[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 55 (Monday, March 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
 SENATE RESOLUTION 125--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF SOCIAL WORK 
           MONTH AND WORLD SOCIAL WORK DAY ON MARCH 21, 2023

  Ms. STABENOW (for herself and Ms. Sinema) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 125

       Whereas social workers enter the profession of social work 
     because they have a strong desire to help empower the 
     individuals, families, and communities of the United States 
     to overcome issues that prevent them from reaching their full 
     potential;
       Whereas, for more than a century, social workers have 
     improved human health and well-being and enhanced the basic 
     needs of all individuals;
       Whereas social workers follow a code of ethics that calls 
     on them to fight social injustice and respect the dignity and 
     worth of all individuals;
       Whereas, each day, social workers positively touch the 
     lives of millions of individuals in the United States in an 
     array of settings, including schools, hospitals, the 
     military, child welfare agencies, community centers, and 
     Federal, State, and local governments;
       Whereas the 2023 Social Work Month theme, ``Social Work 
     Breaks Barriers'', embodies how social workers help empower 
     the individuals, families, and communities of the United 
     States to overcome hurdles that prevent them from achieving 
     better health and well-being;
       Whereas social workers are one of the largest providers of 
     mental health, behavioral health, and social care services in 
     the United States, working daily to help thousands of 
     individuals in the United States overcome mental illnesses, 
     such as depression and anxiety, and meet basic needs;
       Whereas social workers are on the frontlines of the 
     addiction crisis in the United States, helping individuals 
     get necessary treatment and prevail over substance use 
     disorders;
       Whereas social workers help individuals cope with death and 
     grief;
       Whereas social workers help people and communities recover 
     from natural disasters that are increasingly fueled by a 
     warming climate, including hurricanes, drought, and flooding;
       Whereas social workers continue to help the United States 
     live up to its values by advocating for equal rights for all, 
     including people of color, people who are indigenous, people 
     who are LBGTQIA2S+, and people who follow various faiths;
       Whereas the social work profession is one of the fastest 
     growing professions in the United States, but the workforce 
     is still not large enough to meet the demand;
       Whereas there is a need to make a meaningful investment in 
     recruitment and retention within the social work profession;
       Whereas social workers serve in all levels of government;
       Whereas social workers have continued to push for changes 
     that have made the United States a better place to live, 
     including a livable wage, improved workplace safety, and 
     social safety net programs that help ameliorate poverty, 
     hunger, and homelessness; and
       Whereas social workers endeavor to work throughout society 
     to meet individuals where they are and help empower those 
     individuals and society to reach meaningful goals: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of Social Work Month and 
     World Social Work Day on March 21, 2023;
       (2) recognizes with gratitude the contributions of the 
     millions of social workers who have advanced the health and 
     well-being of individuals, families, communities, and the 
     United States since the founding of the social work 
     profession more than a century ago and who continue to do so 
     today;
       (3) acknowledges the diligent efforts of the individuals 
     and groups who promote the importance of social work and 
     observe Social Work Month and World Social Work Day; and
       (4) encourages individuals to engage in appropriate 
     ceremonies and activities to promote further awareness of the 
     life-changing role that social workers play.

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