[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6848-S6849]
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-627. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Colorado; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                          Senate Memorial 96-1

       ``Whereas, For more than 40 years, the federal government 
     developed, produced, and tested nuclear weapons in a number 
     of government-owned facilities throughout the country, 
     including Rocky Flats in Colorado; and
       ``Whereas, Contamination from these facilities has 
     contributed to environmental damage at the sites, including 
     radiological had hazardous surface and subsurface soil and 
     groundwater contamination at Rocky Flats; and
       ``Whereas, As a result of the end of the Cold War, the 
     federal government has shifted its focus to environmental 
     restoration and waste cleanup at the facilities; and
       ``Whereas, The Department of Energy has committed to clean 
     up the nuclear weapons complex; and
       ``Whereas, If the nuclear weapons complex is not cleaned up 
     in accordance with known health standards, citizens in 
     Colorado and across America will be affected directly or 
     indirectly by the dangers that will continue to exist; and
       ``Whereas, the cost of cleaning up the Rocky Flats site is 
     estimated to be $9 billion or more; and
       ``Whereas, To reach total cleanup, an increase in funding 
     over the next five years is needed but no commitment to this 
     funding has yet been made by the federal government; and
       ``Whereas, Commitment by the federal government to the full 
     funding of the necessary costs associated with these cleanup 
     activities may be sacrificed as a result of current budget 
     discussions by Congress; now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved by the Senate of the Sixtieth General Assembly 
     of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives 
     concurring herein, That we, the members of the Colorado 
     General Assembly, urge the federal government to recognize 
     that cleanup of Rocky Flats and other weapons facilities is a 
     related expenditure to the $4 trillion spent for the Cold 
     war; be it further
       ``Resolved, That we urge the federal government to:
       ``(1) Make a sustained commitment to completing 
     environmental cleanup at Rocky Flats and its other facilities 
     at a reasonable and justifiable pace that protects human 
     health and the environment;
       ``(2) Strive not only to comply with environmental laws, 
     but also to be a leader in the field of environmental 
     cleanup, including addressing public health concerns, 
     ecological restoration, and waste management; and
       ``(3) Consult with officials in Jefferson county, Colorado, 
     and other affected county governments regarding 
     transportation of cleanup materials; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That we urge Congress and the President of the 
     United States to approve full funding of all necessary 
     cleanup activities at Rocky Flats and other nuclear weapons 
     facilities.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-628. A resolution adopted by the Municipal Assembly of 
     Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico relative to Cabotage; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
       POM-629. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Alaska; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                      ``Legislative Resolve No. 46

       ``Whereas Alaska has at least 26 trillion cubic feet of 
     natural gas reserves in the Prudhoe Bay field and perhaps two 
     to three times that amount of potential natural gas reserves; 
     and

[[Page S6849]]

       ``Whereas, beginning in the period 2002-2005, there may be 
     an increasing gap between supply and demand for natural gas 
     in the Pacific Rim; and
       ``Whereas market and economic studies indicate favorable 
     conditions for the sale of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to 
     these Pacific Rim markets; and
       ``Whereas major permits for a pipeline route from the North 
     Slope to Valdez have been completed; and

                           *   *   *   *   *

       ``and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the State of Alaska respectfully requests 
     the President of the United States to demonstrate national 
     support for an ANS gas transmission project to Asian LNG 
     buyers; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the Governor is respectfully requested to
       ``(1) assure the Asian LNG buyers that the state will 
     provide continuity and stability in regards to North Slope 
     natural gas supply, tax structure, and regulatory policy;
       ``(2) continue support of the Joint Pipeline Office, which 
     administers an innovative, efficient, and cost-effective 
     permitting system;
       ``(3) encourage the private developers of the gas pipeline 
     and the state's labor forces to develop an Alaska hire 
     agreement for the ANS gas transmission project; and
       ``(4) meet with all parties to determine how the state can 
     help facilitate the ANS gas transmission pipeline; and be it 
     further
       ``Resolved, That the President of the Senate and the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alaska State 
     Legislature, appoint an interim working group to track 
     progress and assist the transportation permit holder, the 
     working interest owners of the Prudhoe Bay and Point Thompson 
     units, and the administration in developing a unified 
     proposal for presentation to the Asian market; the 
     legislative interim working group shall report on the status 
     of the project and any proposed legislative actions to the 
     Resources Committees of the Alaska House of Representatives 
     and Alaska Senate by February 1, 1997; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the Alaska State Legislature strongly 
     supports the construction of an ANS gas transmission pipeline 
     and offers its assistance to the parties involved in order to 
     speed completion of an ANS gas transmission project.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-630. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Michigan; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                ``Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 266.

