[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 175 (Wednesday, November 16, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7629-S7630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           DESIGNATING NOVEMBER 17, 2011, AS FEED AMERICA DAY

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       SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF AMERICAN DIABETES MONTH

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    DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 14 THROUGH 20, 2011, AS GLOBAL 
                       ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK/USA

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  RECOGNIZING NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND CELEBRATING 
HERITAGES AND CULTURES OF NATIVE AMERICANS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATIVE 
                     AMERICANS TO THE UNITED STATES

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   DESIGNATING JANUARY 27, 2012, AS NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR 
  AMERICANS WHO WORKED AND LIVED DOWNWIND FROM NUCLEAR TESTING SITES 
                          DURING THE COLD WAR

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. 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. 326, S. Res. 
327, S. Res. 328, S. Res. 329, and S. Res. 330.
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolutions en bloc.
  Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, as chairman of the Committee on Indian 
Affairs, I am sponsoring a resolution, cosponsored by Majority Leader 
Reid, Vice Chairman Barrasso, and several members of the committee, 
designating November as Native American Heritage Month and November 25 
of this year as Native American Heritage Day.
  This resolution recognizes the contributions of Native Americans. We 
see the influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on the Founding Fathers 
of our country as they drafted the Constitution. And today, Native 
American contributions in modern agriculture, medicine, music, 
language, and art are undeniable. In that tradition of service, Native 
Americans have had the highest representation, per capita, in our Armed 
Forces in every war since World War II.
  As a veteran of World War II and as a Native Hawaiian, I celebrate 
the heroic work of the Code Talkers, and the countless American 
military victories that were achieved in both World Wars with the 
unbreakable military code founded on indigenous languages and cultures.
  As we reflect on Native American Heritage Month, it is important to 
remember our history and the promises we made. It is time to account 
for those promises, kept and unkept.
  As a nation, we were built on the highest principles. Our Founding 
Fathers embraced equality, liberty, and justice and incorporated them 
into the very fabric of our Constitution. They contemplated the unique 
role of indigenous peoples in our country, and acknowledge their 
sovereignty in article I, section 8 of the Constitution.
  The Founding Fathers set a high standard. As Americans and as Members 
of this body, it is our duty to continue to legislate policies in 
keeping with our founding principles. For this reason, I applaud 
President Obama's recent commitment of U.S. support for the United 
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples--an 
international standard that I have been championing for more than a 
decade.
  In the Committee on Indian Affairs, I held an oversight hearing on 
domestic policy implications of the declaration. We found that while 
the United States is a world leader in recognizing and protecting the 
rights of indigenous peoples, there is more work to do. The rights of 
self-determination and self-governance contained in the declaration are 
American ideas, ones we have embraced as official Federal policy for 
more than 45 years. I am committed to working with my colleagues to 
enact legislation that gives real meaning to the high principles 
expressed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous 
Peoples.
  In the United States, November--Native American Heritage Month--is a 
time when we reflect and give thanks. I encourage my fellow Americans 
to learn more about the Native peoples of this land and celebrate 
Native American Heritage Day on the day after Thanksgiving.
  As we honor the contributions of Native Americans, let us recommit 
ourselves to the high principles of self-determination and self-
governance and strive for what is ``pono,'' just and right, for all, 
including our first Americans.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. 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 related 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. 326

       Whereas Thanksgiving Day celebrates the spirit of selfless 
     giving and an appreciation for family and friends;
       Whereas the spirit of Thanksgiving Day is a virtue upon 
     which the United States was founded;
       Whereas, according to the Department of Agriculture, 
     roughly 48,000,000 people in the United States, including 
     16,200,000 children, continue to live in households that do 
     not have an adequate supply of food; and
       Whereas selfless sacrifice breeds a genuine spirit of 
     thanksgiving, both affirming and restoring fundamental 
     principles in our society: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates Thursday, November 17, 2011, as ``Feed 
     America Day''; and
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to sacrifice 
     2 meals on Thursday, November 17, 2011, and to donate the 
     money that would have been spent on that food to the 
     religious or charitable organization of their choice for the 
     purpose of feeding the hungry.

