[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4602-S4604]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DIA DE LOS NINOS: CELEBRATING YOUNG AMERICANS
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COMMENDING THE VIRGINIA RETAIL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION
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NORTH AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH WEEK
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COMMEMORATING THE DEDICATION AND SACRIFICE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed en bloc to the following resolutions submitted earlier today:
S. Res. 128, S. Res. 129, S. Res. 130, and S. Res. 131.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the Senate will proceed to
the measures en bloc.
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to support an important
resolution designating the 30th day of April 2005 as ``Dia de los
Ninos: Celebrating Young Americans.''
Nations throughout the world, and 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 their future,
articulate their dreams and aspirations, and find comfort and security
in the support of their 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.
Joining me as original cosponsors to this resolution are John Cornyn,
Charles E. Grassley, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Mel Martinez, and Lisa
Murkowski.
I strongly urge my colleagues to join us in promptly passing this
resolution designating April 30, 2005, Dia de los Ninos: Celebrating
Young Americans.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today I rise, on behalf of myself, Mr.
Isakson, Mr. Obama, and Mr. Kennedy, to support a bipartisan resolution
calling on the American people to observe North American Occupational
Safety and Health Week, May 1 through May 7, 2005. This week is
designed to increase the awareness and importance of preventing injury
and illness in the workplace. I introduced a similar resolution in May
2002, and I am proud to sponsor it again.
The focus of this year's North American Occupational Safety and
Health Week is on the estimated 5,500 people killed in workplace
accidents and the millions who suffer on-the-job injuries and illnesses
each year. The week will focus on preventing such tragedies from
occurring and draw attention to the positive return on investment for
businesses that invest in occupational safety and health.
The Department of Labor recently gave the Monsanto research facility
in Waterman, IL, its top safety classification: Star Certification in
the Voluntary Protection Program. VPP is a program that goes beyond
current workplace regulations to establish cooperative relationships
between management and workers to implement a comprehensive health and
safety system. It requires rigorous review by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration and involves companies with injury rates
which average about 53 percent lower than the average for their
industry.
OSHA also recognized three Illinois beef packing companies for their
exemplary injury and illness records. Aurora Packing Company, Inc., of
North Aurora, New City Packing Company, Inc., of Aurora, and Prairie
Packaging Company of Bridgeview were commended by OSHA's VPP. Aurora
and New City have achieved Star Conditional status for 11 years now,
and Prairie was recognized this year as a Merit Participant. Fewer than
1,000 Federal worksites under Federal jurisdiction share this honor and
I am very proud of their accomplishments. The Labor Department says VPP
sites are ``models for what employers and employees can accomplish by
working cooperatively with one another and with OSHA to achieve a level
of worker protection that goes beyond compliance with Government
regulations.'' The VPP program is a win-win situation for everyone
because workers experience fewer illnesses and injuries, and companies
can expect lower workers' compensation costs. While there is more work
to be done to improve the health and safety of America's workers, I
congratulate these firms for their achievements.
The American Society of Safety Engineers, based in Des Plaines, IL,
is a major proponent of North American Occupational Health and Safety
Week and has sponsored this awareness week for many years. ASSE is the
world's oldest and largest professional safety organization. It is a
90-year-old nonprofit association and has more than 30,000 members. It
is committed to protecting people, property, and the environment.
Together with OSHA, ASSE will be working to educate employees,
employers and the public about the positive benefits of occupational
safety and health programs; raise the awareness of the role and
contribution of safety, health, and environmental professionals; and
reduce workplace injuries and illness by increasing awareness and
implementation of safety and health programs.
[[Page S4603]]
In addition to ASSE, the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers, the
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, the Academy of
Certified Hazardous Materials Managers, the American Industrial Hygiene
Association and the American National Standards Institute are all
working toward the goal of a safer, healthier, working America and
support this resolution.
In support of that goal, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting
this bipartisan resolution.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am proud to submit today with my friend
and colleague Senator Specter a bipartisan resolution to designate May
15, 2005, as National Peace Officers Memorial Day. Joining us in the
introduction of this resolution are Senators Hatch, Biden, Brownback,
Cornyn, DeWine, Durbin, Feingold, Feinstein, Kennedy, Kohl, Kyl, and
Schumer.
This is the ninth year running that I have been involved in the
introduction of this resolution to keep alive in the memory of all
Americans the sacrifice and commitment of those law enforcement
officers who lost their lives serving their communities. For 8 years I
introduced this resolution with my old friend and our former colleague
Senator Campbell, a former deputy sheriff who was a true leader on this
issue. Now I have teamed with Senator Specter, a former prosecutor who
has witnessed first-hand the risks faced by law enforcement officers
every day while they serve and protect our communities. His knowledge
and experience in this area is a true asset to the American people and
I thank him for his leadership on it.
