A resolution recognizing the importance of increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, supporting programs for increased research and improved treatment of autism, and improving training and support for individuals with autism and those who care for individuals with autism.

Mr. President, Alan Reinstein was diagnosed with mesothelioma on June 16, 2003 and underwent radical surgery to remove his affected lung, diaphragm, and other parts of his body. Today, Alan continues his courageous battle with this terrible illness.

I received a phone call last week from by brother Don, indicating that a long-time family friend, Harold Hansen, had died from mesothelioma.

I am submitting a resolution today to designate the first day of April of next year as National Asbestos Awareness Day.

Harold Hansen was a family friend, such a wonderful man. In fact, my brother called me a short time ago and said: Harold is sick. He has mesothelioma.

I said: Did he ever work around asbestos. And he said not that he remembers.

I knew a lawyer who might be able to help him and referred him to the lawyer. Now Harold is dead.

This is a terribly difficult problem in America. I talked about Alan; his wife Linda could not just sit back and watch her husband suffer. Knowing others were also suffering, she helped create the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization to unite asbestos victims. One goal of the organization is to educate the public and the medical community about asbestos-caused diseases. The occurrence of asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer is growing.

Over the next decade, it is estimated that 100,000 victims in the United States alone will die of asbestos-related disease. About 30 a day will die from this condition.

I received many letters from Nevadans with asbestos-related diseases in their families.

Eleanor Shook from Searchlight, NV, where I was born and reared, lost her husband Chuck to this dread condition 2 years ago. They found that Chuck was sick, and 2 months later he died--no cure, no treatment, no reprieve. He had been repeatedly exposed to asbestos during all the years he was working to raise his family.

I also got a letter from Jack Holmes, a former teacher from Las Vegas, who wrote:

I am dying. I have malignant mesothelioma . . . I can expect extreme pain and suffering before I die.

I also heard from Robert Wright of Henderson, who was exposed to asbestos in the Navy and now suffers from asbestosis.

These are just a few of the hundreds of Nevadans who are suffering today from asbestos-related diseases. Every one of these stories is a tragedy because they all could have been prevented. Asbestos-related diseases are uncurable, and they are deadly. They can be prevented with greater awareness and education.

Most Americans think asbestos was banned a long time ago. But companies use asbestos every day in their water pipes, as insulation, and in building materials and other substances. Asbestos kills, and kills invisibly. Asbestos cannot be smelled, tasted, or seen, and moves through the air in tiny particles and embeds itself in the lining of the lungs once it is inhaled. It stays there for up to 50 years, damaging tissue and eventually causing disease. Inhalation of asbestos is permanent and irreversible. Simply walking by a recently demolished building that contains asbestos can be enough to breathe in a deadly amount.

I was in New York and a New York police officer was with me. He was part of an undercover unit that had New York City policemen dressed in construction clothes. They were running a construction business. That was part of what they were undercover doing. One of the reasons they did it is because there are people in this country so evil, so malignant that they are willing to take asbestos that these people said they had--it really wasn't asbestos--and they would take it and dispose of it. They would dispose of it in school grounds, and they had no concern where they disposed of what they thought was asbestos. Of course, they were arrested. But asbestos is a terrible problem. It is such a difficult problem in New York City alone where they remove asbestos. They are setting up these undercover operations to catch some of the people who are trying to make money on the disposal of asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos has had numerous consequences for victims and their families. Better awareness and education can help to eliminate future exposure. Early detection can give patients increased treatment options and often improves their prognosis. For these reasons, I am introducing a resolution to designate the first day of April as Asbestos Awareness Day. Asbestos awareness will lead to prevention, early diagnosis, new treatments, and a cure.

Just as the victims of families of asbestos-related disease joined together in founding the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, the Senate must unite in and pay tribute to victims by observing April 1 as Asbestos Awareness Day. I hope all Senators will join me in this effort.

Mr. President, I rise today with my colleagues Senators Hutchison and Landrieu to submit a resolution to convey the deepest sympathy of the Senate to the families of the young women who have been tragically murdered in Ciudad Juarez and throughout the State of Chihuahua, and urge the governments of Mexico and the United States to work together to address this issue. This is an issue that has not only affected the people of Mexico, but has long troubled the communities in my home State and across the entire Southwest region. A similar resolution, H. Res. 466, has been introduced by Representative Hilda Solis and enjoys the bipartisan support of 125 cosponsors.

In 1993, the bodies of women began appearing in the deserts outside the city of Juarez, Mexico, marking the beginning of a horrendous epidemic that has plagued the United States-Mexico border region for more then 10 years. Since then, more than 370 women have

been killed. Many of the young women were abducted in broad daylight in well-populated areas, held captive for several days and subjected to physical violence, humiliation, and sexual torture, before having their mutilated bodies discovered days, or sometimes years, later in deserted areas.