                              S. Res. 327

       Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention (referred to in this preamble as ``CDC''), nearly 
     26,000,000 people of the United States have diabetes and 
     79,000,000 people of the United States have pre-diabetes
       Whereas diabetes is a serious chronic condition that 
     affects people of every age, race, ethnicity, and income 
     level;
       Whereas the CDC reports that Hispanic, African, Asian, and 
     Native Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes 
     and suffer from diabetes at rates that are much higher than 
     the general population;
       Whereas according to the CDC, someone is diagnosed with 
     diabetes every 17 seconds;
       Whereas each day, approximately 5,082 people are diagnosed 
     with diabetes;
       Whereas in 2010, the CDC estimated that approximately 
     1,900,000 individuals aged 20 and older were newly diagnosed 
     with diabetes;
       Whereas a joint National Institutes of Health and CDC study 
     found that approximately 15,000 youth in the United States 
     are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes annually and approximately 
     3,600 youth are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes annually;
       Whereas according to the CDC, between 1980 and 2007, 
     diabetes prevalence in the United States increased by more 
     than 300 percent;
       Whereas the CDC reports that over 27 percent of individuals 
     with diabetes are undiagnosed;
       Whereas the National Diabetes Fact Sheet issued by the CDC 
     states that more than 11 percent of adults of the United 
     States and 26.9 percent of people of the United States age 60 
     and older have diabetes;
       Whereas the CDC estimates as many as 1 in 3 American adults 
     will have diabetes in 2050 if present trends continue;
       Whereas the CDC estimates that as many as 1 in 2 Hispanic, 
     African, Asian, and Native American adults will have diabetes 
     in 2050 if present trends continue;
       Whereas according to the American Diabetes Association, in 
     2007, the total cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United 
     States was $174,000,000,000, and 1 in 10 dollars spent on 
     health care was attributed to diabetes and its complications;
       Whereas according to a Lewin Group study, in 2007, the 
     total cost of diabetes (including both diagnosed and 
     undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes, and gestational diabetes) 
     was $218,000,000,000;
       Whereas a Mathematica Policy Research study in 2007 found 
     that, for each fiscal year, total expenditures for Medicare 
     beneficiaries with diabetes comprise 32.7 percent of the 
     Medicare budget;
       Whereas according to the CDC, diabetes was the seventh 
     leading cause of death in 2007 and contributed to the deaths 
     of over 230,000 Americans in 2007;
       Whereas there is not yet a cure for diabetes;
       Whereas there are proven means to reduce the incidence of, 
     and delay the onset of, type 2 diabetes;
       Whereas with the proper management and treatment, people 
     with diabetes live healthy, productive lives; and

[[Page S7630]]

       Whereas American Diabetes Month is celebrated in November: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of American Diabetes 
     Month, including--
       (A) encouraging the people of the United States to fight 
     diabetes through public awareness about prevention and 
     treatment options; and
       (B) increasing education about the disease;
       (2) recognizes the importance of early detection of 
     diabetes, awareness of the symptoms of diabetes, and the risk 
     factors that often lead to the development of diabetes, 
     including--
       (A) being over the age of 45;
       (B) having a specific racial and ethnic background;
       (C) being overweight;
       (D) having a low level of physical activity level;
       (E) having high blood pressure; and
       (F) having a family history of diabetes or a history of 
     diabetes during pregnancy; and
       (3) supports decreasing the prevalence of type 1, type 2, 
     and gestational diabetes in the United States through 
     increased research, treatment, and prevention.

                              S. Res. 328

       Whereas research has shown that between 1980 and 2005 the 
     majority of jobs in the United States were created by 
     entrepreneurs and the young companies of those entrepreneurs;
       Whereas the economy and society of the United States, as 
     well as the country as a whole, have greatly benefitted from 
     the everyday use of breakthrough innovations developed and 
     brought to market by entrepreneurs;
       Whereas Global Entrepreneurship Week/USA is an initiative 
     to celebrate the innovators and job creators who launch 
     startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth, and 
     improve human welfare;
       Whereas Global Entrepreneurship Week/USA helps existing and 
     aspiring entrepreneurs to acquire the knowledge, skills, and 
     networks needed to create vibrant enterprises that will 
     improve the lives and communities of the entrepreneurs;
       Whereas, in 2010, more than 445,896 individuals 
     participated in the more than 3,200 entrepreneurial 
     activities held in the United States alone during Global 
     Entrepreneurship Week;
       Whereas, in 2010, more than 1,300 partner organizations 
     participated in Global Entrepreneurship Week/USA, including 
     startup accelerators, business incubators, chambers of 
     commerce, institutions of higher education, high schools, 
     businesses, and State and local governments; and
       Whereas, in 2011, thousands of organizations in the United 
     States will join in the celebration by planning activities 
     designed to inspire, connect, mentor, and engage the next 
     generation of entrepreneurs throughout Global 
     Entrepreneurship Week/USA: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week of November 14 through 20, 2011, as 
     ``Global Entrepreneurship Week/USA''; and
       (2) supports the goals of Global Entrepreneurship Week/USA, 
     including--
       (A) inspiring young people everywhere to embrace 
     innovation, imagination, and creativity; and
       (B) training the next generation of entrepreneurial 
     leaders.

