[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 873 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 873
Supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week during the period of
October 23 through October 31, 2024.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 25, 2024
Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week during the period of
October 23 through October 31, 2024.
Whereas the National Family Partnership started the Red Ribbon Campaign in
1988--
(1) to educate the people of the United States and encourage
participation in drug prevention activities;
(2) to preserve the memory of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena (referred to in
this preamble as ``Special Agent Camarena''), a special agent of the Drug
Enforcement Administration who--
G (A) served the Drug Enforcement Administration for 11 years; and
G (B) was murdered in the line of duty in 1985, while engaged in the
battle against illicit drugs;
(3) to commemorate the service of Special Agent Camarena to the Drug
Enforcement Administration and the people of the United States; and
(4) to further the cause for which Special Agent Camarena gave his
life;
Whereas the Red Ribbon Campaign is the longest-standing drug use prevention
program in the United States, bringing drug awareness to millions of
people in the United States each year;
Whereas Red Ribbon Week is celebrated every year during the period of October 23
through October 31 by--
(1) State Governors and attorneys general;
(2) the National Family Partnership;
(3) parent-teacher associations;
(4) Boys and Girls Clubs of America;
(5) the Young Marines;
(6) the Drug Enforcement Administration; and
(7) hundreds of other organizations throughout the United States;
Whereas the objective of Red Ribbon Week is to promote the creation of drug-free
communities through drug use prevention efforts, education programs,
parental involvement, and community-wide support through specific
actions such as lighting up buildings and landmarks, and activities that
engage the public;
Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug
overdoses are the leading cause of death in people in the United States
between the ages of 18 to 45, outnumbering deaths by firearms, motor
vehicle crashes, suicide, or homicide;
Whereas over 107,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States in
2023;
Whereas reducing the demand for illicit controlled substances would--
(1) curtail lethal addictions and overdoses; and
(2) reduce the violence associated with drug trafficking;
Whereas, although public awareness of illicit drug use is increasing, emerging
drug threats and growing epidemics continue to demand attention;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration hosts a National Take Back Day twice
a year, on the last Saturdays of October and April, for the public to
safely dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs that can lead to
accidental poisoning, overdose, or misuse;
Whereas the National Family Partnership hosts Lock Your Meds, a multi-media
campaign and program to encourage individuals, businesses, and
communities to dispose of drugs appropriately and to reduce the demand
for drugs;
Whereas Lock Your Meds is statewide in Idaho, North Carolina, and throughout the
southeastern United States;
Whereas synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and the analogues of fentanyl
devastated communities and families at an unprecedented rate, claiming
more than 80,000 lives in 2023;
Whereas the presence of fentanyl and the analogues of fentanyl pose hazards to
police officers and law enforcement agents;
Whereas 7 out of 10 fake prescription pills containing fentanyl tested at Drug
Enforcement Administration laboratories contain a potentially deadly
dose of fentanyl;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration has created a special exhibit
entitled ``The Faces of Fentanyl'' to commemorate the lives lost from
fentanyl poisoning, and has received over 5,000 photos as of the date of
enactment of this resolution;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than 80,000,000
fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills and more than 12,000 pounds of
fentanyl powder in 2023;
Whereas over 4,000 people in the United States died from a drug overdose
involving heroin in 2023, a rate of over 1 death for every 100,000
people in the United States;
Whereas, from 2022 to 2023, drug overdose deaths involving cocaine increased by
over 7 percent, with almost 30,000 people in the United States dying
from such an overdose in 2023;
Whereas, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2,500,000 people in
the United States aged 12 or older reported having used methamphetamine
in 2021;
Whereas psychostimulants with abuse potential, such as methamphetamine, were
involved in 1.2 times as many drug overdose deaths as cocaine; and
Whereas parents, young people, schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies,
religious institutions and faith-based organizations, service
organizations, senior citizens, medical and military personnel, sports
teams, and individuals throughout the United States will demonstrate
their commitment to healthy, productive, and drug-free lifestyles by
wearing and displaying red ribbons during the week-long celebration of
Red Ribbon Week; Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week during
the period of October 23 through October 31, 2024;
(2) encourages the people of the United States to wear and
display red ribbons during Red Ribbon Week to symbolize their
commitment to healthy, drug-free lifestyles;
(3) encourages the people of the United States to light up
buildings and landmarks to send a drug-free message;
(4) encourages children, teens, and other individuals to
choose to live drug-free lives; and
(5) encourages the people of the United States--
(A) to promote the creation of drug-free
communities; and
(B) to participate in drug use prevention
activities to show support for healthy, productive, and
drug-free lifestyles.
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