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 S4553 on May 15, 2006.
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-319. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky relative to urging support for the ``25 by 25'' initiative promoting agricultural-based renewable energy; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Resolution
Whereas, having an affordable, reliable, and plentiful energy supply is crucial to our economy, as well as our national and international food supply; and
Whereas, current and future risks to U.S. energy security are mounting, while domestic and global energy demands are escalating; and
Whereas, the Commonwealth of Kentucky has tremendous renewable energy resources; and
Whereas, the development of renewable energy sources, including wind power, biodiesel, biomass, methane digesters, ethanol, and solar, benefits the environment and will have a direct economic benefit to agricultural landowners and rural communities; and
Whereas, agricultural communities and their partners will experience multiple benefits, including establishing additional markets for agricultural commodities; increasing farm income; creating added-value uses for crops, livestock, and their byproducts; and creating 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
Whereas, 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 by 25'' is an agriculturally led initiative that envisions America's farms and ranches producing 25 percent of America's energy demand 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 the Commonwealth of Kentucky; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
Section 1. We, the members of the Kentucky House of Representatives, support and endorse the vision of ``25 by 25'' whereby agriculture will provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States by the year 2025, while continuing to produce abundant, safe, and affordable food and fiber.
Section 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives is directed to send copies of this Resolution to President George W. Bush, each member of the Kentucky delegation to the Congress of the United States, the Clerk of the United States Senate, the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the Secretary of the United States Department of Energy, and the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture.
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POM-320. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to taking such actions as are necessary to continue funding and operation of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
S. Con. Res. No. 35
Whereas, the unit of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) based at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is carrying out scientific work of critical importance to the state, its economy, and environment; and
Whereas, this research includes work on improvements of agricultural best management practices and drainage systems that will help farmers to improve efficiency of water use and contribute to improving water quality in streams, rivers, and lakes; and
Whereas, a portion of this research is focused on Cabin Teele watershed in Madison Parish, which has been selected as a focus watershed by the United States Department of Agriculture's Conservation Effects Assessment Project and by the Lower Mississippi River Sub-basin Committee on Hypoxia; and
Whereas, this work is also significant on a national level, since this ARS unit has played a leadership role in the formation of the Agricultural Drainage Management Task Force that involves key states and industries in the Midwestern United States; and
Whereas, the work of the Agricultural Drainage Management Task Force is making a critical contribution to reducing nutrient loading to the Mississippi River and its tributaries that fuels the growth of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, the spread of which is endangering Louisiana's coastal fisheries; and
Whereas, this ARS unit continues to collaborate with the university's students, faculty, and researchers, as well as agricultural producers and other stakeholder groups on projects of mutual benefit; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to continue funding and operation of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; 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; to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation; and to the secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture.
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