Sept. 17, 2007 sees Congressional Record publish “PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS”

Volume 153, No. 137 covering the of the 110th Congress (2007 - 2008) was published by the Congressional Record.

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 Department of Interior was published in the Senate section on pages S11577-S11585 on Sept. 17, 2007.

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-196. A resolution adopted by the California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church relative to the repeal of discriminatory laws; to the Committee on Armed Services.

POM-197. A resolution adopted by the Commission of the City of Hollywood, Florida, supporting the Energy Efficiency Promotion Act; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

POM-198. A resolution adopted by the Council of the Town of Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, supporting resolution number 2007-430 of the governing board of the South Florida Water Management District; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

POM-199. A resolution adopted by the Commission of the City of Pompano Beach, Florida, urging Congress to appropriate funds necessary to bring the Herbert Hoover Dike into compliance with current levee protection safety standards; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

POM-200. A resolution adopted by the Council of the Town of Davie, Florida, urging Congress to appropriate funds necessary to bring the Herbert Hoover Dike into compliance with current levee protection safety standards; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

POM-201. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of Long Beach, California, urging Congress to enact the Employee Free Choice Act; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

POM-202. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Texas urging Congress to provide drought relief to Texas; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 67

Whereas, the State of Texas continues to endure substantial economic losses due to a prolonged drought that has crippled the state for nearly two years; the loss of crops and livestock and drought-induced fires have left the state's farmers and ranchers in desperate need of continued federal assistance to offset the losses suffered as a result of this natural disaster; and

Whereas, the drought has cost the state nearly $2.5 billion in total crop loss, more than $1 billion of which is attributed to a decrease in the cotton harvest, the state's number one cash crop; in addition, the latest forecasts for 2006 show the state's wheat harvest has decreased by more than 60 percent, corn production is down by 26 percent, soybean production has decreased by more than 30 percent, and the state's production of peanuts and sorghum is expected to be down by 40 percent; and

Whereas, an estimated $1.6 billion in livestock losses, as well as the rising cost of hay and supplemental feed, have forced any ranchers to sell their cattle earlier than anticipated, which will undoubtedly cause a decrease in the beef supply for several years; all told, the total agricultural loss to the state stands at more than $4 billion; and

Whereas, this dire economic impact is shared by the businesses that support the agriculture community, specifically those in rural areas, where projections estimate the loss to be nearly $8 billion; the businesses affected include those that provide equipment or machinery, supplies, feed, and professional services such as veterinarians; and

Whereas, adding insult to injury, the drought has resulted in more than 21,000 fires, burning in excess of two million acres between January and November, 2006, and contributing to the loss of 5,000 miles of fence and 5,000 cattle in the Panhandle alone; the fires 1n the northern regions of the state have certainly contributed to the diminution in hay production, and the United States Department of Agriculture

(USDA) estimates that 77 percent of Texas' hay production was lost during the same period; and

Whereas, to alleviate this financial burden, the Texas Department of Agriculture will administer a total of $16.1 million in assistance received from the USDA to eligible livestock producers in 216 drought-stressed counties, but with more than $12 billion in total economic loss as a direct result of the drought, more assistance is needed; the devastation to crops and livestock in the number two agricultural state in the nation has put a financial strain on Texas farmers and ranchers, and it is imperative that the federal government continue to assist the individuals and families that have suffered during this time; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to provide further drought relief to Texas; 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 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 the 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-203. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to require the Department of Agriculture to conduct a study and report on the nutritional value of the country's school lunches; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

House Resolution No. 11

Whereas, we, as a people, must not feed our children fatty and sugary foods on a daily basis because it leads to obesity and diabetes; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That State Representative Monique D. Davis and the rest of the House of Representatives urge the Congress of the United States of America to require the United States Department of Agriculture to conduct a study and report on the nutritional value of the country's school lunches; and be it further

Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

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POM-204. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging the federal government to meet all of the financial obligations of the GI Bill; to the Committee on Armed Services.

House Resolution No. 123

Whereas, on June 22, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the ``Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944'', better known as the ``GI Bill of Rights''; and

Whereas, the bill at first was the subject of intense debate and parliamentary maneuvering, but has since been recognized as one of Congress' most important acts; and

Whereas, during the past five decades, the law has made possible the investment of billions of dollars in education and training for millions of veterans, and the nation has in return earned many times that investment in increased taxes and a dramatically changed society; and

Whereas, the law also made possible the loan of billions of dollars to purchase homes for millions of veterans and helped to transform the majority of Americans from renters to homeowners; and

Whereas, the 1944 GI Bill provided six benefits: education and training; loan guarantees for a home, farm, or business; unemployment pay; job-finding assistance; top priority for building materials for VA hospitals; and military review of dishonorable discharges; the home loan program is the only feature of the original bill that is still in force; and

Whereas, the original GI Bill ended in 1956, but subsequent GI Bills have continued the original bill's education and training benefits; the bill currently in effect is the Montgomery GI Bill, which provides benefits for veterans who served after July 1, 1985, and for military reservists; and

Whereas, in signing the original GI Bill, President Roosevelt stated that the Bill ``gives emphatic notice to the men and women in our armed forces that the American people do not intend to let them down''; and

Whereas, our servicemen and women have sacrificed much for our country, and continued funding of GI Bill benefits is imperative to ensure that they are treated with the respect they deserve: Therefore be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, that we urge the federal government to meet all of the financial obligations of the GI Bill; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to President George W. Bush, federal Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson, each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation, and the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.

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POM-205. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Michigan urging Congress to enact H.R. 2927; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Senate Resolution No. 89

Whereas, H.R. 2927 sets tough fuel economy standards without off ramps or loopholes, by requiring separate car and truck standards to meet a total fleet fuel economy between 32 and 35 mpg by 2022--an increase of as much as 40 percent over current fuel economy standards--and requires vehicle fuel economy to be increased to the maximum feasible level in the years leading up to 2022; and

Whereas, H.R. 2927, while challenging, will provide automakers more reasonable lead time to implement technology changes in both the near and long term. Model year 2008 vehicles are already available today, and product and manufacturing planning is done through model year 2012. H.R. 2927 recognizes the critical need for engineering lead times necessary for manufacturers to make significant changes to their fleets; and

Whereas, H.R. 2927 respects consumer choice by protecting the important functional differences between passenger cars and light trucks/SUVs. Last year, 2006, was the sixth year in a row that Americans bought more trucks, minivans, and SUVs than passenger cars because they value attributes such as passenger and cargo load capacity, four-wheel drive, and towing capability that most cars are not designed to provide; and

