The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“RECOGNIZING THE CALL TO ACTION FOR WALKING AND WALKABLE COMMUNITIES” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1336 on Sept. 22, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING THE CALL TO ACTION FOR WALKING AND WALKABLE COMMUNITIES
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HON. RON KIND
of wisconsin
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's Step It Up! call to action to promote walking and walkable communities.
Walking is a simple and effective way to increase physical activity in the lives of everyday Americans, and it can help significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. An average of just 22 minutes a day of physical activity can significantly mitigate many potential long term health issues. Fewer than half of all U.S. adults, and only a quarter of high school students, get enough physical activity to reduce their risk of chronic diseases associated with an inactive lifestyle.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has found that three out of every ten Americans do not have access to sidewalks along streets in their neighborhood. I am here today to support the Surgeon General's call on local leaders, law enforcement, and public health managers to create safe sidewalks, curbs, and crosswalks within local communities. We need to step up as a country to ensure that citizens can walk within their own communities and feel safe when they do. This call to action both encourages a shared sense of community among residents and is an effective way to mitigate many of our nation's health care concerns and costs.
As the co-chair of the Fitness Caucus, the Youth Sports Caucus, and the Taskforce on Childhood Obesity, I am proud to support the Surgeon General in his call to action for walking and walkable communities.
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