I also want to thank each of our Nation's brave law enforcement
officers for their unwavering commitment to the safety and protection
of their fellow citizens. They are real-life heroes, too many of whom
too often give the ultimate sacrifice, and they remind us of how
important it is to support and respect our state and local police
officers.
Currently, more than 850,000 men and women who guard our communities
do so at great risk. Each year, 1 in 15 officers is assaulted, 1 in 46
officers is injured, and 1 in 5,255 officers is killed in the line of
duty in the United States every other day. After the hijacked planes
hit the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, 72
peace officers died while trying to ensure that their fellow citizens
in those buildings got to safety. That act of terrorism resulted in the
highest number of peace officers ever killed in a single incident in
the history of our country.
In 2004, 154 law enforcement officers died while serving in the line
of duty, well below the decade-long average of 169 deaths annually, and
a major drop from 2001 when a total of 237 officers were killed. A
number of factors contributed to this reduction including better
equipment and the increased use of bullet-resistant vests, improved
training and advanced emergency medical care. And, in total, more than
17,500 men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice--of that number
42 are police officers who have already been killed in 2005 while
serving in the line of duty.
In the 108th Congress, we shepherded into law a number of measures to
issues to make a difference in the lives of all police officers and the
communities they serve. We improved the Justice Department's Public
Safety Officers Benefits Program by making law the Hometown Heroes
Survivors Benefits Act, P.L. No. 108-182, which allows survivors of
public safety officers who suffer fatal heart attacks or strokes while
participating in non-routine stressful or strenuous physical activities
to qualify for Federal survivor benefits.
Also becoming law was the Campbell-Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership
Grant Act, P.L. No. 108-372, which extends through fiscal year 2007 the
authorization of appropriations for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership
Grant Program that helps State, tribal and local jurisdictions purchase
armor vests for use by law enforcement officers. I hope that with the
help of this program we can make sure that every police officer who
needs a bulletproof vest gets one.
Last year, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, which Senator
Campbell and I championed in the Senate, was signed into law, P.L. No:
108-277. This measure established national measures of uniformity and
consistency to permit trained and certified on-duty, off-duty or
retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in most
situations so that they may respond immediately to crimes across State
and other jurisdictional lines, as well as to protect themselves and
their families from vindictive criminals.
National Peace Officers Memorial Day will provide the people of the
United States with the opportunity to honor the extraordinary service
and sacrifice given year after year by our police forces. More than
25,000 peace officers are expected to gather in Washington to join with
the families of their fallen comrades. I hope my colleagues will join
us in supporting passage of this important bipartisan resolution.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the preambles
be agreed to, the resolutions be agreed to, and the motions to
reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolutions were agreed to.
The preambles were agreed to.
The resolutions, with their preambles, read as follows:
S. Res. 128
Whereas many nations throughout the world, and especially
within the Western hemisphere, celebrate ``Dia de los
Ninos'', or ``Day of the Children'' 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 as of 2003, approximately
12,300,000 Hispanic children live 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 United States 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 for
the children of the United States will provide an opportunity
for children to reflect on their future, to articulate their
dreams and aspirations, and to 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
Hispanics 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, 2005, as ``Dia de los Ninos:
Celebrating Young Americans''; and
(2) calls on the people of the United States to join with
all children, families, organizations, communities, churches,
cities, and States across the United States to observe the
day with appropriate ceremonies, including activities that--
(A) center around children, and are free or minimal in cost
so as to encourage and facilitate the participation of all
our people;
(B) are positive and uplifting and that help children
express their hopes and dreams;
(C) provide opportunities for children of all backgrounds
to learn about one another's cultures and to share ideas;
(D) 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;
[[Page S4604]]
(E) provide opportunities for families within a community
to get acquainted; and
(F) provide children with the support they need to develop
skills and confidence, and to find the inner strength--the
will and fire of the human spirit--to make their dreams come
true.
S. Res. 129
Whereas 2005 will mark the 100th anniversary of the
Virginia Retail Merchants Association (referred to in this
resolution as the ``Association'');
Whereas on May 12 1905, the Association was formed to
encourage, stimulate, extend, and promote the business of
retail merchants in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and to
promote the social, moral, and financial welfare of those
engaged in the business of retail merchandising;
Whereas the Association has endeavored to curtail trade
abuses in the retail industry and other injurious practices
and to secure the cooperation of consumers, retail merchants,
and retail suppliers in producing healthy retail trade;
Whereas the Association has worked to secure the enactment
of reasonable and proper laws to protect consumers and the
retail and services trade;
Whereas it is the goal of the Association to encourage
proper and business-like methods in the conduct of business
affairs and to advance, by legitimate and fair means, the
interests of retail merchants and the free enterprise system;
Whereas, in 1905, the Association chartered the Lynchburg
Retail Merchants Association;
Whereas, in 1906, the Association chartered the Retail
Merchants Association of Greater Richmond;
Whereas, in 1907, the Association chartered the Petersburg
Retail Merchants Association;
Whereas, in 1913, the Association chartered the Hampton
Retail Merchants Association;
Whereas, in 1919, the Association chartered the Danville
Retail Merchants Association;
Whereas, in the 1950s, the Association chartered the
Franklin County Retail Merchants Association and the
Williamsburg Retail Merchants Association;
Whereas, in subsequent years, the Association chartered the
South Boston Retail Merchants Association and Charlottesville
Retail Merchants Association;
Whereas, in 1978, the Association formed the Virginia
Retail Political Action Committee or VARPAC;
Whereas the Association and its retail member associations
represent more than 5,400 retailers and other associated
businesses throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia; and
Whereas the Association has been an active proponent of the
free enterprise system for 100 years: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) congratulates the Virginia Retail Merchants Association
on its 100th anniversary; and
(2) recognizes its years of service to the retail
community.