Whereas, While some would like fuel economy increases to be much more aggressive and be implemented with much less lead time, Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards must be set at levels and in time frames that do not impose economic harm on the manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, and others in the auto industry; and

Whereas, Proponents of unrealistic and unattainable CAFE standards cite Europe's 35 mpg fuel economy, without ever mentioning Europe's $6 per gallon gasoline prices, the high sales of diesel vehicles, the high proportion of Europeans driving manual transmission vehicles (80 percent in Europe vs. 8 percent in the U.S.), the significant differences in the size mix of vehicles, or that trucks and SUVs are virtually nonexistent among Europe households; and

Whereas, Proponents of unreasonable CAFE standards claim they will save consumers billions, but they neglect to talk about the upfront costs of such changes to the manufacturers of meeting unduly strict CAFE standards--more than $100 billion, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration--which will lead to vehicle price increases of several thousand dollars; and

Whereas, Proponents of unrealistic CAFE standards ignore the potential safety impacts of downsized vehicles on America's highways and overlook the historical role and critical importance of manufacturing plants to our national and economic security. They seem unconcerned about threats to the 7.5 million jobs that are directly and indirectly dependent on a vibrant auto industry in the United States; and

Whereas, H.R. 2927 is a reasonable bill that balances a number of important public policy concerns. The bill represents a tough but fair compromise that deserves serious consideration and support: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the United States Congress to enact H.R. 2927, which responsibly balances achievable fuel economy increases with important economic and social concerns, including consumer demand; 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 the members of the Michigan Congressional delegation.

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POM-206. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to support funding for the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

House Resolution No. 395

Whereas, the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program

(UPARR) is a matching federal grant program administered by the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior; and

Whereas, the purpose of the program is to provide funding for the rehabilitation of parks and recreation areas in cities and urban communities; and

Whereas, since the establishment of the program in 1978, approximately 1500 individual grants totaling more than

$270,000,000 have been made to eligible cities and counties; and

Whereas, no funds have been appropriated under UPARR for the past 5 years; and

Whereas, urban park development is essential for economic revitalization, environmental stewardship, and public recreation; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we urge the Congress of the United States of America to support funding for the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program; and be it further

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POM-207. A joint resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of California urging Congress to reauthorize and fund the federal Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 3

Whereas, from 1908 to 2000, counties in the United States received 25 percent of the revenues generated on national forest lands in lieu of lost tax revenues that could have been generated had these lands remained in private hands; and

Whereas, in the 1990s, the volume and value of timber harvested on national forest lands was dramatically reduced, which led Congress to enact the federal Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, which provided a six-year guarantee payment option that was independent of the revenue generated on the national forest lands; and

Whereas, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, as extended by the United States Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 110-28), will expire on September 30, 2007, which would create a lapse in funding to critical programs in schools and counties across the United States, including California, in the coming years; and

Whereas, rural schools are dependent on federal revenue-sharing programs, including federal forest payments, for maintaining vital educational services and programs, and to ensure an equitable education for all students; and

Whereas, many of California's county public works programs will be crippled without stable, predictable, long-term funding from the act, causing the local road network to suffer long-term degradation and putting communities at risk for public safety emergencies due to cuts in staffing and operational activities; and

Whereas, a number of efforts are being made in both the Untied States House of Representatives and the United States Senate to fully reauthorize the act through 2011, and the Legislature strongly supports these efforts; now therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully urges the 110th Congress to reauthorize and fund the federal Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for schools and counties to maintain vital programs prior to September 30, 2007, to avoid any interruption in county services and school operations; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

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POM-208. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to support and pass the Great Lakes Water Protection Act; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

House Resolution No. 602

Whereas, the Great Lakes are the World's single largest source of fresh surface water and contain about 90% of the water supply for the United States; and

Whereas, fresh water is limited in quantity and highly susceptible to contamination; and

Whereas, an estimated 24,000,000,000 gallons of sewage are dumped into the Great Lakes each year due to city sewer overflow; and

Whereas, water pollution contributes to elevated levels of E. coli bacteria and can result in contaminated drinking water and unsafe beach conditions; and

Whereas, the United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that each year between 1,800,000 and 2,500,000 Americans become sick from drinking polluted water; and

Whereas, measures exist to eliminate sewage dumping into the Lakes and the City of Chicago has already taken steps to reduce the amount of sewage reaching Lake Michigan by creating a system of tunnels to direct sewer overflow to large storage reservoirs; and

Whereas, the Great Lakes Water Protection Act, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 2907, would increase fines for sewage dumping, use penalty revenues to fund habitat and wetland projects, and increase public disclosure of dumping incidents; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we urge the U.S. Congress to support and pass the Great Lakes Water Protection Act in an effort to clean up the Great Lakes; and be it further

Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President pro tempore of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

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POM-209. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Michigan urging Congress to provide funding for the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 10

Whereas, communities surrounding Saginaw Bay face significant environmental and economic challenges. Saginaw Bay is one of the most polluted areas in the Great Lakes. Historic and ongoing inputs of excessive nutrients, toxic contaminants, and overabundant sediments exacerbated by low water levels have led to the proliferation of undesirable nuisance plants and algae, degradation of shoreline areas, loss of fishery habitant, and impairment of fish and wildlife populations; and

Whereas, Saginaw Bay remains a vital resource for about 500,000 residents who use its waters and shoreline for recreation, drinking water, and other activities. The public health and safety of these residents and the economic vitality of local communities are threatened by the ongoing environmental problems facing Saginaw Bay. Increased coordination and partnerships with local leaders and citizens directly affected by Saginaw Bay's health are needed to restore the bay and realize its full potential as a vibrant coastal area; and

Whereas, the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative (SBCI) will support innovative regional approaches for enhancing resource protection, improving environmental quality, and expanding local tourism and economic development within the Saginaw Bay coastal area. With appropriate funding, the initiative will create new partnerships among federal, state, and local groups and enhance local participation and responsibility in resolving environmental and economic challenges and determining the future of Saginaw Bay; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to provide funding for the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative; 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 the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

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POM-210. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Texas urging Congress to enact legislation to eliminate the 24-month Medicare waiting period for participants in Social Security Disability Insurance; to the Committee on Finance.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 35

