I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7179 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide coordinated leadership 
in Federal efforts to prevent and reduce obesity and to promote sound 
health and nutrition among Americans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 27, 2008 
Mr. TOWNS (for himself and Mr. SHAYS) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 
to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide coordi-
nated leadership in Federal efforts to prevent and reduce 
obesity and to promote sound health and nutrition among 
Americans, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Obesity Pre-
vention Act of 2008’’. 
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rence of obesity that includes defining clear 
roles, responsibilities, and accountability for all 
agencies of the Federal Government and deter-
mining what resources are necessary for pre-
venting and reducing such rate of occurrence; 
‘‘(B) coordinate effective interagency ac-
tions and priorities for action among Federal 
agencies, including short-term and long-term 
goals for childhood and adult obesity rates; and 
‘‘(C) implement and evaluate the effective-
ness of such strategy. 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force shall 
be composed of— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary (or his or her des-
ignee) of— 
‘‘(I) the Department of Health 
and Human Services; 
‘‘(II) the Department of Agri-
culture; 
‘‘(III) the Department of Edu-
cation; 
‘‘(IV) the Federal Trade Com-
mission; 
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‘‘(V) the Department of Trans-
portation; 
‘‘(VI) the Department of De-
fense; 
‘‘(VII) the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs; 
‘‘(VIII) the Department of Inte-
rior; 
‘‘(IX) the Department of Labor; 
‘‘(X) the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development; and 
‘‘(XI) any other Federal agency 
that the chairperson determines ap-
propriate; 
‘‘(ii) the Chairman (or his or her des-
ignee) of the Federal Communications 
Commission; and 
‘‘(iii) the National Coordinator of 
Obesity Initiatives. 
‘‘(B) CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson of 
the Task Force shall be the National Coordi-
nator of Obesity Initiatives. 
‘‘(3) MEETINGS.—The Task Force shall meet 
at the call of the chairperson. 
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‘‘(4) REPORT.—Not later than January 1, 
2010, and on an annual basis thereafter through 
January 1, 2015, the Task Force shall submit to the 
President and to the relevant committees of Con-
gress, a report that— 
‘‘(A) describes the activities and efforts to 
prevent and reduce the rate of occurrence of 
obesity conducted by the Task Force during the 
year to which the report relates; and 
‘‘(B) evaluates the effectiveness of such ac-
tivities and efforts to prevent and reduce the 
rate of occurrence of obesity. 
‘‘(c) ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON OBESITY.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary may es-
tablish an advisory committee to be known as the 
Advisory Committee on Obesity to provide rec-
ommendations to the Task Force for purposes of es-
tablishing the governmentwide strategy under sub-
section (a)(1). 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case the Sec-
retary established the Advisory Committee on 
Obesity, such committee shall be composed of 7 
members, to be appointed by the Secretary, of 
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whom there shall be one representative from 
each of the following communities: 
‘‘(i) State and local governments. 
‘‘(ii) Schools. 
‘‘(iii) 
Community 
and 
religious 
groups. 
‘‘(iv) The business community, includ-
ing the food and beverage industry and 
farmers. 
‘‘(v) Insurance companies. 
‘‘(vi) Researchers and scientists. 
‘‘(B) TERMS.—The members of the Advi-
sory Committee shall serve for such term as the 
Secretary may specify. 
‘‘(C) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of 
the Advisory Committee shall be the National 
Coordinator of Obesity Initiatives. 
‘‘(3) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee 
shall meet once per year and at such other times as 
the Advisory Committee may provide. 
‘‘(4) ADVISORY PANELS.—Each member of the 
Advisory Committee may consult with an advisory 
panel composed of persons from the community of 
such member, with respect to recommendations for 
a national strategy to combat obesity. 
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‘‘(d) OBESITY DEFINED.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, the term ‘obesity’ shall have the meaning given such 
term by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.’’. 
SEC. 3. FEDERAL AGENCY REVIEWS TO COMBAT OBESITY. 
(a) REVIEWS AND REPORTS BY FEDERAL AGENCIES 
REQUIRED.— 
(1) REVIEWS.—Not later than 6 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act and on an an-
nual basis thereafter, the head of each Federal agen-
cy shall conduct a review of the programs and budg-
ets of such agency to determine how such programs 
and budgets impact physical activity, nutrition, and 
the rate of occurrence of obesity (as defined in sec-
tion 399S(c) of the Public Health Service Act, as 
added by section 2) among people in the United 
States. Based on the findings of each such review of 
a Federal agency, the head of such agency shall de-
termine ways in which the agency should adopt as-
pects of the governmentwide strategy established 
under section 399S(a)(1) of the Public Health Serv-
ice Act, as added by section 2, and implement such 
aspects as appropriate. 
(2) REPORTS.—Not later than 12 months after 
the date of the completion of a review under para-
graph (1) by a Federal agency, the head of the 
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agency shall submit to Congress a report on the re-
sults of such review, including any aspects of the 
governmentwide strategy described in such para-
graph that are determined should be adopted by the 
agency and any such aspects that have been imple-
mented by the agency since the previous review con-
ducted by the agency under this subsection. 
(b) GAO REPORT.—Not later than 12 months and 
annually thereafter, the Comptroller General shall submit 
to Congress a report that contains the results of a review 
conducted by the Comptroller General of the programs 
and budgets of each Federal agency to determine how 
such programs and budgets impact physical activity, nutri-
tion, and the rate of occurrence of obesity (as so defined) 
among people in the United States. 
Æ 
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