[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 59 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5393-S5394]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              THE CALENDAR

  Mr. SUNUNU. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of the following resolutions en 
bloc: Calendar No. 73, S.J. Res. 8; Calendar No. 74, S. Res. 108; 
Calendar No. 75, S. Res. 111.
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolutions en bloc.
  Mr. SUNUNU. I ask unanimous consent that the joint resolution be read 
a third time and passed, the resolutions be agreed to, and that the 
preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be laid on 
the table en bloc, and that any statements relating to these matters be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S.J. Res. 8) was read the third time and passed.
  The resolutions (S. Res. 108 and S. Res. 111) were agreed to.
  The preambles were agreed to.
  The resolutions, with their preambles, read as follows:

                              S.J. Res. 8

       Whereas, on average, another person is sexually assaulted 
     in the United States every two minutes;
       Whereas the Department of Justice reports that 248,000 
     people in the United States were sexually assaulted in 2001;
       Whereas 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have been victims of 
     rape or attempted rape;
       Whereas children and young adults are most at risk, as 44 
     percent of sexual assault victims are under the age of 18, 
     and 80 percent are under the age of 30;
       Whereas sexual assault affects women, men, and children of 
     all racial, social, religious, age, ethnic, and economic 
     groups in the United States;
       Whereas less than 40 percent of sexual assault victims 
     pursue prosecution by reporting their attack to law 
     enforcement agencies;
       Whereas two-thirds of sexual crimes are committed by 
     persons who are not strangers to the victims;
       Whereas the rate of sexual assaults has decreased by half 
     in the last decade;
       Whereas, because of recent advances in DNA technology, law 
     enforcement agencies have the potential to identify the 
     rapists in tens of thousands of unsolved rape cases;
       Whereas aggressive prosecution can incarcerate rapists and 
     therefore prevent them from committing further crimes;
       Whereas sexual assault victims suffer emotional scars long 
     after the physical scars have healed; and
       Whereas free, confidential help is available to all victims 
     of sexual assault through the National Sexual Assault 
     Hotline, more than 1,000 rape crisis centers across the 
     United States, and other organizations that provide services 
     to assist victims of sexual assault: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That--
       (1) it is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month 
     provides a special opportunity to educate the people of the 
     United States about sexual violence and to encourage both the 
     prevention of sexual assault and the prosecution of its 
     perpetrators;
       (B) it is appropriate to salute the more than 20,000,000 
     victims who have survived sexual assault in the United States 
     and the efforts of victims, volunteers, and professionals who 
     combat sexual assault;
       (C) national and community organizations and private sector 
     supporters should be recognized and applauded for their work 
     in promoting awareness about sexual assault, providing 
     information and treatment to its victims, and encouraging the 
     increased prosecution and punishment of its perpetrators; and
       (D) police, forensic workers, and prosecutors should be 
     recognized and applauded for their hard work and innovative 
     strategies to increase the percentage of sexual assault cases 
     that result in the prosecution and incarceration of the 
     offenders;
       (2) Congress urges national and community organizations, 
     businesses in the private sector, and the media to promote, 
     through National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention 
     Month, awareness of sexual violence and strategies to 
     decrease the incidence of sexual assault; and

[[Page S5394]]

       (3) Congress supports the goals and ideals of National 
     Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

                              S. Res. 108

       Whereas throughout American history, cowboy poets have 
     played a large part in framing the landscape of the American 
     West through written and oral poetry;
       Whereas the endurance of these tales and poems demonstrates 
     that cowboy poetry is still a living art;
       Whereas recognizing the contributions of these poets dates 
     as far back as cowboys themselves; and
       Whereas it is necessary to recognize the importance of 
     cowboy poetry for future generations: Now therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates that week of April 21 through April 27, 
     2003, as ``National Cowboy Poetry Week''; and
       (2) requests the President to issue a proclamation calling 
     upon the people of the United States to celebrate the week 
     with the appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.

