[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 59 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4250-S4251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL SAFE KIDS WEEK 1997

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize May 10 
through 18 as National Safe Kids Week 1997. The National Safe Kids 
Campaign is a joint effort of the Children's National Medical Center 
and its founding sponsor Johnson & Johnson to promote basic child 
safety precautions among America's parents.
  To illustrate the importance of this cause, consider the following 
facts. Unintentional injury is the number one killer of children ages 
14 and under. Every day, more than 39,000 children are injured 
seriously enough to require emergency medical treatment. That is more 
than 14 million each year. These statistics are all the more tragic 
because so many of these accidents could have been prevented with 
adequate basic child safety education.
  Earlier today, the National Safe Kids Gear Up Games kicked off here 
in Washington. The Gear Up Games will move to New York tomorrow, Los 
Angeles on Saturday, and on to communities across the country in the 
days ahead. The primary awareness program of National Safe Kids Week 
1997, the Gear Up Games are an interactive safety obstacle course with 
events centered around the childhood injury risk areas depicted in the 
Safe Kids Gear Up Guide.

[[Page S4251]]

  Mr. President, I am honored to say my wife Jane is a honorary 
chairperson of the Detroit Safe Kids Campaign. She joins such respected 
national figures as former United States Surgeon General C. Everett 
Koop, our distinguished colleagues from Connecticut and Ohio, Chris 
Dodd and Mike DeWine, respectively, and countless others in this 
worthwhile initiative.
  During National Safe Kids Week 1997, and beyond, I plan to have 
available in both my Washington and Michigan offices copies of the Safe 
Kids Gear Up Guide. Jane and I join Senators Dodd and DeWine in urging 
other Senators to do likewise. As the parents of three children, all 
under the age of 4, my wife and I believe there is no more important 
task than working to ensure all of America's children have safe home 
and play environments in which to grow up.
  I commend those involved in the National Safe Kids Campaign and the 
good works they do, and look forward to the day accidental childhood 
injuries are eliminated entirely.

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