The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Senate section on pages S9634-S9638 on July 21, 2003.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS
The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:
POM-221. A joint resolution adopted by the Assembly of the State of Nevada relative to payments for the detrimental effects of federally held lands in Nevada; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Assembly Joint Resolution No. 6
Whereas, An average of 52 percent of the land in 13 western states is held by the Federal Government, while the Federal Government holds an average of only 4.1 percent of the land in the remaining 37 states; and
Whereas, In Nevada, approximately 87 percent of the land, which amounts to approximately 61 million acres, is held by the Federal Government; and
Whereas, In 15 of the 17 counties in Nevada, more than 50 percent of the land is held by the Federal Government, and in 4 of the 17 counties, more than 90 percent of the land is held by the Federal Government; and
Whereas, The management and control of such an extensive amount of the land in Nevada by the Federal Government has had substantial adverse effects on Nevadans; and
Whereas, When the Territory of Nevada was admitted to statehood on October 31, 1864, the Federal Government provided the newly admitted state with 2 sections of land in each township for the benefit of common schools, which amounted to 3.9 million acres, while other states that were subsequently admitted to statehood received 4 sections of land in each township for the benefit of common schools; and
Whereas, In 1880, it was necessary for Nevada to agree to exchange its 3.9 million acres for only 2 million acres of its own selection as Nevada had an immediate need for public school revenues and the land originally granted by the Federal Government to Nevada for common schools was not providing sufficient revenue because it included many undesirable sections that were on steep mountainsides or salt flats, the sections of the land could not be received from the Federal Government until they were surveyed and only a small fraction of the land had been surveyed and sold; and
Whereas, The disproportionately small amount of land received from the Federal Government for the benefit of common schools contributes only a small amount of revenue for the schools in Nevada in comparison to other states, and places and excessive burden on the financial resources of each county in Nevada; and
Whereas, Because the land held by the Federal Government is exempt from property taxes, the management and control of such an extensive amount of land in Nevada by the Federal Government has the effect of worsening the tremendous fiscal burdens experienced by counties in Nevada for those counties with a considerable amount of federally held land located within their boundaries; and
Whereas, The annual impact of this property tax exemption in the western states has been estimated at billions of dollars, which greatly hinders the ability of those western states, including Nevada, to develop and prosper economically; and
Whereas, In 1976, Congress enacted Public Law 94-595, which is codified as 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 6901 to 6907, inclusive, and as amended, is commonly known as the Payments In Lieu of Taxes Act; and
Whereas, The Act requires the Federal Government to make annual payments to local governments to compensate the local governments for the loss of revenue they experience because of the presence of land within their boundaries that is held by the Federal Government; and
Whereas, Congress appropriates money each year that the Bureau of Land Management distributes to each of the 17 counties in the State of Nevada pursuant to several statutory formulas set forth in the Act; and
Whereas, The annual payments received by the counties in Nevada pursuant to the Act are significantly less than the annual revenue that those counties could collect from property taxes if the land held by the Federal Government were privately held; and
Whereas, From the inception of the payments in 1977 to the end of the 2001-2002 Fiscal Year, the money appropriate by Congress has been insufficient to provide full payment to the counties in Nevada pursuant to the statutory formulas; and
Whereas, Even though Nevada is the state with the second highest percentage of land held by the Federal Government, Nevada only ranks as the eighth highest state in terms of the amount of the payments it receives from the Bureau of Land Management pursuant to the Act because the statutory formula set forth in 31 U.S.C. Sec. 6903 is based in part on the population of the local government that will be receiving the payments, and 14 of the 17 counties in Nevada have populations that are less than 50,000; and
Whereas, Another example of the adverse effects of the management and control of the extensive amount of land in Nevada held by the Federal Government is the management and control of the Nevada Test Site, which was established in December 1950, by President Truman, upon the recommendation of the Atomic Energy Commission, as the location at which nuclear weapons testing would be conducted within the continental United States; and
