Title: A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.
Recognizes the efforts of public health professionals, governments, tribes, and individuals in preventing disease and injury.
Encourages increased efforts and the use of additional resources to improve the health of people in the United States and to make the United States the healthiest nation in one generation through greater opportunities to improve community health and by strengthening the public health system.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 125 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 125

    Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 7, 2017

 Mr. Udall (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, Ms. Heitkamp, Ms. 
    Warren, Mr. Cardin, Mr. King, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Franken, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Brown, and Mr. 
 Van Hollen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
        the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week.

Whereas the week of April 3, 2017, through April 9, 2017, is National Public 
        Health Week;
Whereas the theme of National Public Health Week in 2017 is ``Healthiest Nation 
        2030'', with the goal of making the United States the healthiest country 
        in 1 generation;
Whereas, according to the National Academy of Medicine, despite being one of the 
        wealthiest countries in the world, the United States ranks below many 
        other economically prosperous and developing countries with respect to 
        measures of health, including life expectancy and infant mortality 
        rates;
Whereas the life expectancy for the population of the United States has declined 
        for the first time in more than 2 decades and the leading causes of 
        deaths are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health 
        problems;
Whereas there is a significant difference in the health status, including with 
        respect to obesity, mental health, and infectious disease, of 
        individuals who live in the healthiest States as compared with 
        individuals who live in the least healthy States;
Whereas, despite having a high infant mortality rate compared to other 
        economically prosperous and developing countries, and a death rate that 
        varies greatly among States, the United States, until recently, was 
        making steady progress with respect to overall measures of public 
        health, with the infant mortality rate in 2014 reaching a historic low 
        of 5.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births;
Whereas, since 1999, opioid-involved deaths have more than quadrupled, requiring 
        a comprehensive strategy across a range of sectors, including robust 
        efforts to prevent substance misuse disorders;
Whereas the percentage of adults in the United States who smoke cigarettes, an 
        activity that is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in 
        the United States and accounts for more than 480,000 deaths each year, 
        decreased from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 15.1 percent in 2015;
Whereas a strong public health system results in clean and healthy air, water, 
        food, and places in which to live, learn, work, and play;
Whereas public health organizations use National Public Health Week to educate 
        the public, policymakers, and public health professionals on issues that 
        are important to improving the health of the people of the United 
        States;
Whereas studies show that small strategic investments in prevention can result 
        in significant savings in health care costs;
Whereas each 10-percent increase in local public health spending contributes to 
        a 6.9-percent decrease in infant deaths, a 3.2-percent decrease in 
        deaths related to cardiovascular disease, a 1.4-percent decrease in 
        deaths due to diabetes, and a 1.1-percent decrease in cancer-related 
        deaths;
Whereas public health professionals help communities prevent, prepare for, 
        withstand, and recover from the impact of a full range of health 
        threats, including disease outbreaks, such as the Zika virus, natural 
        disasters, and disasters caused by human activity;
Whereas public health professionals collaborate with partners that are not in 
        the health sector, such as city planners, transportation officials, 
        education officials, and private sector businesses, recognizing that 
        other sectors have an important influence on health;
Whereas, in communities across the United States, individuals are changing the 
        way that they care for their health by avoiding tobacco use, eating 
        healthier, becoming more physically active, and preventing unintentional 
        injuries at home and in the workplace; and
Whereas efforts to adequately support public health and prevention can continue 
        the transformation from a health system that is focused on treating 
        illness to a health system that is focused on preventing disease and 
        promoting wellness: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Public Health 
        Week;
            (2) recognizes the efforts of public health professionals, 
        the Federal Government, States, tribes, municipalities, local 
        communities, and individuals in preventing disease and injury;
            (3) recognizes the role of the public health system in 
        improving the health of individuals in the United States;
            (4) encourages increased efforts, and the use of additional 
        resources, to improve the health of people in the United States 
        and make the United States the healthiest country in 1 
        generation--
                    (A) through greater opportunities to improve 
                community health and prevent disease and injury; and
                    (B) by strengthening the public health system 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 
        in the United States.
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