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 Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S4476-S4477 on April 16, 2007.
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-55. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Montana supporting the ``25 x 25'' Initiative to Increase Production of Renewable Energy by the Agricultural Community; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
House Joint Resolution No. 6
Whereas, having an affordable, clean, reliable, and plentiful energy supply is critical to Montana's economy, as well as the national and international food supply; and
Whereas, current and future risks to national energy security are mounting while domestic and global energy demands are growing exponentially; and
Whereas, Montana and the United States have tremendous renewable energy resources; and
Whereas, the development of a broad spectrum of renewable energy resources, including wind power, biofuels, biomass, methane digesters, ethanol, and solar, benefit the environment and will have a direct economic benefit to agricultural landowners and rural communities; and
Whereas, rural communities and agriculture will experience multiple benefits, including establishing additional markets for agricultural commodities, increasing farm income, creating added-value uses for crops, livestock, and their byproducts, encouraging more productive use of marginal lands, resolving air, water, and soil quality problems that may arise from agricultural operations, improving wildlife habitat, and creating many new job opportunities; and
Whereas, American agriculture is well positioned to play an expanded role in the development and implementation of new energy solutions and with appropriate technological innovation, incentives, and investments, America's farms and ranches can become the factories that produce a new generation of fuels to help meet the nation's energy needs; and
Whereas, ``25 x 25'' is an agriculturally led initiative that envisions America's farms and ranches producing 25% of America's energy supply by the year 2025 while continuing to produce abundant, safe, and affordable food and fiber; and
Whereas, agriculture's role as an energy producer will have a positive effect on national security and trade imbalances and will serve as a catalyst for rural development in Montana and the United States; and
Whereas, Governor Brian Schweitzer (D-MT), Governor Dave Heineman (R-NE), Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), Governor Mitch Daniels (R-IN), Governor Ed Rendell (D-PA), former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL), Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS), former Governor Tom Vilsack (D-IA), former Governor George Pataki
(R-NY), former Governor Robert Ehrlich (R-MD), Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), former Governor James Risch (R-ID), Governor Jim Doyle (D-WI), Governor Jim Douglas (R-VT), Governor Ernie Fletcher (R-KY), Governor John Lynch (D-NH), former Governor Bob Taft (R-OH), Governor Tim Kaine (D-VA), Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger (R-CA), and Governor Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) have endorsed ``25 x 25''; and
Whereas, state legislatures from Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Vermont have endorsed ``25 x 25'': Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the State of Montana, That the Montana Legislature endorses the ``25 x 25'' vision of agriculture providing 25% of the total energy consumed in the United States by the year 2025, while continuing to produce abundant, safe, and affordable food and fiber. Be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent by the Secretary of State to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and each member of the Montana Congressional Delegation.
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POM-56. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Kansas urging Congress to allow interstate marketing of state inspected meat; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1604
Whereas, the Federal Wholesale Meat Act of 1967 allows states to have state meat inspection programs which are required to meet or exceed federal inspection standards of the United States Department of Agriculture for wholesomeness, cleanliness and food safety; and
Whereas, Kansas is in the majority of states which have elected to operate equivalent meat inspection programs allowing state-licensed and state-inspected meat processing facilities to engage in intrastate commerce. Other states are pursuing implementation of state inspection of their meat processing facilities; and
Whereas, State meat inspection programs are flexible and can efficiently and safely adapt their activities to small, local meat processors that cannot be duplicated by the federal inspection program because of its size and complexity; and
Whereas, State-inspected meat and poultry products are currently barred from interstate commerce under federal law, including neighboring local markets in other states, despite current meat safety and quality assurances, affecting long-range rural development and economic growth strategies within the meat processing industry; and
Whereas, such limitation on marketing of state inspected meat inhibits economic development and value-added agricultural activities in this nation's agricultural sector; and
Whereas, current policy of the National Association of State Departments or Agriculture supports the interstate shipment of state-inspected meat products: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of Kansas, the House of Representatives concurring therein, That we urge the United States Congress to enact revisions to the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to allow the interstate shipment and marketing of meat products by state inspected meat processing facilities; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to send an enrolled copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture and each member of the Kansas Congressional delegation.
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POM-57. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan memorializing Congress to invest in Head Start and Quality Child Care; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
House Resolution No. 40
Whereas, Head Start and high-quality child care prepare children for school and life success by narrowing the educational achievement gap between lower- and upper-income kids, increasing high school graduation rates, and reducing crime.
