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 S4889-S4890 on May 14, 2001.
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-50. A joint memorial adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Washington relative to the conservation reserve enhancement program; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Senate Joint Memorial 8019
Whereas, The National Marine Fisheries Service and the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife have listed several species of salmonids as either threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act; and
Whereas, A number of water bodies throughout the state do not currently comply with federally approved water quality standards including temperature, turbidity, and other parameters; and
Whereas, The State of Washington and the United States Department of Agriculture have entered into a memorandum of agreement that establishes the conservation reserve enhancement program to provide incentives to owners of agricultural land in Washington State to restore and enhance conditions in riparian areas by planting trees and shrubs for the benefit of fishery habitat and water quality; and
Whereas, The conservation reserve enhancement program is available for a number of categories of agricultural lands but is not available to lands that produce perennial horticultural crops;
Now, therefore, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture review the department's policies regarding the conservation reserves enhancement program and alter those policies to allow the inclusion in the program of lands that are currently used to produce perennial horticultural crops. Be it
Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, Ann Veneman, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.
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POM-51. A resolution adopted by the House of the Legislature of the State of Missouri relative to the Individuals with Disabilities Act; to the Committee on Appropriations.
Resolution
Whereas, the original passage of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975 established a program of free appropriate public education to better enable students with disabilities to achieve their greatest potential; and
Whereas, IDEA also represented an advance in civil rights for disabled children through equal protection; and
Whereas, Missouri has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving our children with disabilities through provision of special education and related services to over 127,000 students (14.18 percent of public school enrollment); and
Whereas, the original intent of the 94th Congress was to fund IDEA at 40% of the average per pupil expenditures for Part B of IDEA, but funding has never exceeded 13%; and
Whereas, federal law requires school districts to meet federal standards, but Congress has not provided the promised funding necessary to achieve those standards; and
Whereas, Missouri and several other states have legal prohibitions on passing unfunded mandates to the local level and therefore must either make up the shortfall or ask local districts to do so and thereby risk litigation; and
Whereas, local districts must then cover the mandated expenses of special education and reduce funding for teachers, textbooks and supplies, building maintenance and repair, as well as meet the counterproductive reporting burden which severely reduces teacher availability; Now therefore, be it
Resolved, That the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-first General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby urge that before the 107th Congress considers any other education initiatives, that IDEA receive prompt and full funding, and the reporting requirements of IDEA be significantly reduced; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and every member of the Missouri Congressional delegation.
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POM--52. A joint resolution adopted by the House of the Legislature of the State of Maine relative to National Parks in Maine's North Woods; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Joint Resolution
Whereas, Maine residents and visitors enjoy the privilege of using large tracts of private land in the north woods for recreational uses such as snowmobiling, hunting, hiking, fishing, white water rafting and other related functions; and
Whereas, the future of that private land is of great importance to the people of Maine and their outdoor heritage; and
Whereas, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and many of the large landowners have or are entering into cooperative wildlife management agreements that ensure the future of critical wildlife population in the north woods; and
Whereas, state agencies and nonprofit organizations are cooperating in an unprecedented effort to secure permanent rights of access to the north woods and keep valuable recreational property and natural habitat undeveloped through conservation easements; and
Whereas, federal ownership or control of the north woods would create many problems including limitations on access and use and loss of local and state control of these areas; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That We, your Memorialists, oppose the creation of a national park in Maine's north woods and request that the President of the United States and Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton abandon plans to conduct a feasibility study concerning establishing a national park in Maine's north woods; and be it further
Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the President of the United States, to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to the Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton and to each member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.
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