In the spring of 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and several partners embarked on an intensive process to examine the current state of knowledge regarding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevention. The process included identifying public health gaps and generating a set of goals that would define the unique role and contributions of public health in the prevention and control of COPD. This workgroup represented other federal agencies, academia, the health care sector, national organizations, and other COPD stakeholders. The purpose of this report is to provide a framework that could be used by the public health community to address COPD as an important public health issue.