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 S4575-S4578 on May 3, 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-70. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the State of New Hampshire; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Senate Resolution No. 5
Whereas, in 1993, Congress passed legislation authorizing the building of a national World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., or its immediate environs; and
Whereas, under the provisions of the Commemorative Works Act, a construction permit must be obtained from the Secretary of the Interior within 7 years of the legislation authorizing the construction of the World War II Memorial, that is, by May 2000; and
Whereas the World War II Memorial shall be funded by private contributions, as specified in federal law, including corporate and foundation giving, veterans groups, associations, and individual donations; and
Whereas the capital campaign goal of the World War II Memorial project is $100 million, of which approximately $38 million has been received thus far; and
Whereas, before a construction permit will be issued, the final design must be approved and all funds for construction of the World War II Memorial must be on hand; and
Whereas, in consideration of the approaching May 2000 deadline, the honor, courage, and memory of every veteran who served in World War II shall be more appropriately served, and the gratitude of a nation more fully expressed, by expediting the construction process to permit construction of the World War II Memorial to begin immediately; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the honor and achievements of all World War II veterans shall be best served by allowing for the construction of the World War II Memorial to begin immediately; and
That Congress undertake any and all appropriate action, legislative or otherwise, to permit the construction process for the World War II Memorial to begin immediately; and
That copies of this resolution, signed by the president of the senate, be forwarded by the senate clerk to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and to each member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation.
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POM-71. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas; to the Committee on Appropriations.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 5021
Whereas, Nearly 700,000 United States troops, including 7,500 Kansans, deployed to the Persian Gulf region in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait; and
Whereas, Federal research efforts have not yet identified the prevalence, patterns, causes or treatments for illnesses by Gulf War veterans; and
Whereas, Nationwide, very few Gulf War veterans who have applied for disability compensation for undiagnosed illnesses from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs have received compensation; and
Whereas, The Kansas Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Initiative has surveyed 2031 Kansas Gulf War-era veterans; and
Whereas, The Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Study preliminary results indicate that 30% of deployed veterans suffer from a complex of symptoms characterized by fatigue, joint and muscle pain, cognitive and mood disturbances, and a variable array of respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological, skin, and auditory problems, collectively identified as Gulf War illness; and
Whereas, The Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Study indicates that Gulf War illness occurs in identifiable patterns, including differences by areas of deployment; and
Whereas, The Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Study indicates that among veterans who did not deploy to the Gulf War, Gulf War illness occurs at a significantly higher rate among veterans who received vaccines during that period than those who did not receive vaccines; and
Whereas, The Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Study indicates that children of Gulf War veterans born since the war were significantly more likely to have been born with health problems, including birth defects, than children born to nondeployed veterans during the same period; and
Whereas, The Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Study indicates that most deployed veterans with Gulf War illness continue to be employed, but 79% say their health affects their ability to work; and
Whereas, The Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Study indicates that Kansas veterans who deployed to the Gulf War are significantly less likely to receive disability compensation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs than nondeployed veterans of the same era; and
Whereas, Kansas has thousands of deployable troops at facilities such as Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth, McConnell Air Base, as well as reservists and members of our Kansas National Guard; and
Whereas, The results of the Kansas Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Initiative are very troubling, we must do all we can to prevent a repeat of ``Gulf War illness'' in any future conflict that affects our Kansas military men and women: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas, the Senate concurring therein, That we, the Kansas Legislature, believe that Gulf War illness has had a severe negative impact on the physical and emotional well-being of Gulf War veterans who honorably served Kansas and the United States; and be it further
Resolved, That we memorialize the President and the Congress of the United States to provide funding for Gulf War illness research independent of that administered by the United States Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs; and to establish a process of independent review of federal policies and programs associated with Gulf War illness research, benefits, and health care; and be it further
Resolved, That we urge the Governor of Kansas, the Secretary of Health and Environment, the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs, and other appropriate state agency heads to take action to continue to investigate Gulf War illness and promote programs to inform and assist Kansas Gulf War veterans and family members suffering from Gulf War illness; and be it further
Resolved, That we urge our Kansas Congressional Delegation to coordinate acquisition of federal grants from the National Institute of Health (N.I.H.) or other federal sources to seek causes and cures for Gulf War illness; and be it further
Resolved, That we urge our Kansas Congressional Delegation to build coalitions with other states to call on Congress and the administration for action in investigating and finding answers to Gulf War illness; and be it further
Resolved, That we encourage our Kansas Congressional Delegation to meet with members of the Kansas Persian Gulf War Veterans Initiative to coordinate efforts on the federal level; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to provide an enrolled copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice-President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and to each member of the Kansas Congressional delegation; to the Governor of the State of Kansas, the Secretary of Health and Environment, the Secretary of Human Resources, and the Chairman of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs; and to the National and State Commanders of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans.