Whereas, created in 1965, the federal Medicare program provides health insurance coverage for more than 40 million Americans; although most of those enrolled in Medicare are senior citizens, approximately six million enrollees under the age of 65 have qualified because of permanent and severe disability, such as spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, or other illness or disorder; and

Whereas, despite the physical and financial hardships wrought by these conditions and the fact that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is designed for individuals with a work history who paid into the social security system before the onset of their disability, federal law mandates a 24-month waiting period from the time a disabled individual first receives SSDI benefits to the time Medicare coverage begins; a prerequisite to Medicare, the SSDI program itself delays benefits for five months while the person's disability is determined--effectively creating a 29-month waiting period for Medicare; and

Whereas, this restriction affects a significant number of Americans in need; as of January 2002, there were approximately 1.2 million disabled individuals who qualified for SSDI and were awaiting Medicare coverage, many of whom were unemployed because of their disability; consequently, under these conditions, by the time Medicare began, an estimated 77 percent of those individuals would be poor or nearly poor, 45 percent would have incomes below the federal poverty line, and close to 40 percent would be enrolled in state Medicaid programs; and

Whereas, furthermore, it has been estimated that as many as one-third of the individuals currently awaiting coverage may be uninsured and likely to incur significant medical care expenses during the two-year waiting period, often with devastating consequences; studies indicate that the uninsured are likely to delay or forgo needed care, leading to worsening health and even premature death, and the American Medical Association has determined that death rates among SSDI recipients are highest in the first 24 months of enrollment; and

Whereas, eliminating the 24-month waiting period not only would prevent worsening illness and disability for SSDI beneficiaries, thereby reducing more costly future medical needs and potential long-term reliance on public health care programs, but could also save the Medicaid program as much as

$4.3 billion at 2002 program levels, including nearly $1.8 billion in savings to states and $2.5 billion in federal savings that would help offset a substantial portion of the accompanying increase in Medicare expenditures; and

Whereas, recognizing the consequences of the waiting period to those suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, the 106th United States Congress passed H.R. 5661 in 2000 and eliminated the requirement for enrollees diagnosed with the disease; in passing H.R. 5661, the Congress acknowledged the enormous difficulties faced by those diagnosed with severe disabilities and established precedent for the exception to be extended to all the disabled on the Medicare waiting list; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to enact legislation to eliminate the 24-month Medicare waiting period for participants in Social Security Disability Insurance; and, be it further

Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the Senate of the United States Congress, and all the members of the Texas delegation to the 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-211. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to pass H.R. 1279; to the Committee on Finance.

House Resolution No. 480

Whereas, according to U.S. Census Bureau data for 2004, 18%, or 51,200,000 people in the U.S. are persons with disabilities; and

Whereas, according to data from the 2004 American Community Survey, 12.4%, or 1,400,000 people in Illinois are persons with disabilities; and

Whereas, by 2030, 1,200,000 individuals nationwide with developmental disabilities will be over the age of 60; and

Whereas, in the U.S., 35% of people with a mental illness or developmental disability live with caregivers between ages of 40-60, and 25% live with caregivers over the age of 60; and

Whereas, 1 in 6 people provide care for a chronically ill, older adult, friend or relative with a disability without public funds; and

Whereas, currently more than 50% of all direct support positions, often known as caregivers, personal assistants or homecare aides, turn over every year in the U.S.; in Illinois, turnover in residential and vocational settings is nearly 70%, with an estimated cost ranging from $2,000 to

$5,000 to replace a direct support worker; the high turnover results in vacancies, puts unfair demands on remaining workers and, most importantly, negatively impacts the quality and consistency of support to people with disabilities and mental illness; and

Whereas, poor wages and heavy job demands have caused this crisis; in 2005, a report by the Illinois Direct Support Professional Workforce Initiative, using data from multiple studies, found that the average annual income for direct support professionals in residential settings, vocational settings, and in-home and respite settings ranged from

$18,366 to $22,651; the current federal poverty level for a family of four is $20,650; and

Whereas, it is essential that people with disabilities and mental illness have access to support that allows them to live and work in the communities of their choice; and

Whereas, in order to stabilize and increase the number of direct support professionals in the workforce, the wages and benefits of direct support professionals must be improved and made equitable among long term support options; and

Whereas, Medicaid is the single-largest payor of long-term support and services for people with disabilities; enhanced Federal Medicaid matching funds should be available to assist states committed to addressing wage differentials among direct support professionals by increasing the wages of direct support professionals and supporting and improving the stability of the direct support professional workforce; and

Whereas, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2007, as introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in H.R. 1279, would provide a voluntary option to states to receive additional Medicaid funding to reimburse community-based organizations to raise the wages of direct support professionals; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we urge the Congress of the United States to support and pass H.R. 1279 so that states will have additional options to raise the wages of direct support professionals; and be it further

Resolved, That we encourage the State of Illinois to take advantage of this option should it become available; and be it further

Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent to George W. Bush and each member of the Illinois delegation.

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POM-212. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to pass the Savings for Working Families Act; to the Committee on Finance.

House Joint Resolution No. 51

Whereas, for the second year in a row, the national personal savings rate remains below zero; and

Whereas, a negative savings rate in the United States has not occurred since the Great Depression; and

Whereas, nationally, one in five families have a negative net worth; about one-third of low-income households and more than one-tenth of moderate-income households report having no financial assets at all; and

Whereas, the United States Congress has reintroduced legislation in the 110th Congress creating the Savings for Working Families Act that would ensure that our nation's savings and ownership policies assist working-poor families by enabling them to save, build wealth, and enter the financial mainstream through the use of Individual Development Accounts; and

Whereas, Individual Development Accounts help low-income families build assets for buying a first home, receiving post-secondary education, or starting or expanding a small business; and

Whereas, the President of the United States included funding for 900,000 Individual Development Accounts in his 2007 budget request, and, meanwhile, the Congress, in a bi-partisan effort, gathered 68 co-sponsors (35 Democrats and 33 Republicans) on the bill; and

Whereas, the Savings for Working Families Act creates a tax credit for financial institutions that match the savings of the working poor through Individual Development Accounts; and

Whereas, financial institutions offering Individual Development Accounts will be reimbursed through a federal tax credit for all matching funds, up to $500 per year for four years, and receive a tax credit of $50 per account per year for account management; and

Whereas, those who save in an Individual Development Account must complete financial education from a nonprofit organization prior to the asset purchase; therefore be it

Resolved, by The House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, the Senate Concurring Herein,

That the Illinois General Assembly urges the members of the Illinois delegation to the United States Congress to give full consideration to the passage of the Savings for Working Families Act as represented in House Resolution 1514; and be it further

Resolved, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

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POM-213. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico expressing its support of the financing of the State Children's Health Insurance Program through available federal funds; to the Committee on Finance.

