[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 747 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 747

          Supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 2023

 Mr. Ellzey submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
          Supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week.

Whereas the National Family Partnership started the Red Ribbon Campaign in 
        1988--

    (1) to educate the people of the United States about the link between 
drug use and violence;

    (2) to preserve the memory of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena (referred to in 
the preamble as ``Special Agent Camarena''), a special agent of the Drug 
Enforcement Administration who--

    G    (A) served the Drug Enforcement Administration for 11 years; and

    G    (B) was murdered in the line of duty in 1985, while engaged in the 
battle against illicit drugs;

    (3) to commemorate the service of Special Agent Camarena to the Drug 
Enforcement Administration and the people of the United States; and

    (4) to further the cause for which Special Agent Camarena gave his 
life;

Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign is the most longstanding drug use prevention 
        program in the United States, bringing drug awareness to millions of 
        people in the United States each year;
Whereas Red Ribbon Week is celebrated every year during the period of October 23 
        through October 31 by--

    (1) State Governors and attorneys general;

    (2) the National Family Partnership;

    (3) parent-teacher associations;

    (4) Boys and Girls Clubs of America;

    (5) the Young Marines;

    (6) the Drug Enforcement Administration; and

    (7) hundreds of other organizations throughout the United States;

Whereas the objective of Red Ribbon Week is to promote the creation of drug-free 
        communities through drug use prevention efforts, education programs, 
        parental involvement, and community-wide support through specific 
        actions such as lighting up buildings and landmarks, and activities that 
        engage the public;
Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug 
        overdoses are the leading cause of death in people in the United States 
        between the ages of 18 to 45, outnumbering deaths by firearms, motor 
        vehicle crashes, suicide, or homicide;
Whereas approximately 107,735 people died from drug overdoses in the United 
        States in 2022;
Whereas reducing the demand for illicit controlled substances would--

    (1) curtail lethal addictions and overdoses; and

    (2) reduce the violence associated with drug trafficking;

Whereas, although public awareness of illicit drug use is increasing, emerging 
        drug threats and growing epidemics continue to demand attention;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration hosts a National Take Back Day twice 
        a year, on the last Saturdays of October and April, for the public to 
        safely dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs that can lead to 
        accidental poisoning, overdose, or misuse;
Whereas the National Family Partnership hosts Lock Your Meds, a multi-media 
        campaign and program to encourage individuals, businesses, and 
        communities to dispose of drugs appropriately and to reduce the demand 
        for drugs;
Whereas Lock Your Meds is statewide in Idaho, North Carolina, and throughout the 
        southeastern United States;
Whereas synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and the analogues of fentanyl 
        devastated communities and families at an unprecedented rate, claiming 
        more than 70,000 lives in 2022;
Whereas the presence of fentanyl and the analogues of fentanyl pose hazards to 
        police officers and law enforcement agents;
Whereas 6 out of 10 pills tested at Drug Enforcement Administration laboratories 
        contain a potentially deadly dose of fentanyl;
Whereas Drug Enforcement Administration has created a special exhibit, entitled 
        ``The Faces of Fentanyl'', to commemorate the lives lost from fentanyl 
        poisoning and has received over 5,000 photos as of the date of enactment 
        of this resolution;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than 58,400,000 
        fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills and more than 13,000 pounds of 
        fentanyl powder in 2022;
Whereas, from 2019 to 2020, more than 13,000 people in the United States died 
        from a drug overdose involving heroin, a rate of more than 4 deaths for 
        every 100,000 people in the United States;
Whereas, from 2018 to 2019, drug overdose deaths involving cocaine increased by 
        nearly 9 percent, with almost 16,000 people in the United States dying 
        in 2019 from such an overdose, the highest recorded total in the 21st 
        century;
Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,500,000 
        people in the United States aged 12 or older reported having used 
        methamphetamine in 2020;
Whereas psychostimulants with abuse potential, such as methamphetamine, were 
        involved in 1.3 times as many drug overdose deaths as cocaine;
Whereas parents, young people, schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies, 
        religious institutions and faith-based organizations, service 
        organizations, senior citizens, medical and military personnel, sports 
        teams, and individuals throughout the United States will demonstrate 
        their commitment to healthy, productive, and drug-free lifestyles by 
        wearing and displaying red ribbons during the week-long celebration of 
        Red Ribbon Week; and
Whereas the National Family Partnership is forming a partnership with the 
        grassroots group Fentanyl Fathers to stream the movie ``Dead on 
        Arrival'' nationally in order to educate and inspire the public to 
        participate in solving the fentanyl epidemic: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week;
            (2) encourages the people of the United States to wear and 
        display red ribbons during Red Ribbon Week to symbolize their 
        commitment to healthy, drug-free lifestyles;
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to light up 
        buildings and landmarks to send a drug-free message;
            (4) encourages children, teens, and other individuals to 
        choose to live drug-free lives; and
            (5) encourages the people of the United States--
                    (A) to promote the creation of drug-free 
                communities; and
                    (B) to participate in drug use prevention 
                activities to show support for healthy, productive, and 
                drug-free lifestyles.
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