Whereas, Approximately 5,470 square miles of federally held land in Nevada was used to provide:
1. The Nevada Test Site, which is owned and controlled by the United States Department of Energy and encompasses approximately 1,350 square miles of desert and mountainous terrain, an area which is larger than the State of Rhode Island; and
2. An additional 4,120 square miles of unpopulated land area surrounding the site which was withdrawn from the public domain for use as a protected wildlife range and for a military gunnery range; and
Whereas, More than 1,100 nuclear weapons tests were conducted at the Nevada Test Site, located 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas Nevada, before the Limited Test Ban Treaty, which effectively banned atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons, was signed on August 5, 1963; and
Whereas, While the primary mission of the Nevada Test Site has been the testing of nuclear weapons, after the signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963 and the initiation of a voluntary worldwide moratorium on nuclear weapons testing in 1992, the Nevada Test Site has been used for other purposes, including, without limitation, hazardous chemical spill testing, emergency response training, conventional weapons testing, conducting studies relating to waste management and environmental technology, and storing low-level waste; and
Whereas, In 1978, the United States Department of Energy established two Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada Test Site which have received approximately 21 million cubic feet of low-level waste for disposal from 1978 until the present, making the Nevada Test Site one of the largest regional low-level waste storage facilities in the country; and
Whereas, Because the Nevada Test Site is centrally located within the Death Valley regional ground-water flow system, which includes much of southern Nevada and the Death Valley region of eastern California, the residents of Nevada and California are subject to risks from subsurface contaminants that may be transported from the Nevada Test Site by ground water as a result of past and future activities conducted at the Nevada Test Site; and
Whereas, The residents and resources of Nevada may be exposed to additional risks because most of the ground water leaving the ground-water flow system is limited to local areas where geologic and hydrologic conditions force ground water upward toward the surface to discharge at springs and seeps; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the 72nd Session of the Nevada Legislature hereby urge Congress to:
1. Authorize the transfer of land in Nevada from the Federal Government to the State of Nevada in the amount necessary to provide Nevada with the same amount of land received by the states that received 4 sections of land for the benefit of common schools upon admission to statehood;
2. Either:
(a) Amend 31 U.S.C. Sec. 6906 to provide permanent funding in the amount necessary to carry out the Payments In Lieu of Taxes Act as set forth in 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 6901 to 6097, inclusive; or
(b) Appropriate for distribution to the counties in the State of Nevada a sufficient amount of money each fiscal year to provide the entire amount of the payments required by the statutory formulas set forth in the Payments In Lieu of Taxes Act;
3. Amend 31 U.S.C. Sec. 6903 by deleting the current population-based statutory formula and replacing it with a provision that authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to compensate the counties in Nevada and the local governments of other states in an amount that is equal to the amount that those counties and other local governments would be able to collect in property taxes if the land held by the Federal Government were privately held; and
4. Either:
(a) Authorize the transfer of an additional 5,470 square miles of land in Nevada and any water rights appurtenant thereto from the Federal Government to the State of Nevada to fairly compensate Nevada for the approximately 5,470 square miles of land that were withdrawn from the public domain for the purpose of establishing the Nevada Test Site; or
(b) Appropriate for distribution to the State of Nevada the amount of money necessary to fairly compensate Nevada for the approximately 5,470 square miles of land that were withdrawn from the public domain for the purpose of establishing the Nevada Test Site and any detrimental effects to that land and to the Death Valley regional ground-water flow system that resulted from the activities conducted at the Nevada Test Site; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as presiding officer of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Bureau of Land Management and each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage.
