[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 113 (Tuesday, September 2, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8661-S8667]
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-192. A resolution adopted by Town Board of Babylon, New 
     York relative to the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Partnership; to the 
     Committee on Appropriations.
       POM-193. A resolution adopted by the Greater Knoxville 
     Chamber of Commerce relative to the National Spallation 
     Neutron Source; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation.
       POM-194. A resolution adopted by the City Council of 
     Harriman, Tennessee relative to the National Spallation 
     Neutron Source; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation.

[[Page S8662]]

       POM-195. A resolution adopted by the Roane County 
     Industrial Development Board (Tennessee) relative to the 
     National Spallation Neutron Source; to the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
       POM-196. A resolution adopted by Supervisors of Lyon 
     County, Iowa relative to the English language; to the 
     Committee on Governmental Affairs.
       POM-197. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Texas; to the Committee on Appropriations.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 202

       Whereas, compliance with international disarmament treaties 
     to curtail the proliferation of nuclear arms and defuse 
     weapons of mass destruction has created new challenges for 
     the United States related to the dismantling and cleanup of 
     nuclear missiles; and
       Whereas, the development, production, and disassembling of 
     nuclear weapons produce transuranic waste, a highly 
     radioactive conglomeration of contaminated laboratory gloves, 
     tools, dried sludge, and other substances from testing and 
     production facilities; and
       Whereas, to create a safe and environmentally responsible 
     method for permanently disposing of transuranic waste, the 
     United States Department of Energy (DOE) has designed the 
     Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southern New Mexico 
     that will set the standard for deep geologic disposal of 
     defense-related radioactive waste; and
       Whereas, the transuranic waste to be deposited at the WIPP 
     facility will be shipped by truck from all across the 
     country, travelling through many states, including Texas, 
     which is a major thoroughfare for radioactive materials 
     coming from South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, and Ohio; 
     and
       Whereas, while a majority of the proposed route through 
     Texas is on Interstate 20, a segment runs along U.S. Highway 
     285; this portion of the route, which begins in Pecos, Texas, 
     and continues into New Mexico, is a treacherous and narrow 
     two-lane road; and
       Whereas, the State of New Mexico, in a prudent move to 
     protect the public safety of its citizens, has dedicated part 
     of the impact funds received from the DOE for housing the 
     WIPP to widen its section of U.S. 285; this highway is a 
     dangerous and inadequate road that has already been the scene 
     of one accident involving an empty WIPP transport truck; and
       Whereas, there are currently no federal funds allocated for 
     the State of Texas to take the same necessary safety 
     precautions by widening the section of U.S. 285 running 
     through our state; the health and safety of United States 
     citizens residing in the Lone Star State is no less important 
     than that of our neighbors to the northwest; Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 
     hereby respectfully request the Congress of the United States 
     to allocate funds for road expansion in Texas along the 
     designated route for transporting hazardous waste to the WIPP 
     project; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward 
     official copies of this resolution to the president of the 
     United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives 
     and the president of the senate of the United States 
     Congress, and to all members of the Texas delegation to the 
     congress with the request that this resolution be officially 
     entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the 
     Congress of the United States of America.
                                  ____

       POM-198. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 16

       Whereas, the population of Clark County, Nevada, has 
     increased dramatically in recent years to an estimated 
     population of more than 1.1 million; and
       Whereas, because of the increased growth in the population 
     of Clark County, several areas in the county used as shooting 
     ranges have been closed because they were public health 
     hazards; and
       Whereas, because of the closure of those areas, many 
     residents of Clark County do not have a legal shooting range 
     upon which to use their firearms; and
       Whereas, persons from the Division of Wildlife of the State 
     Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Bureau 
     of Land Management in Clark County, the Clark County 
     Department of Parks and Recreation and several private 
     organizations have determined a need for the establishment of 
     a safe and properly supervised shooting range and 
     recreational facility for use by the residents of Clark 
     County; and
       Whereas, the commitment of a significant amount of land and 
     financial resources in one or more locations in Clark County 
     will be necessary to address this demonstrated need 
     effectively and safely: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, 
     Jointly, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada hereby 
     expresses its support for the establishment and operation of 
     one or more public shooting ranges and recreational 
     facilities in Clark County; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada 
     hereby urges the public and private entities interested in 
     establishing and operating public shooting ranges and 
     recreational facilities in Clark County to work cooperatively 
     to achieve this objective; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the District Manager of 
     the Bureau of Land Management in Clark County, the State 
     Director of the Bureau of Land Management, the Director of 
     the Clark County Department of Parks and Recreation and the 
     Administrator of the Division of Wildlife of the State 
     Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada 
     hereby urges the Administrator of the Division of Wildlife of 
     the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to 
     provide copies of this resolution to private organizations 
     interested in establishing and operating public shooting 
     ranges and recreational facilities in Clark County; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage and approval.
                                  ____

