[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 129 (Thursday, September 23, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7426-S7427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNITED STATES ENGAGEMENT WITH ASEAN AND ITS MEMBER-STATES
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OBSERVING THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE RITA
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CONGRATULATING THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NURSING RESEARCH
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NATIONAL NURSE-MANAGED HEALTH CLINIC WEEK
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration en bloc of the following
resolutions which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 640, S. Res.
641, S. Res. 642, and S. Res. 643.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolutions en bloc.
Mr. DORGAN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed
to, the preambles be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon
the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate, and that any
statements be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolutions (S. Res. 640, 641, 642, and 643) were agreed to.
The preambles were agreed to.
The resolutions, with their preambles, read as follows:
S. Res. 640
Whereas the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
was founded in 1967 ``to strengthen further the existing
bonds of regional solidarity and cooperation'';
Whereas ASEAN membership has now expanded to include 10
countries, which together span over half the size of the
continental United States, with a total population of nearly
600,000,000 persons;
Whereas ASEAN is an important contributor to stability and
prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region;
Whereas ASEAN partners with the United States Government
and others in the international community to address
transnational problems like terrorism, environmental
degradation, the international financial crisis, and maritime
security;
Whereas the ASEAN Charter, approved by Southeast Asia's
leaders in November 2007, codified norms for the behavior of
ASEAN member-states toward their own citizens, covering such
subjects as individual rights, democracy, the rule of law,
and good governance;
Whereas the combined economy of ASEAN's member countries,
valued at approximately $1,500,000,000,000 in 2008,
constitutes the fourth largest market for United States
exports, and two-way United States-ASEAN trade in goods and
services totaled over $200,000,000,000 in 2008;
Whereas Southeast Asia is the largest destination for
United States foreign direct investment in Asia;
Whereas almost 40,000 students from ASEAN countries studied
in the United States in 2008, and an increasing number of
United States citizens are studying abroad in these
countries;
Whereas the United States Government recognizes the
centrality of ASEAN to regional cooperation and problem-
solving in the Asia Pacific;
Whereas the United States was the first country to appoint
an Ambassador to ASEAN;
Whereas the United States acceded to the Treaty of Amity
and Cooperation in Southeast Asia during the July 2009 ASEAN
ministerial meetings in Thailand;
Whereas the United States launched a new collaboration with
the Lower Mekong Countries--Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and
Vietnam--in the areas of the environment, health, and
education in July 2009 in Thailand;
Whereas President Barack Obama stated at the first meeting
of the leaders of ASEAN and the United States held in
Singapore in November 2009, ``The United States is committed
to strengthening its engagement in Southeast Asia both with
our individual allies and partners, and with ASEAN as an
institution.'';
Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the July
2010 ASEAN ministerial meetings in Vietnam that the United
States was ``committed to assisting the nations of Southeast
Asia to remain strong and independent, and [to helping
ensure] that each nation enjoys peace, stability, prosperity,
and access to universal human rights'';
Whereas Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of Defense
Robert Gates have stated the intention of the United States
to increase participation in regional institutions, including
the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting
Plus Eight, both to be held in October 2010 in Vietnam; and
Whereas the second meeting of ASEAN and United States
Government leaders, and the first to be hosted by the United
States, will take place in New York City, New York on
September 24, 2010: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate--
(1) to welcome the leaders of ASEAN to the United States
for the second ASEAN-United States summit meeting;
(2) that the decision to host the second ASEAN-United
States summit in New York City reflects the importance of
ASEAN and its member-states to the United States, and the
importance of the United States to ASEAN and its member-
states;
(3) that the United States Government should continue to
seek ways to broaden and deepen its economic, political-
security, social, and cultural engagement with the countries
in Southeast Asia toward a closer partnership with ASEAN and
its member-states,
[[Page S7427]]
as well as other regional institutions in the Asia-Pacific
region;
(4) that the United States Government is committed to
working with all ASEAN member-states to encourage the
development of open and free democratic institutions in Burma
that allow for the full participation of political opposition
and ethnic minority groups; and
(5) that a stronger, more integrated ASEAN serves shared
interests in regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
S. Res. 641
Whereas on September 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita made landfall
as a Category 3 hurricane just east of the Texas-Louisiana
border, between Sabine Pass and Johnson's Bayou, with wind
speeds of 120 miles per hour, and further devastated the Gulf
Coast, which had already been hit by Hurricane Katrina;
Whereas Hurricane Rita caused 7 deaths, forced 3,000,000
residents to evacuate their homes, caused flooding and
tornadoes in the States of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi,
and Alabama, and, according to the National Climatic Data
Center, left 1,000,000 people without electricity;
Whereas damages from Hurricane Rita are estimated at
$11,300,000,000;
Whereas in 2005, Hurricane Rita was the second hurricane to
reach Category 5 status in the Gulf of Mexico, which,
according to the National Climatic Data Center, is only the
third time that more than one Category 5 storm has formed in
the Atlantic in the same year;
Whereas the storm surge from Hurricane Rita was as high as
15 feet near the landfall site and, according to the United
States Geological Survey, traveled as far as 50 miles inland,
causing disastrous flooding and massive loss of property;
Whereas tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the
States of Louisiana and Texas were destroyed by the flooding;
and
Whereas the National Wetlands Center of the United States
Geological Survey indicates that 217 square miles of the
coastal land of the State of Louisiana were transformed to
water after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) observes the 5th anniversary of the date on which
Hurricane Rita devastated the coasts of the States of
Louisiana and Texas;
(2) expresses the support of the Senate to the survivors of
Hurricane Rita and the condolences of the Senate to the
families of the victims of Hurricane Rita;
(3) commends the courageous efforts of those who assisted
in the response to the storm and the recovery process;
(4) recognizes the contributions the affected communities
in the States of Louisiana and Texas have made to the United
States; and
(5) reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to rebuild,
renew, and restore the Gulf Coast region.
