[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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