Senate Resolution No. 3259

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Public Law 105-33, as amended, and known as the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, provides block grants to states for health care insurance coverage for uninsured children under 18 years of age and who fall on or below 200% of the poverty level established by the Federal Government (FPL) or as established by the state governments. The states may provide this coverage by expanding Medicaid benefits, by expanding or creating a children's health insurance program or by a combination of both.

In June 1998, the Health Care Finance Administration

(HCFA), presently known as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), authorized the implementation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in Puerto Rico. This new program constitutes an expansion of the Medical Assistance Program (MEDICAID), which originally established the Program for a ten (10) year period, which concludes in August 2007.

The Children's Health Insurance Program provides coverage to children between the ages of 0-18 who fall below 200% of the poverty level and not eligible for Medicaid and who do not have private medical insurance because their parents' income does not allow for it.

The Children's Health Insurance Program provides preventive service, hospitalization services, medical services, surgical services, mental health services, diagnostic tests, clinical laboratory tests, outpatient rehabilitation services, dental services, pharmacy services and ambulance services. It also offers childcare services from birth to 18 years of age, including vaccinations according to their age. It further provides physical, mental, dental health and nutrition education and counseling. The Medical Assistance Program of the Department of Health of Puerto Rico receives a grant through legislation of the United States Congress that is matched in fifty percent with state funds; from the total funds, an amount of up to 15 percent may be used for the administration of the Program and the remainder is distributed for the payment of direct services to patients.

The SCHIP must be reauthorized by the Federal Government on or before September 2007, in order for it to be able to continue operating and providing services to millions of children in the United States, including those of Puerto Rico. It further provides $48.1 million in benefits (a 23% increase since 2006) to low income children who do not meet the Medicaid requirements. Although Puerto Rico does not receive parity, as the other states do, these funds have benefited low income children.

The Senate of Puerto Rico recognizes the importance of the SCHIP in Puerto Rico for the welfare of children, for the prevention and treatment of childhood diseases, and for reducing the general costs of health care. It also exhorts the Government of Puerto Rico to use all resources available so that the children of our Island who are under the poverty level may have access to these health services.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF PUERTO RICO:

Section 1.--To express the support of the Senate of Puerto Rico to the financing of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) through available federal funds, and to exhort the United States Congress to assure an increase in federal funds for the SCHIP, including the territories, as well as Puerto Rico.

Section 2.--A copy of this Resolution translated into English, shall be remitted to the President of the United States, to the Leaders of the Minority and Majority in both Chambers of Congress, to the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and to the Resident Commissioner in Washington.

Section 3.--This Resolution shall take effect immediately after its approval.

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POM-214. A joint resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program; to the Committee on Finance.

House Joint Resolution No. 26

Whereas, the Legislature of the State of Illinois regards the health of our children to be of paramount importance to families in our State; and

Whereas, the Legislature of the State of Illinois regards poor child health as a threat to the educational achievement and social and psychological well-being of the children of our State; and

Whereas, the Legislature of the State of Illinois considers protecting the health of our children to be essential to the well-being of our youngest citizens and the quality of life in our State; and

Whereas, the Legislature considers the All Kids Program, which is currently providing health coverage to approximately 160,000 children, to be an integral part of the arrangements for health benefits for the children of the State of Illinois; and

Whereas, the Legislature recognizes the value of the All Kids Program in preserving child wellness, preventing and treating childhood disease, improving health outcomes, and reducing overall health costs; and

Whereas, the Legislature of the State of Illinois considers the federal funding available for the All Kids Program to be indispensable to providing health benefits for children of modest means: Therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, the Senate concurring herein, That we urge the members of the Illinois delegation to the United States Congress to ensure that the Congress timely reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to ensure federal funding for the All Kids Program; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature proclaims that all components of State government should work together with educators, health care providers, social workers, and parents to ensure that all available public and private assistance for providing health benefits to uninsured children in this State be used to the maximum extent possible; and be it further

Resolved, That a suitable copy of this solution be sent to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.

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POM-215. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to enact legislation to repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision from the Social Security Act; to the Committee on Finance.

House Resolution No. 134

Whereas, the federal Social Security Act includes two provisions, the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision, that reduce the Social Security benefits payable to persons who are entitled to benefits under the public retirement systems of the State under certain conditions; and

Whereas, these provisions penalize individuals who dedicate the majority of their productive years to public service to the State of Illinois, including educators, police officers, and firefighters; and

Whereas, these provisions take away benefits that public employees or their spouses have earned by paying into the Social Security system; and

Whereas, these provisions often leave public employees facing poverty in their retirement; and

Whereas, the State of Illinois is benefited by the recruitment of the best and most able individuals for public employment, but is hindered from doing so because of the offset penalties; and

Whereas, these provisions discourage individuals from moving from private sector employment into positions of public employment: Therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we encourage and support action by the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision from the Social Security Act, or reduce the effects thereof; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to President George W. Bush and to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

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POM-216. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision from the Social Security Act; to the Committee on Finance.

House Resolution No. 0134

Whereas, The Federal Social Security Act includes two provisions, the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision, that reduce the Social Security benefits payable to persons who are entitled to benefits under the public retirement systems of the State under certain conditions; and

Whereas, These provisions penalize individuals who dedicate the majority of their productive years to public service to the State of Illinois, including educators, police officers, and firefighters; and

Whereas, These provisions take away benefits that public employees or their spouses have earned by paying into the Social Security system; and

Whereas, These provisions often leave public employees facing poverty in their retirement; and

Whereas, The State of Illinois is benefited by the recruitment of the best and most able individuals for public employment, but is hindered from doing so because of the offset penalties; and

Whereas, These provisions discourage individuals from moving from private sector employment into positions of public employment: Therefore be it

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to President George W. Bush and to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

____

POM-217. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Michigan urging Congress to increase efforts to provide assistance in the Darfur region of Sudan; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

House Resolution No. 59

Whereas, over the past few years, the government of Sudan and the government-backed militia have carried out a campaign of murder, rape, and terror in the Darfur region. More than 1.5 million people are estimated to have been displaced from their homes, while tens of thousands of civilians have been killed or pushed into disease and malnutrition. A 2004 cease-fire agreement has proven ineffective, and the conditions for those who have been displaced can only be described as a nightmare; and

