I thank Congresswoman Maxine Waters for her leadership in this important effort to expand research and education for cardiovascular diseases, the number one cause of death for women in the United States.
Each year, one in five women die of cardiovascular diseases - including heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. This legislation will increase research, education and outreach to prevent the onset of heart disease.
Until recently, women and minorities had been excluded from clinical trials, even for diseases uniquely affecting them. Better, more accurate and more aggressive testing and research is critical to determine the causes and methods of prevention of this unrelenting killer of women. New and better outreach efforts to educate women about the causes of cardiovascular disease could dramatically decrease the numbers of women afflicted by these conditions.
I am proud to cosponsor the Women's Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention Act which is intended to safeguard women's health and improve the quality of life for all American women.
