[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 17, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S8013]
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-656. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; to the 
     Committee on Governmental Affairs.

                              ``Resolution

       ``Whereas, at the end of the Korean war in nineteen hundred 
     and fifty-three over eight thousand American troops were 
     unaccounted for; and
       ``Whereas, historically, the position of the United States 
     Government has been that there were no longer any surviving 
     prisoners of war from the Korean war in North Korea; and
       ``Whereas, a recent Department of Defense report 
     acknowledges that between ten and fifteen prisoners of war 
     from the Korean war have been sighted, still alive and being 
     held in North Korea; and
       ``Whereas, many more of the eight thousand troops still 
     unaccounted for may still be alive and held in North Korea; 
     and
       ``Whereas, recent evidence indicates that these prisoners 
     of the war wish to return to the United States; and
       ``Whereas, the Korean war has been over for more than forty 
     years and the prisoners are now becoming elderly, making 
     swift action imperative: Now therefore be it
       ``Resolved, That the Massachusetts senate respectfully 
     urges the Congress of the United States to take immediate 
     action to determine the presence of American prisoners of war 
     in North Korea and to ensure the prompt return of any such 
     prisoners to the United States; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted 
     forthwith by the clerk of the Senate to the President of the 
     United States, to the Presiding Officer of each branch of 
     Congress and to each Member thereof from the Commonwealth.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-657. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Delaware; to the Committee on Labor and Human 
     Resources.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 38

       ``Whereas improving patient access to quality health care 
     is a paramount national goal; and
       ``Whereas the key to improved health care, especially for 
     persons with serious unmet medical needs, is the rapid 
     approval of safe and effective new drugs, biological 
     products, and medical devices; and
       ``Whereas minimizing the delay between discovery and 
     eventual approval of a new drug, biological product, or 
     medical device derived from research conducted by innovative 
     pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies could improve the 
     lives of millions of Americans; and
       ``Whereas current limitations on the dissemination of 
     information about pharmaceutical products reduce the 
     availability of information to physicians, other health care 
     professionals, and patients, and unfairly limit the right of 
     free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United 
     States Constitution; and
       ``Whereas the current rules and practices governing the 
     review of new drugs, biological products, and medical devices 
     by the United States Food and Drug Administration can delay 
     approvals and are unnecessary expensive: Now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the house of representatives of the 138th 
     General Assembly of the State of Delaware (the senate 
     concurring therein), That the State Legislature respectfully 
     urges the Congress of the United States to address this 
     important issue by enacting comprehensive legislation to 
     facilitate the rapid review and approval of innovative new 
     drugs, biological products, and medical devices, without 
     compromising patient safety or product effectiveness; and be 
     it further,
       ``Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be transmitted 
     forthwith by the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the 
     Senate to the President of the United States, the Speaker of 
     the United States House of Representatives, and President of 
     the United States Senate, and to each member of the United 
     States Senate and the United States House of 
     Representative.''

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