[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 63 (Thursday, April 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2440-S2441]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 161--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF WORLD MALARIA
DAY
Mr. WICKER (for himself and Mr. Coons) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 161
Whereas April 25 of each year is recognized internationally
as World Malaria Day;
Whereas malaria is a leading cause of death and disease in
many developing countries, despite being preventable and
treatable;
Whereas fighting malaria is in the national interest of the
United States because--
(1) reducing the risk of malaria protects members of the
Armed Forces and other people of the United States serving
overseas in malaria-endemic regions; and
(2) reducing malaria deaths helps to lower risks of
instability in less developed countries;
Whereas United States support for efforts to fight
malaria--
(1) is in the diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian
interests of the United States;
(2) generates goodwill toward the United States; and
(3) highlights the values of the people of the United
States through the work of governmental, nongovernmental, and
faith-based organizations of the United States;
Whereas, in 2017, 87 countries and areas had ongoing
malaria transmissions;
Whereas nearly \1/2\ of the population of the world is at
risk for malaria, with the World Health Organization African
region carrying a disproportionately high burden, with 92
percent of malaria cases and 93 percent of malaria deaths in
the world;
Whereas young children and pregnant women are particularly
vulnerable to, and disproportionately affected by, malaria;
Whereas children under the age of 5 account for an
estimated 61 percent of malaria deaths each year;
Whereas the World Malaria Report 2018 published by the
World Health Organization states that, in 2017, approximately
435,000 people died from malaria, which is a decrease of
approximately 50 percent, as compared to 2000;
Whereas the United States Government has played a leading
role in the recent progress made toward reducing the global
burden of malaria, particularly through the President's
Malaria Initiative and the contribution of the United States
to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria;
and
Whereas the United States Government is pursuing a
comprehensive approach to ending malaria deaths through the
President's Malaria Initiative, which is led by the United
States Agency for International Development and implemented
with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the Department of State, the Department of Health
and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, the
Department of Defense, and private sector entities: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of World Malaria Day;
(2) recognizes the importance of reducing malaria
prevalence and deaths to improve overall child and maternal
health, especially in sub-Saharan Africa;
(3) commends the recent progress made toward reducing
global malaria morbidity, mortality, and prevalence,
particularly through the efforts of the President's Malaria
Initiative and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria;
(4) welcomes ongoing public-private partnerships to
research and develop more effective and affordable tools for
malaria surveillance, diagnostics, treatment, and prevention;
(5) recognizes the goals, priorities, and authorities to
combat malaria set forth in the United States Leadership
Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003
(Public Law 108-25; 117 Stat. 711) and the Tom Lantos and
Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/
AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008
(Public Law 110-293; 122 Stat. 2918);
(6) supports continued leadership by the United States in
bilateral, multilateral, and private sector efforts to combat
malaria and to work with endemic countries in developing and
effectively executing their own national responses to
malaria; and
(7) encourages other members of the international community
to sustain and increase their support for, and financial
contributions to, efforts to combat malaria worldwide.
Mr. JONES. Mr. President, today I wish to offer a resolution
recognizing the critical contributions the laboratories of the
Department of Defense make to the national security of this country.
The 63 Laboratories, Warfare Centers, and Engineering Centers of the
Department of Defense spread across 22 states and the District of
Columbia are important components of the U.S. warfighting establishment
and are instrumental in maintaining the technological edge of our
military forces. My resolution would highlight the contributions of
these laboratories by designating April 25, 2019, as ``Department of
Defense Laboratory Day 2019'' in order to celebrate the work and
accomplishments of the men and women in those defense labs. Many of the
technological advantages upon which our military rests are rooted in
the diligent, dedicated work and innovative mindset of the scientists
and engineers in our defense labs. Their work drives not only the near-
term, tactical innovations needed to support our soldiers, sailors,
airmen and marines in the wars of the past century, but they are
critical foundations of research that will fuel the processes and
technologies needed for the next century and beyond. In addition to the
cutting-edge research and development of new technologies, our defense
laboratories are a resource to the national economy and innovation
ecosystem of the nation--providing the people, facilities, experience,
operational problems, and capabilities for technology transfer that
support the warfighter, industry,
[[Page S2441]]
academia, other parts of federal government, and even many of our
allies and partners throughout the world. The nearly 76,000 scientists
and engineers employed by the Department of Defense labs are exemplars
of public service, and the outstanding dedication, qualifications,
service, and accomplishments of these scientists, engineers,
technicians, and support staff of the defense laboratories should make
all Americans proud.
In recognizing the men and women of the defense labs, I am especially
proud of the contributions Alabama makes. As the home to multiple Army
laboratories--including the Aviation and Missile Center, Space and
Missile Defense Technical Center, and the Army Aeromedical Research
Laboratory--Alabama punches far above its weight in terms of
contributions of people, facilities and resources to the defense
laboratory network. This results in one of the highest per capita
concentrations of scientists and engineers in the country, with an
extraordinary economic impact on the State. Not only do these labs
provide thousands of jobs in Alabama, they bring in billions of dollars
in investments and return those dollars back into the communities in
which they reside.
The network of Department of Defense laboratories is not just an
asset for the Department, but is a national asset as well. With over a
hundred DoD-funded Nobel prizes, and thousands of patents and
publications, defense laboratories are technological and economic
engines on par with any industry or university laboratory. I applaud
the work of the defense labs, and all of the scientists and engineers
that make them successful, especially those in Alabama. I urge my
colleagues to support the contributions of the labs by supporting the
proclamation of April 25th as the 2019 Laboratory Day.
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