Advocacy Project: Letter to Public Official

December 6, 2009
Senator Amy Klobuchar
United States Senate
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2304

Senator Amy Klobuchar,

I am writing to you to vote yes to the H.R. 3688 bill, which encourages programs of health promotion and disease prevention.  Obesity is a rising epedemic in the United States and I feel we need to make aware the risks of this deadly disease and promote health strategies, so people can avoid becoming a sufferer.  According to the Alliance for Health Reform, 130 million people are obese in America and 1 in every 3 children are considered to be obese.  This trend needs to be stopped and turned around and I feel this bill can help do such.

It is also essential to recognize that people who are most prone to obestity are people who have low economic status and those of Hispanic and American Indian decent.  This bill offers specific help for these people who cannot afford gym passes or the resources needed when becoming a healthier person.  Free gym use and  available gyms in areas where obesity is abundant will help impede this inclination.

It is also significant to understand how obese people are affected by their situation.  Obese people face damaging effects on their socialization skills, cardiovascular difficulties, hypertension, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes, and the list goes on.  If a bill can help these people avoid those harmful concerns, why not we pass this bill and enhance our population to become healthier people?

I feel that it is extrememly important to put this bill into affect as soon as possible.  This bill will benefit society as a whole, by making exercising resources availble.  These available resources would incude improving or building gyms located in low income areas, free or very low cost gym passes, and gyms near bus lines.  By putting this bill into practice, the United States population's health will improve--both mentally and physically.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  I appreciate your time.


Sincerely,


Paige Jokinen
(Contact Information)