[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 88 (Thursday, June 27, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6295-S6296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         NATIONAL FRAUD AGAINST SENIOR CITIZENS AWARENESS WEEK

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to Calendar No. 454, S. Res. 281.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 281) designating the week beginning 
     August 25, 2002, as ``National Fraud Against Senior Citizens 
     Awareness Week.''
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
and preamble be agreed to, en bloc; that the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table; and that any statements relating to the resolution 
be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 281) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 281

       Whereas perpetrators of mail, telemarketing, and Internet 
     fraud frequently target their schemes at senior citizens 
     because seniors are often vulnerable and trusting people;
       Whereas, as victims of such schemes, many senior citizens 
     have been robbed of their hard-earned life savings and 
     frequently pay an emotional cost, losing not only their 
     money, but also their self-respect and dignity;
       Whereas perpetrators of fraudulent schemes against American 
     seniors often operate outside the United States, reaching 
     their victims through the mail, telephone lines, and the 
     Internet;
       Whereas the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act 
     increased the power of the United States Postal Service to 
     protect consumers against those who use deceptive mailings 
     featuring games of chance, sweepstakes, skill contests, and 
     facsimile checks;
       Whereas the Postal Inspection Service responded to 66,000 
     mail fraud complaints, arrested 1,691 mail fraud offenders, 
     convicted 1,477 such offenders, and initiated 642 civil or 
     administrative actions in fiscal year 2001;
       Whereas mail fraud investigations by the Postal Inspection 
     Service in fiscal year 2001 resulted in over $1,200,000,000 
     in court-ordered and voluntary restitution payments;
       Whereas the Postal Inspection Service, in an effort to curb 
     cross-border fraud, is involved in 3 major fraud task forces 
     with law enforcement officials in Canada, namely, Project 
     Colt in Montreal, The Strategic Partnership in Toronto, and 
     Project Emptor in Vancouver;
       Whereas consumer awareness is the best protection from 
     fraudulent schemes; and
       Whereas it is vital to increase public awareness of the 
     enormous impact that fraud has on senior citizens in the 
     United States, and to educate the public, senior citizens, 
     their families, and their caregivers about the signs of 
     fraudulent activities and how to report suspected fraudulent 
     activities to the appropriate authorities: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week beginning August 25, 2002, as 
     ``National Fraud Against Senior Citizens Awareness Week''; 
     and
       (2) requests the President to issue a proclamation calling 
     on the people of the United States to observe the week with 
     appropriate activities and programs to--
       (A) prevent the purveyors of fraud from victimizing senior 
     citizens in the United States; and
       (B) educate and inform the public, senior citizens, their 
     families, and their caregivers

[[Page S6296]]

     about fraud perpetrated through mail, telemarketing, and the 
     Internet.

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