Whereas, studies show that at-risk children who attend Head Start and high-quality child care are better prepared for school. For example, Head Start narrows the literacy skills gap by nearly half between children in poverty and all children. The research is clear that quality early childhood education programs work to prevent crime. In Ypsilanti, Michigan, three- and four-year-olds from low-income families who were randomly assigned to a group that did not receive preschool preparation were five times more likely to have become chronic lawbreakers by age 27 than those who were assigned to the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation's Perry Preschool program; and
Whereas, currently, only about half of eligible low-income children can attend Head Start due to state and federal funding limitations, and even fewer infants and toddlers. Less than five percent of eligible children three years old and younger are able to participate in Early Head Start. Moreover, only one in seven eligible children in working, low-income families receives help paying for quality child care through the Child Care and Development Block Grant. The combination of state and federal money for preschool has helped Michigan reach two of three at-risk four-year-olds and one of five at-risk three-year-olds; and
Whereas, Real dollar funding levels for Head Start and child care have been cut for the last several years, falling far behind the rising costs that programs face. Instead of reaching more eligible kids with comprehensive health, nutrition, and early education services, Head Start programs have been forced to shorten program hours, cut back staff, reduce parent coaching, and reduce transportation and other services that help families participate: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to increase discretionary funding in the federal budget for 2008 by $750 million in additional funding over current levels for Head Start and $720 million in additional funding over current levels for the Child Care and Development Block Grant
(CCDBG). This request does not address the unmet need in Head Start and CCDBG, but simply restores services to children to the Fiscal Year 2002 level. This is a crucial first step toward meeting the need to provide quality early childhood education and care for at-risk children. Investing in Head Start and quality child care now will improve education outcomes for our nation's at-risk children and will save lives and money down the road: 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-58. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of North Dakota encouraging a recommitment to the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in all states and final passage in Congress; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 3032
Whereas, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment provides
``equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex'' and Congress sent the Equal Rights Amendment to the states for ratification on March 22, 1972; and
Whereas, on February 11, 1975, North Dakota became the 34th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, due to the efforts of a broad spectrum of supporters, including the Coordinating Council for the Equal Rights Amendment, the 44th Legislative Assembly, and Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4007 sponsors Senators Redlin and Lips and Representatives Homuth and Pyle; and
Whereas, many women worked all of their lives for a constitutional amendment affirming that women had equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution, including Alice Paul, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony; and
Whereas, 35 of the needed 38 states ratified the Equal Rights Amendment and without ratification the United States Constitution fails to guarantee female citizens equal rights and equal justice: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives of North Dakota, The Senate Concurring Therein, That the Sixtieth Legislative Assembly acknowledges the actions of the 44th Legislative Assembly of North Dakota and the sponsors of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4007 affirming the equal application of the United States Constitution to all citizens through the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment; and be it further
Resolved, That the Sixtieth Legislative Assembly declares Friday, March 9, 2007, North Dakota Equal Rights Amendment Recognition Day; and be it further
Resolved, That the Sixtieth Legislative Assembly encourages a recommitment to the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in all states and final passage in Congress; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of State forward copies of this resolution to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, and to each member of the North Dakota Congressional Delegation.
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POM-59. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of New Mexico memorializing Congress to fully fund medical care and aid and attendant care services for Honey Sue Newby and the other Level Three Spina Bifida children of parents who served in Vietnam and who are totally disabled; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Whereas, the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledges that one thousand two hundred children of Vietnam War veterans have some degree of disability resulting from their birth parents' exposure to Agent Orange during military service in the Vietnam War; and
Whereas, approximately two hundred of these children of war veterans are designated as level three spina bifida children, who are considered to be totally disabled; and
Whereas, these children, designated as totally disabled as a result of their birth parents' exposure to Agent Orange during military service in Vietnam, are in a situation that is indistinguishable from that of any one hundred percent service-connected disabled veteran who is totally disabled as the result of military service; and
Whereas, these two hundred level three spina bifida children of Vietnam War veterans are not treated equally with the disabled military veterans as regards compensatory medical care and aid and attendant care; and
Whereas, the financial cost for families of these children can be crippling, and many proud American military veterans and their families must depend on welfare or charity to provide the vital medical care and attendant care their children need; and
Whereas, at least one of these children, Honey Sue Newby, whose birth father served three tours as a Marine Infantryman in Vietnam, resides in New Mexico; and
Whereas, the Legislature seeks to honor and encourage fair treatment of all persons who have made personal sacrifices in the military defense of our nation: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of the State of New Mexico, That it urge the United States Congress to provide full medical care and attendant care to Honey Sue Newby and the other level three spina bifida children who are totally disabled as a result of their birth parents' military service in Vietnam; and be it further
Resolved, That the New Mexico Congressional Delegation be requested to work vigorously for adequate funding to provide full medical care and aid and attendant care to all level three spina bifida children who are totally disabled because of the effects of Agent Orange used in Vietnam; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this memorial be transmitted to each member of the Congressional Delegation, the Chief Clerks of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
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POM-60. A resolution adopted by the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners directing the County Manager to study the creation of a voluntary ``Miami-Dade Trans Fat Free Program'' and a program to provide education and guidance to restaurants, bakeries and the public regarding the negative health effects of trans fats; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
POM-61. A resolution adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the County of Armstrong of the State of Pennsylvania urging Congress to place a moratorium on new free trade agreements, and to investigate and review current free trade agreements and policies of the United States; to the Committee on Finance.
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