       POM-199. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Alaska; to the Committee on Environment and Public 
     Works.

                               Resolution

       Whereas, in 1972, the federal Clean Water Act allowed a 
     broad expansion of federal jurisdiction over wetlands by 
     modifying the definition of navigable waters to include all 
     waters of the United States; and
       Whereas, in 1975, the United States Army Corps of Engineers 
     expanded wetlands regulations to include restricted discharge 
     of dredged and fill material into wetlands; and
       Whereas, in 1997, the United States Army Corps of Engineers 
     has proposed to phase out its Nationwide Permit 26 (NWP 26) 
     that allows developers to fill wetlands from one to 10 acres 
     without gaining individual permit approval; and
       Whereas this particular action may put a financial and 
     logistical constraint on thousands of homeowners, businesses, 
     and communities; and
       Whereas Alaska contains more wetlands than all other states 
     combined; and
       Whereas approximately 99.5 percent of Alaska's original 
     wetlands acreage remains today; and
       Whereas most Alaska communities, including some 200 rural 
     villages, are located in areas where wetlands are the 
     dominant feature of the landscape; and
       Whereas 88 percent of Alaska's wetlands are publicly owned; 
     and
       Whereas more than 60,000,000 acres of Alaska's wetlands are 
     known to be conserved in some form of land designation, 
     including federally designated wilderness land, federal park 
     and refuge land, and state park and refuge land, that 
     restricts use or degradation of wetlands; be it
       Resolved, That the Alaska State Legislature respectfully 
     requests the United States Congress to amend the Federal 
     Clean Water Act to modify the wetlands regulatory program to
       (1) continue existing activities related to airport safety, 
     logging, mining, ice pads, roads, and snow removal without 
     the existing requirement that the activity be determined not 
     to add to the ``cumulative'' loss of wetlands nationally;
       (2) provide flexibility in Alaska wetlands permitting 
     commensurate with the large amount of wetlands set aside in 
     Alaska and the low historic rate of wetlands loss in Alaska;
       (3) eliminate existing requirements in states with 
     substantial conserved wetlands to mitigate unavoidable 
     impacts or to prove no alternative sites are available; and
       (4) require the United States Army Corps of Engineers to 
     customize a permitting process for all lands in Alaska that 
     does not include burdensome mitigation, avoidance, and other 
     requirements applying nationally; and be it further,
       Resolved, That the Alaska State Legislature respectfully 
     requests the United States Congress to recognize the unique 
     contribution the citizens of Alaska have made to wetlands 
     conservation and Alaska's outstanding record of wetlands 
     conservation.
                                  ____

       POM-200. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Texas; to the Committee on Finance.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 211

       Whereas, private activity tax-exempt bonds finance many 
     worthy projects with a public benefit such as environmental 
     infrastructure projects, including sewage facilities, solid 
     waste disposal facilities, and hazardous waste disposal 
     facilities, industrial development projects, student loans, 
     and low-income housing projects; and
       Whereas, in 1986 the United States Congress imposed a 
     state-by-state volume cap on the issuance of private activity 
     tax-exempt bonds, with a cap of $75 per person per year for 
     Texas; and
       Whereas, in 1988 the cap was lowered to $50 per person and 
     has not increased, even with the passage of time and 
     inflation; and
       Whereas, many worthy projects with a public benefit, such 
     as environmental infrastructure projects undertaken by 
     private firms, industrial development projects, low-income 
     housing projects, and others, are not going forward due to 
     the lack of available financing; and
       Whereas, while taxable financing may be available, the cost 
     of such financing can make a project uneconomic because most 
     of these projects do not provide a positive rate of return; 
     and
       Whereas, the allocation of these bonds in Texas has been 
     oversubscribed each year

