III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 83 

Designating February 2019 as ‘‘American Heart Month’’ and February 1, 

2019, as ‘‘National Wear Red Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 27, 2019 

Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. HASSAN, Ms. 

SINEMA, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. WARREN, Ms. CANTWELL, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mrs. FISCHER, Mrs. CAPITO, Mrs. HYDESMITH, Ms. HARRIS, Mrs. MURRAY, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. STABENOW, and 

Ms. COLLINS) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 

and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating February 2019 as ‘‘American Heart Month’’ 

and February 1, 2019, as ‘‘National Wear Red Day’’. 

Whereas cardiovascular disease affects men, women, and children of every age and race in the United States; 

Whereas, between 2003 and 2013, the death rate from cardiovascular disease fell nearly 30 percent, but cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of 

death in the United States, taking the lives of approximately 800,000 individuals in the United States each 

year and accounting for 1 in 3 deaths across the United 

States; 

Whereas congenital heart defects are— 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 83 ATS 

(1) the most common birth defect in the United 

States; and 

(2) the leading killer of infants with birth defects; 

Whereas, each year, an estimated 790,000 individuals in the 

United States have a heart attack, of whom an estimated 

115,000 die; 

Whereas, in 2015, cardiovascular disease accounted for 

$555,000,000,000 in health care expenditures and lost 

productivity; 

Whereas, by 2035, cardiovascular disease will account for 

$1,093,900,000,000 in health care expenditures and lost 

productivity annually; 

Whereas individuals in the United States have made great 

progress in reducing the death rate for cardiovascular 

disease, but this progress has been more modest with respect to the death rate for cardiovascular disease in 

women and minorities; 

Whereas many people do not recognize that cardiovascular 

disease is the leading killer of women in the United 

States, taking the lives of over 400,000 women in 2016; 

Whereas nearly 2⁄3 of women who unexpectedly die of cardiovascular disease have no previous symptoms of the disease; 

Whereas over 1⁄2 of all African-American adults have some 

form of cardiovascular disease, including 57.1 percent of 

African-American women and 60.1 percent of AfricanAmerican men; 

Whereas more Alaska Natives and American Indians die from 

cardiovascular disease than individuals from other ethnic 

groups; 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 83 ATS 

Whereas it is estimated that 36 percent of Alaska Natives 

and American Indians who die of cardiovascular disease 

die before reaching 65 years of age; 

Whereas Native Hawaiians have higher mortality rates and 

die at a younger average age from cardiovascular disease 

than other ethnic groups in Hawaii; 

Whereas many minority women, including African-American, 

Hispanic, Asian-American, and Native American women 

and women from indigenous populations, have a greater 

prevalence of risk factors or are at a higher risk of death 

from heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases, but are less likely to know of the risk; 

Whereas, between 1965 and 2018, treatment of cardiovascular disease for women was largely based on medical 

research on men; 

Whereas, due to the differences in cardiovascular disease between men and women, more research and data on the 

effects of cardiovascular disease treatments for women is 

vital; 

Whereas extensive clinical and statistical studies have identified major and contributing factors that increase the risk 

of cardiovascular disease, including— 

(1) high blood pressure; 

(2) high blood cholesterol; 

(3) smoking tobacco products; 

(4) exposure to tobacco smoke; 

(5) physical inactivity; 

(6) obesity; and 

(7) diabetes mellitus; 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 83 ATS 

Whereas an individual can greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease through lifestyle modification coupled 

with medical treatment when necessary; 

Whereas greater awareness and early detection of risk factors 

for cardiovascular disease can improve and save the lives 

of thousands of individuals in the United States each 

year; 

Whereas, under section 101(1) of title 36, United States 

Code, the President is requested to issue an annual proclamation designating February as American Heart 

Month; 

Whereas the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of 

the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart 

Association, and many other organizations celebrate National Wear Red Day during February by ‘‘going red’’ to 

increase awareness about cardiovascular disease as the 

leading killer of women; and 

Whereas, every year since 1964, the President has issued a 

proclamation designating the month of February as 

American Heart Month: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates— 

3 (A) February 2019 as ‘‘American Heart 

4 Month’’; and 

5 (B) February 1, 2019, as ‘‘National Wear 

6 Red Day’’; 

7 (2) supports the goals and ideals of American 

8 Heart Month and National Wear Red Day; 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 83 ATS 

1 (3) recognizes and reaffirms the commitment of 

2 the United States to fighting cardiovascular dis3 ease— 

4 (A) by promoting awareness about the 

5 causes, risks, and prevention of cardiovascular 

6 disease; 

7 (B) by supporting research on cardio8 vascular disease; and 

9 (C) by expanding access to medical treat10 ment; 

11 (4) commends the efforts of States, territories, 

12 and possessions of the United States, localities, non13 profit organizations, businesses and other entities, 

14 and the people of the United States who support 

15 American Heart Month and National Wear Red 

16 Day; and 

17 (5) encourages every individual in the United 

18 States to learn about his or her risk for cardio19 vascular disease. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS