[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 123 (Thursday, July 27, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10819-S10820]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        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-248. A resolution adopted by the New Jersey State 
     Federation of Women's Club relative to children; to the 
     Committee on Finance.
       POM-249. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Tennessee; to the Committee on Finance.

                    ``Senate Joint Resolution No. 12

       ``Whereas, the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund (Wallop-Breaux) 
     was enacted by the U.S. Congress so that the safety and 
     education of the nation's boaters would receive funding 
     similar to that provided for fish and wildlife programs; and
       ``Whereas, Aquatic Resources Trust Fund monies are not 
     general funds, but rather trust funds derived from the tax 
     boaters pay on marine fuel and, therefore, represent a prime 
     example of the user fee concept, i.e. user pays, user 
     benefits; and
       ``Whereas, in Tennessee, these funds have helped to 
     steadily decrease boating fatalities so that the past three 
     years have been the lowest on record; and
       ``Whereas, the loss of these funds will be devastating to 
     Tennessee's boating program by reducing the education and 
     enforcement programs by nearly half; and
       ``Whereas, the current administration did not ask for these 
     funds as a part of the proposed federal budget, thereby 
     ending an enormously successful program engineered through 
     the cooperative efforts of the American League of Anglers and 
     Boaters, Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Congress, and others; 
     and
       ``Whereas, these funds cannot be used for budget deficit 
     reduction but rather will transfer to the Sport Fisheries 
     account of the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, thereby 
     bypassing the intent of the enabling legislation; and
       ``Whereas, there was bipartisan support in the 103rd 
     Congress in the form of HR 4477 to reinstate this vital 
     funding on a sustained basis; and
       ``Whereas, there appears to be movement to address this 
     same boating safety funding dilemma in the early days of the 
     104th Congress: Now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved by the Senate of the Ninety-Ninth General 
     Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the House of 
     Representatives concurring, That this General Assembly hereby 
     memorializes the United States Congress to enact legislation 
     which would reinstate Aquatic Resources Trust Fund (Wallop-
     Breaux) monies on a sustained funding basis to assure the 
     continued proven success of Tennessee's, as well as other 
     states', boating safety and education program, and be it 
     further
       ``Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Senate is directed 
     to transmit enrolled copies of this resolution to the 
     Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; the 
     Speaker and the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives; 
     the President and the Secretary of the U.S. Senate; and to 
     each member of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-250. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Alabama; to the Committee on 
     Finance.

                            ``Resolution 369

       ``Whereas, the health insurance benefits of nearly 100,000 
     retired coal miners, with an average age of 73, are in 
     jeopardy due to pending bills in the United States Congress; 
     and
       ``Whereas, the coal mining industry is vital to the economy 
     of Alabama and other states threatened by these pending 
     bills; and
       ``Whereas, these bills, if enacted, could relieve more than 
     400 corporations and companies from contributing into a 
     health care fund established to replace several financially-
     troubled funds and would result in severe hardship to retired 
     coal miners, imperil the economic stability of the 
     communities in which these miners live, and would impose 
     additional fiscal burdens on the social service systems of 
     the various states: and
       ``Whereas, most of the retirees that would be affected 
     worked their entire lives in appallingly dangerous and severe 
     conditions, and to now deny benefits is unthinkable to fair-
     minded persons throughout the country: Now therefore be it
       ``Resolved by the House of Representatives of the 
     Legislature of Alabama, That we hereby express our strongest 
     opposition to the passage or consideration of any pending 
     bills before the United States Congress that would eliminate 
     or reduce benefits for coal miners and their widows.
       ``Resolved further, That a copy of this resolution be sent 
     to each member of the Alabama Congressional Delegation, and 
     to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and the 
     President of the U.S. Senate as an expression of our 
     opposition.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-251. A resolution adopted by the Greater Miami Chamber 
     of Commerce of the City of Miami, Florida relative to Cuba; 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
       POM-252. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Indiana; to the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations.

