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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 666 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 666
Designating the first week of April as ``National Asbestos Awareness
Week''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 27 (legislative day, March 26), 2026
Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Daines, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Markey, Mr.
Booker, and Mr. Padilla) submitted the following resolution; which was
considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Designating the first week of April 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 mesothelioma, asbestosis, and
other health problems;
Whereas symptoms of asbestos-related diseases can take between 10 and 50 years
to present themselves;
Whereas the projected life expectancy for an individual diagnosed with
mesothelioma is between 6 and 24 months;
Whereas little is known about late-stage treatment of asbestos-related diseases,
and there is no cure for those diseases;
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, United States consumers continue to purchase 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 asbestos, 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 significant asbestos
exposure, which has been a cause of occupational 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 significant 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 mesothelioma, at a significantly higher rate
than people in the United States as a whole; and
Whereas the designation of a ``National Asbestos Awareness Week'' for the 21st
year will continue to raise public awareness about the prevalence of
asbestos-related diseases and the dangers of asbestos exposure: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates the first week of April as ``National
Asbestos Awareness Week'';
(2) urges the Surgeon General to warn and educate people
about the public health issue of asbestos exposure, which may
be hazardous to their health; and
(3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate
transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Office of
the Surgeon General.
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