[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 79 (Monday, May 14, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S6077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL NURSES WEEK

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 192.
  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. 192) recognizing National Nurses Week 
     on May 6 through May 12, 2007.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the 
table, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 192) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 192

       Whereas, since 2003, National Nurses Week is celebrated 
     annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, 
     through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the 
     founder of modern nursing;
       Whereas National Nurses Week is the time each year when 
     nurses are recognized for the critical role they play in 
     providing safe, high quality, and preventative health care;
       Whereas nurses are the cornerstone of the Nation's complex 
     health care system, representing the largest single component 
     of the health care profession, with an estimated 2,900,000 
     registered nurses in the United States;
       Whereas, according to a study published in the New England 
     Journal of Medicine in May 2002, a higher proportion of 
     nursing care provided by registered nurses and a greater 
     number of hours of care by registered nurses per day are 
     associated with better outcomes for hospitalized patients;
       Whereas nurses are experienced researchers and their work 
     encompasses a wide scope of scientific inquiry including 
     clinical research, health systems and outcomes research, and 
     nursing education research;
       Whereas nurses are currently serving the Nation admirably 
     in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan;
       Whereas nurses help inform and educate the public to 
     improve the practice of all nurses and, more importantly, the 
     health and safety of the patients they care for;
       Whereas our Nation continues to face a nursing shortage 
     unprecedented in its depth and duration, with a projected 
     1,200,000 new and replacement nurses needed by 2014;
       Whereas the nationwide nursing shortage has caused 
     dedicated nurses to work longer hours and care for more 
     acutely ill patients;
       Whereas nurses are strong allies to Congress as they help 
     inform, educate, and work closely with legislators to improve 
     the education, retention, recruitment, and practice of all 
     nurses and, more importantly, the health and safety of the 
     patients they care for; and
       Whereas nurses are an integral part of the health care 
     delivery team and provide quality care, support, and 
     education to patients and their families, conduct essential 
     research, and serve as strong patient advocates: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the significant contributions of nurses to 
     the health care system of the United States;
       (2) supports the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, 
     as founded by the American Nurses Association; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     National Nurses Week with appropriate recognition, 
     ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate the 
     importance of nurses to the everyday lives of patients.

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