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 S108-S110 on Jan. 9, 2018.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
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-151. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Texas urging the United States Congress to encourage the United States Department of Agriculture to revise existing policies that promote the waste of water after an irrigated crop has been declared a failure; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 31
Whereas, among the most urgent and costly issues facing Texas is drought, which recently has caused a number of crop failures on irrigated land; those occurrences have highlighted the necessity for policies that promote responsible water usage and water conservation; and
Whereas, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, managed by the Risk Management Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, supports the economic stability of agriculture through its crop insurance program, which assists American farmers and agricultural entities in managing risk and the threat of natural disasters; in the event of a crop failure, however, current FCIC policy requires farmers to demonstrate good faith practices, which include watering the failed crop, in order to qualify for insurance benefits; and
Whereas, the USDA could further help sustain the agricultural industry and our precious water resources by developing provisions that encourage water conservation when crop failures occur; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to encourage the U.S. Department of Agriculture to revise existing policies that promote the waste of water after an irrigated crop has been declared a failure; and be it further
Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the secretary of agriculture, to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, to the chair of the House Committee on Agriculture and the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and to all members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.
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POM-152. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Texas urging the United States Congress to bestow on Doris ``Dorie'' Miller the Congressional Medal of Honor; to the Committee on Armed Services.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 45
Whereas, During the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Petty Officer Doris Miller of the U.S. Navy demonstrated valor above and beyond the call of duty, and he is long past due for full recognition of his extraordinary courage and initiative on that day; and
Whereas, A native of Texas, Doris ``Dorie'' Miller was born in Waco on October 12, 1919, to Henrietta and Conery Miller; he was a fullback on the football team at Moore High School in Waco, and he went on to work on his father's farm; and
Whereas, In September 1939, Mr. Miller enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a way to see the world and earn money for his family; at that time, African Americans were only permitted to perform menial tasks in the Navy, so Mr. Miller was trained as a mess attendant at the Naval Training Station in Norfolk, Virginia; after a brief assignment on the ammunition ship USS Pyro, he was transferred in January 1940 to the battleship USS West Virginia, where he won distinction among the crew as the ship's heavyweight boxing champion; his rank at the time was mess attendant, second class; and
Whereas, Mr. Miller rose at 6 a.m. on the morning of December 7, 1941, and he was collecting laundry when the Japanese attack began and the alarm for general quarters was sounded; even mess attendants had a battle station, but Mr. Miller's, an antiaircraft battery magazine, had already been destroyed by a torpedo, so he went up on deck where, as the ship began to sink, he hauled wounded shipmates through oil and water to safety on the quarterdeck; he was then ordered to the bridge, where he picked up the ship's mortally wounded captain and carried him to an aid station; and
Whereas, Mr. Miller then returned to the bridge, and on his own initiative, he began firing a .50-caliber Browning antiaircraft machine gun at the attacking Japanese planes; he had never trained on the weapon, but, as he reported later,
``It wasn't hard, I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine''; with no concern for his own safety, he continued firing until the gun's ammunition ran out, possibly bringing down one of the enemy aircraft; in the meantime, the West Virginia had been hit by five enemy torpedoes, and Mr. Miller was finally forced to abandon ship with his surviving crewmates; and
Whereas, In the aftermath of the attack, Mr. Miller was commended by Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, and on May 27, 1942, he became the first African American to receive the Navy Cross, the service's second-highest honor, which was personally presented to him by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the commander of the Pacific Fleet; he went on to serve on the USS Indianapolis and then the USS Liscome Bay; that ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine on November 24, 1943, and though his body was never recovered, Mr. Miller was eventually listed among the 646 sailors who died that day; at the time of his death, his rank was cook, third class; and
Whereas, In the years since, Mr. Miller's actions have become an important part of the legacy of Pearl Harbor; during the war, a poster from the U.S. Office of War Information featured his image and urged African Americans to join the war effort, and in 1973, a Knox-class frigate was christened the USS Miller in his honor; in 1991, Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority dedicated a bronze plaque to him at the U.S. Naval Base in Pearl Harbor, and in 2001, he was portrayed by the actor Cuba Gooding Jr. in the blockbuster film, Pearl Harbor; more recently, his story has been featured prominently in the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.; in addition to the Navy Cross, he was also entitled to the Purple Heart, the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal; and
Whereas, In 1939, when the clouds of world war were gathering in Europe and Asia, Dorie Miller chose to enlist in a Navy that did not trust black men to serve in combat, and at a moment of direst need, he picked up a weapon he had never used before and fought back against a savage enemy, performing brilliantly and courageously under fire in defense of his ship, his crewmates, and his nation; his valiant service on that day, and afterwards, warrants the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a member of the armed forces of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby urge the United States Congress to bestow on Doris
``Dorie'' Miller the Congressional Medal of Honor; and be it further
Resolved, That the secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the secretary of the Navy, to the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the Senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.