Whereas, the United States, the United Nations, the African Union, and other nations and organizations have largely ignored the grave human rights violations and suffering that are taking place. The situation in the Darfur region is acknowledged to be ethnic cleansing and may amount to genocide; and

Whereas, while the United States and other countries have tried to bring a halt to the suffering, a greater sense of urgency needs to be brought to these efforts. Our country must do all it can to influence the leadership of the United Nations to increase the number of troops on the ground to protect civilians and to bring pressure on the Sudanese government to halt its illegal and immoral acts. Clearly, the United States must play a leadership role in working with other nations, the United Nations, and the African Union in the effort to bring relief to this region of sorrows: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States and the United States State Department to increase efforts to halt the violence and to provide humanitarian assistance to the victims of the atrocities in the Darfur region of Sudan; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of State, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

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POM-218. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Michigan urging Congress to enact legislation to prohibit federal funds from going to any business or entity that works with the Sudanese government; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

House Resolution No. 63

Whereas, with casualties running in the hundreds of thousands and millions displaced, the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of the Sudan has defied solution for many years. The heartbreaking atrocities being carried out by the Sudanese government and the Janjaweed militia, which were acknowledged to be genocide by the Bush administration in 2004, clearly cannot be brought to a halt by diplomatic means or by the weight of criticism from around the world; and

Whereas, with each report of tribal massacre, rape, and unspeakable cruelty, the need for effective action grows. Many are reminded of the pressures that were brought to bear upon the South African system of apartheid a generation ago by a rising tide of economic sanctions from the United States and other countries; and

Whereas, it is long past time for the United States to put in place formal measures to halt the flow of American dollars to any entity or business that works with the Sudanese government in any capacity other than those that are purely humanitarian or peacekeeping in nature. Government contracts and pension funds must not be going to businesses or entities operating in the Sudan. American businesses dealing with the Sudanese government should disclose their actions. It is a moral imperative that we must make every possible effort to stop the atrocities so that a long-term solution to the region's problems can be found: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to prohibit federal funds from going to any business or entity that works with the Sudanese government in any capacity other than solely humanitarian or peacekeeping efforts; and be it further

____

POM-219. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island urging Congress to fulfill its funding commitments under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

House Resolution No. 5227

Whereas, more than thirty years ago, the Congress of the United States enacted the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) with a commitment of forty percent (40%) federal funding for the costs to local school districts and states to carry out the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (``IDEA''); and

Whereas, in 1994, the Congress of the United States recognized their ``commitment of forty percent (40%) federal funding'' was not being met, and states were only being federally funded at a rate of eight percent (8%).

Whereas, the federal appropriation of 10 billion dollars for the 2004 federal fiscal year funded only eighteen and sixty-five hundredths percent (18.65%), and the 10.6 billion dollars for FY 2005 covers only about nineteen percent (19%) of the special education tab. For FY 2006, funding was only at seventeen and eight-tenths percent (17.8%) of the national average per pupil expenditure, still well below the forty percent (40%) federal contribution commitment; and

Whereas, local school districts in Rhode Island and throughout the United States are mandated to meet the spiraling costs of carrying out the provisions of IDEA; and

Whereas, the failure of the Congress of the United States to fully fund its original commitment of forty percent (40%) federal funding has placed a severe burden upon local school districts to meet the costs of the federal mandate, resulting in an insufferable burden upon local taxpayers and diversion of funds from other education programs, thus lessening the quality of education; and

Whereas, more than thirty years after the enactment of IDEA, it is time that the Congress of the United States appropriate the funds necessary to fully fund its original commitment to provide forty percent (40%) federal funding of the costs incurred carrying out the provisions of IDEA: Now, therefore be it

Resolved, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby memorializes the Congress of the United States to fulfill the original commitment of the Congress of the United States to provide for forty percent (40%) federal funding to local school districts to carry out the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to: (1) each member of the Rhode Island delegation in the Congress of the United States; (2) the President of the United States; (3) the President of the Senate in the Congress of the United States; (4) the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States; (5) the Chairmen of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committees in the Senate in the Congress of the United States; and (6) the Chairmen of the Education and the Workforce Committees in the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States.

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POM-220. A joint resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of California urging Congress to renew the Special Statutory Funding Program for Type I Diabetes Research; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 8

Whereas, diabetes is a chronic, debilitating disease affecting every organ system; and

Whereas, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food; and

Whereas, Type 1 diabetes is a nonpreventable and so far incurable chronic disease that is one of the most prevalent diseases affecting children; and

Whereas, Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which a person's body still produces insulin but is unable to use it effectively; and

Whereas, Type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects the African-American, Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander communities; and

Whereas, diabetes affects nearly 21 million American and over two million Californians and is on the rise; and

Whereas, diabetes is the most costly chronic disease, costing the California health care system over 12 billion per year; and

Whereas, the complications from diabetes have devastating effects, such as kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, amputation, heart attack and stroke; and

Whereas, diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in California; and

Whereas, caring for diabetic students in public schools has further complicated the lives of parents, students, and school staff alike; and

Whereas, diabetes has significant indirect economic costs in lost production estimated over $37 billion nationwide; and

Whereas, researching a cure for type 1 diabetes will assist in curing type 2 diabetes and many other autoimmune diseases; and

Whereas, finding a cure for diabetes will be far more cost effective than life-long treatment and will improve the quality of life and life expectancy of millions of Americans; and

Whereas, funding for the federal Special Statutory Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes Research, as mandated by Section 330B of the Public Health Service Act, ends with the 2008 fiscal year; and

Whereas, funding for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, as mandated by Section 330C of the Public Health Service Act, ends with the 2008 fiscal year: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California proclaims its intention to develop a state-funded program for diabetes research; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California urges the President and Congress of the United States to renew the Special Statutory Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes Research and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

____

POM-221. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to consider certain issues while contemplating reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

House Resolution No. 396

Whereas, the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

(NCLB) requires reauthorization in 2007: Therefore be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we urge the United States Congress to address the following concerns when considering the reauthorization of NCLB:

(1) allow states the flexibility to use growth model assessment models to enhance existing measures of student progress;

(2) provide flexibility in program implementation with respect to varying student and teacher needs related to diversity of geography, wealth, and background;

