[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 14, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S3143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 105--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2007 AS ``CAMPUS FIRE 
                             SAFETY MONTH''

  Mr. BIDEN (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Lautenberg, and 
Mr. Menendez) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 105

       Whereas tragic fires in student housing in Nebraska, 
     Missouri, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania have cut short the lives 
     of college students in the United States;
       Whereas, since January 2000, at least 99 people, including 
     students, parents, and children, have died in campus-related 
     fires;
       Whereas more than 75 percent of those deaths occurred in 
     off-campus occupancies;
       Whereas a majority of the students in the United States 
     live in off-campus occupancies;
       Whereas a number of fatal fires have occurred in buildings 
     in which the fire safety systems have been compromised or 
     disabled by the occupants;
       Whereas automatic fire alarm systems provide the early 
     warning of a fire that is necessary for occupants and the 
     fire department to take appropriate action;
       Whereas automatic fire sprinkler systems are a highly 
     effective method for controlling or extinguishing a fire in 
     its early stages and protecting the lives of the building's 
     occupants;
       Whereas many students are living in off-campus occupancies, 
     sorority and fraternity housing, and residence halls that are 
     not adequately protected with automatic fire alarm systems 
     and automatic fire sprinkler systems;
       Whereas fire safety education is an effective method of 
     reducing the occurrence of fires and the resulting loss of 
     life and property damage;
       Whereas students are not routinely receiving effective fire 
     safety education throughout their entire college careers;
       Whereas it is vital to educate future generations in the 
     United States about the importance of fire safety to help 
     ensure the safety of young people during their college years 
     and beyond; and
       Whereas by educating a generation of adults about fire 
     safety, future loss of life from fires may be significantly 
     reduced: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates September 2007 as ``Campus Fire Safety 
     Month''; and
       (2) encourages administrators of institutions of higher 
     education and municipalities--
       (A) to provide educational programs about fire safety to 
     all students during ``Campus Fire Safety Month'' and 
     throughout the school year;
       (B) to evaluate the level of fire safety being provided in 
     both on- and off-campus student housing; and
       (C) to take the necessary steps to ensure fire-safe living 
     environments through fire safety education, installation of 
     fire suppression and detection systems, and the development 
     and enforcement of applicable codes relating to fire safety.

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