Proc. 7271 Title 3--The President NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitu- tion and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2000 as National African American History Month. I call upon public officials, edu- cators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs that raise awareness and appreciation of African American history. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7271 of February 1, 2000 American Heart Month, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation In the past half century, our Nation has made enormous progress in the fight against heart disease. Through careful research, scientists and doctors have identified key factors--including smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and physical inactivity--that increase the risk of heart disease. Working with dedication and determination, they have developed new treatments and procedures, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defibrillation, clot-dissolving medicines, angioplasty, and car- diac imaging devices, that have saved many lives. As a result of these ad- vances, the death rate from coronary heart disease has fallen dramatically in our Nation, with a nearly 60-percent reduction since its peak in the mid- 1960s. While these developments are significant, heart disease remains a serious health problem. Despite our knowledge of the importance of exercise and a proper diet to maintaining a healthy heart, studies indicate that both physical inactivity and obesity are on the rise throughout our country. Today, more than 58 million Americans have one or more types of cardio- vascular disease (CVD), and each year nearly i million Americans die from CVD--more than from the next 7 leading causes of death combined. Fur- thermore, rates of coronary heart disease deaths and the prevalence of some risk factors remain disproportionately high in minority and low-income populations. As we stand at the dawn of this new century, it is crucial that we build on the developments of the last century to reduce the incidence of CVD, to address the disparity among various segments of our population, and to make further progress in the fight against heart disease. To help meet this challenge, my Administration has launched the Healthy People 2010 initia- tive, which addresses health problems that can be prevented through better care and increased public awareness. Among the initiative's ambitious goals are improving the prevention, detection, and treatment of heart dis- ease risk factors, earlier identification and quicker response in the treat- 22
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