[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 3, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S3357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL MURDER AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of Senate Resolution 
41, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A Resolution (S. Res. 41) designating April 4, 2001, as 
     ``National Murder Awareness Day.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to the immediate 
consideration of the resolution.
  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, S. Res. 41 designates April 4, 2001 as 
``National Murder Awareness Day.'' In 1999 alone, 15,533 people were 
murdered in the United States according to FBI statistics. Murder 
affects not only the victims themselves, but it affects the lives of 
countless other family members and friends of victims. While murder 
rates have decreased from their record highs in the 1980s, further 
improvement is needed as the murder rate in 1999 was still 5.7 per 
100,000 inhabitants--24 percent higher than the 1950 murder rate.
  To help address the glaring murder problem in our country, I 
introduced the National Murder Awareness Day resolution with my 
colleague Senator Sessions. This resolution will raise awareness of the 
devastating impact murder has on our country. In addition, it 
recognizes the important role local communities can play in combating 
the thousands of senseless murders that occur each year.
  The idea of devoting a day to raising murder awareness originated 
with Citizens Against Crime, a grassroots victim's rights organization 
located in Selma, Alabama. This group was successful in having the 
Alabama state legislature designate April 4, 2000 as Alabama's ``Murder 
Awareness Day.'' According to Citizens against Crime, this designation 
was overwhelmingly successful in mobilizing community resources to 
address the problem of violent crime in Alabama.
  Mr. President, the murder problem in America is complex and will 
require concerted efforts by people and communities throughout our 
great country. The National Murder Awareness Day resolution reflects 
the importance of these efforts. I am pleased my colleagues joined me 
in passing this important resolution.
  Mr. DOMENICI. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and any statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 41) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 41

       Whereas murder needlessly claims the lives of thousands of 
     Americans each year;
       Whereas murder has a devastating effect on the families of 
     victims throughout the United States; and
       Whereas local community awareness and involvement can help 
     eliminate the incidences of murder: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates April 4, 2001 as ``National Murder Awareness 
     Day''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation urging 
     local communities throughout the United States to remember 
     the victims of murder and carry out programs and activities 
     to help eliminate the incidences of murder.

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