[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 68 (Friday, May 7, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3433-S3435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               NATIONAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT WEEK

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                         RECOGNIZING AMERICORPS

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                           NATIONAL TRAIN DAY

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                       NATIONAL NURSING HOME WEEK

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following Senate 
resolutions: S. Res. 515, S. Res. 516, S. Res. 517, S. Res. 518.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I ask unanimous consent the resolutions be agreed to, 
the preambles be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the 
table en bloc, and that any statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolutions were agreed to.
  The preambles were agreed to.
  The resolutions, with their preambles, read as follows:

                              S. Res. 515

       Whereas the week beginning May 2, 2010, is observed as 
     National Physical Education and Sport Week;
       Whereas a decline in physical activity has contributed to 
     an unprecedented epidemic of childhood obesity in the United 
     States, which has more than tripled since 1980;
       Whereas regular physical activity is necessary to support 
     normal and healthy growth in children and is essential to 
     their continued health and well-being;
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, overweight adolescents have a 70 to 80 percent 
     chance of becoming overweight adults, increasing their risk 
     for chronic disease, disability, and death;
       Whereas physical activity reduces the risk of heart 
     disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain types of 
     cancers;
       Whereas type 2 diabetes can no longer be referred to as 
     ``late in life'' or ``adult onset'' diabetes because it 
     occurs in children as young as 10 years old;

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       Whereas the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 
     published by the Department of Health and Human Services, 
     recommend that children engage in at least 60 minutes of 
     physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the 
     week;
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, only 17 percent of high school students meet that 
     goal of 60 minutes of physical activity a day;
       Whereas children spend many of their waking hours at school 
     and therefore need to be active during the school day to meet 
     the recommendations of the Physical Activity Guidelines for 
     Americans;
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, 1 in 4 children in the United States does not 
     attend any school physical education classes and fewer than 1 
     in 4 children in the United States engage in 20 minutes of 
     vigorous physical activity each day;
       Whereas teaching children about physical activity and 
     sports not only ensures that they are physically active 
     during the school day, but also educates them on how to be 
     physically active and the importance of being physically 
     active;
       Whereas, according to a 2006 survey by the Department of 
     Health and Human Services, 3.8 percent of elementary schools, 
     7.9 percent of middle schools, and 2.1 percent of high 
     schools provide daily physical education classes or the 
     equivalent for the entire school year, and 22 percent of 
     schools do not require students to take any physical 
     education classes at all;
       Whereas, according to that survey, 13.7 percent of 
     elementary schools, 15.2 percent of middle schools, and 3.0 
     percent of high schools provided physical education at least 
     3 days per week, or the equivalent thereof, for the entire 
     school year for students in all grades in the school;
       Whereas research shows that fit and active children are 
     more likely to thrive academically;
       Whereas increased time in physical education classes can 
     improve children's attention and concentration and result in 
     higher test scores;
       Whereas participation in sports teams and physical activity 
     clubs, which are often organized by schools and run outside 
     the regular school day, can improve students' grade point 
     averages, attachment to schools, educational aspirations, and 
     the likelihood of graduating;
       Whereas participation in sports and other physical 
     activities also improves self-esteem and body image in 
     children and adults;
       Whereas children and youth who take part in physical 
     activity and sports programs develop improved motor skills, 
     healthy lifestyles, improved social skills, a sense of fair 
     play, strong teamwork skills, and self-discipline and avoid 
     risky behaviors;
       Whereas the social and environmental factors affecting 
     children are in the control of the adults and the communities 
     in which children live, and therefore the Nation shares a 
     collective responsibility in reversing the childhood obesity 
     trend;
       Whereas efforts to improve the fitness level of children 
     who are not physically fit may also result in improvements in 
     academic performance; and
       Whereas the Senate strongly supports efforts to increase 
     physical activity and participation of youth in sports: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week beginning May 2, 2010, as 
     ``National Physical Education and Sport Week'';
       (2) recognizes the central role of physical education and 
     sports in creating healthy lifestyles for all children and 
     youth;
       (3) encourages school districts to implement local wellness 
     policies, as described in section 204 of the Child Nutrition 
     and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 1751 note), 
     that include ambitious goals for physical education, physical 
     activity, and other activities addressing the childhood 
     obesity epidemic and promoting child wellness; and
       (4) encourages schools to offer physical education classes 
     to students and to work with community partners to provide 
     opportunities and safe spaces for physical activities before 
     and after school and during the summer months for all 
     children and youth.

