IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1656 
Raising awareness of hypertension and helping to reverse its prevalence in 
the United States through education, community programs, culturally 
competent strategies, research, and efforts to reduce the excess salt 
content in foods. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. BACA, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. 
BORDALLO, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. 
CLAY, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 
Texas, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Ms. NORTON, Mr. RANGEL, and Mr. 
HINOJOSA) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Raising awareness of hypertension and helping to reverse 
its prevalence in the United States through education, 
community programs, culturally competent strategies, re-
search, and efforts to reduce the excess salt content 
in foods. 
Whereas hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is 
a cardiovascular condition in which systolic blood pres-
sure is consistently at or above 140 millimeters of mer-
cury (mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure at or above 90 
mmHg; 
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Whereas high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart 
disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of 
death in the United States, as well as congestive heart 
failure and kidney disease; 
Whereas approximately one out of three adults in the United 
States (74,500,000 people) has hypertension and one out 
of four is pre-hypertensive, which means that they have 
higher-than-normal blood pressure and are at increased 
risk for developing hypertension; 
Whereas high blood pressure is directly and indirectly respon-
sible for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States 
each year, and its prevalence is expected to grow due to 
a large aging population and high rates of obesity and di-
abetes; 
Whereas despite the fact that hypertension is the most com-
monly diagnosed chronic condition in the United States, 
more than one out of five individuals is unaware that 
they have high blood pressure; 
Whereas high blood pressure is known as the ‘‘silent killer’’ 
because there are often no signs or symptoms that indi-
cate that an individual’s blood pressure has reached a 
deadly level; 
Whereas misconceptions about hypertension risks, causes, 
and treatments, as well as poor communication between 
health care providers and patients and inadequate access 
to primary care, have contributed to large numbers of 
undiagnosed and unmanaged high blood pressure; 
Whereas although hypertension is a national problem, hyper-
tension is especially prevalent in the Southeast, which 
also has high rates of poverty, obesity, diabetes, and car-
diovascular and kidney disease; 
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Whereas African-Americans have the highest prevalence of 
hypertension in the United States and are more likely to 
develop hypertension at earlier ages, develop cardio-
vascular morbidity and disability, and die from hyper-
tension or hypertension-related illnesses; 
Whereas higher occurrences of salt sensitivity, cardiovascular 
and renal disease, poverty, genetic predisposition, and so-
cial, cultural, and environmental factors all contribute to 
disproportionately high rates of hypertension among Afri-
can-Americans; 
Whereas this racial disparity is further pronounced by gen-
der, with approximately 44 percent of African-American 
women in the United States having high blood pressure 
compared to approximately 30 percent of women in the 
United States as a whole; 
Whereas furthermore, women with high blood pressure are 
more likely to experience certain complications during 
pregnancy, including kidney and other organ damage, low 
birth weight, early delivery, stillbirth, and maternal mor-
tality; 
Whereas although hypertension is lower among Hispanics 
than other groups, Hispanics often have low levels of hy-
pertension awareness, treatment, and control, which can 
increase the likelihood of hypertension-related mortalities; 
Whereas high blood pressure often accompanies conditions 
that are associated with aging, however, it is increasingly 
more common among younger people due to high rates of 
child obesity, salt consumption, inactivity, and heredity; 
Whereas despite these trends, advances in medical science, 
research, and technology have made hypertension a man-
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ageable condition that can be prevented, delayed, or re-
versed; 
Whereas weight management, healthy eating habits, exercise, 
decreased salt, caloric, and cholesterol intake, the proper 
combination of antihypertensive medication, and being 
knowledgeable of blood pressure levels are all proven 
ways to prevent and manage hypertension; 
Whereas in particular, a diet high in sodium (salt) increases 
one’s risk for developing high blood pressure and the av-
erage person in the United States consumes almost 1.5 
times the daily maximum value of salt established by the 
Department of Health and Human Services; 
Whereas many consumers do not know how to read food la-
bels, which makes it difficult to understand which foods 
have unhealthy or dangerous levels of sodium and to 
make informed decisions; 
Whereas low-income individuals and families, and those living 
in food deserts, frequently have limited options and are 
forced to choose foods that have high salt content and 
low nutritional value; 
Whereas a study by the American Medical Association con-
cluded that 150,000 lives could be saved in the United 
States each year if the sodium content in processed foods 
and restaurant foods, which account for approximately 
77 percent of the salt intake for people in the Nation, 
were decreased by 50 percent; and 
Whereas health care providers, patients, communities, govern-
mental entities, the food industry, and health-focused or-
ganizations must work together to increase awareness of 
hypertension and to develop sustainable solutions for hy-
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