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POM-222. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to a special highway appropriation amendment; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 5
Whereas, DeSoto, Concordia, and Morehouse parishes have been declared economically deprived areas; and
Whereas, DeSoto, Concordia, and Morehouse parishes are attempting to help themselves economically with ambitious, parishwide projects for industrial development; and
Whereas, successful industrial development requires good, four-lane highways and other infrastructure; and
Whereas, the DeSoto Industrial Board has proposed to the voters, to be decided on October 20, 2001, what is tantamount to a 6.5 mills ad valorem tax to finance up to three major industrial parks; and
Whereas, plans have already been approved to build a four-lane bridge over the Sabine River on U.S. Highway 84 at Logansport, Louisiana; and
Whereas, a four-lane highway connecting I-49 to the four-lane U.S. Highway 59 leading to Houston, Texas, and beyond, would provide a tremendous economic boom to Louisiana, Texas, and the nation; and
Whereas, to four-lane a highway on U.S. Highway 65 in Clayton, Louisiana, in Concordia Parish north to the Arkansas state line and to four-lane a highway on U.S. Highway 425 from Bastrop in Morehouse Parish to the Arkansas state line would provide a tremendous economic boom to one of the most economically depressed areas in the state and the nation: Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Louisiana Legislature does hereby memorialize the United States Congress to support a special highway appropriation amendment to four-lane approximately forty miles of U.S. Highway 84 from I-49 near Mansfield, Louisiana, to Tenaha, Texas, where it intersects U.S. Highway 59, which is four-laned to Houston, Texas, and to four-lane U.S. Highway 65 in Clayton, Louisiana, in Concordia Parish north to the Arkansas state line and four-lane U.S. Highway 425 from Bastrop in Morehouse Parish to the Arkansas state line, be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
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PM--223. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Wisconsin relative to the twenty-seventh year of military occupation of Cyprus; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Senate Resolution 11
Whereas, the Republic of Cyprus has been divided and occupied by foreign forces since 1974, in violation of United Nations' resolutions; and
Whereas, the international community and the U.S. government have repeatedly called for the withdrawal of all foreign military forces from the territory of Cyprus; and
Whereas, there are internationally acceptable means to resolve the situation in Cyprus, including demilitarization and the establishment of a multinational force to ensure the security of both communities in Cyprus; and
Whereas, a peaceful, just, and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem would greatly benefit security, as well as the political, economic, and social well-being of all Cypriots, while contributing to improve relations between Greece and Turkey; and
Whereas, the United Nations has repeatedly stated the parameters for such a solution, most recently in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1217, which was adopted on December 22, 1998, with United States support; and
Whereas, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1218 adopted on December 22, 1998, calls for reduction of tensions in the island, through a staged process aimed at a limited and then substantially reduced level of all troops and armaments in Cyprus, ultimately leading to the demilitarization of the Republic of Cyprus; and
Whereas, President Bush wholeheartedly supported resolution 1218 and committed himself to taking all necessary steps to support a sustained effort to implement it; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the senate, That the member of the Wisconsin senate endorse President Bush's commitment to undertake significant efforts in order to promote substantial progress towards a solution of the Cyprus problem in 2001, so that all in Cyprus may enjoy rights and freedoms regardless of their ethnic origins; and, be it further.
Resolved, That the senate chief clerk shall provide a copy of this resolution to the president and secretary of the U.S. Senate, to the speaker and clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, and to each member of the congressional delegation from this state attesting the adoption of this resolution by the 2001 senate of the state of Wisconsin.
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POM-224. A joint resolution adopted by the Assembly of the State of Nevada relative to prescription drugs in the Medicare program; to the Committee on Finance.
Assembly Joint Resolution No. 15
Whereas, Prescription medications are vital to health care today; and
Whereas, Medicare represents a critically important source of health insurance for older residents of Nevada and for residents of Nevada with certain disabilities, and the coverage provided through Medicare does not provide coverage for prescription drugs; and
Whereas, Most beneficiaries of Medicare who seek coverage for prescription drugs are required to obtain private or public supplemental coverage to cover prescription drugs; and
Whereas, According to the results of a study conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and contained in the AARP Public Policy Issue Brief #IB41, consisting primarily of data collected in 1999 and based on an average of the different levels of income as a percentage of the federally designated level signifying poverty, beneficiaries of Medicare who are 65 years of age or older spent an average of approximately $2,500 per year, or 19 percent of their income, on out-of-pocket health care expenses; and
Whereas, According to the AARP study, prescription drugs constitute the largest component of out-of-pocket spending on health care by beneficiaries of Medicare, averaging approximately 17 percent of the total out-of-pocket spending on health care and accounting for more than the costs of physician care, vision services and medical supplies combined; and
Whereas, According to the study, the total spending on prescription drugs in the United States grew by approximately 13 percent per year between 1993 and 2000 and is expected to grow by approximately 12 percent per year through 2011; and
Whereas, According to the study, beneficiaries of Medicare made up approximately 15 percent of the population in 1999, but accounted for approximately 40 percent of the total spending on prescription drugs in the United states; and
Whereas, According to the study, beneficiaries of Medicare with supplemental coverage for prescription drugs are at risk of losing such coverage, as evidenced by a decrease of coverage of prescription drugs offered by certain employers from 31 percent in 1997 to 24 percent in 2001 and a decrease of coverage offered under certain Medicare plans for prescription drugs from 65 percent in 1999 to 50 percent in 2002; and
Whereas, Many older or disabled residents of Nevada who receive Medicare benefits cannot afford supplemental coverage for prescription drugs: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the 72nd Session of the Nevada Legislature urge Congress to provide a comprehensive universal plan for the uniform coverage of prescription drugs within the Medicare program that will provide beneficiaries of Medicare with stable access to prescription drugs on a voluntary basis, without extraordinary out-of-pocket costs and without unreasonable premiums, deductibles or copayments; and be it further
Resolved, That the program of prescription drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries should have no requirement relating to the use of state funds now used for existing State programs; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
Resolved, that this resolution becomes effective upon passage.