[[Page S8663]]

     since 1988, and last year applications exceeded allocations 
     by 211 percent, with two out of three applicants in the 
     nondedicated category being denied a tax-exempt bond under 
     the lottery system of allocation because of a shortage of 
     funds; and
       Whereas, demand for private activity bond cap allocation 
     will certainly continue to increase, given Texas' growing 
     economy, but the $50 per person allocation will decrease in 
     real value over time, increasing demand relative to the 
     available ceiling; and
       Whereas, unless congress increases the volume cap and 
     provides an inflation adjustment for the future, there will 
     be fewer and fewer projects that will receive financing; and
       Whereas, as entities decide to delay or cancel planned 
     investments, economic growth will necessarily slow, causing 
     ripple effects throughout the economy; and
       Whereas, legislation has been introduced in the Congress of 
     the United States that would increase the volume caps and 
     index them for inflation in the future: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 
     hereby respectfully request the Congress of the United States 
     to pass legislation that would increase the volume caps; and, 
     be it further
       Resolved, That the congress be specifically requested to 
     ensure that inflation in the future be addressed in any 
     legislation on this issue; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the congress be specifically requested to 
     ensure that funds for this program that are not used by other 
     states be allowed to be allocated to oversubscribed states 
     such as Texas; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward 
     official copies of this resolution to the president of the 
     United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives 
     and the president of the senate of the United States 
     Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to 
     the congress with the request that this resolution be 
     officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial 
     to the Congress of the United States of America.
                                  ____

       POM-201. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Texas; to the Committee on Governmental 
     Affairs.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 168

       Whereas, academic health sciences centers and other 
     teaching hospitals play a critical role in educating our 
     nation's health care providers and serving as hospitals of 
     last resort for some of our most vulnerable citizens; and
       Whereas, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. 
     Department of Health and Human Services is now conducting a 
     national audit of teaching hospitals to determine compliance 
     with standards for billing by teaching physicians for patient 
     care; and
       Whereas, during the audit, the Office of the Inspector 
     General is applying retroactively, for the period of 1990-
     1995, uniform physical presence and documentation 
     requirements on teaching physicians and did not go into 
     effect until July 1, 1996; and
       Whereas, in so doing, the Office of the Inspector General 
     is knowingly disregarding uncontroverted evidence of decades 
     of government confusion and misdirection by the Health Care 
     Financing Administration to teaching physicians about 
     appropriate billing and documentation standards; and
       Whereas, the Office of the Inspector General is assessing 
     overbilling, even human error, as ``fraud,'' thus ensuring 
     maximum financial penalties, and is not considering or 
     crediting an institution for underbilling according to the 
     same audit formula; and
       Whereas, the Office of the Inspector General refuses to 
     provide written audit protocols and standards to an affected 
     institution until that institution has agreed to be bound by 
     them; and
       Whereas, the federal government should audit professional 
     fee billing by teaching physicians and should deal with 
     demonstrable violations of clearly articulated rules in an 
     appropriate fashion, but should not do so in a capricious and 
     unfair manner that causes our nation's academic health 
     sciences centers and other teaching hospitals to 
     inappropriately forfeit millions of dollars to the federal 
     government; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 
     hereby respectfully request the Congress of the United States 
     to conduct thorough oversight hearings of the Office of the 
     Inspector General audit process sufficient to ensure that the 
     rights and protections inherent in the nation's legal code 
     are maintained and upheld in the process; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the congress be specifically requested to 
     ensure that physical presence and documentation requirements 
     are not applied retroactively, that overbilling of services 
     is offset against underbilling, and that the Office of the 
     Inspector General fairly and freely disclose all protocols 
     and procedures; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward 
     official copies of this resolution to the president of the 
     United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives 
     and the president of the senate of the United States 
     Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to 
     the Congress with the request that this resolution be 
     officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial 
     to the Congress of the United States of America.
       POM-202. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Texas; to the Committee on Labor and Human 
     Resources.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 34