(3) revise assessment guidelines for special needs students so that such students are more fairly assessed considering their specific individualized education programs and, therefore, better served;

(4) resolve other contradictions between NCLB and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);

(5) address issues arising from students who are counted in multiple groups when determining adequate yearly progress;

(6) allow schools to offer, and provide full funding for, important supplemental education services before schools are forced to offer choice;

(7) provide greater flexibility when determining the sizes of groups regarding assessment subgroups;

(8) school improvement grants must be funded so that the sanctions placed on schools will result in improved student achievement and the reversal of negative trends;

(9) seek greater consistency in state certification criteria and the federal ``highly qualified'' designation;

(10) the highly qualified teacher provisions of NCLB require clarification, greater flexibility regarding alignment with state certification, and appropriate, specific, technical assistance in order to ensure compliance; and

(11) resident school districts of special needs students attending private schools must pay for IDEA services delivered at a private school; and be it further

Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to President of the United States George W. Bush, United States Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

____

POM-222. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to pass legislation that would allow not-for-profit organizations and family members to mail without charge on two days of every month; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

House Resolution No. 622

Whereas, legislation has been introduced in previous years to provide free mailing privileges for letters and packages to American troops overseas; two bills have been introduced into the 109th Congress--H.R. 923 and H.R. 2874 (H.R. 2874 supersedes H.R. 887, a very similar bill introduced by former Representative Harold Ford on February 17, 2005); and

Whereas, H.R. 923, the Mailing Support to Troops Act of 2005 (introduced on February 17, 2005 by Representative Fossella, with 71 current cosponsors), in its original form would allow family members of service personnel to mail letters and packages free of charge to active members of the military serving in Afghanistan or Iraq and to servicemen and women hospitalized as a result of disease or injury suffered in Afghanistan or Iraq; mailers would need only to write on the envelope or box, ``Free Matter for Member of the Armed Forces of the United States'', or words to that effect specified by the Postal Service (USPS); mail matter that contains any advertising would specifically be excluded; H.R. 923 would authorize appropriations to reimburse USPS for its extra expenses in transporting such mail; H.R. 923 was referred to the Committee on Government Reform; and

Whereas, H.R. 2874, the Supply Our Soldiers Act of 2005, was introduced by Representative Ford on June 14, 2005, and had 31 cosponsors; it would attempt to make it easier for families and charities to ship letters and packages to soldiers serving in combat zones; soldiers mobilizing for overseas duty would be given an allotment of special stamps

(equivalent in value to $150 per calendar quarter) that they can send to their loved ones, or to selected charities, to allow them to send letters and packages without further postage to the service members; there would be a 10-pound limit on packages sent to individuals; the Postal Service would be reimbursed by the Defense Department for providing this service, and Section 3 of the bill would authorize appropriations to the Defense Department for this purpose and for any other expenses it incurs; by putting individual service men and women into the authorization chain for the mail they receive this bill would avoid the problem of subsidizing unsolicited mail to the troops; additionally, by capping the allotment per service member, it would mitigate potential stress on the military postal system; H.R. 2874 was referred to the Committees on Armed Services and Government Reform; and

Whereas, on September 29, 2005, the House Committee on Government Reform marked up H.R. 923, and in doing so, accepted an amendment in the nature of a substitute that adopted the core concept, as well as the title, of H.R. 2874; as amended and ordered to be reported by voice vote of the Committee, H.R. 923 requires the Department of Defense, in consultation with the Postal Service, to establish a one-year program under which qualified members of the armed services would receive a monthly voucher that can be redeemed, by their families or friends, to pay the postal expenses of sending one letter or parcel (weighing up to 15 pounds) to the service member; the Department of Defense would reimburse the Postal Service for the postal benefits provided by the vouchers; Committee Chairman Tom Davis said that the substitute language had the approval of Representative Fossella, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Postal Service; the Congressional Budget Office estimated that nearly all of the about 145,000 American service personnel who would be eligible for the postage benefit would take advantage of it, and assigned it a budget cost of $30 million over fiscal years 2006 and 2007; and

Whereas, the language of H.R. 923 was added by the House Armed Services Committee as Sections 575, 576 (``Funding''), and 577 (``Duration'') to H.R. 5122, the Sonny Montgomery National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal Year 2007; H.R. 5122 was passed by the House on May 11, 2006; on June 22, 2006, the Senate substituted its own defense authorization language for the House language and passed H.R. 5122; the Senate version does not contain the postal benefits authorized in the House bill, so whether the language survives is now a matter to be decided by the conference committee; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we urge the Congress of the United States to pass legislation that would allow not-for-profit organizations and family members to mail without charge, twice per month, on the first and 15th day of each month, letters and packages to members of the U.S. Armed Services in combat zones; and be it further

____

POM-223. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to support a constitutional amendment to allow foreign-born citizens to run for President; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

House Resolution No. 71

Whereas, many Americans adopt children from countries and raise them in the United States; and

Whereas, these foreign-born children automatically become United States citizens upon adoption; and

Whereas, we tell these children that we live in a free society where men and women have equal rights and equal worth, that they control their own destinies, and that their opportunities are limitless; then these children are denied the ability to seek the highest office in the land, because of the circumstances of their birth; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we urge the United States Congress to support a constitutional amendment to allow foreign-born citizens to run for President of the United States; and be it further

Resolved, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

____

POM-224. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Missouri urging Congress to repeal the REAL ID Act; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 20

Whereas in May 2005, the United States Congress enacted the REAL ID Act of 2005 as part of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief Act (PL 109-13), which was signed by President Bush on May 11, 2005, and which becomes effective May 11, 2008; and

Whereas some of the requirements of the REAL ID Act are that states shall:

(1) Issue a driver's license or state identification card in a uniform format, containing uniform information, as prescribed by the federal Department of Homeland Security;

(2) Verify the issuance, validity, and completeness of all primary documents used to issue a driver's license, such as those showing that the bearer is a United States citizen or a lawful alien, a lawful refugee, or a person holding a valid visa;

(3) Provide for secure storage of all primary documents that are used to issue a federally approved driver's license or state identification card;

(4) Provide fraudulent document recognition training to all persons engaged in issuing driver's licenses or state identification cards; and

(5) Issue a driver's license or state identification card in a prescribed format if it is a license or card that does not meet the criteria provided for a federally approved license or identification card; and

