[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 23235]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         WORLD YEAR OF PHYSICS

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 742, S. Con. Res. 121.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the concurrent resolution 
by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 121) supporting the 
     goals and ideals of the World Year of Physics.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to 
the measure be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 121) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 121

       Whereas throughout history, physics has contributed to 
     knowledge, civilization, and culture around the world;
       Whereas physics research has been and continues to be a 
     driving force for scientific, technological, and economic 
     development;
       Whereas many emerging fields in science and technology, 
     such as nanoscience, information technology, and 
     biotechnology, are substantially based on, and derive many 
     tools from, fundamental discoveries in physics and physics 
     applications;
       Whereas physics will continue to play a vital role in 
     addressing many 21st-century challenges relating to 
     sustainable development, including environmental 
     conservation, clean sources of energy, public health, and 
     security;
       Whereas Albert Einstein is a widely recognized scientific 
     figure who contributed enormously to the development of 
     physics, beginning in 1905 with Einstein's groundbreaking 
     papers on the photoelectric effect, the size of molecules, 
     Brownian motion, and the theory of relativity that led to 
     Einstein's most famous equation, E = mc2;
       Whereas 2005 will be the 100th anniversary of the 
     publication of those groundbreaking papers;
       Whereas the General Assembly of the International Union of 
     Pure and Applied Physics unanimously approved the proposition 
     designating 2005 as the World Year of Physics; and
       Whereas the Department of Energy is the leading source of 
     Federal support for academic physics research, accounting for 
     a majority of Federal funding for physics: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of the World Year of 
     Physics, as designated by the General Assembly of the 
     International Union of Pure and Applied Physics;
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     the World Year of Physics as a special occasion for giving 
     impetus to--
       (A) education and research in physics; and
       (B) the public's understanding of physics;
       (3) calls on the Secretary of Energy to lead and coordinate 
     Federal activities to commemorate the World Year of Physics;
       (4) encourages the Secretary, all science-related 
     organizations, the private sector, and the media to highlight 
     and give enhanced recognition to--
       (A) the role of physics in social, cultural, and economic 
     development; and
       (B) the positive impact and contributions of physics to 
     society; and
       (5) encourages the Secretary and all people involved in 
     physics education and research to take additional steps 
     (including strengthening existing and emerging fields of 
     physics research and promoting the understanding of physics) 
     to ensure that--
       (A) support for physics continues; and
       (B) physics studies at all levels continue to attract an 
     adequate number of students.

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