October 2, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10427 

S. RES. 703 

Whereas methamphetamine, an easily 

manufactured drug of the amphetamine 

group, is a powerful and addictive central 

nervous system stimulant with long-lasting 

effects; 

Whereas the National Association of Counties reported in 2007 that methamphetamine 

is the number 1 illegal drug problem for 47 

percent of the counties in the United States, 

a higher percentage than that of any other 

drug; 

Whereas 4 out of 5 county sheriffs report 

that, while local methamphetamine production is down, methamphetamine abuse is not 

(the National Association of Counties found 

that 1⁄2 of the Nation’s sheriffs report abuse 

of the drug has stayed the same and nearly 

1⁄3 say that it has increased); 

Whereas the highest rates of methamphetamine use among all ethnic groups occur 

within Native American communities; 

Whereas the consequence of methamphetamine use by many young adults in the Native American community has been death, 

including methamphetamine-related suicides; 

Whereas sheriffs report increases in crime 

directly related to the presence of methamphetamine in their communities; 

Whereas most illegal methamphetamine 

available in the United States is produced in 

large clandestine laboratories in Mexico and 

smuggled into this country; 

Whereas methamphetamine labs are costly 

to clean up in that every pound of methamphetamine produced can yield up to 5 

pounds of toxic waste, representing a public 

danger to adults and children; 

Whereas the profile of methamphetamine 

users is changing, as 3⁄5 of the Nation’s sheriffs report increased methamphetamine use 

by women and 1⁄2 of the Nation’s sheriffs report increased use by teens; 

Whereas, in surveys on the abuse of methamphetamine among teens, many of the respondents said that the drug was easy to get 

and believed there is little risk in trying it; 

Whereas other National Association of 

Counties surveys have shown that methamphetamine also places significant burdens 

on local social service and health care resources, increasing out-of-home placements 

for children, sending more people to public 

hospital emergency rooms than any other 

drug, and producing an ever-growing need for 

methamphetamine treatment programs; and 

Whereas the establishment of a National 

Methamphetamine Awareness month would 

increase awareness of methamphetamine and 

educate the public on effective ways to help 

prevent methamphetamine use at the Federal, State, and local levels: Now, therefore, 

be it 

Resolved, That the Senate— 

(1) designates November 2008 as ‘‘National 

Methamphetamine Awareness Month’’ to increase awareness of methamphetamine 

abuse; and 

(2) encourages the people of the United 

States and interested groups to observe National Methamphetamine Awareness Month 

with appropriate educational programs and 

outreach activities. 

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APPOINTMENTS 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

Chair, on behalf of the majority leader, 

pursuant to Public Law 96–114, as 

amended, appoints the following individual to the Congressional Award 

Board: Kathryn Weeden of Washington, 

D.C. 

APPOINTMENTS AUTHORITY 

Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. I ask 

unanimous consent that notwithstanding the recess or adjournment of 

the Senate, the President of the Senate, the President of the Senate pro 

tempore, and the majority and minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences, or interparliamentary conferences authorized 

by law, by concurrent action of the two 

Houses, or by order of the Senate. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

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AUTHORITY TO SIGN ENROLLED 

BILLS 

Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. I ask 

unanimous consent that during recess 

or adjournment of the Senate from Friday, October 3, 2008 through Sunday, 

October 5, 2008, the Senator from Virginia, Mr. WEBB, be authorized to sign 

all duly enrolled bills and joint resolutions. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. I suggest 

the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The legislative clerk proceeded to 

call the roll. 

Mr. LEVIN. I ask unanimous consent 

that the order for the quorum call be 

rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE 

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I understand that there is not a real possibility that the House of Representatives is going to take up an unemployment insurance extension bill tomorrow. I hope it does. I hope it passes. I 

would also fervently hope that this 

body will take up this bill immediately 

upon our return in mid-November when 

I understand we will be in session for 2 

or 3 days. Passing an unemployment 

insurance extension is essential. The 

unemployment insurance extension 

which was signed into law on June 30 

as part of our supplemental war appropriations bill included a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits for all 

States. This is less of an extension 

than we provided during economic 

downturns in the last 25 years because 

it does not include additional benefits 

for high-unemployment States. 

Currently, workers who started receiving the 13-week extension in midJuly, under the current program, will 

have their benefits cut off in October, 

and 775,000 workers across the Nation 

are going to be cut off, including 42,000 

in Michigan alone. By the end of this 

year, the number of individuals who 

will have exhausted their unemployment benefits will rise to 1.1 million 

nationally and 58,000 in Michigan. We 

must ensure that those individuals who 

have lost their jobs, who are looking 

for work during a time when our companies are reducing the number of jobs 

and during a time when the price of 

food and energy is going up, that these 

people are not also struggling to put 

food on the table, to pay their utility 

bills, and to cover their mortgage payments. 

We have a bill in the Senate, which I 

cosponsored, which will provide this 

much needed unemployment insurance 

extension. The extension would ensure 

that out-of-work Americans have an 

additional 7 weeks as they continue to 

look for jobs. In high-unemployment 

States such as Michigan, the States 

will receive an additional 13 weeks. In 

August, Michigan’s unemployment rate 

rose from 8.5 percent to 8.9 percent. 

The Nation’s unemployment rate increased by almost half a percentage 

point to 6.1 percent. That is the highest 

since 2003. 

These are very hard economic times. 

Unemployment rates are rising. Since 

January of 2001, we have lost over 3.6 

million manufacturing jobs nationally 

and over a quarter million manufacturing jobs in Michigan. The numbers 

of unemployed are rising all over the 

country. We must act to protect American workers and their families. 

The Congress needs to act before we 

adjourn. That means during that window, that 2- or 3-day window in midNovember. We must seize that opportunity to do what we have done in prior 

downturns; that is, to give greater protection to workers who are unemployed 

and desperately looking for work. 

I ask unanimous consent that a chart 

comparing the unemployment benefits 

in this downturn to previous downturns 

be printed in the RECORD. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

CONGRESS HAS EXTENDED BENEFITS FOR HARD-HIT 

STATES IN EVERY OTHER RECESSION OF THE LAST 25 

YEARS 

Date 

Temporary unemployment benefits granted 

to all States 

Additional benefits 

granted to high unemployment States 

1982 ............................. 8 weeks ..................... Up to 14 weeks. 

1991 ............................. 26 weeks ..................... 7 weeks. 

2002 ............................. 13 weeks ..................... 13 weeks. 

2008 ............................. 13 weeks ..................... None. 

Source: Congressional Research Service. 

Mr. LEVIN. I suggest the absence of 

a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. LEVIN. I ask unanimous consent 

that the order for the quorum call be 

rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

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TRIBUTE TO SENATORS 

JOHN WARNER

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I come to 

the floor today to pay tribute and to 

wish my warmest regards to my dear 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with SENATE