Expressing support for designation of the week beginning May 2, 2010, as "National Physical Education and Sport Week".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1373) expressing support for designation of the week beginning May 2, 2010, as ``National Physical Education and Sport Week''.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 1373 into the Record.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1373, which recognizes the critical importance of physical education and physical activity for all of our Nation's children and youth by celebrating National Physical Education and Sport Week. Participation in physical education and sports programs not only helps children stay physically fit, but contributes to a range of academic, social, and personal gains. With the observance of this week, coaches, educators, and parents around the country will promote greater youth participation in physical education and help tackle the growing problem of childhood obesity.

Since 1980, the childhood obesity rate in America has more than tripled. The increase in obesity is, in large part, due to a decrease in regular physical exercise. Fewer than one in five adolescents now meet the Center for Disease Control's recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Many children do not have the opportunity to participate in physical education. Only a fraction of the Nation's elementary, middle, and high schools are provided regular physical education classes.

Physical activity reduces the risk of heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Research shows that children who have the opportunity to engage in physical activity regularly are more likely to thrive academically and graduate. In addition to improved academic performance, participation in sports teams and other physical activities can improve behavior, increase self-esteem, develop social skills, and help kids lead a healthy lifestyle as an adult. We are responsible for educating our children about physical education and for providing opportunities for fitness. National Physical Education and Sport Week reaffirms the importance of healthy bodies and healthy minds in our communities and schools.

Mr. Speaker, I once again express my support for House Resolution 1373, the National Physical Education and Sport Week. I thank Congressman Altmire for introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this fine resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of H. Res. 1373, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time but would like to urge that House Resolution 1373 be passed. We also in my district on Saturday will be having a community meeting dealing with obesity, in line with the President and First Lady Obama's initiative to battle obesity. We've been doing this now for the past decade. It's in epidemic proportions in some districts. So we do urge the people to come out to Metropolitan Church on Saturday to participate. But we believe that this is very important. The health of our Nation is at stake. And so I certainly urge support of the National Physical Education and Sport Week, House Resolution 1373, and urge passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, I would like to communicate my support for designating the week of May 2, 2010 as ``National Physical Education and Sport Week.'' America faces an obesity crisis, and this problem is particularly harmful to our children. The childhood obesity rate has more than tripled since 1980, and today the CDC places the rate at approximately 17%. This crisis, however, does not affect all children equally. It disproportionately affects children from racial/ ethnic minority groups and from low-income families. Although only 16% of Caucasians aged 12-19 are obese, 24% of African Americans and 21% of Hispanics are obese. Obesity in childhood is particularly troubling given that obese children often develop many diseases in their youth that typically occur in adults, such as Type II diabetes. Frequently, these children also develop risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Furthermore, obesity in childhood increases the likelihood of obesity and its associated health problems in adulthood, including coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer. In addition to the negative health effects of childhood obesity, the crisis also proves costly to the health care system. It is estimated that childhood obesity costs the U.S. approximately $3 billion a year, and this number will only grow worse if we fail to correct this problem.

Although many factors contribute to the increased obesity of our children, including the lack of nutrition in many children's diets, a key variable is that the American life style has changed to be more sedentary both in school and at home. Physical activity during the school day is restricted much more now than in the past. Only 15% of middle schools and 3% of high schools offer all their students physical education three or more days a week. Many schools offer PE only once a week, with recess seen as an extra rather than a key part of child development. In the past, children played outside for hours after school, but active outdoor time is now much rarer. A 2009 study found that children ages 8-18 watch an average of three hours of television a day. Although these factors affect all children, they are intensified for minority and low income children. Schools in low income areas often cut physical education to one day a week to focus on reading and math. Minimum wage jobs rarely offer the flexibility needed to get kids to sports practices and events; doing so is even harder when public transportation is necessary. Some communities lack safe places to play outdoors, so children engage in more sedentary activities inside. Frequently, low income communities lack grocery stores and options for fresh produce. We must work to reemphasize the importance of physical activity, so that each child has an equal chance at living a healthy life.

We cannot allow this unwholesome future to become the destiny of America's children. Let us instead face this problem, and help these children. We can begin to fight this epidemic by recognizing the importance of physical education and sport in children's lives. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 1373.

I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my resolution to honor National Physical Education and Sport Week. More than one-third of America's elementary school children are overweight or obese, and more than 13 percent of America's high school children are overweight or obese. As a result, these children are now developing diseases and vascular conditions that were once thought to affect only the middle-aged, such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. In addition, research has shown that children that participate in physical activity perform better in the classroom. So the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that children engage in 60 minutes of physical activity 5 or more days per week. However, only 35 percent of our Nation's children regularly meet this recommendation.

This resolution, which I introduced, acknowledges that physical activity and sports play a central role in creating an opportunity for children to build lifelong healthy habits. And it's for this reason, Mr. Speaker, that I introduced this resolution, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support it.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I just wanted to commend my colleague, Congressman Altmire, for introducing this resolution to designate the week beginning May 2 as National Physical Education and Sport Week.

Today, the President is going to be launching at Bell Multicultural High School in Columbia Heights, here in

the District of Columbia, the President's Council on Fitness, Sport, and Nutrition, which expands on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, which has been in place since the Kennedy administration, the Eisenhower administration. It brings the kind of focus to physical fitness and sports and nutrition that Congressman Altmire has signaled with this resolution.

Again, I commend him for bringing that attention to this issue, and I urge support of this resolution.