[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 39 (Thursday, March 5, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S2852]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL ASBESTOS AWARENESS WEEK

  Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 
57 and the Senate proceed to its immediate 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. 57) designating the first week of 
     April 2009 as ``National Asbestos Awareness Week.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. MERKLEY. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 57) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 57

       Whereas dangerous asbestos fibers are invisible and cannot 
     be smelled or tasted;
       Whereas the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers can 
     cause significant damage;
       Whereas asbestos 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 of asbestos-related diseases, and there is no cure 
     for such diseases;
       Whereas early detection of asbestos-related diseases may 
     give some patients increased treatment options and might 
     improve their prognoses;
       Whereas the United States has reduced its consumption of 
     asbestos substantially, yet continues to consume almost 2,000 
     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 exposure to asbestos continues, but safety and 
     prevention of asbestos exposure already has significantly 
     reduced the incidence of asbestos-related diseases and can 
     further reduce the incidence of such 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'' will 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 2009 as ``National 
     Asbestos Awareness Week'';
       (2) urges the Surgeon General to warn and educate people 
     about the public health issue of asbestos exposure, which may 
     be hazardous to their health; and
       (3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Office of the 
     Surgeon General.

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