S. Res. 130
Whereas every year more than 5,500 people die from job-
related injuries and millions more suffer occupational
injuries and illnesses;
Whereas every day millions of people go to and return home
from work safely due, in part, to the efforts of many unsung
heroes, such as occupational safety, health, and
environmental practitioners, who work day in and day out
identifying hazards and implementing safety and health
advances, in all industries and at all workplaces, aimed at
eliminating workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses;
Whereas these occupational safety, health, and
environmental professionals work to prevent accidents,
injuries, and occupational diseases, create safer work and
leisure environments, develop safer products, and are
committed to protecting people, property, and the
environment;
Whereas the work of these professionals in the areas of
health promotion, disease prevention, and wellness programs
contributes greatly to the improvement of overall employee
health, increased productivity, and reduction in health care
costs, and yields significant returns on investments in
occupational safety and health for the employer;
Whereas our society has long recognized that a safe and
healthy workplace positively impacts employee morale, health,
and productivity;
Whereas the more than 150,000 combined members of the
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the Academy of
Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (ACHMM), the American
Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN), the
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), and the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) are occupational
safety, health, and environmental practitioners committed to
protecting people, property, and the environment;
Whereas the purpose of ``North American Occupational Safety
and Health Week (NAOSH)'' is to increase the understanding of
the benefits of investing in occupational safety and health,
to demonstrate the positive impact that integrating effective
safety and health programs in the workplace and the community
has on the economy and business, to raise awareness of the
role and contribution of safety, health, and environmental
professionals in all areas, and to reduce workplace injuries
and illnesses by increasing awareness and implementation of
safety and health programs; and
Whereas during the week of May 1 through May 7, 2005, and
throughout the year, the ASSE, ACHMM, AAOHN, AIHA, and ANSI,
and their respective memberships, will work to raise
employers', employees', and the public's understanding of the
importance of occupational safety, health, and the
environment in everyone's lives, and to provide valuable
information and resources aimed at decreasing further
workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates the week of May 1 through May 7, 2005, as
``North American Occupational Safety and Health Week
(NAOSH)'';
(2) commends occupational safety, health, and environmental
professionals for their ongoing commitment to protecting
people, property, and the environment;
(3) encourages all industries, organizations, community
leaders, employers, and employees to support educational
activities aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of
preventing illness, injury, and death in the workplace during
the week of May 1 through May 7, 2005, and throughout the
year; and
(4) encourages the people of the United States to observe
``North American Occupational Safety and Health Week
(NAOSH)'' with appropriate programs and activities.
S. Res. 131
Whereas the well-being of all citizens of the United States
is preserved and enhanced as a direct result of the vigilance
and dedication of law enforcement personnel;
Whereas more than 850,000 men and women, at great risk to
their personal safety, presently serve their fellow citizens
as guardians of peace;
Whereas peace officers are on the front line in preserving
the right of the children of the United States to receive an
education in a crime-free environment, a right that is all
too often threatened by the insidious fear caused by violence
in schools;
Whereas 154 peace officers across the United States were
killed in the line of duty during 2004, which is below the
decade-long average of 169 deaths annually;
Whereas a number of factors contributed to this reduction
in deaths, including better equipment and the increased use
of bullet-resistant vests, improved training, longer prison
terms for violent offenders, and advanced emergency medical
care;
Whereas every other day, 1 out of every 9 peace officers is
assaulted, 1 out of every 25 peace officers is injured, and 1
out of every 6,000 peace officers is killed in the line of
duty somewhere in the United States; and
Whereas on May 15, 2005, more than 20,000 peace officers
are expected to gather in Washington, D.C. to join with
families of their recently fallen comrades to honor those
comrades and all others who went before them: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes May 15, 2005, as Peace Officers Memorial
Day, in honor of Federal, State, and local officers killed or
disabled in the line of duty; and
(2) calls upon the people of the United States to observe
this day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.
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