[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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