IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 919 

Supporting the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 

Awareness Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 

Mr. STEARNS (for himself and Mr. LEWIS of Georgia) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive 

Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month. 

Whereas chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, refractory asthma, 

and bronchiectasis and is always preventable and almost 

always treatable; 

Whereas the National Institutes of Health have estimated 

12,000,000 Americans have been diagnosed with COPD; 

Whereas the National Institutes of Health have estimated 

24,000,000 adults in the United States have symptoms 

of impaired lung function, indicating that COPD is under 

diagnosed; 


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•HRES 919 IH 

Whereas COPD is progressive and is not fully reversible but 

early detection can allow individuals to treat and manage 

COPD; 

Whereas symptoms of COPD include chronic coughing, shortness of breath, increased effort to breathe, increased 

mucus production, and frequent clearing of the throat; 

Whereas risk factors for COPD include long-term smoking, 

a family history of COPD, exposure to air pollution or 

second-hand smoke, and a history of frequent childhood 

respiratory infections; 

Whereas more than half of all adults who suffer from COPD 

report that their condition limits their ability to work, 

sleep, and participate in social and physical activities; 

Whereas more than half of all adults who suffer from COPD 

feel they are not in control of their breathing, panic when 

they cannot catch their breath, and expect their condition 

to worsen; 

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention nearly 126,000 adults die in the United 

States of COPD on an annual basis, making COPD the 

fourth leading cause of death in the United States; 

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention COPD afflicts men and women equally, more 

women then men die from COPD each year; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects COPD to be the third leading cause of death in the 

United States by 2020; 

Whereas the National Institutes of Health have estimated 

COPD costs an estimated $42,600,000,000 in direct and 

indirect costs in 2007; 


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•HRES 919 IH 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

states that currently no national data source exists that 

is sufficiently large enough to allow for State level estimates of COPD prevalence; 

Whereas too many people with COPD are not diagnosed or 

are not receiving adequate treatment; and 

Whereas the establishment of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month would raise public 

awareness about the prevalence of chronic obstructive 

pulmonary disease and the serious problems associated 

with the disease: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports 

2 the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary 

3 Disease Awareness Month. 

Æ 


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