                              S. Res. 111

       Whereas many nations throughout the world, and especially 
     within the Western hemisphere, celebrate ``Dia de los Ninos'' 
     on the 30th of April, in recognition and celebration of their 
     country's future--their children;
       Whereas children represent the hopes and dreams of the 
     people of the United States;
       Whereas children are the center of American families;
       Whereas children should be nurtured and invested in to 
     preserve and enhance economic prosperity, democracy, and the 
     American spirit;
       Whereas Hispanics in the United States, the youngest and 
     fastest growing ethnic community in the Nation, continue the 
     tradition of honoring their children on this day, and wish to 
     share this custom with the rest of the Nation;
       Whereas 1 in 4 Americans is projected to be of Hispanic 
     descent by the year 2050, and there are, in 2003, 
     approximately 12.3 million Hispanic children in the United 
     States;
       Whereas traditional Hispanic family life centers largely on 
     children;
       Whereas the primary teachers of family values, morality, 
     and culture are parents and family members, and we rely on 
     children to pass on these family values, morals, and culture 
     to future generations;
       Whereas more than 500,000 children drop out of school each 
     year and Hispanic dropout rates are unacceptably high;
       Whereas the importance of literacy and education are most 
     often communicated to children through family members;
       Whereas families should be encouraged to engage in family 
     and community activities that include extended and elderly 
     family members and encourage children to explore, develop 
     confidence, and pursue their dreams;
       Whereas the designation of a day to honor the children of 
     the Nation will help affirm for the people of the United 
     States the significance of family, education, and community;
       Whereas the designation of a day of special recognition of 
     children of the United States will provide an opportunity for 
     children to reflect on their future, to articulate their 
     dreams and aspirations, and find comfort and security in the 
     support of their family members and communities;
       Whereas the National Latino Children's Institute, serving 
     as a voice for children, has worked with cities throughout 
     the country to declare April 30 as ``Dia de los Ninos: 
     Celebrating Young Americans''--a day to bring together 
     Latinos and other communities nationwide to celebrate and 
     uplift children; and
       Whereas the children of a nation are the responsibility of 
     all its people, and people should be encouraged to celebrate 
     the gifts of children to society--their curiosity, laughter, 
     faith, energy, spirit, hopes, and dreams: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates April 30, 2003, as ``Dia de los Ninos: 
     Celebrating Young Americans''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling on the people of the United States to join with all 
     children, families, organizations, communities, churches, 
     cities, and States across the Nation to observe the day with 
     appropriate ceremonies, including--
       (A) activities that center around children, and are free or 
     minimal in cost so as to encourage and facilitate the 
     participation of all our people;
       (B) activities that are positive, uplifting, and that help 
     children express their hopes and dreams;
       (C) activities that provide opportunities for children of 
     all backgrounds to learn about one another's cultures and 
     share ideas;
       (D) activities that include all members of the family, and 
     especially extended and elderly family members, so as to 
     promote greater communication among the generations within a 
     family, enabling children to appreciate and benefit from the 
     experiences and wisdom of their elderly family members;
       (E) activities that provide opportunities for families 
     within a community to get acquainted; and
       (F) activities that provide children with the support they 
     need to develop skills and confidence, and find the inner 
     strength--the will and fire of the human spirit--to make 
     their dreams come true.


                              S. Res. 111

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, nations throughout the world, especially 
within Latin America, celebrate Dia De los Ninos on the 30th of April, 
in recognition and celebration of their country's future--their 
children. Many American Hispanic families continue the tradition of 
honoring their children on this day by celebrating Dia De los Ninos in 
their homes.
  The designation of a day to honor the children of the Nation will 
help affirm for the people of the United States the significance of 
family, education, and community. This special recognition of children 
will provide us with an opportunity to reflect on our future, 
articulate our dreams and aspirations, and find comfort and security in 
the support of our family members and communities. This resolution 
calls on the American people to join with all children, families, 
organizations, communities, churches, cities, and States across the 
Nation to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
  I thank my colleagues for supporting America's youth by supporting 
this resolution designating April 30, 2003, Dia De los Ninos: 
Celebrating Young Americans.

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