U.S. Senate Joins U.S. House of Representatives in Supporting Life Insurance Awareness Month
Senate Unanimously Approves Resolution
Contact
Jim Edwards
Assistant Vice President, Communications
703-770-8112
jedwards@naifa.org
FALLS CHURCH, VA – On Thursday, July 28, 2005, the U.S. Senate voted to join their colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to support Life Insurance Awareness Month. There was a unanimous vote of support in the Senate. The Senate resolution originally had been introduced by Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Ben Nelson (D-NE), but due to a technicality, it was reintroduced on Thursday as S. Res.223. Senators George Allen (R-VA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), John Thune (R-SD), Susan Collins (R-ME), David Vitter (R-LA), and Mel Martinez (R-FL) co-sponsored S. Res.223.
“Both the Senate and the House voted in the same week to support Life Insurance Awareness Month. This is a tremendous validation of the goals of the month: to encourage families to work to secure their financial futures. We will work now to ask President Bush to issue a Presidential Proclamation in honor of the month,” said David F. Woods, CLU , ChFC, LUTCF, the chief executive officer of NAIFA and president of Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education ( LIFE ). “Senators Chambliss and Nelson have championed Life Insurance Awareness Month in the Senate and we appreciate their efforts as well as the Senate's unanimous show of support.”
To help raise public awareness about the importance of life insurance and to encourage consumers to evaluate their life insurance needs, the life insurance industry has designated September 2005 as Life Insurance Awareness Month. The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is a major sponsor of the month. September 2005 will be the second Life Insurance Awareness Month and the industry hopes it will be an annual event.
The month-long initiative is being coordinated by LIFE , a non-profit organization that serves as the educational arm of the life insurance industry. More than 60 of the nation's leading life insurance companies and trade associations have committed resources to the campaign. Last year, both the House and Senate passed resolutions in support of Life Insurance Awareness Month and 28 states issued proclamations recognizing the month.
In addition to the Congressional resolutions, NAIFA is seeking a Presidential Proclamation calling on the Federal Government, States, localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, other entities, and the people of the United States to observe Life Insurance Awareness Month with appropriate programs and activities.
About NAIFA: Founded in 1890 as the National Association of Life Underwriters, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors comprises 800 state and local associations representing the business interests of 225,000 members and their employees nationwide. Members focus their practices on one or more of the following: life insurance and annuities, health insurance and employee benefits, multiline, and financial advising and investments. NAIFA's mission is to advocate for a positive legislative and regulatory environment, enhance business and professional skills, and promote the ethical conduct of its members. NAIFA's website can be accessed at www.naifa.org.