[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 16] [Senate] [Page 22625] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]NATIONAL SURVIVORS FOR PREVENTION OF SUICIDE DAY Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 283, Senate Resolution 99. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 99) designating November 20, 1999, as ``National Survivors for Prevention of Suicide Day.'' There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution. Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution was agreed to. The preamble was agreed to. The resolution (S. Res. 99), with its preamble, reads as follows: S. Res. 99 Whereas the 105th Congress, in Senate Resolution 84 and House Resolution 212, recognized suicide as a national problem and suicide prevention as a national priority; Whereas the Surgeon General has publicly recognized suicide as a public health problem; Whereas the resolutions of the 105th Congress called for a collaboration between public and private organizations and individuals concerned with suicide; Whereas in the United States, more than 30,000 people take their own lives each year; Whereas suicide is the 8th leading cause of death in the United States and the 3rd major cause of death among young people aged 15 through 19; Whereas the suicide rate among young people has more than tripled in the last 4 decades, a fact that is a tragedy in itself and a source of devastation to millions of family members and loved ones; Whereas every year in the United States, 200,000 people become suicide survivors (people that have lost a loved one to suicide), and there approximately 8,000,000 suicide survivors in the United States today; Whereas society still needlessly stigmatizes both the people that take their own lives and suicide survivors; Whereas there is a need for greater outreach to suicide survivors because, all too often, they are left alone to grieve; Whereas suicide survivors are often helped to rebuild their lives through a network of support with fellow survivors; Whereas suicide survivors play an essential role in educating communities about the risks of suicide and the need to develop prevention strategies; and Whereas suicide survivors contribute to suicide prevention research by providing essential information about the environmental and genetic backgrounds of the deceased: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1)(A) designates November 20, 1999, as ``National Survivors for Prevention of Suicide Day''; and (B) requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on Federal, State, and local administrators and the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities; (2) encourages the involvement of suicide survivors in healing activities and prevention programs; (3) acknowledges that suicide survivors face distinct obstacles in their grieving; (4) recognizes that suicide survivors can be a source of support and strength to each other; (5) recognizes that suicide survivors have played a leading role in organizations dedicated to reducing suicide through research, education, and treatment programs; and (6) acknowledges the efforts of suicide survivors in their prevention, education, and advocacy activities to eliminate stigma and to reduce the incidence of suicide. Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________