Unfortunately, these murders have continued into this year. Most recently, on May 28, 14-year old Luisa Rocio Chavez Chavez was found murdered in the city of Chihuahua after disappearing the previous morning on her way home from the store. She had been raped and strangled to death, and her body was found partially clothed. And before that, on April 26, a 33-year old factory worker, Teresa Torbellin, was found after being beaten to death and dragged through bushes and desert, eventually being dumped in a deserted area outside the city. Like these deaths, nearly all of the cases remain unsolved. In fact, many of the bodies of victims have yet to be positively identified. One can only imagine how much pain and suffering this has caused the families and friends of these young women. I want to make sure that these deaths are never forgotten, and that the governments on both sides of the border continue to give this issue the attention that it so rightly deserves.

National and international human rights groups, as well as Mexico's own special prosecutor, Maria Lopez Urbina, have reported that many times bodies were misidentified, evidence was contaminated or lost, key witnesses were not properly interviewed, and autopsies were inadequately performed. Some reports have even suspected local, state, and federal authorities of being involved or complicit in the women's murders.

It is my understanding that President Vicente Fox has taken steps to address this issue, by setting up the Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Violence Against Women, which is responsible for coordinating Federal and State efforts in preventing violence of women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua, and appointing a special prosecutor for punishing those responsible for the murders in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua. Although I am pleased that President Fox has taken the initiative on these fronts, I continue to believe that there needs to be a more coordinated effort on the part of the Mexican and U.S. governments. That is why I stand here today to submit this vitally important resolution.

Specifically, this resolution would condemn the abductions and murders of young women in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, express the sincerest condolences and deepest sympathy of the Senate to the families of the young women, and urge a continued multilateral effort on the part of the governments of Mexico and the United States to address this issue.

To this end, it would urge the governments of Mexico and the United States to support efforts to further develop a DNA database that would allow families to positively identify the remains of the victims, and encourage the Secretary of State to continue to facilitate U.S. participation with such a DNA database.

It would also encourage the Secretary of State to urge the Mexican government to ensure fair and proper judicial proceedings for the individuals accused of these abductions and murders, and to impose appropriate punishment for those individuals found guilty of such crimes. Additionally, it would condemn the use of torture as a means of investigation.

Lastly, this resolution would condemn all senseless acts of violence against women across the world and express the solidarity of the people of the United States with the people of Mexico in the face of these tragic and senseless acts.

This problem cannot be ignored. We have the chance to help end the suffering of these innocent families, and I hope that the Senate will join me in supporting this resolution.

Mr. President, it is a privilege to join my colleagues, Senator Brownback and Senator Leahy, in submitting a resolution to call attention to the plight of the large number of refugees throughout the world confined to refugee camps or segregated settlements for extended periods of time. In the vast majority of cases, these refugees are being ``warehoused,'' often for years, and in violation of their basic rights under the Refugee Convention adopted over half a century ago.

We know of 300,000 Angolans in Zambia, Congo-Kinshasa, and Namibia, two million Afghans in Iran and Pakistan, 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal, and 500,000 refugees from Sudan who have lived in refugee camps in various countries for 20 years. Shamefully, of the world's nearly 12 million more than 7 million have been restricted to refugee camps or segregated settlements for a decade or even longer.

These tragic statistics aren't front page news. Refugees seldom dominate the headlines. But the reality is that the troubles of our time are exacting a heavy toll on people fleeing from conflicts and oppression. Throughout the world, men, woman and children are on the move, silent witnesses to the cruelties that plague our age.

Refugee camps are often created quickly, to address a crisis. But the solution sometimes creates a greater problem when temporary refugee camps turn into long-term places of detention and confinement, often under extreme conditions with little attention paid to the growing number of refugees that find themselves in endless and harmful situations.

Under the Refugee Convention of 1951, refugees have rights, including the right to earn a livelihood, to engage in wage-employment or self- employment, to practice a profession, to own property, and to have freedom of movement and residence. ``Warehoused'' refugees can do none of these things. Unable to work, travel, own property or obtain an education, they live unlived lives, without the basic freedoms they are entitled to have under the Convention of 1951.

Without the chance to obtain an education or earn a living, refugees becomes easy recruitment targets for terrorist groups. We can be vigilant against terrorism, and we can do so without abandoning the basic humanity of refugees and squandering their lives in squalid warehouses.

The resolution we are offering denounces the practice of warehousing refugees and urges all nations to grant refugees their basic rights under the Refugee Convention.

America has a proud history as a haven for refugees, especially since the end of World War II. Assistance to refugees has been a conspicuous aspect of our leadership in the world. As a leader in this area, we need to say to the world that the widespread practice of warehousing refugees violates international law. As members of the world community, we have a responsibility to ensure that refugees are able to exercise the basic rights granted to them under the Refugee Convention.

Over 100 international organizations support the end of warehousing, including more than twenty U.S.-based agencies. Nobel laureates have condemned this practice, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, and worldwide support continues to grow.