S. Res. 642
Whereas, in 1983, the Institute of Medicine recommended
that nursing research be included in biomedical and
behavioral science research;
Whereas the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (Public
Law 99-158; 99 Stat. 820) established the National Center for
Nursing Research (referred to in this preamble as the
``Center'') within the National Institutes of Health to
disseminate information related to basic and clinical nursing
research;
Whereas the National Center for Nursing Research excelled
in carrying out the purpose of the Center to provide research
training and fellowships in the areas of disease prevention,
health promotion, and nursing care for individuals with acute
and chronic illnesses and the families of those individuals;
Whereas Congress, recognizing the contributions of the
National Center for Nursing Research to improving quality
care and health, redesignated the Center as the National
Institute of Nursing Research (referred to in this preamble
as the ``NINR'') through the enactment of the National
Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993 (Public Law
103-43; 107 Stat. 122);
Whereas the research focus of the NINR for the 25 years
prior to the approval of this resolution has resulted in
advances in nursing science at all stages of the lifespan of
an individual;
Whereas the mission of the NINR is to promote and improve
the health of individuals, families, communities, and
vulnerable populations of the United States;
Whereas the NINR views nursing science as the cornerstone
for integrating biological and behavioral sciences, exploring
innovations, and improving research methods;
Whereas research funded by the NINR has improved the health
outcomes and enhanced the quality of life of the people of
the United States by managing disease and relieving symptoms
of disease;
Whereas the NINR is committed to helping to eliminate the
health disparities facing minority and disadvantaged
populations across the United States;
Whereas the NINR holds the principal responsibility for
end-of-life research conducted at the National Institutes of
Health; and
Whereas the NINR spends a remarkable 7 percent of the
budget of the NINR on training new researchers, ensuring that
the number of nurse scientists and the faculty educating the
next generation of professional nursing students continues to
grow: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) congratulates the National Institute of Nursing
Research on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; and
(2) commends the National Institute of Nursing Research for
its ongoing support of nursing research, which is integral to
the health of the people of the United States.
S. Res. 643
Whereas nurse-managed health clinics are nonprofit
community-based health care sites that offer primary care and
wellness services based on the nursing model;
Whereas the nursing model emphasizes the protection,
promotion, and optimization of health as well as the
prevention of illness and the alleviation of suffering along
with diagnosis and treatment;
Whereas nurse-managed health clinics are led by advanced
practice nurses and staffed by an interdisciplinary team of
highly qualified health care professionals;
Whereas nurse-managed health clinics offer a broad scope of
services that may include treatment for acute and chronic
illnesses, routine physical exams, immunizations for adults
and children, disease screenings, health education, prenatal
care, dental care, and drug and alcohol treatment;
Whereas nurse-managed health clinics have a proven track
record, as the first federally funded nurse-managed health
clinic was created more than 30 years prior to the date of
approval of this resolution;
Whereas, as of the date of approval of this resolution,
more than 200 nurse-managed health clinics provide care
across the United States and record over 2,000,000 client
encounters annually;
Whereas nurse-managed health clinics serve a unique dual
role as both safety net access points and health workforce
development sites, given that the majority of nurse-managed
health clinics are affiliated with schools of nursing and
serve as clinical education sites for health professions
students;
Whereas nurse-managed health clinics strengthen the health
care safety net by expanding access to primary care and
chronic disease management services for vulnerable and
medically underserved populations in diverse rural, urban,
and suburban communities;
Whereas research has shown that nurse-managed health
clinics experience high patient retention and patient
satisfaction rates, and nurse-managed health clinic patients
experience higher rates of generic medication fills and lower
hospitalization rates when compared to similar safety net
providers; and
Whereas the use of nurse-managed health clinics offering
both primary care and wellness services will help meet this
increased demand in a cost-effective manner: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates the week beginning October 3, 2010, as
``National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week'';
(2) supports the ideals and goals of National Nurse-Managed
Health Clinic Week; and
(3) encourages the expansion of nurse-managed health
clinics so that nurse-managed health clinics may continue to
serve as health care workforce development sites for the next
generation of primary care providers.
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