[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 83 (Monday, June 16, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5692-S5694]
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-140. A resolution adopted by the Mayor and Council of 
     the Borough of Spring Lake Heights, County of Monmouth, New 
     Jersey relative the Mud Dump Site; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.
       POM-141. A resolution adopted by the New Jersey State 
     Federation of Women's Clubs relative to the Violence Against 
     Women Act; to the Committee on Finance.
       POM-142. A resolution adopted by the New Jersey State 
     Federation of Women's Clubs relative to the proposed Child 
     Labor Deterrence Act; to the Committee on Finance.
       POM-143. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Alaska; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                               Resolution

       Whereas the nation's military strategy has shifted from its 
     focus during the Cold War on deterrence and containment to 
     support for the nation's new policies of global leadership in 
     preventive diplomacy and promotion of democratic values; and
       Whereas our armed forces, in the face of budget and force 
     reductions and increasingly limited resources, are now called 
     upon to conduct operations ranging from enforcing peace to 
     preventing conflict and providing humanitarian assistance, 
     while at all times remaining fully trained and prepared to 
     accomplish their ultimate mission: to fight our nation's wars 
     and win; and
       Whereas the United States Department of Defense is now 
     conducting its quadrennial review to evaluate the roles, 
     missions, force structure, and base structure required to 
     meet the challenges of the changing world situation; and
       Whereas Alaska's military bases offer the armed forces an 
     unmatched military value as a global power projection 
     platform, as well as incomparable joint training areas that 
     combine world class airspace and air-to-surface target ranges 
     with state-of-the-art electronic arrays and capabilities and 
     a wide range of terrain that is similar to the terrain of 
     many worldwide contingency operations areas; and
       Whereas the State of Alaska and its citizens have always 
     extended a warm welcome to members of the armed forces and 
     their families and supported them with state and local 
     programs and educational opportunities that recognize the 
     contributions that members of the armed forces and their 
     families have made to our nation as well as to our local 
     communities;
       Be it resolved, That the Alaska State Legislature invites 
     the United States Department of Defense to make use of 
     Alaska's unique

[[Page S5693]]

     qualities and capabilities by selecting military areas of 
     operation within the state as the site to base and train the 
     full spectrum force our nation now requires to successfully 
     deploy and conduct both joint and combined operations in 
     environments around the world.
       Copies of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable 
     Bill Clinton, President of the United States; to the 
     Honorable Al Gore, Vice-President of the United States and 
     President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable William S. Cohen, 
     Secretary of Defense; the Honorable Togo D. West, Jr., 
     Secretary of the Army; the Honorable John H. Dalton, 
     Secretary of the Navy; the Honorable Sheila E. Widnall, 
     Secretary of the Air Force; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, 
     Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of the U.S. 
     Senate; the Honorable Floyd D. Spence, Chairman of the 
     National Security Committee of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the 
     Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable 
     Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska 
     delegation in Congress.
                                                                    ____

       POM-144. A concurrent resolution adopted by the General 
     Assembly of the State of Iowa; to the Committee on Finance.

                               Resolution

       Whereas, this nation is dependent upon the consumption of 
     ever-diminishing domestic crude oil reserves with the United 
     States annually importing foreign petroleum which accounts 
     for 54 percent of the nation's petroleum consumption and 
     contributes to the nation's serious trade deficit; and
       Whereas, a significant amount of this nation's air 
     pollution is caused by vehicles, emitting a variety of 
     petroleum-based pollutants, including benzene and other 
     aromatics, nitrous oxides, particulate matter in the form of 
     smoke and soot, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide; and
       Whereas, the state of Iowa ranks as a preeminent 
     agricultural state, leading the nation in the production of 
     corn; and
       Whereas, the processing of corn into ethanol adds value to 
     this nation's abundant corn crop, increasing net farm income, 
     creating employment opportunities, increasing state and 
     federal tax receipts, reducing this nation's dependence upon 
     foreign nations, and reducing the federal trade deficit; and
       Whereas, in 1996 ethanol production contributed $1.9 
     billion to Iowa's economy, affected the employment of 13,250 
     Iowans, and increased the value of Iowa's corn crop by $335 
     million; and
       Whereas, ethanol provides competition in fuel markets and 
     expands consumers' choice of motor fuels which has resulted 
     in a 45 percent market share in the state of Iowa; and
       Whereas, motor fuel that includes only a 10 percent blend 
     of ethanol contains 3.5 percent oxygen, which enhances octane 
     levels and provides more oxygen for fuel combustion resulting 
     in reduced levels of hazardous emissions such as carbon 
     monoxide and which provides Americans with healthier air to 
     breathe; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress in supporting the need 
     to reduce this nation's dependence upon foreign petroleum, to 
     provide additional markets for domestic corn, to protect the 
     public health, and to preserve the nation's environment, has 
     traditionally encouraged ethanol production and consumption; 
     and
       Whereas, long-standing bipartisan congressional support for 
     the ethanol industry is reflected by the 5.4 cent federal tax 
     exemption applicable to gasoline formulated using clean 
     burning ethanol; and
       Whereas, the federal tax exemption, currently scheduled to 
     expire on December 31, 2000, is subject to attack by certain 
     members of the current session of the 105th Congress of the 
     United States, as manifested by H.R. 161 introduced by United 
     States Representative Phil English and H.R. 587 introduced by 
     United States Representative Ken Bentsen, both supported by 
     United States Representative Bill Archer, serving as the 
     Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee: Now therefore
       Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate 
     concurring, That the general assembly encourage the Congress 
     of the United States to resist all efforts to diminish its 
     traditional support of corn growers and the ethanol industry.
       Be it further resolved, That the Congress of the United 
     States renew this nation's commitment to the ethanol 
     industry, including by continuing its support of the federal 
     ethanol tax exemption, increasing its commitment to this 
     environmentally benevolent renewable fuel, and taking other 
     actions to increase this nation's commitment to the 
     production and use of ethanol.
       Be it further resolved, That copies of this Resolution be 
     sent by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     the President of the United States.
       Be it further resolved, That copies of this Resolution be 
     sent by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     the President of the Senate of the United States; the Speaker 
     of the House of Representatives of the United States; the 
     majority and minority leaders of the United States Senate; 
     and the majority and minority leaders of the United States 
     House of Representatives.
       Be it further resolved, That copies of this Resolution be 
     sent by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     the chairmen and ranking members of the United States Senate 
     Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; the United 
     States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation; the United States Senate Committee on 
     Finance; the United States Senate Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources; the United States House of Representatives 
     Committee on Agriculture; the United States House of 
     Representatives Committee on Ways and Means; the United 
     States House of Representatives Committee on Transportation 
     and Infrastructure; and the United States House of 
     Representatives Committee on Resources.
       Be it further resolved, That copies of this Resolution be 
     sent by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     the Iowa's congressional delegation.
                                                                    ____