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POM-225. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to tariff rate quotas for the importation of dry milk protein concentrates; to the Committee on Finance.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 9
Whereas, The dairy industry has been significantly impacted in recent years by the rising use of dry milk protein concentrates (MPCs). The technology that makes possible the ultrafiltration process that separates proteins and the other components of milk was not fully developed when the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was finalized in 1994. As a result, there are almost no restrictions on the importation of MPCs. This is causing serious damage to the domestic dairy industry; and
Whereas, According to the General Accounting Office report on dairy products, the volume of MPC imports grew from 805 metric tons in 1990 to 44,878 in 1999. The quotas set under GATT in 1994 are clearly not comprehensive enough for the forms in which some dairy products are imported today. Foreign exporters are known to blend dairy proteins for the purpose of circumventing existing tariff rate quotas; and
Whereas, In the 108th Congress, legislation has been introduced to establish tariff rate quotas for MPCs. With the enactment of legislation to close this loophole, American agriculture will be able to complete on a more equal basis. The overall benefits, to our national economy and the domestic dairy industry, will strengthen a vitally important industry and restore the stability of the marketplace; now, therefore, be it
Resoloved by the house of representatives (the senate concurring), That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to provide for tariff rate quotas for dry milk protein concentrates that are equivalent to the import quotas currently in place on other dairy products; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
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POM-226. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to relief of the cost for prescription drugs in the Medicare program; to the Committee on Finance.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 106
Whereas, Medicare is the largest program providing medical and health-related services to America's poorest people; and
Whereas, seniors make up thirteen percent of the population but account for forty-two percent of the country's spending on medicines; and
Whereas, in Louisiana in 2001, thirteen percent of those enrolled in Medicare were elderly; and
Whereas, last year the drug industry raised prices an average of four percent, twice the rate of inflation: Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana hereby memorializes the United States Congress to pass legislation giving relief from high prescription drug prices to seniors on Medicare; be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States and to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
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POM-227. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to social security benefits for those receiving benefits from federal, state, or local government retirement systems; to the Committee on Finance.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 178
Whereas, the Congress of the United States has enacted both the Government Pension Offset (GPO), reducing the spousal and survivor social security benefit, and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), reducing the earned social security benefit for persons who also receive federal, state, or local retirement; and
Whereas, the intent of Congress in enacting the GPO and WEP provisions was to address concerns that public employees who had worked primarily in federal, state, and local government employment receive the same benefit as workers who had worked in covered employment throughout their careers, thereby providing a disincentive to ``double dipping''; and
Whereas, the GPO affects a spouse or survivor receiving federal, state, or local government retirement benefits who would also be entitled to a social security benefit earned by a spouse; and
Whereas, the GPO formula reduces the spousal or survivor social security benefit by two-thirds of the amount of the federal, state, or local government retirement benefit received by the spouse or survivor, in many cases completely eliminating the social security benefit; and
Whereas, the WEP applies to those persons who have earned federal, state, or local government retirement benefits, in addition to working in covered employment and paying into the social security system; and
Whereas, the WEP reduces the earned social security benefit using an averaged indexed monthly earnings formula and may reduce social security benefits for such persons by as much as one-half of the uncovered public retirement benefits earned; and
Whereas, because of these calculation characteristics, the GPO and WEP have a disproportionately negative effect on employees working in lower-wage government jobs, like policemen, firefighters, and teachers; and
Whereas, these provisions also have a greater adverse effect on women than on men because of the gender differences in salary that continue to plague our nation; and
Whereas, Louisiana is making every effort to improve the quality of life of her citizens and to encourage them to live here life-long: Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to review the GPO and WEP social security benefit reductions and to consider eliminating them; be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America, to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation, and to the school boards of Beauregard, Rapides and Vernon parishes.
