•HCON 52 EH 
disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, and congenital 
heart defects; 
Whereas extensive clinical and statistical studies have identi-
fied major and contributing factors that increase the risk 
of heart disease; 
Whereas these studies have identified the following as major 
risk factors that cannot be changed: age (the risk of de-
veloping heart disease gradually increases as people age; 
advanced age significantly increases the risk); gender 
(men have greater risk of developing heart disease than 
women); and heredity (children of parents with heart dis-
ease are more likely to develop it themselves; African 
Americans have more severe high blood pressure than 
Caucasians and therefore are at higher risk; the risk is 
also higher among Latina Americans, some Asian Ameri-
cans, and Native Americans and other indigenous popu-
lations); 
Whereas these studies have identified the following as major 
risk factors that Americans can modify, treat or control 
by changing their lifestyle or seeking appropriate medical 
treatment: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, 
smoking tobacco products and exposure to tobacco 
smoke, physical inactivity, obesity, and diabetes mellitus; 
Whereas these studies have identified the following as con-
tributing risk factors that Americans can also take action 
to modify, treat or control by changing their lifestyle or 
seeking appropriate medical treatment: individual re-
sponse to stress, excessive consumption of alcoholic bev-
erages, use of certain illegal drugs, and hormone replace-
ment therapy;
•HCON 52 EH 
Whereas more than 72 million adult Americans have high 
blood pressure; 
Whereas more than 36.6 million Americans have cholesterol 
levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, the level at which it be-
comes a major risk factor; 
Whereas an estimated 46 million Americans put themselves 
at risk for heart disease every day by smoking cigarettes; 
Whereas data released by the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention shows that more than 60 percent of 
American adults do not get enough physical activity, and 
more than 25 percent are not physically active at all; 
Whereas 66 percent of adult Americans are overweight or 
obese; 
Whereas 20 million adult Americans have diabetes and 65 
percent of those so afflicted will die of some form of 
heart disease; 
Whereas the American Heart Association projects that in 
2007 1.2 million Americans will have a first or recurrent 
heart attack and 452,000 of these people will die as a re-
sult; 
Whereas in 2007 approximately 700,000 Americans will suf-
fer a new or recurrent stroke and 150,000 of these peo-
ple will die as a result; 
Whereas advances in medical research have significantly im-
proved our capacity to fight heart disease by providing 
greater knowledge about its causes, innovative diagnostic 
tools to detect the disease, and new and improved treat-
ments that help people survive and recover from this dis-
ease;
•HCON 52 EH 
Whereas the Congress by Joint Resolution approved on De-
cember 30, 1963, (77 Stat. 843; 36 U.S.C. 101) has re-
quested that the President issue an annual proclamation 
designating February as ‘‘American Heart Month’’; and 
Whereas every year since 1964 the President has issued a 
proclamation designating the month February as ‘‘Amer-
ican Heart Month’’: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) supports the goals and ideals of American 
Heart Month; 
(2) invites the chief executive officers of the 
States, territories, and possessions of the United 
States to issue proclamations designating American 
Heart Month and recognizing the goals and ideals of 
American Heart Month; 
(3) commends the efforts of States, territories 
and possessions of the United States, localities, non-
profit organizations, businesses, and other entities, 
and the people of the United States who support the 
goals and ideals of American Heart Month; 
(4) recognizes and reaffirms our Nation’s com-
mitment to fighting heart disease by promoting 
awareness about its causes, risks, and prevention 
and by promoting new education programs, sup-
porting research, and expanding access to medical 
treatment;
•HCON 52 EH 
(5) recognizes all Americans battling heart dis-
ease, expresses gratitude to their family members 
and friends who are a source of love and encourage-
ment to them as they combat this disease, and sa-
lutes the health care professionals and medical re-
searchers who provide assistance to those so afflicted 
and continue to work to find cures and improve 
treatments; and 
(6) encourages each and every American to take 
to heart the four simple healthy life, healthy heart 
goals identified by the HealthierUS Initiative of the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 
exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight; de-
velop good eating habits; avoid tobacco products, 
drugs and excessive alcohol; and have regular med-
ical checkups to take advantage of screenings that 
can detect heart-disease related problems early. 
Passed the House of Representatives February 28, 
2007. 
Attest:
Clerk.