Climate Change: Our 

Health in the Balance’’; 

Whereas, since 1996, the American Public Health Association, through its sponsorship of National Public Health 

Week, has educated the public, policy-makers, and public 

health professionals about issues important to improving 

the public’s health; 

Whereas, according to the World Health Organization 

(WHO), climate change is a significant and emerging 

threat to public health and the WHO estimates that 


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•SRES 509 IS 

human-induced changes in the Earth’s climate lead to at 

least 5,000,000 cases of illness and more than 150,000 

deaths each year; 

Whereas, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change contributes to the 

global burden of disease, premature death, and other adverse health impacts due to extreme weather events and 

changes in infectious disease patterns, air quality, quality 

and quantity of water and food, ecosystem changes, and 

economic impacts; 

Whereas, according to the IPCC, the United States will be 

challenged by increased heat waves, air pollution, and 

forest fires during the course of the century, with potential risk for adverse health impacts, such as heat stress 

and increases in asthma, allergies, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; 

Whereas the Director of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Julie Gerberding, testified, in October 2007, that, ‘‘Climate change is anticipated to have a broad range of impacts on the health of 

Americans and the Nation’s public health infrastructure’’; 

Whereas, according to the World Health Organization, the 

negative public health impacts of climate change will likely disproportionately impact communities that are already 

vulnerable; 

Whereas these communities include developing countries, 

young children, the elderly, people with chronic illnesses 

or otherwise compromised health, people in underserved 

communities, communities of color, traditional societies, 

subsistence farmers, and coastal populations; 


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•SRES 509 IS 

Whereas it is estimated that more than 900,000,000 people 

worldwide live in slum-like conditions and are particularly 

vulnerable to the possible health impacts of climate 

change due to a lack of access to health care, sanitation, 

and vulnerability to displacement; 

Whereas future vulnerability to the health impacts of climate 

change will depend not only on the degree of climate 

change the Earth experiences, but also on development 

and adaptation measures; and 

Whereas the public health system will be a first-line responder to emergency conditions related to impacts of climate change and plays a key role in informing, educating, and empowering local communities: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes ‘‘National Public Health Week’’; 

3 (2) recognizes the efforts of public health pro4 fessionals, first responders, States, municipalities, 

5 and local communities to incorporate measures to 

6 adapt health care systems to address impacts of cli7 mate change; 

8 (3) recognizes the role of adaptation in pre9 venting impacts of climate change on vulnerable 

10 communities, the potential for improvement of 

11 health status and health equity through efforts to 

12 address climate change, and the need to include 

13 health policy in the development of climate re14 sponses; 


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•SRES 509 IS 

1 (4) encourages further research, interdiscipli2 nary partnership, and collaboration between stake3 holders to understand and monitor the health im4 pacts of climate change, for preparedness activities 

5 and for improvement of health care infrastructure; 

6 and 

7 (5) encourages each and every American to 

8 learn about the impacts of climate change on health. 

Æ 


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