Whereas use of the federal minimum standards for state driver's licenses and state-issued identification cards will be necessary for any type of federally regulated activity for which an identification card must be displayed, including flying in a commercial airplane, making transactions with a federally licensed bank, entering building, or making application for federally supported public assistance benefits, including Social Security; and

Whereas some of the intended privacy requirements of the REAL ID Act, such as the use of common machine-readable technology and state maintenance of a database that can be shared with the United States government and agencies of other states, may actually make it more likely that a federally required driver's license or state identification card, or the information about the bearer on which the license or card is based, will be stolen, sold, or otherwise used for purposes that were never intended or that are criminally related than if the REAL ID Act had not been enacted; and

Whereas these potential breaches in privacy that could result directly from compliance with the REAL ID Act may violate the right to privacy secured in the Missouri Constitution, for thousands of residents of Missouri; and

Whereas the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the National Governors' Association, and the National Conference of State Legislatures have estimated, in an impact analysis dated September 2006, that the cost to the states to implement the REAL ID Act will be more than $11 billion over 5 years, and it is estimated that the implementation of the REAL ID Act will cost Missouri millions to fully implement the Act, none of such costs being paid for by the federal government; and

Whereas for all of these reasons, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the National Governors' Association, and the National Conference of State Legislatures, in a letter dated March 17, 2005, to the majority and minority leaders of the United States Senate, opposed the adoption of the REAL ID Act, but the opposition of those groups, and the groups' request that Congress rely on driver's license security provisions already passed by Congress in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, was largely ignored by Congress; and

Whereas the regulations that are to be adopted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to implement the requirements of the REAL ID Act have yet to be adopted and, in reality, will probably not become effective until the Spring of 2007, effectively giving the states only one year in which to become familiar with the implementing regulations and comply with those regulations and the requirements of the REAL ID Act; and

Whereas the mandate to the states, through federal legislation that provides no funding for its requirements, to issue what is, in effect, a national identification card appears to be an attempt to ``commandeer'' the political machinery of the states and to require the states to be agents of the federal government, in violation of the principles of federalism contained in the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court in New York v. United States, 488 U.S. 1041 (1992), United States v. Lopez, 514 U.S. 549 (1995), and Priniz v. United States, 521 U.S. 898 (1997):

Whereas state legislatures in Georgia, Massachusetts, Montana, New Mexico, New Hampshire, and Washington, have, through legislation or resolutions, opposed the implementation of the REAL ID Act; and

Whereas the Missouri General Assembly affirms its abhorrence of and opposition to global terrorism, and affirms its commitment to protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of all Missouri residents and opposes any measures, including the REAL ID Act, that unconstitutionally infringe upon those civil rights and civil liberties: now therefore, be it

Resolved, That the members of the House of Representatives, Ninety-Fourth General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby calls on Congress to repeal the REAL ID Act; 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 and be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States; the President of the United States Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and each member of Congress from the State of Missouri.

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POM-225. A joint resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois supporting the campaign against terrorism; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Joint Resolution No. 27

Whereas, the State of Illinois recognizes the Constitution of the United States as our charter of liberty and that the Bill of Rights enshrines the fundamental and inalienable rights of Americans, including the freedoms of privacy and from unreasonable searches; and

Whereas, each of Illinois' duly elected public servants has sworn to defend and uphold the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Illinois; and

Whereas, the State of Illinois denounces and condemns all acts of terrorism by any entity, wherever the acts occur; and

Whereas, terrorist attacks against Americans, such as those that occurred on September 11, 2001, have necessitated the crafting of effective laws to protect citizens of the United States and others from terrorist attacks; and

Whereas, any new security measures of federal, state, and local governments should be carefully designed and employed to enhance public safety without infringing on the civil liberties and rights of innocent citizens of Illinois and the United States; and

Whereas, the federal Real ID Act of 2005 creates a national identification card by requiring uniform information be placed on every state drivers' license, requiring this information to be machine-readable in a standard format and requiring this card for any federal purpose including air travel; and

Whereas, Real ID will be a costly unfunded mandate on the State with the National Governors' Association, the National Conference of State Legislators, and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators estimating that Real ID will cost at least $11 billion nationally over the next 5 years; and

Whereas, Real ID requires the creation of a massive public sector database containing the drivers' license information on every American, accessible to every state motor vehicle employee and state and federal law enforcement officer; and

Whereas, Real ID enables the creation of an additional massive private sector database of drivers' license information gained from scanning the machine-readable information contained on every driver's license; and

Whereas, these public and private databases are certain to contain numerous errors and false information, creating significant hardship for Americans attempting to verify their identity in order to fly, open a bank account, or perform any of the numerous functions required to live in the United States today; and

Whereas, the Federal Trade Commission estimates that 10 million Americans are victims of identity theft annually and these thieves are increasingly targeting motor vehicle departments, Real ID will enable the crime of identity theft by making the personal information of all Americans including name, date of birth, gender, driver's license or identification card number, digital photograph, address, and signature accessible from tens of thousands of locations; and

Whereas, Real ID requires the drivers' licenses to contain actual home addresses in all cases and makes no provision for securing personal information for individuals in potential danger such as undercover police officers and victims of stalking or criminal harassment; and

Whereas, Real ID contains no exemption for religion, limits religious liberty, and tramples the beliefs of groups such as the Amish and some Evangelical Christians; and

Whereas, Real ID contains onerous record verification and retention provisions that place unreasonable burdens on both state Driver Services offices and on third parties required to verify records; and

Whereas, Real ID will likely place enormous burdens on consumers seeking a new driver's license including longer lines, higher costs, increased document requests, and a waiting period; and

Whereas, Real ID will put under-resourced motor vehicle administration staff on the front lines of immigration enforcement by forcing them to determine citizenship status, increasing the potential for discrimination based on race and ethnicity, and placing an excessive burden on foreign-born license applicants and motor vehicle staff; and

Whereas, Real ID was passed without sufficient deliberation by Congress and never received a hearing by any Congressional committee or any vote solely on its own merits; and

Whereas, Real ID eliminated a process of negotiated rulemaking initiated under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which had convened federal, state, and local policy makers, privacy advocates, and industry experts to solve the problem of misuse in identity documents; and

Whereas, more than 600 organizations opposed the passage of Real ID including the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois; and

Whereas, Real ID would provide little security benefit and still leave identification systems open to insider fraud, counterfeit documentation, and database failures: Therefore be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, the Senate concurring herein, That the Illinois General Assembly supports the Government of the United States in its campaign against terrorism and affirms the commitment of the United States that the campaign not be waged at the expense of essential civil rights and liberties of citizens of this country that are protected in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights; and be it further

Resolved, That the members of the Illinois General Assembly oppose any portion of the Real ID Act that violates the rights and liberties guaranteed under the Illinois Constitution or the United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights; and be it further

Resolved, That the Illinois General Assembly urges the Illinois Congressional delegation in the United States Congress to support measures to repeal the Real ID Act of 2005; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to President George W. Bush, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, Senator Richard Durbin, Senator Barack Obama, and each of the members of the Illinois Congressional delegation.