       POM-145. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of 
     the State of New Jersey; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.

                               Resolution

       Whereas, The number of adoptions by American citizens of 
     children born in other countries is increasing more rapidly 
     than any other type of adoptions in the United States. 
     According to the National Council for Adoption (NCFA), in 
     1991 there were 9,008 foreign adoptions in the United States. 
     More than 60%, or 5,409, of the children adopted were under 
     one year of age; and
       Whereas, In certain countries, war, political turmoil and 
     economic circumstances contribute to a situation in which 
     there are very few prospective individuals interested in 
     adopting in comparison to the vast number of children in need 
     of home. In addition, few countries have designed laws in a 
     way which facilitate the placement of children in permanent 
     homes. Instead, children languish in orphanages or 
     institutions where they suffer the effects of malnutrition, 
     overcrowding, disease, abuse and neglect; and
       Whereas, Political forces in countries where international 
     adoptions are on the rise condemn the practice of ``giving 
     their children away'' to foreigners, making it more difficult 
     for individuals from outside these countries to adopt 
     children in need of homes. In the United States, Congress has 
     severely limited the scope of foreign adoptions by permitting 
     entry to adoptees that fit the narrowly defined category of 
     ``orphan;'' and
       Where, Many individuals, such as single men and women and 
     couples over the age of 40, find it difficult to adopt in 
     this country and foreign adoptions afford them the only 
     opportunity to create a permanent family. Certain countries 
     have developed bilateral treaties or other agreements 
     designed to govern adoptions between countries, but most of 
     the cooperations which exists between the United States and 
     other countries when dealing with international adoption 
     issues is found on the adoption agency level; and
       Whereas, In order to help individuals who are interested in 
     adopting children from other countries, unimpeded access to 
     orphaned and abandoned children should be guaranteed. To 
     accomplish this goal, a legal framework should be 
     established, through treaties or other agreements, in the 
     United States and around the world that would maximize the 
     potential for cooperation among the countries who have 
     children to adopt and the countries whose citizens are 
     interested in adopting those children and remove the barriers 
     which hinder international adoptions: Now, therefore
       Be it resolved by the General Assembly by the State of New 
     Jersey:
       1. The United States Department of State is memorialized to 
     adopt a guarantee of unimpeded access to orphaned and 
     abandoned children by Americans as a tenet of foreign policy 
     when negotiating treaties.
       2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution signed by 
     the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk 
     of the General Assembly shall be transmitted to the presiding 
     officers of the United States Senate and House of 
     Representatives, the members of the New Jersey Congressional 
     delegation and the Governor of the State of New Jersey.


                               statement

       This resolution memorializes the United States Department 
     of State to adopt a guarantee of unimpeded access to orphaned 
     and abandoned children by Americans as a tenet of foreign 
     policy when negotiating treaties. The purpose of the 
     resolution is to urge the federal government to help remove 
     the legal barriers that make it so difficult for Americans to 
     adopt children from other countries.
       Memorializes the U.S. Department of State to adopt a 
     guarantee of unimpeded access to orphaned and abandoned 
     children by Americans as a tenet of foreign policy when 
     negotiating treaties.
                                                                    ____

       POM-146. A resolution adopted by the General Court of the 
     Commonwealth of Massachusetts; to the Committee on Veterans' 
     Affairs.

                               Resolution

       Whereas, the citizens of the Commonwealth recognize the 
     sacrifice and honorable service of thousands of local 
     veterans; and
       Whereas, the citizens of the Commonwealth support programs 
     and services which provide needed and deserved assistance to 
     those veterans, especially quality health care; and
       Whereas, certain Members of the United States Congress have 
     proposed the consolidation and closure of many veterans 
     hospitals across the Nation, including hospitals in the 
     Commonwealth, which would result in a devastating loss of 
     medical services to the nations veterans: Now, therefore be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Massachusetts General Court respectfully 
     requests that veterans

[[Page S5694]]

     hospitals across the Commonwealth and across the country be 
     protected and preserved so that continued health care will be 
     available to veterans seeking the unique services they 
     provide: 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 the members thereof from this Commonwealth.

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