[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 198 (Wednesday, December 13, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S18558-S18559]
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-480. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Alaska; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation.

                              ``Resolution

       ``Whereas the federal government is considering legislation 
     that would repeal the existing authority of the Interstate 
     Commerce Commission to regulate water carriers transporting 
     property between the 48 contiguous states and Alaska; and
       ``Whereas Alaska is uniquely dependent on water 
     transportation in that virtually everything that Alaskans 
     eat, drink, wear, or use comes into the state by ship or 
     barge; and
       ``Whereas the deep water transport market serving the 
     Alaska Railbelt is a classic duopoly situation in that two 
     water carriers provide the vital service of transporting at 
     least 75 percent of all goods shipped for 80 percent of the 
     state's residents; and
       ``Whereas, in a duopoly situation, the service providers 
     have an obligation to their customers to operate with the 
     highest degree of fairness and disclosure; and
       ``Whereas the freight system by which Alaskans receive 
     vital cargo should treat all customers fairly by guaranteeing 
     equal access to competitive rates; and
       ``Whereas the citizens of Alaska, recognizing that their 
     interests may best be served by allowing market forces to 
     determine the cost of bringing vital goods to the state so 
     far as possible, continue to have concerns about the cost of 
     shipping goods to Alaska; and
       ``Whereas the citizens of Alaska have also expressed their 
     desire to preserve the essential elements of the current 
     system of regulating water carriers serving Alaska; and
       ``Whereas, if the Interstate Commerce Commission is 
     abolished and if there is no other forum for shipper 
     complaints, the citizens of the state may have no place to 
     present and resolve complaints about water carriers serving 
     Alaska other than in court; and
       ``Whereas the federal government has historically had a 
     role in water transportation to Alaska through the Interstate 
     Commerce Commission; and
       ``Whereas the federal government is considering whether to 
     transfer some functions of the Interstate Commerce Commission 
     to the United States Department of Transportation; and
       ``Whereas the Interstate Commerce Commission has 
     recommended that the regulation of all domestic offshore 
     water carriage be handled by the Federal Maritime Commission, 
     which may also be abolished; and
       ``Whereas regulatory functions of the Interstate Commerce 
     Commission relating to domestic offshore water carriage could 
     be performed by other existing federal entities if the 
     Interstate Commerce Commission is abolished in order to save 
     federal taxpayer money; and
       ``Whereas three primary interests of Alaskans if such 
     abolishment occurs are to ensure that rates for carriage to 
     Alaska are fair and competitive, to ensure that carriage 
     service to Alaska is dependable, and to ensure that an 
     accessible forum exists in which Alaskans can present and 
     resolve complaints; be it
       ``Resolved, That the Alaska State Legislature respectfully 
     requests that the Governor and members of the Alaska 
     delegation in the United States Congress support the 
     preservation of the essential regulatory functions of the 
     Interstate Commerce Commission pertaining to domestic 
     offshore water carriage that serve the best interests of 
     Alaska's consumers while providing an acceptable rate of 
     return to the carriers which serve the Alaska market by 
     transferring such regulatory functions to the United States 
     Department of Transportation, if and when necessary.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-481. A resolution adopted by the Commission of the City 
     of Boynton, Floria relative to the Superfund Reform 95 
     principles; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
       POM-482. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Georgia; to the Committee on 
     Finance.
       ``Whereas, the members of state legislatures are required 
     to be away from their homes while performing the duties of 
     their offices; and
       ``Whereas, members of state legislatures are reimbursed for 
     their travel expenses and the other expenses incurred in 
     performing their duties; and
       ``Whereas, under the provisions of 26 U.S.C., Section 
     162(h), state legislators are allowed to deduct such 
     reasonable travel expenses for purposes of income taxation; 
     and
       ``Whereas, the payment of such expenses is currently 
     subject to withholding for purposes of the federal Social 
     Security Act and for purposes of federal income taxation; and
       ``Whereas, it is only fitting and proper that such expenses 
     should not be subjected to withholding for these purposes: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved by the House of Representatives, That this body 
     urges the Congress of the United States to enact legislation 
     which would exclude the travel expenses and per diem of state 
     legislators from income for purposes of contributions 
     required under the federal Social Security Act and from 
     withholding for purposes of federal income taxation, BE IT 
     FURTHER 
     
[[Page S18559]]

       ``Resolved That the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
     is authorized and directed to transmit appropriate copies of 
     this resolution to the Congress of the United States and to 
     each member of Congress from the State of Georgia.''

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