Federal

A resolution designating the first week of April 2023 as "National Asbestos Awareness Week".

Source: Congress.gov · 564 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This resolution designates the first week of April 2023 as "National Asbestos Awareness Week." The Senate also urges the Surgeon General (the nation's chief doctor) to warn and educate people about the health dangers of asbestos exposure.

Who It Affects

The Surgeon General is asked to take action. The Secretary of the Senate will receive a request. People exposed to asbestos, including workers and residents, are the focus of awareness efforts.

Key Provisions

• The first week of April 2023 is designated as "National Asbestos Awareness Week" (line 1-2) • The Surgeon General is urged to warn and educate people about asbestos exposure as a public health issue (lines 3-6) • The Secretary of the Senate will transmit a copy of this resolution to the Office of the Surgeon General (lines 7-9)

What Changes

If passed, April 2023's first week becomes an official awareness week for asbestos-related health dangers. The Surgeon General receives a request to educate the public about asbestos exposure risks.

Important Definitions

Mesothelioma: a type of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestosis: a lung disease caused by breathing asbestos fibers.

III 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 149 Designating the first week of April 2023 as ‘‘National Asbestos Awareness Week’’. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 30, 2023 Mr. TESTER (for himself, Mr. DAINES, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. CARPER, Mr. DUR- BIN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. PADILLA, Ms. WARREN, and Mr. WHITEHOUSE) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating the first week of April 2023 as ‘‘National Asbestos Awareness Week’’. Whereas dangerous asbestos fibers are invisible and cannot be smelled or tasted; Whereas the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers can cause significant damage; Whereas asbestos fibers can cause cancer, such as mesothe- lioma, asbestosis, and other health problems; Whereas symptoms of asbestos-related diseases can take be- tween 10 and 50 years to present themselves; Whereas the projected life expectancy for an individual diag- nosed with mesothelioma is between 6 and 24 months; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Mar 31, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR149.ATS SR149 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 149 ATS Whereas little is known about late-stage treatment of asbes- tos-related diseases, and there is no cure for those dis- eases; Whereas early detection of asbestos-related diseases might give some patients increased treatment options and might improve the prognoses of those patients; Whereas, although the consumption of asbestos within the United States has been substantially reduced, the United States continues to consume tons of the fibrous mineral each year for use in certain products; Whereas thousands of people in the United States have died from asbestos-related diseases, and thousands more die every year from those diseases; Whereas, although individuals continue to be exposed to as- bestos, safety measures relating to, and the prevention of, asbestos exposure have significantly reduced the incidence of asbestos-related diseases and can further reduce the incidence of those diseases; Whereas thousands of workers in the United States face sig- nificant asbestos exposure, which has been a cause of oc- cupational cancer; Whereas a significant percentage of all victims of asbestos- related diseases were exposed to asbestos on naval ships and in shipyards; Whereas asbestos was used in the construction of a signifi- cant number of office buildings and public facilities built before 1975; Whereas people in the small community of Libby, Montana, suffer from asbestos-related diseases, including mesothe- lioma, at a significantly higher rate than people in the United States as a whole; and VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Mar 31, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR149.ATS SR149 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 149 ATS Whereas the designation of a ‘‘National Asbestos Awareness Week’’ will raise public awareness about the prevalence of asbestos-related diseases and the dangers of asbestos ex- posure: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) designates the first week of April 2023 as 2 ‘‘National Asbestos Awareness Week’’; 3 (2) urges the Surgeon General to warn and 4 educate people about the public health issue of as- 5 bestos exposure, which may be hazardous to their 6 health; and 7 (3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 8 the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the 9 Office of the Surgeon General. 10 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Mar 31, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR149.ATS SR149 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

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