III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 425 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 14, 2016 

Mr. UDALL (for himself, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Ms. 

HEITKAMP, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. HEINRICH, Mrs. MURRAY, and Ms. 

WARREN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health 

Week. 

Whereas the week of April 4, 2016, through April 10, 2016, 

was National Public Health Week; 

Whereas the theme for National Public Health Week in 2016 

was ‘‘Healthiest Nation 2030’’, with the goal of making 

the United States the healthiest nation in one generation; 

Whereas public health organizations use National Public 

Health Week to educate the public, policymakers, and 

public health professionals on issues that are important 

to improving the health of the people of the United 

States; 


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•SRES 425 IS 

Whereas the value of a strong public health system is in the 

air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and 

the places in which we all live, learn, work, and play; 

Whereas there is a significant difference in the health status 

of people living in the healthiest States compared to people living in the least healthy States, such as rates of 

obesity, poor mental health, and infectious disease; 

Whereas public health professionals help communities prevent, prepare for, withstand, and recover from the impact 

of a full range of health threats, including disease outbreaks such as the Zika virus, natural disasters, and disasters caused by human activity; 

Whereas public health professionals collaborate with partners 

that are not in the health sector, such as city planners, 

transportation officials, education officials, and private 

sector businesses, recognizing that other sectors have an 

important influence on health; 

Whereas according to the National Academy of Medicine, despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the 

United States ranks below many other economically prosperous and developing countries with respect to measures 

of health, including life expectancy, infant mortality 

rates, low birth weight rates, and the rate of drug-related 

deaths, which for overdose deaths involving opioids has 

increased by 200 percent since 2000; 

Whereas studies show that small strategic investments in prevention can result in significant savings in health care 

costs; 

Whereas each 10-percent increase in local public health 

spending contributes to a 6.9-percent decrease in infant 

deaths, a 3.2-percent decrease in deaths related to cardioVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Apr 15, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR425.IS SR425

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vascular disease, a 1.4-percent decrease in deaths due to 

diabetes, and a 1.1-percent decrease in cancer-related 

deaths; 

Whereas in communities across the country, more people are 

changing the way they care for their health by avoiding 

tobacco use, eating more healthfully, becoming more 

physically active, and preventing unintentional injuries at 

home and in the workplace; 

Whereas despite having a high infant mortality rate as compared to other economically prosperous and developing 

countries and a death rate that varies greatly among 

States, overall the United States is making steady 

progress, with the infant mortality rate reaching a historic low in 2014, with 5.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live 

births; 

Whereas the percentage of adults in the United States who 

smoke cigarettes, the leading cause of preventable disease 

and death in the United States, decreased from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 16.8 percent in 2014; and 

Whereas efforts to adequately support public health and prevention can continue to transform a health system focused on treating illness to a health system focused on 

preventing disease and promoting wellness: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Public Health Week; 

4 (2) recognizes the efforts of public health pro5 fessionals, the Federal Government, States, Indian 


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1 tribes, municipalities, local communities, and individ2 uals in preventing disease and injury; 

3 (3) recognizes the role of public health in im4 proving the health of individuals in the United 

5 States; 

6 (4) encourages increased efforts and resources 

7 to improve the health of people in the United States 

8 to create the healthiest nation in one generation 

9 through— 

10 (A) greater opportunities to improve com11 munity health and prevent disease and injury; 

12 and 

13 (B) strengthening the public health system 

14 in the United States; and 

15 (5) encourages the people of the United States 

16 to learn about the role of the public health system 

17 in the United States. 

Æ 


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