[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 127 (Friday, October 8, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10864-S10865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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     SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 142--RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANT 
  ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN SINCE THE 
    EMERGENCY LOYA JIRGA WAS HELD IN JUNE 2002 IN ESTABLISHING THE 
 FOUNDATION AND MEANS TO HOLD PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ON OCTOBER 9, 2004

  Mr. HAGEL (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Biden, Mr. Leahy, Mr. McCain, 
Mr. Sununu, and Mr. Dodd) submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 142

       Whereas section 101(1) of the Afghanistan Freedom Support 
     Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7511(1)) declares that the ``United 
     States and the international community should support efforts 
     that advance the development of democratic civil authorities 
     and institutions in Afghanistan and the establishment of a 
     new broad-based, multi-ethnic, gender-sensitive, and fully 
     representative government in Afghanistan'';
       Whereas on January 4, 2004, the Constitutional Loya Jirga 
     of Afghanistan adopted a constitution that promises free 
     elections with full participation by women and establishes a 
     legislative foundation for democracy in Afghanistan;
       Whereas on June 15, 2004, President Bush stated that 
     ``Afghanistan's journey to democracy and peace deserves the 
     support and respect of every nation . . . . The world and the 
     United States stand with [the people of Afghanistan] as 
     partners in their quest for peace and prosperity and 
     stability and democracy.'';
       Whereas the independent Joint Electoral Management Body in 
     Afghanistan and thousands of its staff throughout Afghanistan 
     have worked to register voters and organize a fair and 
     transparent election process despite violent and deadly 
     attacks on them and on the purpose of their work;
       Whereas more than 10,500,000 Afghans have been reported 
     registered to vote, demonstrating great courage and a deep 
     desire to have a voice in the future of Afghanistan, and more 
     than 40 percent of those reported registered to vote are 
     women;
       Whereas the presidential election campaign in Afghanistan 
     officially began on September 7, 2004 and 18 candidates, 
     including one woman, are seeking the presidency;
       Whereas on October 9, 2004, the people of Afghanistan will 
     vote in the first direct presidential election, at the 
     national level, in Afghanistan's history at 5,000 polling 
     centers located throughout Afghanistan, as well as polling 
     centers in Pakistan and Iran;
       Whereas the United States, the European Union, the 
     Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the 
     Asian Network for Free Elections will send monitors and 
     support teams to join the more than 4,000 domestic election 
     observers in Afghanistan for the presidential election;
       Whereas the United States and many international partners 
     have provided technical assistance and financial support for 
     elections in Afghanistan; and
       Whereas the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), 
     led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and 
     coalition forces will join the Afghan National Army and 
     police in Afghanistan to help provide security during the 
     presidential election: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That--
       (1) the United States applauds the steadfast commitment of 
     the people of Afghanistan to achieve responsive and 
     responsible government through democracy;
       (2) the United States strongly supports self-government and 
     the protection of human rights and freedom of conscience for 
     all men and women in Afghanistan; and
       (3) the United States remains committed to a long-term 
     partnership with the people of Afghanistan and to a peaceful 
     future for Afghanistan.
  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution 
recognizing the landmark Presidential elections that will take place in 
Afghanistan this Saturday, October 9, 2004.
  My colleagues Senators Lugar, R-IN, Biden, D-DE, Leahy, D-VT, McCain, 
R-AZ, Sununu, R-NH and Dodd, D-CT, join me as original co-sponsors of 
this resolution.
  The Government and people of Afghanistan deserve our praise and 
recognition for their achievements since the emergency Loya Jirga of 
June 2002. The process leading to this historic election has not always 
been easy. Warlords and Taliban members have sought to intimidate 
voters and disrupt the process. But the government of President Hamid 
Karzai and the people of Afghanistan have not been deterred. More than 
10.5 million Afghan citizens have been reported registered to vote, 
reflecting the courage and commitment of Afghans to a democratic 
future. Over forty per cent of those registered are women.
  The Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002, PL 107-327, authorized 
the United States Government to provide $3.3 billion in political, 
economic and security assistance to Afghanistan. It also expressed the 
U.S. Congress's support for the development of democratic institutions 
and a fully representative government in Afghanistan that respects 
religious freedom and the rights of women. The presidential election 
this week is a critical benchmark for America's commitment to a long-
term partnership with Afghanistan for responsible governance and a more 
peaceful future.
  America's interests in Afghanistan are linked to our wider regional 
objectives in the war on terrorism, and in promoting security and more 
open political and economic systems throughout the Greater Middle East 
and Central Asia.
  President Bush said on June 15, 2004, that ``the world and the United 
States stand with [the people of Afghanistan] as partners in their 
quest for peace and prosperity and stability and democracy.''
  I ask the Senate to recognize the historic achievement of the Afghan 
people in holding presidential elections this week, and to join the co-
sponsors of this resolution and me in expressing our continued support 
for the people of Afghanistan.
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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 143--RECOGNIZING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OF 
                 PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATION PROGRAMS

  Mr. DeWINE (for himself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Frist, and Ms. Collins) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                            S. Con. Res. 143

