[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 181 (Thursday, November 2, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5343-S5344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 449--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF RED RIBBON 
     WEEK DURING THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER 23 THROUGH OCTOBER 31, 2023

  Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S Res. 449

       Whereas the National Family Partnership started the Red 
     Ribbon Campaign in 1988--
       (1) to educate the people of the United States and 
     encourage participation in drug prevention activities;
       (2) to preserve the memory of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena 
     (referred to in this preamble as ``Special Agent Camarena''), 
     a special agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration who--
          (A) served the Drug Enforcement Administration for 11 
     years; and
          (B) was murdered in the line of duty in 1985, while 
     engaged in the battle against illicit drugs;
       (3) to commemorate the service of Special Agent Camarena to 
     the Drug Enforcement Administration and the people of the 
     United States; and
       (4) to further the cause for which Special Agent Camarena 
     gave his life;
       Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign is the longest-standing 
     drug use prevention program in the United States, bringing 
     drug awareness to millions of people in the United States 
     each year;
       Whereas Red Ribbon Week is celebrated every year during the 
     period of October 23 through October 31 by--
       (1) State Governors and attorneys general;
       (2) the National Family Partnership;
       (3) parent-teacher associations;
       (4) Boys and Girls Clubs of America;
       (5) the Young Marines;
       (6) the Drug Enforcement Administration; and
       (7) hundreds of other organizations throughout the United 
     States;2
       Whereas the objective of Red Ribbon Week is to promote the 
     creation of drug-free communities through drug use prevention 
     efforts, education programs, parental involvement, and 
     community-wide support through specific actions such as 
     lighting up buildings and landmarks, and activities that 
     engage the public;
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, drug overdoses are the leading cause of death in 
     people in the United States between the ages of 18 to 45, 
     outnumbering deaths by firearms, motor vehicle crashes, 
     suicide, or homicide;
       Whereas nearly 110,000 people died from drug overdoses in 
     the United States in 2022;
       Whereas reducing the demand for illicit controlled 
     substances would--
       (1) curtail lethal addictions and overdoses; and
       (2) reduce the violence associated with drug trafficking;
       Whereas, although public awareness of illicit drug use is 
     increasing, emerging drug threats and growing epidemics 
     continue to demand attention;
       Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration hosts a 
     National Take Back Day twice a year, on the last Saturdays of 
     October and April, for the public to safely dispose of unused 
     or expired prescription drugs that can lead to accidental 
     poisoning, overdose, or misuse;
       Whereas the National Family Partnership hosts Lock Your 
     Meds, a multi-media campaign and program to encourage 
     individuals, businesses, and communities to dispose of

[[Page S5344]]

     drugs appropriately and to reduce the demand for drugs;
       Whereas Lock Your Meds is statewide in Idaho, North 
     Carolina, and throughout the southeastern United States;
       Whereas synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and the 
     analogues of fentanyl devastated communities and families at 
     an unprecedented rate, claiming more than 70,000 lives in 
     2022;
       Whereas the presence of fentanyl and the analogues of 
     fentanyl pose hazards to police officers and law enforcement 
     agents;
       Whereas 6 out of 10 fake prescription pills containing 
     fentanyl tested at Drug Enforcement Administration 
     laboratories contain a potentially deadly dose of fentanyl;
       Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration has created a 
     special exhibit entitled ``The Faces of Fentanyl'' to 
     commemorate the lives lost from fentanyl poisoning, and has 
     received over 5,000 photos as of the date of enactment of 
     this resolution;
       Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration seized more 
     than 59,600,000 fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills and 
     more than 13,000 pounds of fentanyl powder in 2022;
       Whereas, nearly 6,000 people in the United States died from 
     a drug overdose involving heroin in 2022, a rate of nearly 2 
     deaths for every 100,000 people in the United States;
       Whereas, from 2021 to 2022, drug overdose deaths involving 
     cocaine increased by nearly 13 percent, with almost 28,000 
     people in the United States dying from such an overdose in 
     2022;
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, 2,500,000 people in the United States aged 12 or 
     older reported having used methamphetamine in 2020;
       Whereas psychostimulants with abuse potential, such as 
     methamphetamine, were involved in 1.2 times as many drug 
     overdose deaths as cocaine; and
       Whereas parents, young people, schools, businesses, law 
     enforcement agencies, religious institutions and faith-based 
     organizations, 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 during 
     the period of October 23 through October 31, 2023;
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to wear and 
     display red ribbons during Red Ribbon Week to symbolize their 
     commitment to healthy, drug-free lifestyles;
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to light up 
     buildings and landmarks to send a drug-free message;
       (4) encourages children, teens, and other individuals to 
     choose to live drug-free lives; and
       (5) encourages the people of the United States--
       (A) to promote the creation of drug-free communities; and
       (B) to participate in drug use prevention activities to 
     show support for healthy, productive, and drug-free 
     lifestyles.

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