[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7773-S7774]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RESOLUTIONS SUBMITTED TODAY
Mr. DURBIN. 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. 667, S. Res.
668, S. Res. 669, S. Res. 670, S. Res. 671, and S. Res. 672.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolutions en bloc.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions
to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening
action or debate, and that any statements relating to the resolutions
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. 667
Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Coastal Organization
Whereas, in 2010, the Coastal States Organization (referred
to in this preamble as the ``CSO'') is celebrating its 40th
anniversary of representing the Governors of the 35 coastal
States, commonwealths, and territories of the United States
on issues relating to the sound management of coastal, ocean,
and Great Lakes resources;
Whereas the CSO was created in 1969 by a resolution, which
was endorsed unanimously, of the National Governors
Association;
Whereas, in January 1970, the first meeting of the CSO was
held in Savannah, Georgia;
Whereas, in October 2010, the CSO will celebrate its 40th
anniversary in Monterey, California;
Whereas the CSO has been empowered to contribute to the
development and operation of the national coastal zone
management program, which was established by the Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.);
Whereas the CSO is a nonpartisan organization comprised of
economically, environmentally, geographically, and socially
diverse States, territories, and commonwealths;
Whereas the CSO serves as a means for the Governors of the
member States, territories, and commonwealths to communicate
with Congress and the executive branch on coastal, ocean, and
Great Lakes policies, programs, and affairs; and
Whereas the member States, territories, and commonwealths
of the CSO have a responsibility to work with the Federal
Government to manage and conserve the public trust in coastal
and ocean ecosystems as well as the quality of life in
coastal communities for the benefit of current and future
generations: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the 40th anniversary of the Coastal States
Organization; and
(2) supports the role of States, territories, and
commonwealths in the stewardship of coastal, ocean, and Great
Lakes resources.
S. Res. 668
Expressing support for the designation of October 20, 2010, as the
``National Day on Writing''
Whereas people in the 21st century are writing
more than ever before for personal, professional, and civic
purposes;
Whereas the social nature of writing invites people of
every age, profession, and walk of life to create meaning
through composing;
Whereas more and more people in every occupation deem
writing as essential and influential in their work;
Whereas writers continue to learn how to write for
different purposes, audiences, and occasions throughout their
lifetimes;
Whereas developing digital technologies expand the
possibilities for composing in multiple media at a faster
pace than ever before;
Whereas young people are leading the way in developing new
forms of composing by using different forms of digital media;
Whereas effective communication contributes to building a
global economy and a global community;
Whereas the National Council of Teachers of English, in
conjunction with its many national and local partners, honors
and celebrates the importance of writing through the National
Day on Writing;
Whereas the National Day on Writing celebrates the
foundational place of writing in the personal, professional,
and civic lives of the people of the United States;
Whereas the National Day on Writing provides an opportunity
for individuals across the United States to share and exhibit
their written works through the National Gallery of Writing;
Whereas the National Day on Writing highlights the
importance of writing instruction and practice at every
educational level and in every subject area;
Whereas the National Day on Writing emphasizes the lifelong
process of learning to write and compose for different
audiences, purposes, and occasions;
Whereas the National Day on Writing honors the use of the
full range of media for composing, from traditional tools
like print, audio, and video, to Web 2.0 tools like blogs,
wikis, and podcasts; and
Whereas the National Day on Writing encourages all people
of the United States to write, as well as to enjoy and learn
from the writing of others: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the designation of October 20, 2010, as the
``National Day on Writing'';
(2) strongly affirms the purposes of the National Day on
Writing;
(3) encourages participation in the National Galley of
Writing, which serves as an exemplary living archive of the
centrality of writing in the lives of the people of the
United States; and
(4) encourages educational institutions, businesses,
community and civic associations, and other organizations to
promote awareness of the National Day on Writing and
celebrate the writing of the members those organizations
through individual submissions to the National Gallery of
Writing.
