Expressing support for designation of June 2008 as "National Safety Month".

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend Mr. Kuhl for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, National Safety Month is an important month. We all strive for safety, so it is important that we name a month, a week, a day, an hour for our safety. But right now, it is a shame that we can't have National Independence from Foreign Oil Hour, right now that the price of gasoline and price of crude oil is affecting every hardworking man and woman in this country. So I would hope that the majority, while recognizing these important days and weeks and months, would just have an hour where we could come into this House and discuss our energy policies.

In January of 2007, the majority passed an energy bill. At the time gas was probably $2.25 a gallon. It is now up to over $4 a gallon. So while we are going to pass 20 suspensions on this floor today, where most of them, the majority of them, won't even require a roll call vote, we don't have any time that we can discuss our energy policy, at a time where we are so dependent on foreign oil.

On May 13, Senator Schumer in the Senate asked the President, who was heading at the time to Saudi Arabia, to ask for an increase in their oil production, knowing that an increase in their oil production would probably cause a decrease in the price of crude oil. Yet with over 97 percent of our Outer Continental Shelf not being drilled on and about 94 percent of the Federal lands inside this country be not being drilled on, surely he and the rest of the Democratic Party, and especially this House leadership, would understand that drilling domestically would bring down the price of crude oil, which in turn would bring down the price of gasoline.

As I have said before on this floor, if we could have a 1-hour debate, and I would like for it to be longer than that, we could all debate and talk about all the different ways that we could help curb the price of our gas, whether it be converting coal to oil, whether it be exploring for natural gas, talking about nuclear energy, or the many other things that we could do right now ourselves. We can control our own destiny as far as what crude oil prices are and what the price of gasoline is by not being willing to do our own exploration, our own drilling in our own country, where we have many, many, many natural resources we could use for fuel.

So while he is combating or at least trying to combat the President on going to OPEC asking them to do more oil production, they must think it kind of comical that we are not willing to do our own drilling, our own exploration, and depend on our own natural resources to lower our price of gas, while China is fixing to drill 45 miles off the coast of this country for oil exploration, because China is a country that understands the importance of not being dependent on foreign oil. As they have gone across this globe dealing with other countries as far as using their natural resources to provide for their energy needs, we are sitting here on trillions of barrels of oil and coal that we are refusing to use ourselves.

So while I think that this very important designation of National Safety Month is important, I would hope that the majority here and the leadership in this body would devote at least an hour of our time in this House in front of the American people, Mr. Speaker, to let the American people see what effect this ``commonsense plan'' that has been touted by the Democratic majority is having to bring down the skyrocketing price of gas, and that was back in April of 2006 when this was being promoted.

I am sure that the American people, Mr. Speaker, would enjoy just a 1-hour conversation on that so we could unveil this plan, because certainly the

plan that was passed in January of 2007, of this year, was either not the real plan or it is a failed plan and we need to be talking about a new plan.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am pleased to stand in support of this resolution, which will help us commemorate June 2008 as National Safety Month.

The summer season brings with it great fun and excitement, as we all know. From family vacations to time spent at pools and water parks, millions of Americans look forward to enjoying the season. However, with many of these summer activities comes a greater risk of preventable injuries.

Preventable injuries and death can also take place in the home, on the job, while driving, or really almost anywhere as we all know. That is why it is so important that we take the time to support efforts to promote safety in all aspects of life.

The National Safety Council is just such an organization with a vision of making our world safer. The mission of the National Safety Council is to educate and influence people to prevent accidental injury and death.

The council was founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress in 1953. It is the only organization promoting safety in the workplace, in the transportation arena, and in homes and in communities. Members of the council include 18,600 companies of all sizes from a broad spectrum of industries representing 33,300 locations and about 8.5 million employees around the world.

I appreciate the work of the National Safety Council along with that of employers, schools and community leaders, and all Americans who are working to make safe environments.

Later today, in just a couple of minutes, we will consider another bill under suspension that promotes safety, the Josh Miller HEARTS Act, which will help to place automated external defibrillators in schools around this country.

I am proud to stand in support of these and other efforts to promote safety, prevent injury and to protect the lives and the well-being of Americans. However, Mr. Speaker, I'm a little disappointed that we are not taking this opportunity today to promote another type of well-being for our citizens, their economic well-being. Over the weekend, our Nation reached a dubious milestone. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline has now topped $4. This once-unthinkable figure has become the new norm unfortunately, wreaking havoc on the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans.

From filling the tank, to filling the shopping cart, Americans are being crushed by the high price of energy and its ripple effect on our economy. Our constituents are crying out for help. But to date, this Congress has refused to embrace the comprehensive energy solutions needed to wean our Nation from its dependence on foreign oil.

