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 Energy was published in the Senate section on pages S6848-S6849 on June 25, 1996.
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-627. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Colorado; to the Committee on Armed Services.
Senate Memorial 96-1
``Whereas, For more than 40 years, the federal government developed, produced, and tested nuclear weapons in a number of government-owned facilities throughout the country, including Rocky Flats in Colorado; and
``Whereas, Contamination from these facilities has contributed to environmental damage at the sites, including radiological had hazardous surface and subsurface soil and groundwater contamination at Rocky Flats; and
``Whereas, As a result of the end of the Cold War, the federal government has shifted its focus to environmental restoration and waste cleanup at the facilities; and
``Whereas, The Department of Energy has committed to clean up the nuclear weapons complex; and
``Whereas, If the nuclear weapons complex is not cleaned up in accordance with known health standards, citizens in Colorado and across America will be affected directly or indirectly by the dangers that will continue to exist; and
``Whereas, the cost of cleaning up the Rocky Flats site is estimated to be $9 billion or more; and
``Whereas, To reach total cleanup, an increase in funding over the next five years is needed but no commitment to this funding has yet been made by the federal government; and
``Whereas, Commitment by the federal government to the full funding of the necessary costs associated with these cleanup activities may be sacrificed as a result of current budget discussions by Congress; now, therefore, be it
``Resolved by the Senate of the Sixtieth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, urge the federal government to recognize that cleanup of Rocky Flats and other weapons facilities is a related expenditure to the $4 trillion spent for the Cold war; be it further
``Resolved, That we urge the federal government to:
``(1) Make a sustained commitment to completing environmental cleanup at Rocky Flats and its other facilities at a reasonable and justifiable pace that protects human health and the environment;
``(2) Strive not only to comply with environmental laws, but also to be a leader in the field of environmental cleanup, including addressing public health concerns, ecological restoration, and waste management; and
``(3) Consult with officials in Jefferson county, Colorado, and other affected county governments regarding transportation of cleanup materials; and be it further
``Resolved, That we urge Congress and the President of the United States to approve full funding of all necessary cleanup activities at Rocky Flats and other nuclear weapons facilities.''
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POM-628. A resolution adopted by the Municipal Assembly of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico relative to Cabotage; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
POM-629. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Alaska; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
``Legislative Resolve No. 46
``Whereas Alaska has at least 26 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves in the Prudhoe Bay field and perhaps two to three times that amount of potential natural gas reserves; and
``Whereas, beginning in the period 2002-2005, there may be an increasing gap between supply and demand for natural gas in the Pacific Rim; and
``Whereas market and economic studies indicate favorable conditions for the sale of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to these Pacific Rim markets; and
``Whereas major permits for a pipeline route from the North Slope to Valdez have been completed; and
* * * * *
``and be it further
``Resolved, That the State of Alaska respectfully requests the President of the United States to demonstrate national support for an ANS gas transmission project to Asian LNG buyers; and be it further
``Resolved, That the Governor is respectfully requested to
``(1) assure the Asian LNG buyers that the state will provide continuity and stability in regards to North Slope natural gas supply, tax structure, and regulatory policy;
``(2) continue support of the Joint Pipeline Office, which administers an innovative, efficient, and cost-effective permitting system;
``(3) encourage the private developers of the gas pipeline and the state's labor forces to develop an Alaska hire agreement for the ANS gas transmission project; and
``(4) meet with all parties to determine how the state can help facilitate the ANS gas transmission pipeline; and be it further
``Resolved, That the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alaska State Legislature, appoint an interim working group to track progress and assist the transportation permit holder, the working interest owners of the Prudhoe Bay and Point Thompson units, and the administration in developing a unified proposal for presentation to the Asian market; the legislative interim working group shall report on the status of the project and any proposed legislative actions to the Resources Committees of the Alaska House of Representatives and Alaska Senate by February 1, 1997; and be it further
``Resolved, That the Alaska State Legislature strongly supports the construction of an ANS gas transmission pipeline and offers its assistance to the parties involved in order to speed completion of an ANS gas transmission project.''
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POM-630. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Michigan; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
``Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 266.
``A concurrent resolution to make an urgent request to the Congress of the United States to release to the states, including Michigan, all federal road funding due under the gas tax formula.
``Whereas, The quality of Michigan roadways has a great deal to do with the state's competitiveness in attracting and retaining jobs for our citizens. Every individual and every business in Michigan is affected when Michigan roads suffer from insufficient maintenance. Finding the means to meet this financial challenge is of the utmost importance to both state and local policymakers as we prepare for the twenty-first century; and
``Whereas, The difficult task of providing excellence in transportation in Michigan is made far worse by some of the current practices of the federal government with regard to the allocation of money raised by the federal gas tax; and
``Whereas, The current practices of the federal government with regards to the allocation of dollars raised by the federal tax made it difficult for Michigan to improve and expand its transportation system. Of the states required to send money to the federal government, in accordance with the federal funding formula, Michigan sends significantly more money to Washington than it receives back. In 1993, for example, Michigan paid a total of $733.7 million to the Federal Highway Trust Fund, and only $520.1 million was returned; and
``Whereas, In addition, even more money designated for return to Michigan, and several other states, is being withheld by federal transportation authorities. This money is critical to our transportation infrastructure and a vital component of the state's economic well-being.
``Whereas, The current budget debate offers an opportunity to reexamine this critical aspect of public spending. This examination should include immediately correcting the gross inequities in allocating the funds generated by the federal gas tax; now, therefore, be it
``Resolved, by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we respectfully, but urgently, ask the Congress of the United States to release to the states, including Michigan, any federal road funding due under the gas tax formula but currently being held back by the federal government; 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 to each member of the Michigan congressional delegation with the request that each member review this issue, offering a formal response to this body, the Michigan State Senate.''
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POM-631. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Colorado; to the Committee on Finance.
``Senate Joint Resolution 96-11
``Whereas, Encouraging the private provision of health care coverage is a laudable and legitimate governmental objective; and
``Whereas, The provision of health care insurance or other health care coverage assists in mitigating the impacts of providing uncompensated health care on the health care system; and
``Whereas, Tax benefits associated with the payment of health care insurance premiums and the costs of funding other methods of covering health care costs should be fair and equitable regardless of the method used; and
``Whereas, Individuals and employees should be encouraged and have the freedom to choose the method by which they provide for the expenses of the health care they receive; now, therefore, be it
``Resolved by the Senate of the Sixtieth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein: That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, are desirous of federal legislation that affords equal tax treatment for the costs of health care insurance purchased by employers, by employees and individuals who are self-employed, and by individuals who are not self-employed; be it further
``Resolved, That we support federal legislation that affords equal tax treatment for the management of health care costs through the use of medical savings accounts; be it further
``Resolved, That we call for the United States Congress to establish a plan for tax equity in the treatment of contributions, expenses and costs associated with employer-based health care insurance, individually-paid health care insurance, health care not covered by Medicare, and the use of individual medical savings accounts; and be it further
``Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the 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 to each member of Colorado's Congressional delegation.''
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