I want to thank the efforts of the American Public Health Association and its 200-plus partners who have organized events around the Nation that serve to raise everyone's awareness of the need to improve public health.

Research clearly shows us that the earlier women think about maintaining their bone mass and take the steps to do so, the better their health will be in the long run.

National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month is celebrated each May, and becomes a chance for our Nation to become more familiar with the effects of this disease, and about the preventable steps that we can take to deal with it.

Mr. Speaker, less than 10 percent of our Nation's children walk or ride their bicycles to school, and too many schools continue to invite fast-food vendors into their cafeterias.

As we may know, osteoporosis affects around 10 million Americans, most of whom are over 55, and it is the cause of an estimated 1.5 million fractures annually.

In America today, the percentage of children and adolescents who are defined as overweight is more than double what it was in the early 1970s.

I will continue to work in Washington to oppose any efforts to expand drilling off our Coasts and to challenge my colleagues to adopt responsible energy policies.