Last year, the United States was the largest global contributor to agencies assisting refugees. But, there is far more to do. We must strengthen our own commitment, and work with other countries to meet the worldwide challenge. To do too little will only add to the injustice endured by millions of refugees around the world, jeopardize our own national security, and ignore incalculable human potential that is being lost.

I urge our colleagues to join us in supporting this resolution, and help us to give new priority to ending this inhumane practice that has been festering too long in so many parts of the world.

I ask unanimous consent that editorials from the New York Times and Washington Times be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise to submit a resolution recognizing the essential role that nuclear power plays in our national energy policy and to voice support for this remarkable technology. America's nuclear power reactors supply electricity for one in five homes and businesses in the United States and do so affordably, reliably and without producing any emissions. To ensure that nuclear energy's important contribution to our nation continues, we must develop and build new nuclear power plants based on advanced technology and safety features.

Our Nation will require 40 percent more energy by 2020, requiring the use of all available energy sources--wind, solar, hydro, natural gas, coal and nuclear energy. Even the most aggressive conservation and energy efficient programs will not satisfy all of our increasing energy needs. We will require significant additional electric generating capacity to meet this rising demand--electricity generation that is absolutely necessary to keep our economy growing. And we must provide this new power while protecting our environment.

America's 103 nuclear power reactors provide safe, clean and reliable, baseload electricity around the clock. Over the past 50 years, America's nuclear power plants have posted a safety

record that is unrivalled. In addition, nuclear plants produce electricity without producing harmful emissions or greenhouse gases. Nuclear energy is the only major energy source that is both emission- free and expandable.

The use of nuclear energy also reduces our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Protecting our Nation's energy independence must remain at the forefront of our energy policy decisions.

Since scientists first harnessed the power of the atom for the benefit of mankind, the United States has led the world in the development of nuclear science and technology. With some 29 nuclear reactors under construction in other countries, the United State's leadership role in commercial nuclear power could be diminished. Our scientists, engineers and technicians must research, develop and build new nuclear facilities to keep their skills sharp and further their knowledge. In addition, new plant project also will mean more jobs for those scientists, engineers and technicians, as well as many other trades.

America's nuclear power plants contribute to nonproliferation efforts. Through the public-private ``Megatons to Megawatts'' program, which this body has strongly supported, 50 percent of the fuel used in our commercial reactors comes from converted Russian warheads.

Nuclear energy also is one of the most efficient means of producing hydrogen, another key to our energy future. Hydrogen will help reduce our dependence on imported petroleum in the transportation sector, and, like nuclear energy, is a clean air energy.

Therefore, I call upon my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution recognizing nuclear energy's important contributions to our Nation, such as maintaining our energy independence and protecting our environment. And I urge all of you to join me in supporting research, development and construction of new nuclear power plants today, so that nuclear energy can continue providing these benefits in the future.

Mr. President, last week my colleague Senator Jay Rockefeller and I had the privilege of introducing the Advanced Directives Improvement and Education

Act of 2004, which would improve an individual's understanding of the importance of advance directives and give people the opportunity to discuss their options with their doctor.

The goals of the legislation are important. But as we make advance directives more accessible, we must also reach out to the many Americans who feel uncomfortable discussing serious illness and death and help them learn how to make their end-of-life health care plans.

Accordingly, today I am pleased to introduce a Resolution designating the second week of December 2004 to be ``Conversations Before the Crisis Week.'' During this week, there will be town hall meetings, television and radio shows, educational events, newspaper articles, legal clinics, and other activities taking place in communities across the country. This coordinated effort will bring the discussion of dying out of the shadows and into the public square. There are difficult questions to ask and the answers are neither simple nor universal. But it is essential that we discuss them and that each of us find the best answer we can for ourselves and our families.

The alternative is unacceptable: once a terminal illness or tragedy strikes, it is infinitely more difficult to sort through the complex and confusing emotional, spiritual, legal, and medical concerns. We must begin having these conversations before the crisis because it is important to plan for end-of-life care without the anger, sadness, fear, and pain that may accompany a terminal diagnosis, and because knowing what you want is the greatest gift you can give to those who love you and may have to make medical decisions for you.

It is my hope that as we talk more we will learn more; and as we learn more, we will demand more. If we demand better end-of-life care, we will get it. One example: Medicare has an excellent hospice benefit but only 25-30 percent of eligible Medicare beneficiaries use this service. Even people who do use the hospice benefit stay for an average of 28 days--too short to provide maximum benefit. Since Medicare allows people who need it to have over 180 days of hospice care, this is very surprising. By supporting this resolution, and creating a ``Conversations Before the Crisis Week,'' we can generate important public attention--attention that will help explain this mystery, and attention that will be crucial to helping people end their lives in a way that is as peaceful and as meaningful as possible.