A resolution designating September 26, 2009, as "National Mesothelioma Awareness Day".

Whereas mesothelioma is a terminal cancer related to exposure to asbestos that affects the lining of the lungs, abdomen, heart, or testicles;

Whereas workers who are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis over a long period of time are most at risk, but even short-term exposures to asbestos can cause the disease;

Whereas exposure to asbestos for as little as 1 month can cause mesothelioma 20 to 50 years later;

Whereas asbestos was used in the construction of virtually all office buildings, public schools, and homes built before 1975, and more than 3,000 products sold in the United States contain asbestos;

Whereas there is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos;

Whereas millions of workers in the United States have been, and continue to be, exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos;

Whereas the National Institutes of Health reported to Congress in 2006 that mesothelioma is a difficult disease to detect, diagnose, and treat;

Whereas the National Cancer Institute recognizes a clear need for new treatments to improve the outlook for patients with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases;

Whereas the need to develop treatments for mesothelioma was overlooked for decades;

Whereas even the best available treatments for mesothelioma typically have only a very limited effect, and a person diagnosed with mesothelioma is expected to survive between 8 and 14 months;

Whereas mesothelioma has claimed the lives of such heroes and public servants as Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Jr., and Congressman Bruce F. Vento;

Whereas many mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos while serving in the Navy;

Whereas it is believed that many of the firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers who served at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, may be at increased risk of contracting mesothelioma in the future; and

Whereas cities and localities throughout the United States will recognize September 26, 2009, as Mesothelioma Awareness Day: Now, therefore, be it