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POM-153. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Texas expressing support for the development and construction of a coastal barrier to protect the Gulf Coast region of Texas from storm surges, to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 106
Whereas, Texas has been the nation's top exporting state for the last 14 consecutive years, with an estimated $650 billion in trade in 2015 alone; exports support some 1.6 million jobs and contribute over $200 billion to the gross state product; and
Whereas, the Gulf Coast region of Texas plays a crucial role in the prosperity of the state, as it is home not only to the largest concentration of petrochemical manufacturing and refining facilities in the United States but also to the federal Strategic Petroleum Reserve and a vital supply of aviation jet fuel for military and commercial use; in addition, Texas ports along the Gulf Coast are integral to the chemical manufacturing industry and to both the state and national economies; and
Whereas, this Gulf Coast region, however, is vulnerable to major weather events, including intense hurricanes, which in the recent past have devastated area cities by causing significant loss of life, destroying residential and commercial property, damaging sensitive ecosystems, and weakening local economies; and
Whereas, in response to the havoc wreaked by Hurricanes Ike and Rita, researchers at the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores at Texas A&M University at Galveston designed the Coastal Spine; plans for implementing the structure have included consideration of scientific research, historical storm data, and existing systems; moreover, the environmental impact such an apparatus would have on the surrounding area and waterway is being vigorously evaluated, and the study is expected to be completed in the summer of 2017; and
Whereas, the Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery District, composed of Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Harris, Galveston, and Brazoria Counties, was created by Governor Rick Perry in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike; its board, which represents more than 6.5 million residents who live in the upper Gulf Coast area, has determined that the Coastal Spine is the best method for protecting against storm surges along the Texas coast; the concept has also gained widespread support from residents, businesses, and elected officials throughout the coastal region; and
Whereas, the General Land Office of the State of Texas is committed to partnering with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to implement the construction of the Coastal Spine; and
Whereas, the Texas Legislature is committed to the creation of a special purpose district within the Gulf Coast Region in order to fund the ongoing operations and maintenance of any structures and facilities related to the Coastal Spine; and
Whereas, the potential benefits of the Coastal Spine are manifold, ranging from preserving life and property to spurring economic growth and cutting state expenses for disaster assistance, and it is necessary for the U.S. government to provide aid and support for further research, design, and construction of the coastal barrier; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby express its support for the development and construction of a coastal barrier to protect the Gulf Coast region of Texas from storm surges; and be it further
Resolved, That the Texas Legislature hereby urge the United States Congress to provide sufficient federal funding for the construction of the project; and be it further
Resolved, That the Texas Legislature hereby urge the U.S. Congress to expedite the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers design and construction process; and be it further
Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.
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POM-154. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Wisconsin applying to the United States Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the United States Constitution, for the calling of a convention for proposing amendments, for the limited purpose of requiring the federal government to operate under a balanced budget, to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Assembly Joint Resolution No. 21
Whereas, previous presidential administrations and Congress have allowed an unprecedented amount of federal debt to accumulate, which currently exceeds $20 trillion; and
Whereas, a report by President Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform issued a warning on the debt levels, stating: ``If the U.S. does not put its house in order, the reckoning will be sure and the devastation severe''; and
Whereas, the Constitution of the United States does not currently require the federal government to operate under a balanced budget; and
Whereas, members of both political parties and both houses of Congress have called for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States to no avail; and
Whereas, Article V of the Constitution of the United States authorizes the legislatures of the states to convene a convention for proposing amendments upon the passage of 34 state resolutions; and
Whereas, 49 states, by constitution or statute, require a balanced budget; and
Whereas, the legislature of the State of Wisconsin supports the federal government operating under a balanced budget; Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the legislature of the State of Wisconsin herewith respectfully applies to Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the calling of a convention for proposing amendments, for the limited purpose of requiring the federal government to operate under a balanced budget; and, be it further
Resolved, That the senate chief clerk and the assembly chief clerk, jointly, are hereby directed to forward a proper authenticated copy of this resolution to the President of the Senate of the United States, and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States; and, be it further
Resolved, That this resolution constitutes a continuing application for a convention for proposing amendments in accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the United States until such a convention is convened on the same subject or until the legislature of the State of Wisconsin rescinds this resolution.
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POM-155. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas relative to immigration; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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