II 

Calendar No. 286 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1608 

To provide for the publication by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

of physical activity recommendations for Americans. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2019 

Mr. WICKER (for himself, Mr. BROWN, Ms. SINEMA, Mrs. CAPITO, and Ms. 

WARREN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

NOVEMBER 5, 2019 

Reported by Mr. ALEXANDER, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To provide for the publication by the Secretary of Health 

and Human Services of physical activity recommendations for Americans. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting Physical 

5 Activity for Americans Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 

2 AMERICANS. 

3 (a) REPORTS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31, 

5 2028, and at least every 10 years thereafter, the 

6 Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred 

7 to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall publish 

8 a report that provides physical activity recommenda9 tions for the people of the United States. Each such 

10 report shall contain physical activity information and 

11 recommendations for consideration and use by the 

12 general public, and shall be considered, as applicable 

13 and appropriate, by relevant Federal agencies in car14 rying out relevant Federal health programs. 

15 (2) BASIS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—The infor16 mation contained in each report required under 

17 paragraph (1) shall be based on the most current 

18 evidence-based scientific and medical knowledge at 

19 the time the report is prepared, and shall include ad20 ditional information for population subgroups, such 

21 as children or individuals with disabilities, if sci22 entific and medical evidence indicates that physical 

23 activity recommendations vary in such a manner 

24 that such stratification is warranted. 

25 (3) UPDATE REPORTS.—Not later than 5 years 

26 after the publication of the first report under paraVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:41 Nov 05, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S1608.RS S1608

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1 graph (1), and every 10 years thereafter, the Sec2 retary shall publish an updated report detailing evi3 dence-based practices and highlighting continuing 

4 issues with respect to physical activity. The contents 

5 of reports under this paragraph may focus on a par6 ticular group, subsection, or other division of the 

7 general public or on a particular issue relating to 

8 physical activity. 

9 (b) INTERACTION WITH OTHER RECOMMENDA10 TIONS.—Federal agencies proposing to issue physical ac11 tivity recommendations that differ from the recommenda12 tions in the most recent report published under subsection 

13 (a)(1) shall, as applicable and appropriate, take into con14 sideration the recommendations provided through reports 

15 issued under this Act. 

16 (c) EXISTING AUTHORITY NOT AFFECTED.—This 

17 section is not intended to limit the support of biomedical 

18 research by any Federal agency or to limit the presen19 tation or communication of scientific or medical findings 

20 or review of such findings by any Federal agency. 

21 (d) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding any other provi22 sion of this Act, no physical fitness standard established 

23 under this Act shall be binding on any individual as a mat24 ter of Federal law or regulation. 


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•S 1608 RS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting Physical Ac3 tivity for Americans Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 

5 AMERICANS. 

6 (a) REPORTS.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31, 

8 2028, and at least every 10 years thereafter, the Sec9 retary of Health and Human Services (referred to in 

10 this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall publish a report 

11 that provides physical activity recommendations for 

12 the people of the United States. Each such report shall 

13 contain physical activity information and rec14 ommendations for consideration and use by the gen15 eral public, and shall be considered, as applicable and 

16 appropriate, by relevant Federal agencies in carrying 

17 out relevant Federal health programs. 

18 (2) BASIS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—The infor19 mation contained in each report required under para20 graph (1) shall be based on the most current evidence21 based scientific and medical knowledge at the time the 

22 report is prepared, and shall include additional rec23 ommendations for population subgroups, such as chil24 dren or individuals with disabilities, including infor25 mation regarding engagement in appropriate phys26 ical activity and avoiding inactivity. 


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1 (3) UPDATE REPORTS.—Not later than 5 years 

2 after the publication of the first report under para3 graph (1), and at least every 10 years thereafter, the 

4 Secretary shall publish an updated report detailing 

5 evidence-based practices and highlighting continuing 

6 issues with respect to physical activity. The contents 

7 of reports under this paragraph may focus on a par8 ticular group, subsection, or other division of the gen9 eral public or on a particular issue relating to phys10 ical activity. 

11 (b) INTERACTION WITH OTHER RECOMMENDA12 TIONS.—Federal agencies proposing to issue physical activ13 ity recommendations that differ from the recommendations 

14 in the most recent report published under subsection (a)(1) 

15 shall, as applicable and appropriate, take into consider16 ation the recommendations provided through reports issued 

17 under this Act. 

18 (c) EXISTING AUTHORITY NOT AFFECTED.—This sec19 tion is not intended to limit the support of biomedical re20 search by any Federal agency or to limit the presentation 

21 or communication of scientific or medical findings or re22 view of such findings by any Federal agency. 

23 (d) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding any other provi24 sion of this Act, no physical fitness standard established 


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1 under this Act shall be binding on any individual as a mat2 ter of Federal law or regulation. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
Calendar No. 286 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1608 

A BILL 

To provide for the publication by the Secretary of 

recommendations for Americans. Health and Human Services of physical activity 

NOVEMBER 5, 2019 

Reported with an amendment 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS