III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 98 

Designating the first week of April 2017 as ‘‘National Asbestos Awareness 

Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 27, 2017 

Mr. TESTER (for himself, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. DAINES, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. WARREN, Mr. MERKLEY, and Mr. LEAHY) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

MARCH 29, 2017 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the first week of April 2017 as ‘‘National 

Asbestos Awareness Week’’. 

Whereas dangerous asbestos fibers are invisible and cannot 

be smelled or tasted; 

Whereas the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers can cause 

significant damage; 

Whereas asbestos fibers can cause cancer (such as mesothelioma), asbestosis, and other health problems; 

Whereas symptoms of asbestos-related diseases can take between 10 and 50 years to present themselves; 


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SRES 98 ATS 

Whereas the projected life expectancy for an individual diagnosed with mesothelioma is between 6 and 24 months; 

Whereas generally, little is known about late-stage treatment 

of asbestos-related diseases, and there is no cure for asbestos-related diseases; 

Whereas early detection of asbestos-related diseases may give 

some patients increased treatment options and might improve the prognoses of those patients; 

Whereas the United States has substantially reduced the consumption of asbestos in the United States, yet the United 

States continues to consume tons of the fibrous mineral 

each year for use in certain products throughout the 

United States; 

Whereas asbestos-related diseases have killed thousands of 

people in the United States; 

Whereas while exposure to asbestos continues, safety and prevention of asbestos exposure has significantly reduced the 

incidence of asbestos-related diseases and can further reduce the incidence of asbestos-related diseases; 

Whereas thousands of workers in the United States face significant asbestos exposure, which has been a cause of occupational cancer; 

Whereas thousands of people in the United States die from 

asbestos-related diseases every year; 

Whereas a significant percentage of all asbestos-related disease victims were exposed to asbestos on naval ships and 

in shipyards; 

Whereas asbestos was used in the construction of a significant number of office buildings and public facilities built 

before 1975; 


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SRES 98 ATS 

Whereas people in the small community of Libby, Montana, 

suffer from asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, at a significantly higher rate than people in the 

United States as a whole; and 

Whereas the designation of a ‘‘National Asbestos Awareness 

Week’’ will raise public awareness about the prevalence of 

asbestos-related diseases and the dangers of asbestos exposure: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the first week of April 2017 as 

3 ‘‘National Asbestos Awareness Week’’; 

4 (2) urges the Surgeon General of the United 

5 States to warn and educate people about the public 

6 health issue of asbestos exposure, which may be haz7 ardous to their health; and 

8 (3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

9 the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the 

10 Office of the Surgeon General. 

Æ 


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