S.Res. 201Senate108th Congress (2003-2005)Passed Congress

A resolution designating the month of September 2003 as "National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month".

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Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S9988; text as passed Senate: CR S9988; text of measure as introduced: CR S9977)

July 25, 2003

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 25, 2003

SenateFloor

July 25, 2003

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S.Res. 201 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Rep. Anibal Acevedo-VilaD-PR · Oct 7, 2004

Mr. Speaker, the political status of Puerto Rico, and its relationship with the United States, is of great importance to the people of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has enjoyed Commonwealth status since 1952. One of the virtues of Commonwealth is precisely the fact that it possesses the flexibility to change the political status of Puerto Rico vis-a-vis the U.S., either within the framework of Commonwealth, or if the people choose other status options such as Statehood or Independence. Of course, Puerto Rico would work with the U.S. Congress towards implementing whichever option the people choose.

Since its creation, Commonwealth has been the preferred status option among the people of Puerto Rico. However, the people of Puerto Rico have failed in its previous efforts to improve Commonwealth because the different initiatives in Puerto Rico, as well as in this Congress, to deal with the status issue have not translated into concrete actions to implement the will of the people of Puerto Rico. Experience has shown that in order to have a true exercise of self-determination, we must work hard at achieving consensus among the people of Puerto Rico as to the process towards self-determination, in spite of our differences with regard to individual status preferences.

Hence, the Legislature of Puerto Rico approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 107 on July 22, 2004 which sets forth the public policy of said body that a Constitutional Assembly on Status is the preferred approach through which to exercise self-determination concerning the status of Puerto Rico and acknowledges these past failed attempts to deal with the status issue, recognizes the consensus among the people of Puerto Rico to effectively exercise their right to self- determination, and adopts the public policy that the Constitutional Assembly on Status is the best approach through which to exercise self- determination.

Accordingly, the Legislature of Puerto Rico has agreed to study and prepare legislation for the people to decide whether the Constitutional Assembly on Status is their preferred mechanism to deal with the status issue. Other mechanisms will be presented to the people. Thus the people will ultimately choose their preferred process. The legislation will also include the mechanisms through which delegates to the Assembly are elected, and will provide for its organization, if it is the option favored by voters.

At the same time, Senate Concurrent Resolution 107 orders the Puerto Rico Senate and

House Judiciary Committees to prepare a study and report with bills for the celebration of a referendum regarding the Constitutional Assembly, authorization of funds, and related matters. Such bills would guarantee the effective participation of representatives of the political parties and civil society; that the proposals to be considered by the people must stem from the principle of sovereignty in the future relationship of Puerto Rico and must be defined as being outside of the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution; that the Constitutional Assembly must have attributes of deliberation and negotiation vis-a-vis the U.S. Government; and that every determination by the Assembly must be subject to ratification by the people through a referendum. The Committees shall issue its report by December 31, 2004, and it will thus be submitted for the consideration of the next Legislative Session.

Mr. Speaker, the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico and I personally support the creation of a Constitutional Assembly on Status in order to deal with the status issue because it embodies the principle that it is the people of Puerto Rico who must decide their preferred political status, and that the process should be initiated in Puerto Rico. Therefore, we have made a commitment to initiate this process during the first half of 2005. At the same time, we recognize that even though this process is to be initiated in Puerto Rico, it cannot and should not be isolated from Washington. That is why, early in the process, Senate Concurrent Resolution 107 mandates notifying the White House, the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status and the U.S. Congress of said Resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to, as requested by the Puerto Rico Legislature and in compliance with Article 6 of Senate Concurrent Resolution 107, notify this Congress of said Resolution by placing the English-language translation of Senate Concurrent Resolution 107, along with its certification, into the Record at this time. I am also sending a copy of Senate Concurrent Resolution, and its certification, to the U.S. Senate, the President of the United States, the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status, and the United Nations' Special Committee on Decolonization.

Mr. Speaker, I am confident that the people of Puerto Rico will soon be able to truly exercise their right to self-determination in a meaningful manner, one in which the outcome will be a product of the democratic tradition we so dearly cherish.

Concurrent Resolution 107

(To consign the public policy of the Legislature of Puerto Rico in

facing and attending to the urgent need to review the political

relations between Puerto Rico and the United States through a Constitutional Assembly on Status elected by the people in the exercise

of the natural right to self-determination and sovereignty, and to

initiate its organizational process)

Sen. Orrin G. HatchR-UT · Jul 25, 2003

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 201, which was submitted earlier today. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the…

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Agreed to SenateIssued July 25, 2003

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 201 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 201

Designating the month of September 2003 as ``National Prostate Cancer
Awareness Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 25 (legislative day, July 21), 2003

Mr. Sessions (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Kerry, Mr.
Brownback, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Hatch, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Collins, Mr.
Lieberman, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Breaux, Mr. DeWine, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Craig,
Mr. Miller, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Roberts,
Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Smith, Mr. Durbin,
Mr. Bunning, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Hagel, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Voinovich,
Mr. Edwards, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Schumer, Ms.
Landrieu, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Lautenberg, Ms. Stabenow, and Mrs. Clinton)
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Designating the month of September 2003 as ``National Prostate Cancer
Awareness Month''.

Whereas countless families in the United States have a family member living with
prostate cancer;
Whereas in the United States, 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer
in his lifetime;
Whereas between 1993 and 2003, prostate cancer has been the most commonly
diagnosed nonskin cancer and the second most common cancer killer of men
in the United States;
Whereas the American Cancer Society estimates that in the United States, 220,900
men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 28,900 men will die of
prostate cancer in 2003;
Whereas 30 percent of new cases of prostate cancer occur in men under the age of
65;
Whereas in the United States, as the population ages, the occurrence of prostate
cancer will also increase;
Whereas African Americans suffer from a prostate cancer incidence rate that is
up to 60-percent higher than White males and are more than twice as
likely as White males to die of the disease;
Whereas in the United States, a man with 1 family member diagnosed with prostate
cancer has double the risk of developing prostate cancer, a man with 2
such family members has 5 times the risk, and a man with 3 such family
members has a 97-percent risk of developing the disease;
Whereas screening by both digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate specific
antigen blood test (PSA) can diagnose the disease in earlier and more
treatable stages, thus reducing prostate cancer mortality;
Whereas developing research promises further improvements in prostate cancer
prevention, early detection, and treatment; and
Whereas educating the people of the United States, including health care
providers, about prostate cancer and early detection strategies is
crucial to saving the lives of men and preserving and protecting
families: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates the month of September 2003 as ``National
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month'';
(2) declares that the Federal Government has a
responsibility--
(A) to raise awareness about the importance of
screening methods and the treatment of prostate cancer;
(B) to increase research funding that is
commensurate with the burden of the disease so that the
causes of, and improved screening, treatments, and a
cure for, prostate cancer may be discovered; and
(C) to continue to consider ways for improving
access to, and the quality of, health care services for
detecting and treating prostate cancer; and
(3) requests the President to issue a proclamation calling
upon the people of the United States, interested groups, and
affected persons to promote awareness of prostate cancer, to
take an active role in the fight to end the devastating effects
of prostate cancer on individuals, their families, and the
economy, and to observe the month of September 2003 with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
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