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 S8872-S8874 on July 20, 1999.
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-251. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to loans for state and local governments; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Senate Resolution
Whereas, All state and local governments and school districts have a substantial need to undertake capital projects to build or improve new or existing schools, roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, waste disposal facilities, public housing units, public buildings and environmental improvements; and
Whereas, The Federal Government is in a much better position than state and local governmental units and school districts to raise large amounts of capital to fund major capital projects; and
Whereas, The Treasury of the Federal Government has an ongoing program utilizing treasury bills, bonds, notes and other financial instruments to raise its needed operating capital; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Senate of Pennsylvania memorialize Congress to support the concept of creating interest-free loans to state and local governments and school districts to provide for capital projects for schools, roads, bridges, water and sewer projects, waste disposal projects, public housing, public buildings and environmental projects; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
____
POM-252. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to the ``Flag Protection Amendment''; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 136
Whereas, the United States flag is a symbol of our country; and
Whereas, desecration of the flag disgusts and enrages many American citizens, including the men and women who put their lives at risk to uphold what the flag symbolizes; and
Whereas, the Supreme Court of the United States has held that flag desecration is protected speech under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States; and
Whereas, Congress responded by passing the Flag Protection Act of 1989, which the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional; and
Whereas, in its current term, Congress is considering the Flag Protection Act, a constitutional amendment giving Congress the authority to pass laws protecting the flag from desecration; and
Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana has visited the flag burning issue on numerous occasions and has consistently voted against the flag burner and in favor of protecting the flag. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to pass the Flag Protection Amendment, an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, giving Congress the authority to pass laws protecting the United States flag from desecration. Be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution 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.
____
POM-253. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to the Big Creek Recreation Access Project; to the Committee on Appropriations.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 124
Whereas, Big Creek, a Louisiana Natural and Scenic River, is located entirely in Grant Parish with a historical record of recreation and commerce dating back to the 1800's and is vital to recreation, commerce, and tourism in the Pollock area and the state of Louisiana; and
Whereas, Big Creek provides excellent canoeing and related recreational opportunities which are in great demand in the Kisatchie National Forest; and
Whereas, the United States Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, has designed the Big Creek Recreation Access Project and has approved its construction as funds become available; and
Whereas, the Big Creek Recreation Access Project would be a great economical boost for recreation, commerce, and tourism in the Pollock area and the state of Louisiana by providing canoeing, fishing, swimming, hiking, and sanitary facilities for the public on Kisatchie National Forest lands. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to provide funding for the construction of the Big Creek Recreation Access Project; and 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.
____
POM-254. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to tobacco settlement; to the Committee on Finance.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 59
Whereas, the state attorney general and attorneys general of forty-five other state and five territories have filed claims against the tobacco industry; and
Whereas, the state's attorneys general carefully crafted the settlement agreement to reflect only costs incurred by the states; and
Whereas, these lawsuits represent years of state effort and leadership, and the states have borne all risks while the United States government failed to participate in such litigation; and
Whereas, the president of the United States announced a federal surplus of seventy billion dollars in his state of the union address. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to guarantee that one hundred percent of all monies due states from the tobacco industry settlement, agreement, or judgment be paid in full to such states; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to prohibit any and all activities, including excise taxes on tobacco products and recoveries of Medicaid costs for smoking-induced illnesses, that would result in reducing the amount of funds available to the states from any tobacco industry settlement, agreement, or judgment; and 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.
____
POM-255. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to food and humanitarian aid to Cuba; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Senate Resolution No. 51
Whereas, two legislative instruments, SR 926 and HR 1644, which are pending in Congress have been designated the Cuban Food and Medicine Security Act of 1999 and would allow the sale of food and medicine to the people of Cuba; and
Whereas, Cuba is the only country prohibited by federal law from purchasing food and medicine from United States suppliers; and
Whereas, this prohibition has done nothing to punish Cuba's government or Cuba's political leaders but the innocent people of Cuba who are in need of food and medicine; and
Whereas, the United States has always promoted global humanitarian aid, yet its current prohibition of the sale of food and medicine to Cuba is antithetical to its history of humanitarianism; and
Whereas, the federal government has recently approved the sale of food and medicine to countries such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Sudan, and even in the midst of the Cold War, the United States sold food and medicine to the former Soviet Union; and
Whereas, prior to 1960, the people of Cuba purchased hundreds of thousands of tons of rice and other food products annually which were shipped to Cuba through the Port of Lake Charles; and
Whereas, if such purchases were allowed, Cuba's high demand for food products may provide a ready market for Louisiana's agricultural goods; and
Whereas, the sale of food and medicine to the people of Cuba would benefit this state and the country by a promotion of humanitarian policy, an enhancement of the farm-business community, and the creation of hundreds of jobs at the Port of Lake Charles and elsewhere within our economy. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize Congress of the United States to adopt the Cuban Food and Medicine Security Act of 1999 or other similar legislation which would eliminate the current prohibition against the sale of food and medicine to the people of Cuba; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution 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.