                              S. Res. 329

       Whereas from November 1, 2011, through November 30, 2011, 
     the United States celebrates National Native American 
     Heritage Month;
       Whereas Native Americans are descendants of the original, 
     indigenous inhabitants of what is now the United States;
       Whereas the United States Bureau of the Census estimated in 
     2009 that there were almost 5,000,000 individuals in the 
     United States of Native American descent;
       Whereas Native Americans maintain vibrant cultures and 
     traditions and hold a deeply rooted sense of community;
       Whereas Native Americans have moving stories of tragedy, 
     triumph, and perseverance that need to be shared with future 
     generations;
       Whereas Native Americans speak and preserve indigenous 
     languages, which have contributed to the English language by 
     being used as names of individuals and locations throughout 
     the United States;
       Whereas Congress has recently reaffirmed its support of 
     tribal self-governance and its commitment to improving the 
     lives of all Native Americans by enhancing health care 
     services, increasing law enforcement resources, and approving 
     settlements of litigation involving Indian tribes and the 
     United States;
       Whereas Congress is committed to improving the housing 
     conditions and socioeconomic status of Native Americans;
       Whereas the United States is committed to strengthening the 
     government-to-government relationship that it has maintained 
     with the various Indian tribes;
       Whereas Congress has recognized the contributions of the 
     Iroquois Confederacy, and its influence on the Founding 
     Fathers in the drafting of the Constitution of the United 
     States with the concepts of freedom of speech, the separation 
     of governmental powers, and the system of checks and balances 
     between the branches of government;
       Whereas with the enactment of the Native American Heritage 
     Day Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-33; 123 Stat. 1922), 
     Congress--
       (1) reaffirmed the government-to-government relationship 
     between the United States and Native American governments; 
     and
       (2) recognized the important contributions of Native 
     Americans to the culture of the United States;
       Whereas Native Americans have made distinct and important 
     contributions to the United States and the rest of the world 
     in many fields, including the fields of agriculture, 
     medicine, music, language, and art, and Native Americans have 
     distinguished themselves as inventors, entrepreneurs, 
     spiritual leaders, and scholars;
       Whereas Native Americans have served with honor and 
     distinction in the Armed Forces of the United States, and 
     continue to serve in the Armed Forces in greater numbers per 
     capita than any other group in the United States;
       Whereas the United States has recognized the contribution 
     of the Native American code talkers in World War I and World 
     War II, who used indigenous languages as an unbreakable 
     military code, saving countless Americans; and
       Whereas the people of the United States have reason to 
     honor the great achievements and contributions of Native 
     Americans and their ancestors: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the month of November 2011 as National 
     Native American Heritage Month;
       (2) recognizes the Friday after Thanksgiving as ``Native 
     American Heritage Day'' in accordance with the Native 
     American Heritage Day Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-33; 123 
     Stat. 1922); and
       (3) urges the people of the United States to observe 
     National Native American Heritage Month and Native American 
     Heritage Day with appropriate programs and activities.

                              S. Res. 330

       Whereas on January 27, 1951, the first of years of nuclear 
     weapons tests was conducted at a site known as the Nevada 
     Proving Ground, located approximately 65 miles northwest of 
     Las Vegas, Nevada;
       Whereas the extensive testing at the Nevada Proving Ground 
     came just years after the first ever nuclear weapon test, 
     which was conducted on July 16, 1945, at what is known as the 
     Trinity Atomic Test Site, located approximately 35 miles 
     south of Socorro, New Mexico;
       Whereas many Americans who, during the Cold War, worked and 
     lived downwind from nuclear testing sites (referred to in 
     this preamble as ``downwinders'') were adversely affected by 
     the radiation exposure generated by the above ground nuclear 
     weapons testing, and some of the downwinders sickened as a 
     result of the radiation exposure;
       Whereas the downwinders paid a high price for the 
     development of a nuclear weapons program for the benefit of 
     the United States; and
       Whereas the downwinders deserve to be recognized for the 
     sacrifice they have made for the defense of the United 
     States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates January 27, 2012, as a national day of 
     remembrance for Americans who, during the Cold War, worked 
     and lived downwind from nuclear testing sites and were 
     adversely affected by the radiation exposure generated by the 
     above ground nuclear weapons testing; and
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to support 
     and participate in appropriate ceremonies, programs, and 
     other activities to commemorate January 27, 2012.

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