[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13468]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 2004 AS NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE AWARENESS MONTH

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                           HON. JUDY BIGGERT

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 22, 2004

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution 
that will designate September 2004 as ``National Life Insurance 
Awareness Month.'' I want to thank my friend Paul Kanjorski, the 
Ranking Member of the Financial Service Committee, for introducing this 
resolution with me and for his support on this important issue.
  Today only four in ten adult Americans own an individual life 
insurance policy. And among those who do have life insurance, the 
amount often is too small to safeguard the financial future of their 
loved ones. As a result of insufficient coverage, family members often 
are forced to work extra jobs or longer hours, borrow money, or move to 
less desirable housing. These outcomes attest to the ``crisis of 
underinsurance'' that exists in our nation today.
  Losing a family member is painful enough without it being compounded 
by financial difficulties. The goal of ``Life Insurance Awareness 
Month'' is to educate Americans about the importance of life insurance 
to a sound financial plan. It is my hope that it will motivate 
Americans to seek out information about the benefits of life insurance, 
so that if the premature death of a loved one does occur, they will be 
spared the economic hardships that often accompany tragedy.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in support of designating September 
2004 as ``Life Insurance Awareness Month,'' and I yield back the 
balance of my time.

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