Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with regard to the importance of National Women's Health Week, which promotes awareness of diseases that affect women and which encourages women to take preventive measures to ensure good health.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 833, which celebrates National Women's Health Week. I would like to thank my colleagues, Mr. Hinchey, Mrs. Bono, and Mr. Hayworth, for their work on this issue, as well as our chairman, Mr. Deal.

This week is celebrated annually in order to raise awareness about diseases and conditions that specifically affect women. This also includes how common diseases affect women differently than they affect men. For too long research lacked gender specificity, and because of that, we lacked vital information about how women experience disease differently from men. This is especially true with respect to heart disease, and that happens to be the number one killer of women.

Women's Health Week is also a time to raise awareness about important preventive care measures that all women should take. With the growing number of uninsured in this country, it is no surprise that women are skipping doctor visits that ought to be routine. Knowing that this is especially true for low-income women and minority women, I applaud national efforts to use National Women's Health Week as a time to offer free screenings and conduct outreach to communities that are often left behind.

National Women's Health Week is not just a concept, but it truly is a large-scale effort by individuals, government, local and national organizations in order to highlight practical steps women can take to improve their lives and their health.

During this week, women can access essential checkups, services like mammograms and bone density screenings. These screenings can catch serious conditions like breast cancer early before it is life- threatening, and osteoporosis before it results in fractures.

I support this resolution celebrating National Women's Health Week because it focuses attention on gender disparities in health care delivery. I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey).

Mr. Speaker, I actually have no additional speakers, and so I would yield back the balance of my time, by urging our entire body to follow as we seem to be in unanimity here this evening discussing this legislation that we adopt this resolution unanimously in the House as well.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 833) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with regard to the importance of National Women's Health Week, which promotes awareness of diseases that affect women and which encourages women to take preventive measures to ensure good health, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation, and to insert extraneous material on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of House Resolution 833, authored by Mr. Hinchey, Mrs. Bono and Mrs. Capps, expressing the sense of Congress on the importance of Women's Health Week.

Each year Women's Health Week promotes awareness about steps women can take to improve their health. The focus is on the importance of incorporating simple, preventative, and positive health behaviors into women's everyday lives.

When women take simple steps to improve their health, the results can be significant. Many of the leading causes of death among women, such as heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes are preventable and treatable if the warning signs are recognized.

Events like National Women's Health Week and National Women's Checkup Day are great opportunities to tell someone you love that their health is important. Remind a mother, sister, spouse, daughter or friend to get regular checkups, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, quit smoking, and follow safety rules.

I commend the hundreds of volunteers, women's groups, health organizations, businesses, and charitable organizations who have helped to make National Women's Health Week a success.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution in recognition of National Women's Health Week.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, I do have an additional speaker who has arrived. I am pleased to recognize my colleague from Georgia, Dr. Phil Gingrey, for 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and therefore, I would yield back the balance of my time and urge the adoption of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from California, for organizing the time for this discussion this evening.

I think this resolution before us at the moment is very, very important. It calls upon the House of Representatives to recognize the importance of National Women's Health Week. The importance of National Women's Health Week is to draw people's attention from all across our country to the issues that affect the health of women in America. And those issues affect women of all ages.

One of the things that we are attempting to do with regard to National Women's Health Week is to draw attention to the necessity to try to live better lifestyles, healthier lifestyles, and to take advantage of the opportunities for medical screening.

One of the unfortunate situations that we confront in our country, of course, is the fact that we still do not have a system of national health insurance. And so consequently, many women will not be able to take advantage of opportunities to get medical screening because they do not have insurance.

But, in the meantime, this resolution focuses attention on the need to live healthier lifestyles, to be aware of the various diseases and other health concerns that affect women, to take the necessary precautions to deal with those issues, to live the healthiest possible lifestyle, and to get the best appropriate medical attention.

It also thanks all of the agencies, and organizations across our country that devote their time and attention to the issue of womens' health. Womens' health is important for all of us, and that is why this resolution is so important for the Members of this House and for all of our constituents all across America.

I ask my colleagues to devote their attention to this resolution, to support it favorably, and to ensure its passage, because this issue is critically important to every single family in America. I ask that we give it the appropriate attention that it deserves and that the resolution be passed unanimously.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Chairman Deal of the Health Subcommittee of Energy and Commerce. I thank Representative Hinchey and Representative Capps and all Members who bring this resolution, 833, before us this evening.

Those of us involved in health care, like Representative Capps, as a registered nurse, and myself, as a physician, and not only a physician, but also a specialist dealing with women's health issues, as an OB-GYN, understand the importance of recognizing that this is National Women's Health

Week. It promotes awareness of diseases that specifically affect women and encourage them to take preventive measures to ensure good health.

It is a time when we need to tell all the women in our lives, our mothers, our wives, our sisters, our daughters, our aunts, in my case, my children and grandchildren, and friends, how important it is to take time out for their health. It can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of an elevator, eating healthier or scheduling an appointment with a health care provider.

Mr. Speaker, as an OB-GYN physician for nearly 30 years, I cannot stress enough how important a good relationship with your doctor is in maintaining your health. Women need to have conversations with their physicians regarding family history. They clearly need to understand the importance of screening tests and how to manage chronic diseases.

I want all of America's women to take a moment to focus on promoting health and preventing disease and illness by taking very simple steps to improve their physical, mental, social and spiritual health.

And I thank the chairman for allowing me to address this issue.