HJ0042

LRB095 11755 KXB 34698 r






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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Lung disease has grown steadily over the last 
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three decades and women are bearing a disproportionate share of 
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the health risk; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Gender differences in lung health prompted the 
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American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago to create 
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Catch Your Breath, a year-round educational initiative; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The number of women diagnosed with chronic 
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obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), largely emphysema and 
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chronic bronchitis, has surged ahead of men; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In a recent 14-year period, asthma rates among 
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women jumped 97%, compared to a 22% increase in men; and

 
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    WHEREAS, When it comes to lung cancer, more women die from 
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the disease than from any other type of cancer, and female 
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smokers may be twice as likely to develop lung cancer than male 
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smokers; and

 
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    WHEREAS, For the first time in 2000, more women died from 
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COPD than men; more than 80,000 American women are affected by 
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lung cancer each year, and more than 70,000 die from the 
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disease each year; and

 
 


 






HJ0042
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LRB095 11755 KXB 34698 r




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    WHEREAS, In 2003, 11.6 million females had asthma compared 
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to 8.2 million males, and cigarette smoking kills an estimated 
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178,000 women in the United States annually; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The American Lung Association of Metropolitan 
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Chicago's Catch Your Breath Initiative advocates for 
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legislative change and increased funding for research, and 
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educates people about the impact of lung disease on women; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The American Lung Association of Metropolitan 
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Chicago will be hosting the Catch Your Breath, Women and Lung 
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Health Conference on Wednesday, May 2, 2007; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we proclaim May 2, 2007 as Catch 
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Your Breath Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That we commend the conference and that all 
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members of the Conference of Women Legislators be listed as 
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Honorary Committee Members for the event.