[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 252 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 252

         Supporting the goals of National Arson Awareness Week.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2005

 Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Fitzpatrick 
 of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms. Harman, Mr. Wilson of South 
    Carolina, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Simmons, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. 
   McNulty, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Gordon, Mr. 
  Ruppersberger, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Gene 
 Green of Texas, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Upton, Mr. Markey, Mr. 
Moore of Kansas, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Gerlach, Mr. Gonzalez, 
 Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Meek of Florida, Mr. 
  Schwarz of Michigan, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Mr. King of New 
  York) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
         Supporting the goals of National Arson Awareness Week.

Whereas the increase in arson fires that cause fatalities is a troublesome 
        statistic;
Whereas many other fatal fires are preventable through increased outreach, 
        supervision, and technological innovation;
Whereas the goals of National Arson Awareness Week are to create a national 
        recognition, awareness, and understanding of the school fire problem in 
        the United States; to encourage communities to get involved in the 
        dissemination of arson awareness information by creating a simple, 
        identifiable, and unifying message for intervention and prevention; to 
        organize local events that raise a community's awareness of school fires 
        and arson issues; and to engage national, regional, and local media 
        outlets in delivering the message;
Whereas the price that America pays for fires set in our schools is extreme;
Whereas the crime of youth fire setting and juvenile arson accounts for over 50 
        percent of all intentionally set fires;
Whereas the leading cause of school structure fires on average is incendiary or 
        suspicious activity, which includes arson fires, and accounts for 37 
        percent of all school structure fires and 52 percent of middle and high 
        school structure fires;
Whereas 78 percent of school fires occur during the school week and 22 percent 
        on weekends;
Whereas 55 percent of fires occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., the hours students 
        are most likely to be in school;
Whereas in addition to fire departments, communities must involve the police 
        department, mental health professionals, the school system, children's 
        hospitals, social services, and the media in the issue of fire in 
        schools;
Whereas public awareness is one of the specific responsibilities of the 
        International Association of Arson Investigators;
Whereas if citizens become more informed about arson prevention and intervention 
        and treatment programs for these heinous acts of burning are made 
        available, strides can be made in this preventable malfeasance;
Whereas the International Association of Arson Investigators has designated the 
        first week of May each year as National Arson Awareness Week; and
Whereas this year the theme of National Arson Awareness Week is ``School Arson--
        A Burning Subject'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives supports the goals of 
National Arson Awareness Week.
                                 <all>