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POM-228. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to Section 418(d)(6)(C) of Title 42 of the United States Code; to the Committee on Finance.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 182
Whereas, Section 418(d)(6)(C) of Title 42 of the United States Code applies to the states of Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin and allows each of these states to divide the retirement system or systems established by the state or any political subdivision thereof into two parts; and
Whereas, one of the two parts of any such divided retirement system is composed of members who desire to participate jointly in both the state, statewide, or local retirement system and the federal social security system and the second part of any such divided retirement system is composed of members who desire to participate solely in the state, statewide, or local retirement system but not in the federal social security sytem; and
Whereas, the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States has been held to contain an equal protection component, vesting all citizens of the United States with the right to equal protection of the laws of this country; and
Whereas, the provisions of Section 418(d)(C)(6) of Title 42 of the United States Code confer certain rights on the citizens of twenty-one states, while simultaneously depriving the citizens of the state of Louisiana of the same rights without expressly stating a compelling reason for the unequal treatment of those citizens who are deprived of their constitutional right to equal protection under that law.
Whereas, the United States Congress is currently considering United States House Resolution No. 743 which would add the state of Kentucky to the state allowed to have a divided retirement system: Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Louisiana Legislature does hereby memorialize the United States Congress to amend the provisions of Section 418(d)(6)(C) of Title 42 of the United States Code to allow the state of Louisiana the right to divide the retirement system or systems established by the state or any political subdivision thereof into two parts, the first part being composed of members who desire to participate jointly in both the state, statewide, or local retirement system and the federal social security system and the second part of any such divided retirement system to be composed of members who desire to participate solely in the state, statewide, or local retirement system but not in the federal social security system; be it further
Resolved, The members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation are hereby urged and requested to take action to include the state of Louisiana in the states permitted to have a divided retirement system, either by amending House Resolution No. 743 or other federal legislation; be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
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POM-229. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to tax credits for diesel and gasoline refined from wood bio-mass; to the Committee on Finance.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 145
Whereas, gasoline and diesel fuel for vehicular use are in short supply and constitute a sizable portion of domestic petroleum consumption; and
Whereas, in light of greenhouse effects produced during refining operations, all refining methods and materials should be considered by producers of gasoline and diesel fuel; and
Whereas, under current federal laws and regulations, producers of gasoline and diesel fuel refined from corn and grain are eligible to receive federal motor fuels tax credits; and
Whereas, wood bio-mass is now being used in increasing instances by producers of gasoline and diesel fuel in their refining process; and
Whereas, under current federal laws and regulations, producers of gasoline and diesel fuel refined from wood bio-mass are not eligible to receive federal motor fuels tax credits; and
Whereas, the granting of federal motor fuels tax credits for diesel and gasoline refined from wood would have a positive effect on the environment and increase the availability of fuel for vehicular use: Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana hereby memorializes the Congress of the United States to support any proposed federal laws, rules or regulations that would grant federal motor fuels tax credits for diesel and gasoline refined from wood bio-mass materials; be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and to each member of the Louisiana Congressional Delegation.
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POM-230. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to restoring proposed cuts to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
House Resolution No. 55
Whereas, The proposed federal budget includes a $400 million cut in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program for after-school programs; and
Whereas, The proposed cut undermines the goals of the ``No Child Left Behind'' Act to help children succeed academically and enhance their reading and writing skills; and
Whereas, The proposed cut would directly affect programming for over 20,000 high-risk youth in Michigan, through an estimated $15,688,256 loss of funding; and
Whereas, Many research studies indicate that children who consistently attend after-school programs have better peer relations, emotional adjustment, conflict resolution skills, grades, and conduct compared to those children not involved in programs; and
Whereas, Juvenile crime soars in the hours immediately after the bell rings, and after-school programs prevent juvenile delinquency and victimization of youth; and
Whereas, 21st Century Community Learning Centers actively engage parents as partners in their children's education and seek to strengthen the bonds between home and school; and
Whereas, 21st Century Community Learning Centers in Michigan are successful in reducing school absenteeism, improving reading scores, and providing a safe place for children during peak juvenile crime hours; and
Whereas, 21st Century Community Learning Centers align their curriculum with the school day curriculum through fun and experimental learning activities; and
Whereas, The state of Michigan has begun the implementation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers and sees these centers as one of the best sustainable means to offer quality after-school programs to the greatest number of high-risk youth in the state; and
Whereas, On April 10, 2003, the Michigan House of Representatives, knowing the value of after-school programs, passed House Resolution 26, on the ``Michigan After-School Initiative,'' to call for the creation of a task force to assess the status of after-school programming in Michigan and to develop a plan to ensure access to after-school programs for every school-age child in Michigan; and
Whereas, 21st Century Community Learning Centers promote an active level of community partnership and collaboration among providers to best serve children; and
Whereas, Polls show that 92% of Americans believe there should be organized activities for children and teens during after-school hours: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the house of representatives; That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to restore the proposed $400 million cut to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.Adopted by the House of Representatives, July 1, 2003.
