IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 298 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 8, 2021 
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD (for herself, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. 
SIMPSON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health 
Week. 
Whereas the week of April 5, 2021, is National Public Health 
Week; 
Whereas the theme for National Public Health Week in 2021 
is ‘‘Building Bridges to Better Health’’; 
Whereas the goal of National Public Health Week in 2021 
is to recognize the contributions of public health in— 
(1) improving the health of the people of the United 
States; and 
(2) achieving health equity; 
Whereas, as of the date of introduction of this resolution, the 
United States and the global community are responding 
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to the COVID–19 pandemic, which requires support 
for— 
(1) a robust public health infrastructure and work-
force; 
(2) State, territorial, local, and Tribal health depart-
ments, health care workers, public health laboratories, 
and first responders; 
(3) diagnostic testing of new and potential COVID– 
19 cases and activities related to epidemiology and public 
health data; 
(4) complying with appropriate social distancing and 
quarantine recommendations; 
(5) relieving financial burdens for individuals in the 
United States hurt by the COVID–19 pandemic, includ-
ing public health emergency leave; 
(6) State Medicaid programs and community health 
centers to ensure care for vulnerable populations; 
(7) collaboration among the Federal Government, 
State and local governments, schools, businesses, and em-
ployers to support public health measures to decrease 
community spread of COVID–19; 
(8) investments in the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, which support infectious disease out-
break preparedness and critical public health infrastruc-
ture for State and local health departments and public 
health laboratories; 
(9) a comprehensive effort to ensure a successful 
COVID–19 vaccination campaign that boosts access to 
vaccines for vulnerable populations and trust in vaccine 
safety and effectiveness; and 
(10) efforts to address racism as a public health cri-
sis and reduce racial and ethnic health disparities related 
to COVID–19 deaths, vaccine access and testing, and im-
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portant health outcomes outside of the pandemic such as 
maternal mortality; 
Whereas, in 2020, the life expectancy for the population of 
the United States dropped a full year, which is the larg-
est drop in life expectancy since 1943; 
Whereas many of the leading causes of death for individuals 
in the United States result from chronic conditions, 
which are among the most common, costly, and prevent-
able of all health challenges; 
Whereas there are significant differences in the health status 
of individuals living in the most healthy States and those 
living in the least healthy States, including differences in 
obesity rates, the prevalence of chronic disease, and the 
prevalence of infectious disease; 
Whereas racial and ethnic minority populations in the United 
States continue to experience disparities in the burden of 
illness and death, as compared with the entire population 
of the United States; 
Whereas violence is a leading cause of premature death, and 
it is estimated that more than 7 individuals per hour die 
a violent death in the United States; 
Whereas deaths from homicides cost the economy of the 
United States billions of dollars, and the violence of 
homicides can cause social and emotional distress, com-
munity trauma, injury, disability, depression, anxiety, 
and post-traumatic stress disorder; 
Whereas emergency department visits for suicidal thoughts or 
self-harm increased 25.5 percent between January 2017 
and December 2018, with substantial increases occurring 
in younger age groups; 
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Whereas an estimated 1 in 7 children in the United States 
experiences child abuse and neglect, which imposes an 
annual lifetime economic burden of approximately 
$428,000,000,000 on the population of the United 
States; 
Whereas despite significant progress in reducing the infant 
mortality rate in the United States to a historic low of 
5.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017, the in-
fant mortality rate in the United States greatly varies 
among States; 
Whereas women die from pregnancy-related complications in 
the United States at a higher rate than in many other 
developed countries, and an estimated 60 percent of ma-
ternal deaths in the United States are preventable; 
Whereas Black mothers experience a maternal mortality rate 
3 to 4 times higher than White mothers; 
Whereas 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United 
States during a 12-month period ending May 2020, the 
highest level ever recorded during a 12-month period; 
Whereas cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable 
disease and death in the United States, accounting for 
