,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #hgc  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,february #bg1      
#bjbj,mrs4 ,beatty submitted the        
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,energy and       
,commerce  ,,resolution  ,recognizing   
the impact and importance of improving  
prevention1 detection1 and treatment    
modalities for ,african-,american women 
with cardiovascular disease and         
diabetes4  ,whereas cardiovascular      
disease 7,,cvd7--including coronary     
heart disease1 heart failure1 stroke1   
and high blood pressure--is the leading 
cause of death for men and women in the 
,united ,states2 ,whereas ,african      
,americans have a three-fold greater    
risk of developing ,,cvd than all other 
,americans2 ,whereas according to the   
,american ,heart ,association1 among    
,african-,american women ages #bj and   
older1 nearly half 7#dh4c percent7      
already have ,,cvd2 ,whereas higher     
rates of heart attack1 sudden cardiac   

arrest1 heart failure1 and stroke       
disproportionately affect               
,african-,american women2 ,whereas ,,cvd
 kills nearly #ej1jjj ,african-,american
 women annually1 but only one in five   
,african-,american women believes she is
 personally at risk2 ,whereas major risk
 factors for heart disease1 including   
diabetes1 smoking1 elevated blood       
pressure1 high blood cholesterol1       
physical inactivity1 obesity1 and a     
family history of heart disease1 all    
disproportionately impact ,black women2 
,whereas research shows that prolonged  
exposure to stress1 as from coping with 
racism1 may produce higher levels of the
 stress hormone cortisol in ,black women
 which can lead to higher rates of      
obesity1 thereby increasing the risk of 
heart disease and other chronic illness2
 ,whereas cardiovascular disease poses a
 significant financial burden in the    
form of direct health care costs and    
lost productivity1 costing the ,united  
,states approximately #bjj billion a    

year2 ,whereas cardiovascular events    
such as stroke can cause permanent and  
debilitating damage with only #aj       
percent of stroke survivors making a    
full recovery2 ,whereas #ci4e million   
women have prediabetes2 ,whereas        
diabetes has been linked to             
cardiovascular illnesses1 and adult     
diabetics are more likely to be at risk 
for heart attacks1 strokes1 and high    
blood pressure2 ,whereas diabetes has   
been linked to cardiovascular illnesses2
 ,whereas many ,african-,american women 
with diabetes are unaware that having   
diabetes increases their risk for ,,cvd2
 ,whereas women with diabetes are #dj   
percent more likely to develop heart    
disease2 ,whereas at least #fh percent  
of people with diabetes age #fe and     
older die of some form of heart disease 
and #af percent die from stroke2        
,whereas gestational diabetes mellitus  
7,,gdm7 is a disease characterized by   
high blood sugar 7glucose7 levels during
 pregnancy1 and it raises a mother's    

risk of getting type #b diabetes and    
heart disease later in life2 ,whereas   
,african-,american women who develop    
,,gdm during pregnancy face a #eb       
percent increased risk of developing    
diabetes in the future compared to      
,white women who develop ,,gdm2 and     
,whereas cardiovascular complications   
are the leading cause of                
pregnancy-related death in ,black women3
 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house
 of ,representatives-- 7#a7 recognizes  
the importance of decreasing            
cardiovascular disease among all        
populations1 especially among           
,african-,american women2  7#b7         
recognizes the unique factors that      
impact ,african ,americans1 including   
racism and stress1 which lead to        
disproportionately rates of heart       
disease1 stroke1 diabetes1 and maternal 
mortality2  7#c7 promotes the necessity 
of spreading awareness and improving    
education about cardiovascular risk     
factors and preventive health and       

lifestyle choices that contribute to    
reduced cardiovascular risk2  7#d7      
recognizes prevention of cardiovascular 
disease and related risk factors as the 
foundation for effective1 lifelong      
management of cardiovascular health2    
7#e7 supports the education of patients1
 health care providers1 and policymakers
 about cardiovascular health2  7#f7     
recognizes the value of investment in   
cardiovascular disease therapy research 
and development2  7#g7 encourages early 
and continuous patient access to        
innovative1 lifesaving cardiovascular   
disease therapies2  7#h7 supports the   
importance of health management         
strategies that improve access to       
cardiovascular testing and preventive   
services in all communities2  7#i7      
recognizes the importance of decreasing 
the prevalence of heart disease1 stroke1
 and diabetes for all in the ,united    
,states2  7#aj7 recognizes the release  
of the report entitled ,black ,women    
,vote3 ,national ,health ,policy ,agenda

 #bjah-bjai1 which is a foundational    
policy blueprint that offers evidence to
 both policymakers and practitioners as 
to why the health and wellness of more  
than #bj million ,black women matter in 
the ,united ,states2 and  7#aa7         
recognizes that ,women,heart3 the       
,national ,coalition for ,women with    
,heart ,disease is a patient-centered   
organization that supports1 educates1   
and advocates for all women living with 
and at high risk of heart disease in    
order to improve their health and       
quality of life and to address          
inequities in health care for women4