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POM-72. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Nevada; to the Committee on Finance.
Joint Resolution No. 10
Whereas, the Constitution of the United States assigns certain powers and responsibilities to the Federal Government and reserves the balance of those powers and responsibilities to the individual states; and
Whereas, beginning in the 1930s when the Social Security System was established, public employees were excluded from participation; and
Whereas, many pension plans of state and local governments have elected to complement their own pension programs through coverage under the Social Security System; and
Whereas, other public pension plans, including the Pubic Employees' Retirement System of Nevada, decided not to participate in the national Social Security System, but rather to provide their own independent and excellent programs of retirement benefits; and
Whereas, mandatory Social Security coverage of newly hired state and local governmental employees in the State of Nevada will seriously disrupt our well-founded Public Employees' Retirement System; and
Whereas, there is no evidence to support the idea that mandatory Social Security coverage of newly hired public employees will solve the funding problems of the national Social Security System; and
Whereas, there are serious constitutional and administrative problems with the extension of mandatory Social Security coverage to newly hired public employees; now therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the Legislature of the State of Nevada hereby express their strong opposition to the extension of mandatory Social Security coverage to newly hired state and local governmental employees; and be it further
Resolved, That the Nevada Legislature hereby urges Congress to oppose all efforts to extend mandatory Social Security coverage to newly hired state and local governmental employees; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief 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 and approval.
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POM-73. A resolution adopted by the House of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
House Resolution No. 130
Whereas, Senior citizen housing was originally designed to provide adequate and safe housing for older citizens in an environment where residents' interests and needs were held in common; and
Whereas, Many senior citizens choose senior citizen housing in order to live in a community setting around individuals of common interest and common experiences while maintaining independent living quarters; and
Whereas, Senior citizen housing was designed to provide our older residents with affordable housing while ensuring them a quality-of-life standard; and
Whereas, The Department of Housing and Urban Development has begun placing nonsenior citizens in buildings originally designed to house senior citizens; and
Whereas, These young individuals, while meeting certain eligibility requirements for placement within these housing complexes, do not maintain a lifestyle conductive to that of the older residents in those same complexes; and
Whereas, Increased crime, noise and dangerous traffic conditions are among the serious problems now seen in those complexes where young tenants are being placed; therefore be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the Congress of the United States to urge the Department of Housing and Urban Development to carefully consider the needs of all residents of a complex or building with respect to placing new tenants in areas previously considered to be senior citizen housing; 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.
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POM-74. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Maine; to the Committee on Appropriations.
