Janice Schakowsky: “On December 30, 1963, Congress requested that the President issue an annual proclamation designating February as…”

“On December 30, 1963, Congress requested that the President issue an annual proclamation designating February as American Heart Month. House Concurrent Resolution 52, supporting the goals and ideals of American Heart Month, reaffirms the Federal Government's commitment to fighting heart disease, recognizes Americans struggling with this illness, and encourages Americans to take preventive measures to protect themselves from heart disease. Over 79 million, or one in three, American adults have cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and congenital cardiovascular defects. The lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease for an individual aged 40 is two in three of men, and over one in two for women. Cardiovascular disease was the underlying cause of death for well over a third of all the 2.4 million deaths in the United States in 2004. Cardiovascular disease accounts for more deaths than any other single cause of death in the United States. Nearly 2,400 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of one death each 36 seconds. The estimated direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular disease in 2007 are $431.8 billion.”