____

POM-226. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to enact legislation making each federal election day a national holiday; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

House Resolution No. 50

Whereas, citizen participation in the electoral process is the cornerstone of our American democracy; and

Whereas, unfortunately, the rate of voter turnout for elections in this country has declined over the years and is lower than the rate enjoyed by some other democracies around the world; and

Whereas, Germany and Italy, for instance, have experienced a growth in their percentages of voter participation since making their election days national holidays; and

Whereas, making each federal election day a national holiday in the United States would make it easier for Americans to get to the polls, and election authorities would find a greater number of election workers and accessible buildings available; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we urge the United States Congress to enact, and the President to approve, legislation making each federal election day a national holiday; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be presented to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, and each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

____

POM-227. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to do what is necessary to ensure that returning veterans get the best in healthcare; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

House Resolution No. 375

Whereas, a significant growth in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been identified over the past few years with the escalation of combat veterans returning home from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts; nation-wide calls for more assistance for those returning with mental issues as a result of combat have been growing, and this resolution is in response to those calls; and

Whereas, as of January 2007, more than 1.6 million U.S. service men and women had served in Afghanistan and Iraq; and

Whereas, in October 2005, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reported that more than 430,000 U.S. soldiers have been discharged from the military following service in Afghanistan and Iraq; more than 119,000 have sought help for medical or mental health issues from the Department of Veterans Affairs to date; and

Whereas, in January 2006, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 35% of Iraq Veterans have already sought help for mental health concerns; a 2003 New England Journal of Medicine Study found that more than 60% of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans showing symptoms of PTSD were unlikely to seek help due to fears of stigmatization or loss of career advancement opportunities; and

Whereas, in 2005, the Department of Veterans Affairs reported that 18% of Afghanistan Veterans and 20% of Iraq Veterans in their care were suffering from some type of service-connected psychological disorder; and

Whereas, the Department of Veterans Affairs has seen a tenfold increase in PTSD cases in 2006; according to the VA, more than 37,000 Vets of Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from mental health disorders, and more than 16,000 have already been diagnosed with PTSD; and

Whereas, according to the Army, since March 2003, at least 45 U.S. soldiers and 9 Marines have committed suicide in Iraq; at least 20 soldiers and 23 Marines have committed suicide since returning home, though exact numbers are not available; and

Whereas, the United States Congress is currently considering H.R. 612, H.R. 1538, S. 713, and H.R. 1268, which address the tragic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder situation among our returning veterans; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That our returning veterans deserve the very best in healthcare, including mental care, and that both the Federal Government and State Governments must work together to provide this healthcare; and be it further

Resolved, That the State of Illinois wishes to be a model State for the medical care that we offer to our returning soldiers in joint partnership with the Federal Government; and be it further

Resolved, That we urge Congress to act on H.R. 612, H.R. 1538, S. 713, and H.R. 1268 for the safety and well-being of our returning veterans who face mental illness caused by their fulfillment of their duties; and be it further

Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent to the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Illinois Congressional Delegation, and the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.

____

POM-228. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Texas urging Congress to support the Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2005; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 16

Whereas, the United States Merchant Marine is made up of a fleet of ships used for commercial transport during peace time and as an auxiliary to the United States Navy during times of war; and

Whereas, the members of the U.S. Merchant Marine served the United States bravely in World War II, suffering the highest casualty rate of any branch of the military; in spite of their dedicated and heroic service, these men and women are not considered veterans under the Social Security Act, thereby denying them the financial support in their later years that is afforded to those whom they served alongside in war time; and

Whereas, merchant mariners are considered military personnel in times of war and have an illustrious history of defending this country that started with contributing to American independence by disrupting the British supply chain during the Revolutionary War; and

Whereas, the Merchant Marine ranks during World War II were filled through campaigns by the War Shipping Administration and military recruiters, served under the auspices of the military, included transferred members from other branches of the military, and instructed by their commanders about the critical, patriotic importance of service on troop and supply ships; and

Whereas, the delivery of tanks, aircraft, jeeps, gasoline, medicine, and food rations by the Merchant Marine to troops in every theater of World War II was integral to the Allies' victory; and

Whereas, despite accolades from then General Dwight D. Eisenhower and President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the vital military contribution and service in every invasion from Normandy to Okinawa, the merchant mariners were excluded from the GI Bill of Rights enacted in 1945, and for 43 years the U.S. government denied them benefits ranging from housing to health care until Congress awarded them veterans' status in 1988--too late for 125,000 mariners to benefit, roughly half of those who had served; moreover, these merchant mariners continue to be denied veterans' benefits under the Social Security Act; and

Whereas, the Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2005 appropriately honors the service of World War II merchant mariners and attempts to rectify the previous denial of financial benefits by providing a monthly monetary benefit, from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, for each Merchant Marine World War II veteran, or surviving spouse, and bestowing veteran status upon them under the Social Security Act, qualifying these brave individuals for Social Security veterans' benefits: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to support the Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2005; and, be it further

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES DURING ADJOURNMENT OF THE SENATE

Under the authority of the order of the Senate of January 4, 2007, the following reports of committees were submitted on September 14, 2007.

By Mr. BYRD (for Mr. Inouye), from the Committee on Appropriations, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.

H.R. 3222. A bill making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes (Rept. No. 110-155).

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On page S11585, September 17, 2007, REPORTS OF COMMITTEES DURING ADJOURNMENT OF THE SENATE was omitted.

The online version was corrected to include the following omitted text immediately prior to REPORTS OF COMMITTEES: REPORTS OF COMMITTEES DURING ADJOURNMENT OF THE SENATE Under the authority of the order of the Senate of January 4, 2007, the following reports of committees were submitted on September 14, 2007. By Mr. BYRD (for Mr. INOUYE), from the Committee on Appropriations, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. H.R. 3222. A bill making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes (Rept. No. 110-155).

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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 153, No. 137