Expressing support for designation of "National Safety Month".

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 459, which expresses support for the designation of June as National Safety Month. Promoting safety awareness will help to reduce thousands of preventable injury and deaths in the United

States in the workplace, on roads and highways, and in our homes and neighborhoods.

Each week of National Safety Month focuses on a different aspect of safety: traffic, workplace, home, and community. This year's National Safety Month themes are teen driving, fall prevention, overexertion, and distracted driving. The statistics on the types of safety that comprise this year's National Safety Month are jarring.

According to the National Safety Council, NSC, traffic crashes are the number one cause of teen fatalities, accounting for 38 percent of all teen deaths. In 2007, 20,600 people died from falls in U.S. homes and communities. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Labor documented that 8 percent of all occupational fatalities from trauma were caused by falling. Overexertion, particularly in the form of back injuries, affects over 1 million workers. Lastly, 80 percent of automobile crashes are the result of distracted driving. Given these drastic statistics, I believe that National Safety Month is an important effort to improve the well being of our country.

Injuries and loss of life due to preventable accidents are tragedies that traumatize workplaces, families, and communities. In addition to the suffering of the victims and their families, accidents in the home and on the road created over $600 billion in costs to Americans. Accidents in the workplace created over $175 billion in costs for workers and employers. I believe that National Safety Month will help to improve our national economy as we climb out of the economic downturn.

In my home State, the Texas Chapter of the National Safety Council is working hard to educate and influence the public in order to prevent accidental injury and death. The Texas Chapter contributes to Texas' public safety through events such as National Seat Check Saturday, National Child Passenger Safety Week, National Preparedness Month, and the Texas Safety Conference & Expo. I am proud of the work that the Texas Chapter of the NSC does to train safety professionals, reach out to the public for safety education, and raise awareness of safety.

By raising awareness and educating the public on safety, National Safety Month honors the work of safety experts and professionals. Safety experts research, analyze, and publish information on improving safety in many aspects of our daily lives. Safety professionals provide training in schools and colleges, workplaces, and communities, as well as to drivers across the country. The work of these men and women save countless lives each year, and through this resolution, we honor their contribution to society.

In addition to supporting National Safety Month, we must also recognize the achievements of the National Safety Council, NSC. The NSC was established in Illinois in 1913 to promote industrial safety. Since then, their mandate has expanded to include traffic safety, home safety, community safety, and workplace safety at large. In 1953, the NSC received a Congressional Charter. Today, over 51,000 labor organizations, businesses, schools, public agencies, private organizations, and individuals comprise the NSC. The NSC and its 40 member local chapters coordinate safety events, educate the public, analyze safety research, and raise awareness about safety issues. The NSC inaugurated the first National Safety Month in June 1996. In addition to National Safety Month, the NSC holds an annual Congress & Expo to exchange information among safety experts, safety professionals, and the safety industry. Their work is an invaluable contribution to the well-being of our country.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 459) expressing support for designation of ``National Safety Month''.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 459 into the Record.

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

I rise in support of House Resolution 459 which recognizes the month of June as National Safety Month and commends the National Safety Council for its ongoing commitment to educating the public on the prevention of accidental injury and death.

The National Safety Council was established in 1912 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 with more than 33,000 locations. All together, 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 at the local level by providing a variety of community-based programs and services, including workshops, training and conferences, as well as 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 defensive driving courses.

The training and information offered by the National Safety Council has helped raise attention to the cost of accidental injuries to this Nation. Each year, accidental injuries cost Americans more than $684 billion. Additionally, unintentional injuries cost workers and their employers $175 billion each year.

We know that the work of the National Safety Council complements the essential injury prevention and emergency response training efforts by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the many excellent State worker safety and health agencies. While National Safety Month is over, the health and safety of our workers and families should be a top priority year round.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Safety Month, and I want to thank Congressman Roskam for bringing this bill forward. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Safety Month, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, unfortunately I missed recorded votes on the House floor during the week of Monday, September 14, 2009.

Had I been present on Monday, September 14, 2009, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 696 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 6), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 697 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 459), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 698 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 59).

Had I been present on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, I would have voted ``Present'' on rollcall vote No. 699 (On agreeing to H. Res. 744), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 700 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 317), ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 701 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 22), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 702 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3137)

Had I been present on Wednesday, September 16, 2009, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 703 (On agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 746), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 704 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 260), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 705 (On agreeing to the Hall (TX) amendment to H.R. 3246), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 706 (On agreeing to the Donnelly (IN) amendment to HR. 3246), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 707 (On agreeing to the Massa amendment to H.R. 3246), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 708 (On motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 3246), ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 709 (On passage of H.R. 3246)

Had I been present on Thursday, September 17, 2009, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 710 (On agreeing to the Hoekstra amendment to HR. 3221), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 711 (On agreeing to the McMorris Rodgers amendment to HR. 3221), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 712 (On agreeing to the Foxx amendment to HR. 3221), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 713 (On agreeing to the Himes amendment to H.R. 3221), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 714 (On agreeing to the Minnick amendment to HR. 3221), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 715 (On agreeing to the Schauer amendment to H.R. 3221), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 716 (On agreeing to the Teague amendment to HR. 3221), ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 717 (On agreeing to the Guthrie amendment to HR. 3221, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 718 (On motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 3221) because as an original cosponsor and a strong supporter of H.R. 3571, the Defund ACORN Act, I agree that it is absolutely necessary to prevent all Federal taxpayer dollars from going to ACORN, and ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 719 (On passage of H.R. 3221).

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 459, expressing support for the designation of National Safety Month. I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Roskam of Illinois, for introducing this resolution. This resolution recognizes the work of the National Safety Council to educate our citizens about accident and injury prevention.

The National Safety Council works tirelessly through its nationwide networks to prevent accidents in the workplace, in our homes and on our roads. Founded in 1913 and congressionally chartered in 1953, the National Safety Council conducts workshops and training opportunities to help prevent both injuries and illness. These include a diverse range of issues from preventing the spread of H1N1 to making drivers more aware of the dangers of distracted driving.

This week, the council is encouraging parents to ensure proper child safety seat installation. According to the NSC's statistics, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children 2 to 12. And as adults are buckling in children, the council reminds them to use their seat belts as well.

Many injuries are preventible and constant vigilance in our daily activity will go a long way to reduce the risk. I rise today to commend the National Safety Council for its dedication to the important task of raising awareness of accident and injury prevention, and I urge the passage of H. Res. 459, commending the council's service to the Nation. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.

Having no additional speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately I missed recorded votes on the House floor on Monday, September 14, 2009.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 696 (On the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 6); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 697 (On the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 459); and ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 698 (On the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 59, as Amended).