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POM-231. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to partial birth abortions; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 68
Whereas, partial birth abortion shall mean an abortion in which the person performing the abortion partially vaginally delivers a living fetus before killing the fetus and completing the delivery; and
Whereas, in a partial birth abortion, the physician pulls the baby out of the womb and into the birth canal, leaving the head lodged just inside the cervix; and
Whereas, the physician then punctures the base of the skull and inserts a catheter into the wound, removing the baby's brain and causing the skull to collapse; the physician then completes the delivery of the now-dead baby; and
Whereas, although partial birth abortions are usually performed in the fifth and sixth months of gestation, the procedure has been used in the third trimester of pregnancy; and
Whereas, experts agree that with current medical technology, a normal fetus in the twenty-first week of gestation is capable of sustaining life outside the womb; and
Whereas, under both federal and most state laws, a live birth occurs when a baby is entirely expelled from the womb, shows any signs of life, and is developed enough to be sustained outside the womb with neonatal medical assistance; and
Whereas, it is estimated that three thousand to five thousand partial birth abortions are performed annually, sometimes in the seventh month or later; and
Whereas, although the procedure is sometimes performed in cases of fetal disorders or maternal distress, many partial birth abortions are performed on healthy babies of healthy mothers: Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Louisiana Legislature does hereby memorialize the United States Congress to vote to ban partial birth abortions; be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the residing officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
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POM-232. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to the Federal Prison Industries; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
House Resolution No. 37
Whereas, In 1934, Federal Prison Industries (FPI) was created as a government corporation. This system operates more than 100 factories, utilizes more than 20,000 inmate workers, and compiles total sales of approximately $500 million annually from over 150 products; and
Whereas, While the role that FPI plays in promoting the development of marketable skills among inmates has clear merits, this operation enjoys unfair advantages over private sector manufacturers. Even beyond the obvious wages and benefits advantages inmate workers offer, other factors favor FPI. This is especially true through certain governmental procurement policies, including a ``mandatory source'' requirement that severely limits competition; and
Whereas, Michigan is harmed significantly by the advantages FPI has over private manufacturers, especially within the furniture industry. Thousands of Michigan workers have lost their jobs in recent years, and the favorable policies for FPI are major contributing factors in these job losses; and
Whereas, In the past, legislation has been considered in Congress to address directly the issue of the preferential treatment afforded FPI in bidding for government contracts. This unfair situation needs to be corrected to preserve jobs and the restore fairness in the marketplace; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the house of representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation that would remove the unfair advantages that Federal Prison Industries has in competition for business; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
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POM-233. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to the ratification of an amendment to the Constitution to prohibit desecration of the American flag; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
House Resolution No. 80
Whereas, Throughout our history, the American flag has held a unique place of respect and affection among our people. This symbol of our shared ideals and aspirations has taken on even greater meaning in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks and through our growing appreciation of the suffering of the men and women who have made immeasurable sacrifices to preserve our liberties; and
Whereas, In recent years, there has been considerable debate over the idea of extending constitutional protection to the flag. The people of our country strongly support establishing special protections for our national symbol. Extending this status to our most cherished symbol would only accord due recognition to a unique component of our national identity; and
Whereas, Debate on the issue of creating a constitutional amendment to prohibit desecration of our flag often centers on what constitutes freedom of expression and free speech. In this discussion, it is important to realize that a prohibition on flag desecration would not eliminate or restrict other avenues of expression or protest. Thoughtful citizens do not equate providing protection for the flag with the removal of freedom of speech any more than laws generally provide acceptable limits of behavior for the common good; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to adopt and submit to the states for ratification an amendment to the United States Constitution to prohibit the desecration of the American flag; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
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