H. Res. 1381 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

September 23, 2008. 

Whereas the United States has the highest rate of preventable deaths among 19 industrialized U.N. nations and 

lags behind 28 other U.N. nations in life expectancy; 

Whereas various research studies estimate that nearly 60 percent of premature deaths in the United States could be 

addressed through prevention activities; 

Whereas of the more than $2,200,000,000,000 spent nationally on health care in the United States every year (more 

than any other nation in the world), approximately 

$88,000,000,000 (or about 4 percent) is estimated to be 

spent on prevention and public health; 

Whereas chronic diseases are the leading causes of preventable death and disability in the United States, accounting 

for 7 out of every 10 deaths and killing more than 

1,700,000 people in the United States every year; 

Whereas these often preventable chronic diseases account for 

75 percent of health care spending in the United States, 

including more than 96 cents out of every dollar spent 

in Medicare and more than 83 cents out of every dollar 

spent in Medicaid; 

Whereas these chronic diseases cost the United States an additional $1,000,000,000,000 each year in lost produc-
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tivity, and are a major contributing factor to the overall 

poor health that is placing the Nation’s economic security 

and competitiveness in jeopardy; 

Whereas the number of people with chronic conditions is rapidly increasing, and it is estimated that if we do not intervene now that by 2025 nearly half of the population 

will suffer from at least one chronic disease; 

Whereas current research has shown that increasing to 90 

percent the use of just 5 preventive services, including— 

(1) the portion of adults who take aspirin daily to 

prevent heart disease; 

(2) the portion of smokers who are advised by a 

health professional to quit and are offered medication or 

other assistance; 

(3) the portion of adults age 50 and older who are 

up to date with any recommended screening for colorectal 

cancer; 

(4) the portion of adults age 50 and older immunized against flu annually; and 

(5) the portion of women age 40 and older who have 

been screened for breast cancer in the past 2 years, 

would save more than 100,000 lives each year in the 

United States; and 

Whereas research has shown that prevention and communitylevel interventions that promote and enable proper nutrition, increased access to physical activity, and smoking 

cessation programs can prevent and mitigate chronic diseases, improve quality of life, increase economic productivity, and reduce health care costs: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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(1) recognizes that in order to reduce the disease 

burden and health care costs associated with preventable 

disease and injury, it is imperative that this Nation 

strengthen its public health system to— 

(A) encourage all persons in the United States 

to obtain the proper information and educational resources they need to make healthier choices and live 

healthier lives; and 

(B) protect all people in this country from 

health threats beyond their control, such as bioterrorism, natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks, and environmental hazards; 

(2) encourages the creation of public health strategies in the public and private sectors to improve the 

health of all people in the United States regardless of 

race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status; 

(3) supports public and private partnerships focusing on the prevention of disease and injury, and encourages community-based programs to support healthy lifestyles, including those that promote proper nutrition and 

increased access to physical activity; 

(4) emphasizes the importance of the 5 prevention 

strategies of daily aspirin therapy, smoking cessation, 

colorectal cancer screening, annual flu immunizations, 
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and breast cancer screening that can save more than 

100,000 lives each year; 

(5) believes that the congressional budget process 

should reflect the significant savings associated with investments in prevention of disease and injury, and therefore strongly encourages the Congressional Budget Office to consider the health care savings associated with 

reduced chronic disease burden due to clinical and community preventive services and programs when formulating its health care cost estimates; and 

(6) supports helping the United States be the 

healthiest nation by encouraging an increased focus on 

public health and prevention efforts in the public and 

private sectors. 

Attest: 

Clerk.