[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 138 (Tuesday, September 29, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H10013-H10015]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 16) supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Life Insurance Awareness Month.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                               H. Res. 16

       Whereas life insurance is an essential part of a sound 
     financial plan;

[[Page H10014]]

       Whereas life insurance provides financial security for 
     families by helping surviving members meet immediate and 
     long-term financial obligations and objectives in the event 
     of a premature death in their family;
       Whereas approximately 68,000,000 United States citizens 
     lack the adequate level of life insurance coverage needed to 
     ensure a secure financial future for their loved ones;
       Whereas life insurance products protect against the 
     uncertainties of life by enabling individuals and families to 
     manage the financial risks of premature death, disability, 
     and long-term care;
       Whereas individuals, families, and businesses can benefit 
     from professional insurance and financial planning advice, 
     including an assessment of their life insurance needs; and
       Whereas numerous groups supporting life insurance have 
     designated September 2009 as ``National Life Insurance 
     Awareness Month'' as a means to encourage consumers to--
       (1) become more aware of their life insurance needs;
       (2) seek professional advice regarding life insurance; and
       (3) take the actions necessary to achieve financial 
     security for their loved ones: Now, therefore, be it

       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Life 
     Insurance Awareness Month''; and
       (2) calls on the Federal Government, States, localities, 
     schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and the 
     citizens of the United States to observe the month with 
     appropriate programs and activities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. I now yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, I am pleased to present House Resolution 16 for consideration. 
This resolution expresses our support for the goals and ideals of 
National Life Insurance Awareness Month.
  House Resolution 16 was introduced on January 6, 2009, by my 
colleague, Representative Judy Biggert of Illinois, and favorably 
reported out of the Oversight Committee on September 24 by unanimous 
consent. In addition, this legislation enjoys the bipartisan support of 
over 50 Members of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, the life insurance industry estimates that approximately 
68 million Americans lack sufficient life insurance coverage to 
safeguard the financial security of their families. Accordingly, House 
Resolution 16 seeks to increase the awareness regarding the importance 
of life insurance products to the financial security of American 
families by supporting the goals and ideals of National Life Insurance 
Awareness Month.
  While preparing for the inevitable may be a difficult task, it is a 
task that we should all take time to complete. Life insurance products 
are intended to better insure the financial security and stability of 
our loved ones by allowing them to meet impending and future financial 
obligations in the event of a death, disability or other uncertainty in 
their family. Given the importance of life insurance to sound financial 
planning, I would encourage all families to review their financial 
situations and consider life insurance products as a possible safeguard 
against the financial impact of an unforeseen event.
  I'd like to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) and 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kanjorski) for offering this 
informative measure, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
House Resolution 16.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to 
my distinguished colleague from the State of Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).
  Mrs. BIGGERT. I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) for 
yielding me the time, and I also want to thank my colleague from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) for managing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support House 
Resolution 16, which offers support to the goals and ideals of National 
Life Insurance Awareness Month as recognized this September. I want to 
thank my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Kanjorski), for introducing this resolution with me for the sixth year. 
During previous years the House has passed identical resolutions by 
voice vote or with as many as 412 ``yes'' votes. This year's resolution 
has 59 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle.
  I also want to thank the gentleman from New York, Chairman Edolphus 
Towns, and the gentleman from California, Darrell Issa, for moving this 
resolution through the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 
And last, I acknowledge and thank Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia 
and Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska for introducing a companion 
resolution in the Senate, Senate Resolution 211, making this a 
bipartisan, bicameral effort.
  Mr. Speaker, life insurance too often is thought of only when it's 
too late. How many times have we heard friends or loved ones sadly 
reflecting that the deceased had no life insurance or had too little 
life insurance? Today, only four in 10 adults in America own individual 
life insurance policies. And among those who do have life insurance, 
the amount is often too small to safeguard the financial future of 
their loved ones. Due to insufficient coverage, many families, upon 
losing loved ones, often are forced to work extra jobs or longer hours, 
borrow money, or move to less desirable housing because there was no 
insurance.
  House Resolution 16 calls on the Nation to observe the month of 
September as Life Insurance Awareness Month, and the issue has been 
elevated by a broad coalition of providers and advocates, including 
members of the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education, the 
National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, and the 
American Council of Life Insurers. Our collective goal for the month is 
to make families more aware of their life insurance needs and encourage 
them to seek professional advice, as well as take the actions necessary 
to provide financial security for their loved ones.
  Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues on both the Financial Services 
Committee and the Education and Labor Committee, especially my 
colleague from Texas, Ruben Hinojosa, and I have been working very hard 
to increase the level of financial literacy across the Nation. We 
recognize that by empowering consumers with the knowledge and 
understanding of how financial products work and how they can work 
towards financial security, we are taking a critical step that will 
help protect consumers from unexpected financial hardships and prepare 
them to succeed in today's complex financial marketplace. It is my hope 
that recognizing Life Insurance Awareness Month will help motivate 
Americans to seek information about the benefits of life insurance so 
that the premature death of a loved one does not bring with it economic 
hardships that too often accompany tragedy.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in support of the goals and ideals of 
this year's National Life Insurance Awareness Month.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
H. Res. 16, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I will simply urge my colleagues 
to support this measure offered and sponsored by Mrs. Biggert of 
Illinois and also Mr. Kanjorski of Pennsylvania.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 16.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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