S. Res. 669
Recognizing Filipino American History Month in October 2010
Whereas, the earliest documented Filipino presence in the
continental United States was on October 18, 1587, when the
first ``Luzones Indios'' set foot in Morro Bay, California,
on board the Manila-built galleon ship Nuestra Senora de
Esperanza;
Whereas, the Filipino American National Historical Society
recognizes the year of 1763 as the date of the first
permanent Filipino settlement in the United States in St.
Malo, Louisiana, which set in motion the focus on the story
of our Nation's past from a new perspective by concentrating
on the economic, cultural, social, and other notable
contributions that Filipino Americans have made in countless
ways toward the development of the history of the United
States;
Whereas, the Filipino-American community is the second
largest Asian-American group in the United States, with a
population of approximately 3,100,000 people;
Whereas, Filipino-American servicemen and servicewomen have
a longstanding history serving in the Armed Services, from
the Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts,
including the 250,000 Filipinos who fought under the United
States flag during World War II to protect and defend this
country;
Whereas, 9 Filipino Americans have received the
Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in
action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an
[[Page S7774]]
individual serving in the United States Armed Forces;
Whereas, Filipino Americans are an integral part of the
United States health care system as nurses, doctors, and
other medical professionals;
Whereas, Filipino Americans have contributed greatly to the
fine arts, music, dance, literature, education, business,
literature, journalism, sports, fashion, politics,
government, science, technology, and other fields in the
United States that enrich the landscape of the country;
Whereas, efforts should continue to promote the study of
Filipino-American history and culture, as mandated in the
mission statement of the Filipino American National
Historical Society, because the roles of Filipino Americans
and other people of color have been overlooked in the
writing, teaching, and learning of United States history;
Whereas, it is imperative for Filipino-American youth to
have positive role models to instill in them the importance
of education, complemented with the richness of their
ethnicity and the value of their legacy; and
Whereas, Filipino American History Month is celebrated
during the month of October 2010: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the celebration of Filipino American History
Month 2010 as a study of the advancement of Filipino
Americans, as a time of reflection and remembrance, and as a
time to renew efforts toward the research and examination of
history and culture in order to provide an opportunity for
all people in the United States to learn and appreciate more
about Filipino Americans and their historic contributions to
the Nation; and
(2) urges the people of the United States to observe
Filipino American History Month 2010 with appropriate
programs and activities.
S. Res. 670
Designating the week beginning on Monday, November 8, 2010, as
``National Veterans History Project Week''
Whereas 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of the
establishment of the Veterans History Project by Congress in
order to collect and preserve the wartime stories of veterans
of the Armed Forces of the United States;
Whereas Congress charged the American Folklife Center at
the Library of Congress to undertake the Veterans History
Project and to engage the public in the creation of a
collection of oral histories that would be a lasting tribute
to individual veterans;
Whereas the Veterans History Project relies on a corps of
volunteer interviewers, partner organizations, and an array
of civic minded institutions nationwide who interview
veterans according to the guidelines outlined by the project;
Whereas these oral histories have created an abundant
resource for scholars to gather first-hand accounts of
veterans' experience in World War I, World War II, the Korean
War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, and the
Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts;
Whereas there are 17,000,000 wartime veterans in the United
States whose stories can educate people of all ages about
important moments and events in the history of the United
States and the world and provide instructive narratives that
illuminate the meanings of ``service'', ``sacrifice'',
``citizenship'', and ``democracy'';
Whereas more than 70,000 oral histories have already been
collected and more than 8,000 oral histories are fully
digitized and available through the website of the Library of
Congress;
Whereas the Veterans History Project will increase the
number of oral histories that can be collected and preserved
and increase the number of veterans it honors; and
Whereas ``National Veterans Awareness Week'' has been
recognized by Congress in previous years: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates the week beginning on Monday, November 8,
2010, as ``National Veterans History Project Week'';
(2) calls on the people of the United States to interview
at least 1 veteran in their families or communities according
to guidelines provided by the Veterans History Project; and
(3) encourages national, State, and local organizations
along with Federal, State, city, and county governmental
institutions to participate in support of the effort to
document, preserve, and honor the service of veterans of the
Armed Forces of the United States.