       Whereas coronary heart disease is the single leading cause 
     of death in the United States;
       Whereas every two minutes, an individual suffers from 
     cardiac arrest in the United States, and 250,000 Americans 
     die each year from cardiac arrest out of hospital;
       Whereas the chance of survival for a victim of cardiac 
     arrest diminishes by ten percent each minute following sudden 
     cardiac arrest;
       Whereas 80 percent of cardiac arrests are caused by 
     ventricular fibrillation, for which defibrillation is the 
     only effective treatment;
       Whereas 60 percent of all cardiac arrests occur outside the 
     hospital, and the average national survival rate for an out-
     of-hospital victim of cardiac arrest is only five percent;
       Whereas automated external defibrillators (AEDs) make it 
     possible for trained non-medical rescuers to deliver 
     potentially life-saving defibrillation to victims of cardiac 
     arrest;
       Whereas public access defibrillation (PAD) programs train 
     non-medical individuals to use AEDs;
       Whereas communities that have established and implemented 
     PAD programs that make use of AEDs have achieved average 
     survival rates as high as 50 percent for those individuals 
     who have suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest;
       Whereas successful PAD programs ensure that cardiac arrest 
     victims have access to early 911 notification, early 
     cardiopulmonary resuscitation, early defibrillation, and 
     advanced care;
       Whereas schools, sports arenas, large hotels, concert 
     halls, high-rise buildings, gated communities, buildings 
     subject to high-security, and similar facilities can benefit 
     greatly from the use of AEDs as part of a PAD program, since 
     it often takes additional and therefore critical time for 
     emergency medical personnel to respond to victims of cardiac 
     arrest in these areas;
       Whereas widespread use of defibrillators could save as many 
     as 50,000 lives nationally each year;
       Whereas the Aviation Medical Assistance Act of 1998 (Public 
     Law 105-170; 49 U.S.C. 44701 note) authorized AEDs to be 
     carried and used aboard commercial airliners;
       Whereas the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 2000 (Public Law 
     106-505; 42 U.S.C. 238p-238q)

[[Page S10865]]

     provided for the placement of AEDs in Federal office 
     buildings;
       Whereas the Rural Access to Emergency Devices Act (Public 
     Law 106-505, 42 U.S.C. 254c note) increased access to AEDs in 
     rural communities;
       Whereas the Community Access to Emergency Defibrillation 
     Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-188; 42 U.S.C. 244-245) 
     authorized the development and implementation of PAD 
     projects; and
       Whereas the Automatic Defibrillation in Adam's Memory Act 
     authorizes the use of grant funds to establish an information 
     clearinghouse to provide information to increase public 
     access to defibrillation in schools: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),That Congress--
       (1) recognizes the growing number of community activists, 
     organizations, and municipal governments leading the national 
     effort to establish public access defibrillation (PAD) 
     programs; and
       (2) encourages the continued development and implementation 
     of PAD programs in schools, sports arenas, NASCAR race 
     tracks, large hotels, concert halls, public housing, high-
     rise buildings, gated communities, buildings subject to high-
     security, and similar facilities to increase the survival 
     rate for victims of cardiac arrest.

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a Resolution that 
would recognize the value and importance of automated external 
defibrillators (AEDs) in our Nation's communities. It is an important 
Resolution that sends a message of support to our communities, 
neighborhoods, schools and businesses.
  For my colleagues who do not know, AEDs or automated external 
defibrillators, are devices that, when used properly, administer an 
electric shock through the chest wall to the heart. These devices are 
used on people who are suffering from heart attacks or have gone into 
full cardiac arrest.
  Many of my colleagues may have seen these devices in airports or in 
other public spaces such as stadiums or shopping malls. They have been 
made widely visible and available because, according to the American 
Heart Association, ``AEDs strengthen the chain of survival. They can 
restore a normal heart rhythm in sudden cardiac arrest victims.''
  What makes AEDs so valuable to our communities is that they are 
extremely effective and they are easy to use. A microprocessor, which 
is embedded in the AEDs analyzes a person's heart rhythm and determines 
whether an electrical shock is necessary to restore normal heart 
function. The American Heart Association makes clear the value of 
having access to AEDs--``When a person suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, 
for each minute that passes without defibrillation, their chance of 
survival decreases by 7 to 10 percent.'' Fortunately, many communities 
have realized the benefit of AEDs and have begun creating Public Access 
Defibrillation programs (PADs). There are a number of Public Access 
Defibrillation programs throughout our country, and I'm happy to say a 
few of them are in Ohio.
  These State, local and community PAD programs are a valuable asset 
because they ensure that automated external defibrillation accessible 
and available to cardiac arrest victims in the community and provide 
appropriate training in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 
the use of automated external defibrillators.
  This resolution simply recognizes the Public Access Defibrillator 
programs for all of their good work to make it possible for communities 
to access these life-saving devices. My resolution also encourages the 
continued creation of PADs so that more people, in more places, have 
access to AEDs.
  Finally, my Senate colleagues and I have long supported automatic 
external defibrillators and their increased use in communities, 
particularly rural communities. In fact, just this year, the Senate 
Labor Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee provides 
$10,933,000 for rural and community access to emergency devices. This 
funding provides grants to expand placement of automatic external 
defibrillators and to provide for training.
  I ask my colleagues to support this resolution, to pass this 
resolution, and to encourage the continued development of Public Access 
Defibrillator (PAD) programs.

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