[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 55 (Thursday, March 29, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4223-S4224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DESIGNATING THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL 2007 AS ``NATIONAL ASBESTOS 
                            AWARENESS WEEK''

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 131 and 
the Senate then proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 131) designating the first week of 
     April 2007 as ``National Asbestos Awareness Week.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise to talk to you about an important 
resolution that the Senate adopted today: the Asbestos Awareness Week 
resolution. This resolution recognizes the first week in April as 
National Asbestos Awareness Week.
  This resolution acknowledges the dangerous nature of asbestos. 
Importantly, it gives tribute to hundreds of thousands of people who 
have died from exposure.
  To me, this resolution is very personal Deaths from exposure to 
asbestos are common in my home State of Montana--all too common. Libby, 
MT is a small community in the western part of Montana. Libby is a very 
unique place.
  It is surrounded by the beauty and splendor of the Cabinet Mountains. 
But it is also plagued with sickness and disease. The extent of 
asbestos contamination in Libby, the number of people who are sick, the 
amount of people who have died from asbestos exposures just staggering.
  The community of Libby suffers from asbestos related diseases at 40 
to 60 times higher than the rest of the country. Folks in Libby are 
diagnosed with mesothelioma, the deadly form of cancer from asbestos, 
at 100 times higher than the average rate.
  Mesothelioma recently took the life of a very dear friend of mine 
from Libby--Les Skramstad. Just a few weeks ago, I came to the floor to 
talk about Les and how he was an outspoken advocate for Libby.
  Until the day he died, Les worked tirelessly to share his story and 
the story of Libby's quiet emergency.
  The first night I met Les in January of 2000, he challenged me to 
help all those in Libby suffering from asbestos-related diseases. Les 
challenged me ``to do something.''
  He said: Max, please, as a man like me--as someone's father too, as 
someone's husband, as someone's son, help me. Help us. Help us make 
this town safe for Libby's sons and daughters not even born yet. They 
should not suffer my fate too. I was a miner and

[[Page S4224]]

breathed that dust in. Everyday I carried that deadly dust home on my 
clothes. I took it into our house and I contaminated my own wife and 
each of my babies with it too. I just don't know how to live with the 
pain of what I have done to them.
  If we can make something good come of this, maybe I'll stick around 
to see that, maybe that could make this worthwhile.
  I told him I would do all that I could, that I wouldn't back down, 
and that I wouldn't give up. Les accepted my offer and then pointed his 
finger and said to me: I'll be watching, Senator.
  I have kept my promise to Les and I have worked hard to help people 
in Libby. I will continue to do all I can to help Libby.
  I know that now even though Les is not with us today he is still 
watching. Les is my inspiration.
  Because of Les's work and other advocates in Libby, we launched the 
Center for Asbestos Related Diseases in Libby--called the CARD clinic. 
CARD has screened and provided health care to hundreds of Libby 
residents.
  Screening is an essential part of making sure people get the help 
they need. Spreading the word about asbestos exposure is also vital to 
ensure that people who are sick get the treatment they deserve.
  The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is a leader in this 
fight. They work tirelessly to advocate on behalf of asbestos victims 
so that thousands more in the future should not suffer the same fate.
  Along with the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, others in the 
Libby community such as Gayla Benefield and Dr. Brad Black have worked 
to educate people about the dangers of asbestos exposure.
  Then there are also those who have left Libby, but continue to 
advocate on behalf of asbestos victims such as Margy Urnberg and Kenny 
and Karen Moss, all former residents of Libby and remarkable 
volunteers.
  An asbestos awareness week will help spread the word about the 
deadliness of these fibers and bring relief to those who suffer from 
asbestos-related diseases. I will continue to fight for those like Les, 
whose lives have been taken by asbestos. I made a promise to Les and I 
won't stop until I have fulfilled that promise.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution 
be printed in the Record as if given, with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 131) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 131

       Whereas dangerous asbestos fibers are invisible and cannot 
     be smelled or tasted;
       Whereas the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers can 
     cause significant damage;
       Whereas these fibers can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis, 
     and other health problems;
       Whereas asbestos-related diseases can take 10 to 50 years 
     to present themselves;
       Whereas the expected survival time for those diagnosed with 
     mesothelioma is between 6 and 24 months;
       Whereas generally little is known about late stage 
     treatment and there is no cure for asbestos-related diseases;
       Whereas early detection of asbestos-related diseases may 
     give some patients increased treatment options and might 
     improve their prognosis;
       Whereas the United States has substantially reduced its 
     consumption of asbestos yet continues to consume almost 7,000 
     metric tons of the fibrous mineral for use in certain 
     products throughout the Nation;
       Whereas asbestos-related diseases have killed thousands of 
     people in the United States;
       Whereas asbestos exposures continue and safety and 
     prevention will reduce and has reduced significantly asbestos 
     exposure and asbestos-related diseases;
       Whereas asbestos has been a cause of occupational cancer;
       Whereas thousands of workers in the United States face 
     significant asbestos exposure;
       Whereas thousands of people in the United States die from 
     asbestos-related diseases every year;
       Whereas a significant percentage of all asbestos-related 
     disease victims were exposed to asbestos on naval ships and 
     in shipyards;
       Whereas asbestos was used in the construction of a 
     significant number of office buildings and public facilities 
     built before 1975;
       Whereas people in the small community of Libby, Montana 
     have asbestos-related diseases at a significantly higher rate 
     than the national average and suffer from mesothelioma at a 
     significantly higher rate than the national average; and
       Whereas the establishment of a ``National Asbestos 
     Awareness Week'' would raise public awareness about the 
     prevalence of asbestos-related diseases and the dangers of 
     asbestos exposure: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the first week of April 2007 as ``National 
     Asbestos Awareness Week'';
       (2) urges the Surgeon General, as a public health issue, to 
     warn and educate people that asbestos exposure may be 
     hazardous to their health; and
       (3) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Surgeon General.

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