                              S. Res. 516

       Whereas, since its inception in 1994, the AmeriCorps 
     national service program has proven to be a highly effective 
     way to engage the people of the United States in meeting a 
     wide range of local and national needs and promoting the 
     ethic of service and volunteering;
       Whereas, each year, AmeriCorps provides opportunities for 
     approximately 85,000 individuals across the United States to 
     give back in an intensive way to their communities, their 
     States, and the Nation;
       Whereas those individuals improve the lives of the Nation's 
     most vulnerable citizens, protect the environment, contribute 
     to public safety, respond to disasters, and strengthen the 
     educational system;
       Whereas AmeriCorps members serve thousands of nonprofit 
     organizations, schools, and faith-based and community 
     organizations each year;
       Whereas AmeriCorps members, after their terms of service 
     end, are more likely to remain engaged in their communities 
     as volunteers, teachers, and nonprofit professionals than the 
     average individual;
       Whereas, on April 21, 2009, President Barack Obama signed 
     the Serve America Act (Public Law 111-13; 123 Stat. 1460) 
     into law, which was passed by bipartisan majorities in both 
     the House of Representatives and the Senate and reauthorized 
     AmeriCorps and will expand AmeriCorps programs to incorporate 
     250,000 members each year;
       Whereas national service programs have engaged millions of 
     people in the United States in results-driven service in the 
     Nation's most vulnerable communities, providing hope and help 
     to people facing economic and social needs;
       Whereas, in 2010, as the economic downturn puts millions of 
     people in the United States at risk, national service and 
     volunteering are more important than ever; and
       Whereas AmeriCorps Week, observed in 2010 from May 8 
     through May 15, provides the perfect opportunity for 
     AmeriCorps members, alumni, grantees, program partners, and 
     friends to shine a spotlight on the work done by AmeriCorps 
     members and to motivate more people in the United States to 
     serve their communities: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the contributions of AmeriCorps members to 
     the lives of the people of the United States;
       (2) acknowledges the significant accomplishments of 
     AmeriCorps members, alumni, and community partners; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to join in a 
     national effort to salute AmeriCorps members and alumni and 
     raise awareness about the importance of national and 
     community service.

                              S. Res. 517

       Whereas on May 10, 1869, the ``golden spike'' was driven 
     into the final tie at Promontory Summit, Utah, to join the 
     Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroads, ceremonially 
     completing the first transcontinental railroad and therefore 
     connecting both coasts of the United States;
       Whereas in highly populated regions Amtrak trains and 
     infrastructure carry intercity passengers and commuters to 
     and from work in congested metropolitan areas, providing a 
     reliable rail option while reducing congestion on roads and 
     in the skies;
       Whereas Amtrak ridership in Fiscal Year 2009 reached 27.1 
     million passengers from 46 states;
       Whereas, for many rural Americans, Amtrak represents the 
     only major intercity transportation link to the rest of the 
     country;
       Whereas passenger rail provides a fuel-efficient 
     transportation system, thereby providing clean transportation 
     alternatives and energy security;
       Whereas, when combined with all modes of transportation, 
     passenger railroads emit only 0.2 percent of the travel 
     industry's total greenhouse gases and one freight train can 
     move a ton of freight 480 miles on one gallon of fuel;
       Whereas developing this pipeline of national high-speed and 
     intercity passenger rail projects will revitalize the 
     domestic manufacturing industry and create additional 
     American jobs building on the one million good-paying, 
     middle-class-creating American jobs that can never be off-
     shored that are already supported by the rail industry;
       Whereas ridership on Amtrak grew every year from 2000 
     through 2008, and is currently on track for 2010 to be its 
     best ridership year ever, further demonstrating the increased 
     demand for intercity passenger rail services; and
       Whereas our railroad system is a source of civic pride, the 
     gateway to our communities and a tool for economic growth 
     that creates transportation-oriented development and livable 
     communities: Now, therefore, be it -
       Resolved, That the Senate supports the goals and ideals of 
     National Train Day, as designated by Amtrak.

                              S. Res. 518

       Whereas more than 1,500,000 elderly and disabled 
     individuals live in the nearly 16,000 nursing facilities in 
     the United States;
       Whereas the annual celebration of National Nursing Home 
     Week invites people in communities nationwide to recognize 
     nursing home residents and staff for their contributions to 
     their communities;
       Whereas the theme for National Nursing Home Week in 2010 is 
     ``Enriching Every Day'', honoring caregivers who are 
     ``enriching every day'' for elderly and disabled individuals, 
     adding value to their lives and helping them to overcome many 
     of the infirmities of age and disability;
       Whereas nursing homes are intimate communities where acts 
     of caring, kindness, and respect are the norm;
       Whereas, when the positive bond that naturally develops 
     between patients and their caregivers is established, 
     patients experience not only better physical care and 
     healing, but also enrichment of the mind, heart, and spirit 
     and an affirmation of their value; and
       Whereas National Nursing Home Week recognizes the people 
     who provide care to the Nation's most vulnerable population: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week beginning May 9, 2010, as 
     ``National Nursing Home Week'';
       (2) recognizes that a majority of people in the United 
     States, because of social needs, disability, trauma, or 
     illness, will require long-term care services at some point 
     in their lives;
       (3) honors nursing home residents and the people who care 
     for them each day, including

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     family members, volunteers, and dedicated long-term care 
     professionals, for their contributions to their communities 
     and the United States; and
       (4) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     National Nursing Home Week with appropriate ceremonies and 
     activities.

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