[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 32 (Friday, March 12, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S2802]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 321--RECOGNIZING THE LOYAL SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING 
CONTRIBUTIONS OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER TO THE UNITED STATES AND CALLING 
  ON THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY TO OBSERVE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF DR. 
  OPPENHEIMER'S BIRTH WITH APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF 
             ENERGY AND THE LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

  Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself, Mr. Domenici, and Mrs. Feinstein) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources:

                              S. Res. 321

       Whereas, from March 1943 to October 1945, J. Robert 
     Oppenheimer was the first director of the Los Alamos 
     Laboratory, New Mexico, which was used to design and build 
     the nuclear weapons that ended the Second World War;
       Whereas, following the end of the Second World War, Dr. 
     Oppenheimer served as a science adviser and consultant to 
     each of the 3 principal committees planning for the post-war 
     control of nuclear energy, including the Secretary of War's 
     Interim Committee on Atomic Energy, the Secretary of State's 
     Committee on Atomic Energy, and the United Nations Atomic 
     Energy Committee;
       Whereas, from 1947 to 1952, Dr. Oppenheimer was the first 
     chairman of the General Advisory Committee, which advised the 
     Atomic Energy Commission on scientific and technical matters;
       Whereas, from 1947 to 1954, Dr. Oppenheimer also served on 
     defense policy committees, including the Committee on Atomic 
     Energy of the Joint Research and Development Board, the 
     Science Advisory Committee of the Office of Defense 
     Mobilization, and the Panel on Disarmament of the Department 
     of State;
       Whereas, in addition to his service to the United States 
     Government, Dr. Oppenheimer was the director of the Institute 
     for Advanced Study at Princeton University from 1947 to 1965;
       Whereas, in 1946, President Truman conferred on Dr. 
     Oppenheimer the Medal for Merit ``for exceptionally 
     meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding 
     service'' as director of the Los Alamos Laboratory and for 
     development of the atomic bomb;
       Whereas, in 1963, President Lyndon Johnson conferred on Dr. 
     Oppenheimer the Enrico Fermi Award ``for contributions to 
     theoretical physics as a teacher and originator of ideas and 
     for leadership of the Los Alamos Laboratory and the atomic 
     energy program during critical years''; and
       Whereas April 22, 2004, is the 100th anniversary of Dr. 
     Oppenheimer's birth: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the loyal service of J. Robert Oppenheimer 
     to the United States and the outstanding contributions he 
     made to theoretical physics, the Los Alamos National 
     Laboratory, the development of nuclear energy, and the common 
     defense and security of the United States; and
       (2) calls on the Secretary of Energy to observe the 100th 
     anniversary of the birth of J. Robert Oppenheimer with 
     appropriate ceremonies, activities, or programs at the 
     Department of Energy and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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 SENATE RESOLUTION 320--DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF MARCH 7 THROUGH MARCH 
        13, 2004, AS ``NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK''

  Mr. GRAHAM of Florida (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Dodd, 
Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Frist, and Mr. Enzi) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 320

       Whereas patient safety is an issue of significant 
     importance to the United States;
       Whereas 1 in every 5 citizens of the United States has 
     experienced a medical error or has a family member who has 
     experienced a medical error;
       Whereas medical errors often have serious and profound 
     consequences;
       Whereas it is estimated that injuries from preventable 
     medical errors cost the United States economy between 
     $17,000,000,000 and $29,000,000,000 each year;
       Whereas more people die annually from medical errors than 
     from automobile accidents, breast cancer, and AIDS;
       Whereas increased patient and provider education and 
     collaboration can help avoid medical errors;
       Whereas the Institute of Medicine has stated that a 
     ``critical component of a comprehensive strategy to improve 
     patient safety is to create an environment that encourages 
     organizations to identify errors, evaluate causes and take 
     appropriate actions to improve performance in the future,'' 
     and further, that ``a more conducive environment is needed to 
     encourage health care professionals and organizations to 
     identify, analyze, and report errors without threat of 
     litigation and without compromising patients' legal rights'';
       Whereas better systems can be implemented to reduce the 
     factors that lead to medical errors;
       Whereas innovative educational and research programs are 
     being conducted by the National Patient Safety Foundation as 
     well as by other public and private entities to develop 
     methods for avoiding preventable injuries and to assess the 
     effectiveness of new techniques to increase patient safety; 
     and
       Whereas education of the public on medical errors and the 
     factors that typically lead to medical errors empowers 
     patients to be more effective partners with health care 
     providers in the battle against preventable injuries from 
     medical errors: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week of March 7 through March 13, 2004, 
     as ``National Patient Safety Awareness Week''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States to observe the 
     week with appropriate programs and activities.

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