III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 173 

Designating the week of May 1 through May 7, 2011, as ‘‘National Physical 

Education and Sport Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 9, 2011 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. THUNE) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of May 1 through May 7, 2011, as 

‘‘National Physical Education and Sport Week’’. 

Whereas a decline in physical activity has contributed to the 

unprecedented epidemic of childhood obesity, which has 

more than tripled in the United States since 1980; 

Whereas regular physical activity is necessary to support normal and healthy growth in children and is essential to the 

continued health and well-being of children; 

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control, overweight adolescents have a 70- to 80-percent chance of becoming overweight adults, increasing their risk for chronic disease, disability, and death; 


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Whereas physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, 

high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain types of cancers; 

Whereas type 2 diabetes can no longer be referred to as ‘‘late 

in life’’ or ‘‘adult onset’’ diabetes because type 2 diabetes 

presently occurs in children as young as 10 years old; 

Whereas the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 

issued by the Department of Health and Human Services 

recommend that children engage in at least 60 minutes 

of physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of 

the week; 

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control, only 

19 percent of high school students are meeting the goal 

of 60 minutes of physical activity each day; 

Whereas children spend many of their waking hours at school 

and, as a result, need to be active during the school day 

to meet the recommendations of the Physical Activity 

Guidelines for Americans; 

Whereas nationally, according to the Centers for Disease 

Control, 1 out of 4 children does not attend any school 

physical education classes, and fewer than 1 in 4 children 

get 20 minutes of vigorous activity every day; 

Whereas teaching children about physical education and 

sports not only ensures that the children are physically 

active during the school day, but also educates the children on how to be physically active and the importance 

of physical activity; 

Whereas according to a 2006 survey by the Department of 

Health and Human Services, 3.8 percent of elementary 

schools, 7.9 percent of middle schools, and 2.1 percent of 

high schools provide daily physical education (or an 


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equivalent) for the entire school year, and 22 percent of 

schools do not require students to take any physical education courses at all; 

Whereas according to that 2006 survey, 13.7 percent of elementary schools, 15.2 percent of middle schools, and 3.0 

percent of high schools provide physical education (or an 

equivalent) at least 3 days per week for the entire school 

year for students in all grades in the school; 

Whereas research shows that fit and active children are more 

likely to thrive academically; 

Whereas increased time in physical education classes can help 

the attention, concentration, and achievement test scores 

of children; 

Whereas participation in sports teams and physical activity 

clubs, often organized by the school and run outside of 

the regular school day, can improve grade point average, 

school attachment, educational aspirations, and the likelihood of graduation; 

Whereas participation in sports and physical activity improves self-esteem and body image in children and adults; 

Whereas children and youths who partake in physical activity 

and sports programs have increased motor skills, healthy 

lifestyles, social skills, a sense of fair play, strong teamwork skills, self-discipline, and avoidance of risky behaviors; 

Whereas the social and environmental factors affecting children are in the control of the adults and the communities 

in which the children live, and therefore, the people of the 

United States share a collective responsibility in reversing 

the childhood obesity epidemic; 


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Whereas if efforts are made to intervene with unfit children 

to bring those children to physically fit levels, then there 

may also be a concomitant rise in the academic performance of those children; and 

Whereas Congress strongly supports efforts to increase physical activity and participation of children and youth in 

sports: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week of May 1 through May 

3 7, 2011, as ‘‘National Physical Education and Sport 

4 Week’’; 

5 (2) recognizes National Physical Education and 

6 Sport Week and the central role of physical edu7 cation and sports in creating a healthy lifestyle for 

8 all children and youth; 

9 (3) supports the implementation of local school 

10 wellness policies (as that term is described in section 

11 9A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 

12 Act (42 U.S.C. 1758b)) that include ambitious goals 

13 for physical education, physical activity, and other 

14 activities that address the childhood obesity epidemic 

15 and promote child wellness; and 

16 (4) encourages schools to offer physical edu17 cation classes to students and work with community 

18 partners to provide opportunities and safe spaces for 


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1 physical activities before and after school and during 

2 the summer months for all children and youth. 

Æ 


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