Crapo, Durbin Celebrate Senate Passage of American Heart Month Resolution

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Caucus, celebrated Senate passage of their bipartisan resolution to designate February 2024 as American Heart Month.  The resolution reaffirms the government’s commitment to fighting cardiovascular disease by supporting research, improving access to affordable, quality care to reduce long-term disability and mortality, and recognizing and championing efforts to address the long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular health and mortality rates.

“Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in Idaho and in the United States," said Crapo.  "We can all make changes to our lifestyle that will decrease our risk of heart disease, as well as the risk to our family members.  As co-chair of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition, I encourage individuals to make this month and the rest of 2024 a time to improve their health for themselves and their family.'

“As the leading cause of death in the U.S., heart disease has touched nearly every American family.  We must put forward a concerted effort to research and treat those suffering from cardiovascular diseases,” said Durbin.  “I’m encouraged that my Senate colleagues saw the value in raising awareness around the damaging impacts of cardiovascular disease by passing my resolution with Senator Crapo.  I hope together we can use the month of February to build support for our efforts.”

In 2021, cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of more than 695,000 Americans, making it the leading cause of death in the United States.  Cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects women and communities of color, and the rate of cardiovascular disease has been growing faster than anticipated due in part to the long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Increased awareness of cardiovascular disease can lead to prevention or treatment, ultimately saving thousands of lives annually.  

A copy of the resolution can be found here.