S. Res. 671
Supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week, 2010
Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign was established to
commemorate the service of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena, a
special agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration for 11
years who was murdered in the line of duty in 1985 while
engaged in the battle against illicit drugs;
Whereas 2010 marks 25 years since the death of Special
Agent Camarena;
Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign was established by the
National Family Partnership to preserve the memory of Special
Agent Camarena and further the cause for which he gave his
life;
Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign has been nationally
recognized since 1988 and is now the oldest and largest drug
prevention program in the United States, reaching millions of
young people each year during Red Ribbon Week;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration, established in
1973, aggressively targets organizations involved in the
growing, manufacturing, and distribution of controlled
substances and has been a steadfast partner in commemorating
Red Ribbon Week;
Whereas the Governors and attorneys general of the States,
the National Family Partnership, Parent Teacher Associations,
Boys and Girls Clubs of America, PRIDE Youth Programs, the
Drug Enforcement Administration, and more than 100 other
organizations throughout the United States annually celebrate
Red Ribbon Week during the period of October 23 through
October 31;
Whereas the objective of Red Ribbon Week is to promote the
creation of drug-free communities through drug prevention
efforts, education, parental involvement, and community-wide
support;
Whereas drug abuse is one of the major challenges that the
Nation faces in securing a safe and healthy future for
families in the United States;
Whereas drug abuse and alcohol abuse contribute to domestic
violence and sexual assault and place the lives of children
at risk;
Whereas, between 1997 and 2007, the percentages of
admissions to substance abuse treatment programs as a result
of the abuse of marijuana and methamphetamines rose
significantly;
Whereas drug dealers specifically target children by
marketing illicit drugs that mimic the appearance and names
of well-known brand-name candies and foods; and
Whereas parents, youth, schools, businesses, law
enforcement agencies, religious institutions, service
organizations, senior citizens, medical and military
personnel, sports teams, and individuals throughout the
United States will demonstrate their commitment to healthy,
productive, and drug-free lifestyles by wearing and
displaying red ribbons during the week-long celebration of
Red Ribbon Week: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week, 2010;
(2) encourages children and teens to choose to live drug-
free lives; and
(3) encourages the people of the United States to--
(A) promote the creation of drug-free communities; and
(B) participate in drug prevention activities to show
support for healthy, productive, and drug-free lifestyles.
S. Res. 672
Designating October 9, 2010, as ``National Chess Day'' to enhance
awareness and encourage students and adults to engage in a game known
to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Whereas it is estimated that chess is played by 39,000,000
people in the United States;
Whereas there are over 75,000 members of the United States
Chess Federation (referred to in this preamble as the
``Federation''), and unknown numbers of additional people in
the United States who play the game without joining an
official organization;
Whereas approximately half of the members of the Federation
are scholastic members, and many of the scholastic members
join by the age of 10;
Whereas the Federation is very supportive of the scholastic
programs and sponsors a Certified Chess Coach program that
provides the coaches involved in the scholastic programs
training and ensures schools and students can have confidence
the program;
Whereas many studies have linked chess programs to the
improvement of student scores in reading and math, as well as
improved self-esteem, and the Federation offers a school
curriculum to educators to help incorporate chess into the
school curriculum;
Whereas chess is a powerful cognitive learning tool that
can be used to successfully enhance reading and math
concepts; and
Whereas chess engages students of all learning styles and
strengths and promotes problem-solving and higher-level
thinking skills: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates October 9, 2010, as ``National Chess Day'';
and
(2) encourages the people of the United States to observe
``National Chess Day'' with appropriate programs and
activities.
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