____
POM-256. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to a proposed ``National Week of Prayer for Schools''; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 42
Whereas, presidents throughout American history have called our people to prayer, especially Abraham Lincoln in 1863; and
Whereas, in light of this history, a week of dedication toward prayer for our schools should be set aside for the sake of our children and their future; and
Whereas, we invite the people of this nation to join together to pray, sing, proclaim, and speak for the progression of educational programming in our country; and
Whereas, we encourage the citizens of our nation to pay for the dedicated teachers, staff, and administrators who are molding the children's dreams and our futures. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana hereby memorializes the United States Congress to proclaim the first week in August of each year as ``National Week of Prayer for Schools''; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution 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.
____
POM-257. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to the ``Comprehensive Hurricane Protection Plan for Coastal Louisiana''; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 30
Whereas, Louisiana citizens living and working in southeast Louisiana have been and continue to be vulnerable to the devastating effects of hurricanes and tropical storms; and
Whereas, federal, state, and local governments have attempted to provide hurricane protection to the residents of the region by implementing construction projects designed to protect specific areas; and
Whereas, a comprehensive plan is in need of being developed to provide protection for the areas outside of existing project boundaries which are subject to catastrophic damages due to hurricanes and other storm events; and
Whereas, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is analyzing a plan, entitled the ``Comprehensive Hurricane Protection Plan for Coastal Louisiana'', to provide continuous hurricane protection from the vicinity of Morgan City, Louisiana to the Louisiana-Mississippi border; and
Whereas, the plan will seek to expedite the ongoing construction of several hurricane protection projects, seek immediate congressional authorization for projects being planned, initiate and expedite hurricane protection and flood control studies in the region, initiate a study of flood proofing major hurricane evacuation routes, and initiate a reevaluation of existing hurricane protection projects to provide for category 4 or 5 hurricanes; and
Whereas, the development of the plan will necessitate a major cooperative effort of federal, state, and local governments requiring a considerable amount of funds for planning, implementation, and construction; and
Whereas, the association of Levee Boards of Louisiana fully supports and endorses the concepts of the comprehensive hurricane protection plan. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to authorize and urge the governor of the state of Louisiana to support the development of the ``Comprehensive Hurricane Protection Plan for Coastal Louisiana'' by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide continuous hurricane protection from Morgan City to the Mississippi border; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of Representatives, to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress, and to the governor of the state of Louisiana.
____
POM-258. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to the Turtle Excluder Device regulations; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 12
Whereas, due to the protection of the beaches on Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, the number of documented nests of the endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtle has increased to nearly four thousand from a low of about seven hundred in 1985; and
Whereas, the sea turtle population has increased to the point where modifications of turtle excluder device (T.E.D.S) regulations are feasible without causing detriment to the increasing turtle population; and
Whereas, the Louisiana shrimping industry views current T.E.D. regulations as a direct threat to their industry; and
Whereas, commercial shrimp trawl vessel licenses have dropped from a high of approximately thirty-two thousand in 1987, just prior to the T.E.D. regulations, to a present-day low of approximately fifteen thousand. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to pursue other viable alternatives to present T.E.D. regulations, including, but not limited to seasonal exemptions, where there is a low presence of the Kemp Ridley turtle in the winter season; and area exemptions where there has been no historical evidence of Kemp Ridley populations; and an industry funded recovery program; and 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.
____
POM-259. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to the National Resource Conservation Service; to the Committee on Appropriations.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 60
Whereas, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly the Soil Conservation Service, has been providing technical assistance to Louisiana's landowners and land managers since 1935; and
Whereas, such technical assistance has been provided through formal working agreements with each of Louisiana's forty-three soil and water conservation districts; and
Whereas, a science-based, multidisciplinary workforce's no-cost assistance has been instrumental to the development of Louisiana's productive cropland, pasture land, and forests; and
Whereas, NRCS has generally provided services and funds to the people of Louisiana through the soil and water conservation districts at a ratio of approximately ten federal dollars for each state dollar; and
Whereas, Louisiana landowners and land managers are besieged by regulations and enforcement actions related to clean air, clean water, wetland protection and restoration, animal waste management, nutrient and pesticide management, riparian area protection, and other environmental requirements; and
Whereas, the technical assistance that NRCS provides is critical to our state's landowners' continuing compliance with these complex environmental laws and regulations; and
Whereas, private landowners and land managers control over eighty percent of Louisiana's land, and their understanding and application of sound conservation practices to their land is essential to maintain its productivity; and
Whereas, these sound conservation practices constitute an important non-point source environmental protection program on a statewide and national basis; and
Whereas, the president of the United States has proposed a budget that in effect would reduce NRCS field service staff by over 1,050 nationwide with a possible twenty-five reduction in Louisiana's field staff; and
Whereas, this potential reduction in field service staff would severely weaken the state and national non-point source environmental protection program, and the resulting impact of the reduced availability of technical assistance would likely lead to increased violations by private landowners. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to restore any budget reductions affecting NRCS in order that it can adequately serve the conservation and environmental needs of Louisiana; and be it further
Resolved, That this Resolution shall be transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate, the clerk of the United States House of Representatives, each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation, the secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, and the president of the United States.
____________________