Joint Resolution
Whereas, the people of Maine believe that every student should receive an adequate public education; and
Whereas, it costs on average more than twice as much to educate a student with a disability as to educate a student without a disability; and
Whereas, the issue of funding special education in our schools is one of the people of Maine's foremost concerns; and
Whereas, when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was first enacted, Congress committed to covering 40% of the cost of special education in the United States; and
Whereas, according to the Maine Department of Education, in fiscal year 1998, the Federal Government covered only 8.15% of the cost of special education in the State of Maine; and
Whereas, special education costs paid with local and state taxes have more than doubled in the past 10 years from
$52,697,027 in the 1987-1988 school year to $139,008,607 in the 1997-1998 school year; and
Whereas, special education costs in some Maine communities consume a large percentage of local education dollars including:
1. An amount of $4,595,769 constituting 19.7% of total education expenditures in the City of Auburn;
2. An amount of $1,324,791 constituting 13.2% of total education expenditures in the Town of Wiscasset;
3. An amount of $5,758,750 constituting 21.5% of total education expenditures in the City of Lewiston;
4. An amount of $2,941,301 constituting 11.7% of total education expenditures in the City of Bangor;
5. An amount of $14,860 constituting 21.7% of total education expenditures in Monhegan Plantation; and
6. An amount of $6,357,742 constituting 12.4% of total education expenditures in the City of Portland; and
Whereas, the cost of special education has increased dramatically in recent years, causing property taxes in the State of Maine to rise and school districts around the State to cut activities such as art and music programs, field trips and extracurricular activities to maintain balanced budgets; now therefore, be it
Resolved, That We, your Memorialists, respectfully urge and request that the United States Congress increase funding to support special education at a level originally envisioned in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and be it further
Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States and each member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.
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POM-75. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Senate Resolution No. 53
Whereas, the United States Supreme Court has issued a series of decisions holding that the Commerce Clause of the Constitution of the United States prohibits states from restricting the importation of solid waste from other states; and
Whereas, over the past ten years owners and operators of solid waste landfills located in this Commonwealth have significantly increased the amount of municipal waste that they accept from other states; and
Whereas, New York City released a long-term waste management plan on December 2, 1998, that will allow New York City to close the Fresh Hills Landfill as planned on December 31, 2001, resulting in the export of approximately 13,000 tons of solid waste a day now disposed at the Fresh Hills Landfill to Pennsylvania and other states; and
Whereas, the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, New Jersey and Maryland notified the Mayor of New York City that the recently released waste plan to manage waste displaced by the closure of Fresh Hills Landfill did not adequately address limiting the exportation of the waste as well as other viable waste management alternatives; and
Whereas, the present and projected future levels of municipal waste that owners and operators of landfills and incinerators located in this Commonwealth import from other states pose environmental, aesthetic and traffic problems and is unfair to citizens of this Commonwealth, particularly citizens living in areas where landfills and incinerators are located; and
Whereas, Pennsylvania has met its recycling goal of 25% and has established a new goal of 35% by the year 2003; and
Whereas, it is within the power of the Congress of the United States to delegate authority to the states to restrict the amount of municipal waste imported from other states; and
Whereas, legislation has been introduced in Congress which will regulate and restrict the amount of municipal waste imported from other states; and
Whereas, Governor Thomas J. Ridge and the governors of the Great Lakes states of Ohio, Michigan and Indiana wrote to Congress expressing their desire to reach an accord on authorizing states to place reasonable limits on the importation of solid waste; and
Whereas, the failure of Congress to act will harm this Commonwealth by allowing the continued unrestricted flow of solid waste generated in other states to landfills and incinerators located in this Commonwealth; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the President of the United States and Congress and the states to support legislation authorizing states to restrict the amount of solid waste being imported from other states and creating a rational solid waste management strategy that is equitable among the states and environmentally sound; and be it further
Resolved, That the Senate memorialize the President of the United States and Congress to support legislation that gives communities hosting landfills and incinerators the right to decide by agreement whether to accept waste from other states and that creates a rational municipal waste management strategy that is equitable among the states and environmentally sound; and be it further
Resolved, that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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POM-76. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Nevada; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Senate Joint Resolution No. 13