more than 480,000 deaths every year, including more 
than 41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke; 
Whereas the percentage of adults in the United States who 
smoke cigarettes has decreased from 20.9 percent of the 
population in 2005 to 13.7 percent of the population in 
2018; 
Whereas according to data from the National Youth Tobacco 
Survey, in 2020, 19.6 percent of high school students 
(3.02 million) and 4.7 percent of middle school students 
(550,000) reported current e-cigarette use; 
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Whereas data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey 
showed that, in 2020, almost 40 percent of high school 
users were using an e-cigarette on 20 or more days out 
of the month and almost a quarter of them used e-ciga-
rettes every day, indicating a strong dependence on nico-
tine among youth; 
Whereas in the past two decades, heat-related mortality for 
older persons has almost doubled, reaching a record high 
19,000 deaths in 2018; 
Whereas, in 2018–2019, the United States spent nearly $13 
per person on climate change adaptation in the health 
sector, far less than what is needed to prevent the grow-
ing health impacts of climate change; 
Whereas, in 2016, fine particulate air pollution led to more 
than 64,000 premature deaths in the United States, and 
Black and Hispanic minorities were disproportionately 
impacted; 
Whereas public health organizations use National Public 
Health Week to educate public policymakers and public 
health professionals on issues that are important to im-
proving the health of the people of the United States; 
Whereas studies show that small strategic investments in dis-
ease prevention can result in significant savings in health 
care costs; 
Whereas vaccination is one of the most significant public 
health achievements in history and has resulted in sub-
stantial decreases in— 
(1) the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths 
associated with vaccine-preventable diseases; and 
(2) health care costs associated with vaccine-prevent-
able diseases; 
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Whereas each 10 percent increase in local public health 
spending contributes to a— 
(1) 6.9 percent decrease in infant deaths; 
(2) 3.2 percent decrease in deaths related to cardio-
vascular disease; 
(3) 1.4 percent decrease in deaths due to diabetes; 
and 
(4) 1.1 percent decrease in cancer-related deaths; 
Whereas public health professionals help communities pre-
vent, prepare for, mitigate, and recover from the impact 
of a full range of health threats, including— 
(1) disease outbreaks, such as the COVID–19 pan-
demic; 
(2) natural disasters, such as wildfires, flooding, and 
severe storms; and 
(3) other disasters, including disasters caused by 
human activity and public health emergencies; 
Whereas public health professionals collaborate with partners 
outside of the health sector, including city planners, 
transportation officials, education officials, and private 
sector businesses, recognizing that other sectors can in-
fluence health outcomes; 
Whereas in communities across the United States, individuals 
are changing the way they care for their health by avoid-
ing tobacco use, eating healthier, increasing physical ac-
tivity, and preventing unintentional injuries at home and 
in the workplace; and 
Whereas efforts to adequately support public health and the 
prevention of disease and injury can continue to trans-
form a health system focused on treating illness into a 
health system focused on preventing disease and injury 
and promoting wellness: Now, therefore, be it 
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Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National 
Public Health Week; 
(2) recognizes the efforts of public health pro-
fessionals, the Federal Government, States, Tribes, 
municipalities, local communities, and individuals in 
preventing disease and injury; 
(3) recognizes the role of public health in— 
(A) preventing and responding to infec-
tious disease outbreaks, such as the COVID–19 
pandemic; 
(B) mitigating short-term and long-term 
impacts of infectious disease outbreaks on the 
health and wellness of individuals in the United 
States; 
(C) addressing social and other deter-
minants of health, including health disparities 
experienced by minority populations; and 
(D) improving the overall health of individ-
uals and communities in the United States; 
(4) encourages increased efforts and resources 
to— 
(A) improve the health of individuals in the 
United States; and 
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(B) make the United States, in 1 genera-
tion, the healthiest Nation in the world by— 
(i) providing greater opportunities to 
improve community health and prevent dis-
ease and injury; and 
(ii) strengthening the public health 
system and workforce in the United States; 
and 
(5) encourages the people of the United States 
to learn about the role of the public health system 
in improving health across the United States. 
Æ 
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