Republicans have proposed an energy plan that incorporates all the critical elements of energy independence and freedom. We are supporting the production of American-made energy, which will create jobs here at home, while being conscious of our environmental impact. We are promoting the development of new sources of fuel and we are promoting conservation. Taken together, the Republican energy plan will help finally ease the pain at the pump.

So while I urge the support of H. Res. 1225, I also urge action on the much-needed energy reforms.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1225) expressing support for designation of June 2008 as ``National Safety Month''.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 1225 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1225, which recognizes the month of June as National Safety Month and commends the National Safety Council for their ongoing mission to educate and influence the public on the prevention of accidental injury and death.

In 1912 the National Safety Council was established by a small group of midwestern industrial leaders concerned about safety in the workplace. Since then, the council has broadened its scope to include the home, transportation and the community. Its membership has grown to over 18,000 companies spanning more than 33,000 locations. Altogether, the council represents 8.3 million employees across the Nation.

In 1953, a congressional charter was granted to the National Safety Council to lead the country in injury prevention through safety education and training. The council has had a great impact on the local level by providing a variety of community-based programs and services, including workshops, training, conferences, and by providing a local voice for safety and health education.

Through the efforts of the National Safety Council, more than 8.5 million rescuers have been trained and more than 60 million people have taken one of the NSC's defensive driving courses. It is obvious that the National Safety Council's programs have had a profound effect on our Nation, and they

deserve to be recognized for their continuing efforts.

The National Safety Council will commemorate this 2008 National Safety Month with their ``Make a Difference'' campaign. The campaign will work to educate the public on emergency preparedness, safe driving, poisoning and fall prevention.

Each year, accidental injuries cost Americans more than $650 billion. In the workplace alone, 16 workers die every day on the job. Far too many lives are lost and too many suffer because of preventable accidents.

Protecting the citizens of this Nation from these accidents requires the cooperation of Federal, State and local institutions, as well as help from the citizenry itself. Together, we can protect ourselves from accidental injury and death. This June we must encourage all Americans to take time to learn how they can help make this country safer.

Mr. Speaker, once again I express my support for the designation of June as National Safety Month.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman has additional speakers, I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to thank the gentleman from Georgia for his compelling and expansive support of this resolution, and I urge its support.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1225, designating June as National Safety Month. After years of decline, the numbers of unintentional injuries and deaths in the United States have risen to unacceptable new heights. Deaths from motor vehicle collisions, poisoning from unintentional overdoses, and falls remain the three leading causes of preventable death in the United States. For example, in 2005, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that accidents, both motor vehicle and other types of accidents, were the leading cause of death for persons ages 1 to 44 in Illinois. According to the 2008 edition of the National Safety Council's Injury Facts publication, the annual cost of unintentional injuries to Americans and their employers now exceeds $650 billion.

To reduce the prevalence and severity of these injuries, Congress annually designates June as National Safety Month. By providing a public service campaign around the theme ``Make A Difference,'' the National Safety Council promotes public awareness by highlighting the most significant causes for unintentional injuries and deaths in the workplace, on the road, and in the home and community. Equally important, the public campaign also stresses what Americans can do to prevent much of the needless suffering and expense associated with these accidents.

Each week of the month-long observance will focus on a unique safety issue. During the first week of June, the campaign focused on Emergency Preparedness. As a country we can make a difference by knowing how to perform CPR and acquiring Automated External Defibrillator training, both of which, if applied within minutes of a cardiac arrest, double the chances of survival. This week the campaign highlights the perils of distracted driving. According to a recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. Next week, the campaign spotlights the escalating co-relation between the rise in the consumption of prescription medication and rise in overdose fatalities. During the last week of June, the campaign centers on the importance of fall prevention, highlighting tips for preventing falls in the workplace, as well as fall prevention tips for aging adults. The campaign will conclude on Monday, June 30th, with tips for Independence Day and summer safety. Summer is a time of increased rates of preventable injuries and death. As a country, we can make a difference by becoming more aware about safe practices. We must recognize our responsibility to implement interventions that make our world a safer place to live. I urge you to join me in supporting H. Res. 1225, designating June as National Safety Month and focusing individuals' and business leaders' attention on injury risks and preventions.

Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in three votes on the floor of the House of Representatives on June 9, 2008. I was absent due to illness.

As noted, I was not present for three votes:

The first vote was H. Res. 1225, Expressing support for designation of June 2008 as ``National Safety Month.'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

The second vote was H. Res. 1243, Recognizing the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

The third vote was H. Res. 127, Recognizing and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the entry of Alaska in the Union as the 49th State. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.