75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session
 
 
                            Enrolled
 
                     Senate Joint Memorial 5
 
Sponsored by Senator MONNES ANDERSON, Representative DEMBROW;
  Senators BATES, BONAMICI, BOQUIST, BURDICK, CARTER, DEVLIN,
  DINGFELDER, HASS, JOHNSON, METSGER, MONROE, MORRISETTE, NELSON,
  PROZANSKI, ROSENBAUM, SCHRADER, VERGER, WALKER, WINTERS,
  Representatives BAILEY, BARNHART, BERGER, BOONE, CAMERON,
  CANNON, D EDWARDS, GALIZIO, GARRETT, GELSER, HARKER, KAHL,
  KOMP, KOTEK, MAURER, OLSON, READ, ROBLAN, SCHAUFLER, SHIELDS, G
  SMITH, STIEGLER, THOMPSON, TOMEI, VANORMAN
 
 
To the President of the United States and the Senate and the
  House of Representatives of the United States of America, in
  Congress assembled:
  We, your memorialists, the Seventy-fifth Legislative Assembly
of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled,
respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas replication and expansion of disease prevention
programs could result in a cost savings of $16 billion annually
within the next five years, according to research in a July 2008
report from Trust for America's Health; and
  Whereas nurses are the largest segment of the nation's health
care workforce and are crucial to the promotion of preventative
health care and the care of the whole person; and
  Whereas there are thousands of nurses and nurse educators
currently living and working in Oregon; and
  Whereas nurses are highly valued and trusted by the public and,
in addition to administering health care, are often called upon
to deliver educational messages about health maintenance and
disease prevention; and
  Whereas an Office of the National Nurse would serve as an
effective complement to the existing Office of the Surgeon
General; and
  Whereas the Office of the National Nurse would act as a public
platform to raise awareness of health issues and promote health
and wellness through education and community outreach; and
  Whereas the Office of the National Nurse would provide policy
input at the federal level on a number of valuable initiatives,
such as providing public service announcements in the media and
on the Internet to promote wellness initiatives, addressing
factors related to nurse and nurse educator shortages,
facilitating the deployment of nurses to underserved areas,
strengthening the Medical Reserve Corps to deliver public health
services and providing education to communities, particularly
communities at risk or in crisis; and
  Whereas a serious effort is under way to create an Office of
the National Nurse, with legislation introduced in the 109th
Congress that garnered the bipartisan support of 42 members,
including the entire Oregon House delegation; now, therefore,
 
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
 
 
 
 
Enrolled Senate Joint Memorial 5 (SJM 5-INTRO)             Page 1
 
 
 
  (1) That the Seventy-fifth Legislative Assembly urges the
Congress of the United States to enact legislation creating the
Office of the National Nurse.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to the President of
the United States, to the Senate Majority Leader, to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives and to each member of the Oregon
Congressional Delegation.
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                                 Adopted by Senate February 26,
                                              2009
 
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                                       Secretary of Senate
 
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                                       President of Senate
 
 
                                 Adopted by House March 19, 2009
 
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                                        Speaker of House
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Enrolled Senate Joint Memorial 5 (SJM 5-INTRO)             Page 2