Whereas, good health is a basic right for every citizen of the world and access to the highest standards of health information and services is necessary to help guarantee this right; and
Whereas, participation in international health programs is crucial to world health as the potential for the spread of various infectious diseases increases proportionately with the increase in world trade and travel; and
Whereas, the World Health Organization set forth in the first chapter of its charter the objective of attaining the highest possible level of health for all people; and
Whereas, in 1977, the World Health Organization established
``Health for all by the year 2000'' as its overriding priority and reaffirmed that commitment in 1995 with the initiation of its ``Health for All'' renewal process; and
Whereas, this country's population of 21 million is larger than three-quarters of the member states already in the World Health Organization and Taiwan shares the noble goals of the organization; and
Whereas, the achievements of Taiwan in the field of health are substantial, including one of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to those of western countries, the eradication of such infectious diseases as cholera, smallpox and the plague and the first country in the world to provide children with free hepatitis B vaccinations; and
Whereas, before its loss of membership in the World Health Organization in 1972, Taiwan sent specialists to serve in other member countries on countless health projects and its health experts held key positions in the organization, all to the benefit of the entire Pacific region; and
Whereas, presently, this remarkable country is not allowed to participate in any forums and workshops organized by the World Health Organization concerning the latest technologies in the diagnosis, monitoring and control of diseases; and
Whereas, in recent years, the government and the expert scientists and doctors in the field of medicine of Taiwan have expressed a willingness to assist financially or technically in international aid and health activities supported by the World Health Organization, but these offers have ultimately been refused; and
Whereas, according to the constitution of the World Health Organization, Taiwan does not fulfill the criteria for membership; and
Whereas, because the World Health Organization does not allow observers to participate in the activities of the organization and considering all of the benefits that such participation would bring, it is in the best interests of all persons in this World that Taiwan be admitted to the World Health Organization, now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the 70th session of the Nevada Legislature do hereby urge President Clinton and the Congress of the United States to support all efforts made by Taiwan of the Republic of China to gain meaningful participation in the World Health Organization; and be it further
Resolved, That the policy of the United States should include the pursuit of an initiative in the World Health Organization that would ensure such participation; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, the World Health Organization, the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco and each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and approval.
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POM-77. A resolution adopted by the House of the Legislature of the State of New Hampshire to the Committee on Appropriations.
Whereas, the White Mountain National Forest consists of 720,000 acres in 35 different communities and 14 unincorporated places in New Hampshire; and
Whereas, the presence of national forest land provides both economic benefits and burdens to these communities; and
Whereas, adequate funding by Congress of the Land and Resource Management Plan ensures that the full economic, social and conservation benefits of proper management are received by these communities; and
Whereas, full payment in lieu of taxes by the federal government ensures that these communities receive revenues comparable to revenues these lands would generate in property taxes were they in private ownership; and
Whereas, full funding of the forest plan and full payment in lieu of taxes constitute a fiscal relationship between the federal government and the White Mountain National Forest communities that is essential to maintaining public trust and support for continued management of these lands by the federal government; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives:
That an annual report be issued by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service for public view and distribution, containing National Forest contributions to local towns in lieu of property taxes, statistics on revenues from timber sales, information regarding road construction, and approximate numbers of those who use the White Mountain National Forest for recreation and the economic impact on area business; and
That the federal government should make full funding of the Land and Resource Management Plan its highest priority in relation to its ownership and management of the White Mountain National Forest; and
That the federal government fully fund its statutory obligation to make payment in lieu of taxes to New Hampshire communities which contain land within the White Mountain National Forest; and
That copies of this resolution be forwarded by the house clerk to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and the member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation.
POM-78. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Hawaii; to the Committee on Appropriations.