                       ``House Resolution No. 74

       ``Whereas, China has been a divided nation since 1949, and 
     the governments of the Republic of China on Taiwan 
     (hereinafter cited as ``Taiwan'') and the People's Republic 
     of China on Mainland China (hereinafter cited as ``Mainland 
     China'') have exercised exclusive jurisdiction over separate 
     parts of China;
       ``Whereas, Taiwan has the 19th largest gross national 
     product in the world, a strong and vibrant economy, and one 
     of the largest foreign exchange reserves of any nation;
       ``Whereas, Taiwan has dramatically improved its record on 
     human rights and routinely holds free and fair elections in a 
     multiparty system, as evidenced most recently by the December 
     3, 1994 balloting for local and provincial officials:
       ``Whereas, the 21 million people on Taiwan are not 
     represented in the United Nations and their human rights as 
     citizens of the world are therefore severely abridged;
       ``Whereas, Taiwan has in recent years repeatedly expressed 
     its strong desire to participate in the United Nations;
       ``Whereas, Taiwan has much to contribute to the work and 
     funding of the United Nations;
       ``Whereas, Taiwan has demonstrated its commitment to the 
     world community by responding to international disasters and 
     crises such as environmental destruction in the Persian Gulf 
     and famine in Rwanda by proving financial donations, medical 
     assistance, and other forms of aid;
       ``Whereas, the world community has reacted positively to 
     Taiwan's desire for international participation, as shown by 
     Taiwan's continued membership in the Asian Development Bank, 
     the admission of Taiwan into the Asia-Pacific Economic 
     Cooperation group as a full member, and the accession of 
     Taiwan as an observer at the General Agreement on Tariffs and 
     Trade as the first step toward becoming a contracting party 
     to the organizations;
       ``Whereas, the United States has supported Taiwan's 
     participation in these bodies and indicated, in its policy 
     review of September 1994, a stronger and more active policy 
     of support for Taiwan's participation in other international 
     organizations;
       ``Whereas, Taiwan has repeatedly stated that its 
     participation in international organization is that of a 
     divided nation, with no intention to challenge the current 
     international status of Mainland China;
       ``Whereas, the United Nations and other international 
     organizations have established precedents concerning the 
     admission of separate parts of divided nations, such as Korea 
     and Germany; and
       ``Whereas, Taiwan's participation in international 
     organizations would not prevent or imperil a future voluntary 
     union between Taiwan and mainland China any more than the 
     recognition of separate governments in the former West 
     Germany and the former East Germany prevented the voluntary 
     reunification of Germany: Now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved by the House of Representatives of the General 
     Assembly of the State of Indiana:
       ``Section 1. Taiwan deserves full participation, including 
     a seat in the United Nations, 

[[Page S 10820]]
     and the government of the United States should immediately encourage 
     the United Nations to establish an ad hoc committee for the 
     purpose of studying membership for Taiwan in that 
     organization and its related agencies.
       ``Section 2. The principal Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives is directed to transmit a copy of this 
     resolution to the President of the United States, the Speaker 
     of the United States House of Representatives, and the United 
     States Senate Majority Leader.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-253. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                       ``Joint Resolution No. 30

       ``Whereas, The residents of the State of Nevada have 
     enjoyed a sister-state relationship with the residents of the 
     Republic of China on Taiwan for the past 10 years; and
       ``Whereas, the commercial interaction with the Republic of 
     China on Taiwan has grown substantially in recent years to 
     the benefit of the State of Nevada; and
       ``Whereas, the Republic of China on Taiwan has successfully 
     established a democratic, multiparty political system; and
       ``Whereas, working in a cooperative atmosphere with the 
     United States, the role of the Republic of China on Taiwan in 
     international developmental programs and humanitarian relief 
     operations has expanded significantly during the past decade; 
     and
       ``Whereas, seven Central American countries have proposed 
     to the Secretary General of the United Nations that a 
     supplementary item be included in the provisional agenda of 
     the 48th General Assembly session to consider the exceptional 
     situation of the Republic of China on Taiwan in the 
     international community, based on the principle of 
     universality, and in accordance with the established pattern 
     of parallel representation by divided countries in the United 
     Nations: Now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     Nevada, jointly, That our ongoing commercial relationship 
     with the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan be 
     recognized as serving our mutual interest in an equitable and 
     reciprocal manner; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the contributions of the Republic of China 
     on Taiwan in light of her democratic government and 
     humanitarian service abroad, be accorded appropriate 
     recognition by the residents of the State of Nevada; and be 
     it further
       ``Resolved, That the Congress of the United States is 
     hereby urged to give due consideration to the readiness of 
     the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan for its further 
     contributions to broaden participation in the international 
     community, including the United Nations and such forums as 
     multilateral trade associations and humanitarian relief 
     organizations; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare 
     and transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of 
     the United States, the Vice President of the United States as 
     presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, each member of the Nevada Congressional 
     Delegation and to Director General Jyh-yuan Lo of the Taipei 
     Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco; and be it 
     further
       ``Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage and approval.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-254. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                       ``Joint Resolution No. 38

       ``Whereas, a parent who disagrees with a court's decision 
     relating to the custody of his child may choose to leave the 
     United States with that child; and
       ``Whereas, international cases of parental abduction of 
     children have increased dramatically; and
       ``Whereas, since 1977, the Office of Children's Issues of 
     the United States Department of State has been notified in 
     the cases of approximately 7,000 American children who were 
     abducted from the United States or prevented from returning 
     to the United States by one of their parents; and
       ``Whereas, the Office of Children's Issues has more than 
     1,200 unresolved cases of international abduction of children 
     on file; and
       ``Whereas, the United States Department of State is not 
     authorized to intervene in the private legal matters of 
     parents or to enforce an agreement relating to the custody of 
     a child who is living with a parent outside the United 
     States: Now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     Nevada, jointly, That the Nevada Legislature hereby urges 
     Congress to enact legislation which would require that any 
     application for a passport for a child under the age of 16 
     years must be signed by: ``1. Both parents, if the parents 
     and the child live together; 2. The parent or parents who has 
     been awarded custody of the child; or 3. The surviving 
     parent, if a parent is deceased; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare 
     and transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President 
     of the United States as presiding officer of the Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives and each member of 
     the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage and approval.''
     

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