       ``A concurrent resolution to make an urgent request to the 
     Congress of the United States to release to the states, 
     including Michigan, all federal road funding due under the 
     gas tax formula.
       ``Whereas, The quality of Michigan roadways has a great 
     deal to do with the state's competitiveness in attracting and 
     retaining jobs for our citizens. Every individual and every 
     business in Michigan is affected when Michigan roads suffer 
     from insufficient maintenance. Finding the means to meet this 
     financial challenge is of the utmost importance to both state 
     and local policymakers as we prepare for the twenty-first 
     century; and
       ``Whereas, The difficult task of providing excellence in 
     transportation in Michigan is made far worse by some of the 
     current practices of the federal government with regard to 
     the allocation of money raised by the federal gas tax; and
       ``Whereas, The current practices of the federal government 
     with regards to the allocation of dollars raised by the 
     federal tax made it difficult for Michigan to improve and 
     expand its transportation system. Of the states required to 
     send money to the federal government, in accordance with the 
     federal funding formula, Michigan sends significantly more 
     money to Washington than it receives back. In 1993, for 
     example, Michigan paid a total of $733.7 million to the 
     Federal Highway Trust Fund, and only $520.1 million was 
     returned; and
       ``Whereas, In addition, even more money designated for 
     return to Michigan, and several other states, is being 
     withheld by federal transportation authorities. This money is 
     critical to our transportation infrastructure and a vital 
     component of the state's economic well-being.
       ``Whereas, The current budget debate offers an opportunity 
     to reexamine this critical aspect of public spending. This 
     examination should include immediately correcting the gross 
     inequities in allocating the funds generated by the federal 
     gas tax; now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved, by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That we respectfully, but urgently, ask the 
     Congress of the United States to release to the states, 
     including Michigan, any federal road funding due under the 
     gas tax formula but currently being held back by the federal 
     government; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted 
     to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker, of 
     the United States House of Representatives, and to each 
     member of the Michigan congressional delegation with the 
     request that each member review this issue, offering a formal 
     response to this body, the Michigan State Senate.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-631. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Colorado; to the Committee on Finance.

                    ``Senate Joint Resolution 96-11

       ``Whereas, Encouraging the private provision of health care 
     coverage is a laudable and legitimate governmental objective; 
     and
       ``Whereas, The provision of health care insurance or other 
     health care coverage assists in mitigating the impacts of 
     providing uncompensated health care on the health care 
     system; and
       ``Whereas, Tax benefits associated with the payment of 
     health care insurance premiums and the costs of funding other 
     methods of covering health care costs should be fair and 
     equitable regardless of the method used; and
       ``Whereas, Individuals and employees should be encouraged 
     and have the freedom to choose the method by which they 
     provide for the expenses of the health care they receive; 
     now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved by the Senate of the Sixtieth General Assembly 
     of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives 
     concurring herein: That we, the members of the Colorado 
     General Assembly, are desirous of federal legislation that 
     affords equal tax treatment for the costs of health care 
     insurance purchased by employers, by employees and 
     individuals who are self-employed, and by individuals who are 
     not self-employed; be it further
       ``Resolved, That we support federal legislation that 
     affords equal tax treatment for the management of health care 
     costs through the use of medical savings accounts; be it 
     further
       ``Resolved, That we call for the United States Congress to 
     establish a plan for tax equity in the treatment of 
     contributions, expenses and costs associated with employer-
     based health care insurance, individually-paid health care 
     insurance, health care not covered by Medicare, and the use 
     of individual medical savings accounts; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the President of the Senate 
     and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     Congress of the United States, and to each member of 
     Colorado's Congressional delegation.''

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