Senate Resolution No. 25
Whereas, during World War II, the United States forcibly removed and interned over 120,000 United States citizens and legal permanent residents of Japanese ancestry from their homes and relocated them to government internment camps; and
Whereas, in addition, the United States arranged the deportation of over 2,264 men, women, and children of Japanese ancestry from thirteen Latin American countries to the United States to be interned and used in prisoner of war exchanges with Japan; and
Whereas, in 1988, the United States Congress passed, and President Reagan signed, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (the Act), which acknowledged the fundamental injustice of that evacuation, relocation, and internment, and to apologize on behalf of the people of the United States for the wrongs done to United States citizens and legal permanent residents of Japanese ancestry; and
Whereas, that Act further sought to make restitution to those individuals of Japanese ancestry who were interned by authorizing a $20,000 redress payment to each citizen and legal permanent resident of Japanese ancestry who was deprived of liberty or property as a result of government action; and
Whereas, the Act directed the United States Treasury to distribute these payments, to which Congress appropriated
$1,650,000,000 between October 1990 and October 1993; and
Whereas, in a subsequent settlement of a class action suit, the United States agreed to send a letter of apology and to pay a $5,000 redress payment from the same fund to each formerly interned Japanese Latin American; and
Whereas, to fulfill its educational purpose of informing the public about the internment so as to prevent the recurrence of similar events, the Act also created the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund to make disbursements for research and educational activities up to a total of
$50,000,000; and
Whereas, Congress specified in the Act that the principal of $1,650,000,000 was to be invested in government obligations and earn interest at an annual rate of at least five per cent; and
Whereas, in 1998, a Japanese Peruvian former internee and the National Coalition for Redress/Reparations filed a class action suit alleging that the Treasury Department breached its fiduciary duty by failing to invest the funds mandated by Congress, and seeking to recover the lost interest which is estimated to be between $50,000,000 and $200,000,000; and
Whereas, while the reparations fund has made payments to approximately eighty-two thousand claimants, there will not be sufficient money in the trust fund established by Congress to pay all of the remaining claims by Japanese Americans and Japanese Latin Americans or to meet the goal of $50,000,000 in educational grants; and
Whereas, a United States Justice Department official has apparently acknowledged that the funds were not invested as originally mandated by Congress, and that the $1,650,000,000 has all been spent, although claims are still pending; and
Whereas, the Legislature finds that while nothing can replace the loss of civil liberties suffered by those who were forced to evacuate their homes and relocate to internment camps on the basis of their ancestry, a formal apology and token redress payment to these individuals of Japanese ancestry is the least that can be done to compensate them for the loss of their rights; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, That the United States government is urged to restore redress funds to pay all outstanding Japanese American and Japanese Latin American redress claims and to fulfill the educational mandate of the act; and be it further
Resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Hawaii's congressional delegation, and the Governor of Hawaii.
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POM-79. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota; to the Committee on Finance.
Resolution No. 2
Whereas, the State of Minnesota entered into a settlement agreement on May 8, 1998, ending the lawsuit brought by the state against the tobacco industry; and
Whereas, the federal government has not brought its own lawsuit against the tobacco industry; and
Whereas, the federal government, through the Health Care Financing Administration, has asserted that it is entitled to a share of the state settlement on the basis that it allegedly represents the federal share of Medicaid costs; and
Whereas, the federal government asserts that it is authorized and obligated, under the third-party recovery provisions of the Social Security Act, to collect its share of any settlement funds attributable to Medicaid; and
Whereas, the state lawsuit was brought in state court under state law theories of consumer fraud, unlawful trade practices, deceptive trade practices, false advertising, unreasonable restraints of trade, and the use of monopoly power to affect competition in violation of the laws of the State of Minnesota; and
Whereas, the state initiated the lawsuit without any financial, technical, or other assistance from any branch or agency of the federal government, and settled without any assistance from the federal government; and
Whereas, the state is entitled to all of the funds negotiated in the tobacco settlement agreement entered into on May 8, 1998, without any federal claim; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota, That it urges the Congress and the Administration to support legislation that would explicitly prohibit the federal government from claiming or recouplng any state tobacco settlement recoveries. Be it further
Resolved, That the United States Senators elected from Minnesota are requested to become cosponsors of S346 introduced in the Senate on February 3, 1999, by Senators Hutchison and Graham, and the United States Representatives elected from Minnesota are requested to become cosponsors of HR351 introduced in the House of Representatives on January 19, 1999, by Representative Bilirakis and Franks. Be it further,
Resolved, That the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is directed to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President of the United States, the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress.
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POM-80. A resolution adopted by the Board of County Commissioners, Collier County, Florida relative to English as the Official Language of Collier County; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
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