       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 a medical 
     devices by the United States Food and Drug Administration can 
     delay approvals and are unnecessarily expensive; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 
     respectfully urge 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 prepared and 
     forwarded by the Texas secretary of state to the President of 
     the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, 
     and to all members of the Texas delegation to the Congress 
     with the request that this resolution be entered in the 
     Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the 
     United States.
                                  ____

       POM-203. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Alaska; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                               Resolution

       Whereas it is in the national interest for the federal 
     government to live within its means; and
       Whereas eliminating the national deficit and controlling 
     national government spending could be accomplished by the 
     passage of a balanced budget amendment by the United States 
     Congress and ratification of the amendment by the states of 
     the Union; be it
       Resolved that the Alaska State Legislature urges the United 
     States Congress to pass, and the President to support, a 
     resolution proposing an amendment to the United States 
     Constitution that requires the balancing of the federal 
     budget; and be it further
       Resolved that the Alaska State Legislature urges the 
     legislature of each state of the nation to ratify a balanced 
     budget amendment that is passed by the United States 
     Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-204. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Tennessee; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 41

       Whereas, in 1976, the United States Supreme Court ruled to 
     allow the several states to impose the death penalty as 
     punishment for certain crimes; and
       Whereas, Tennessee has had a constitutional death penalty 
     statute since 1977; and
       Whereas, during the last twenty years, Tennessee has not 
     carried out a single death penalty sentence, in part because 
     of lengthy habeas corpus proceedings by death row inmates and 
     the inaction of the federal court system; and
       Whereas, most recently, the Honorable John T. Nixon, U.S. 
     District Court Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee, 
     has overturned the capital convictions of four (4) of 
     Tennessee's most heinous convicted killers; and
       Whereas, in overturning these four (4) convictions, Judge 
     Nixon has continued a pattern of judicial conduct that raises 
     an issue as to his bias against capital punishment; and
       Whereas, during his tenure on the U.S. District Court for 
     the Middle District of Tennessee, Judge Nixon has continually 
     delayed ruling on capital cases before his court; and
       Whereas, he has also repeatedly reversed the convictions 
     and/or sentences of many capital cases which were tried and 
     adjudicated years ago, making it difficult for such cases to 
     be retried; and
       Whereas, the State of Tennessee Attorney General has even 
     filed a petition for writ of mandamus against Judge Nixon to 
     expedite a death penalty matter in a particular case that 
     languished in his court: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the One-Hundredth General 
     Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the House of 
     Representatives concurring, That this General Assembly hereby 
     memorializes the House of Representatives and Senate of the 
     U.S. Congress to consider amending the United States 
     Constitution to remove Federal Judges for ``dereliction of 
     duty'', and not just ``high crimes and misdemeanors'', in 
     order to ensure that judges act with due dispatch and care in 
     carrying out their duties on appeals of capital cases and 
     other habeas

[[Page S8664]]

     corpus matters, and writs of mandamus; be it further
       Resolved, That this General Assembly hereby memorializes 
     the House of Representatives of the United States Congress to 
     thoroughly and timely investigate whether grounds exist to 
     impeach John T. Nixon, Judge for the United States District 
     Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, in accordance 
     with the United States Constitution, and if such grounds 
     exist, then to initiate proceedings to impeach Judge John T. 
     Nixon in accordance with the United States Constitution, be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Senate is directed to 
     transmit certified copies of this resolution to the Speaker 
     and the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, the 
     President and the Secretary of the U.S. Senate, the Clerk of 
     the U.S. Supreme Court, and to each member of the Tennessee 
     delegation to the U.S. Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-205. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 24

       Whereas, artists, songwriters, producers, engineers, 
     educators, executives, and other professionals in the music 
     industry provide inspiration and leadership through the 
     creation of music, disseminate of educational information, 
     and financial contributions to charitable and community-based 
     organizations; and
       Whereas, African-American genres of music such as gospel, 
     blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, rap, and hip-hop are 
     indigenous to the United States, and have their roots in the 
     African-American experience; and
       Whereas, black music, including African-American music, has 
     a pervasive influence on dance, fashion, language, art, 
     literature, cinema, media, advertising, and other aspects of 
     our culture; and
       Whereas, the prominence of African-American and other black 
     music in the 20th century has renewed interest in the legacy 
     and heritage of this art form; and
       Whereas, black music embodies the strong presence of, and 
     significant contributions made by, African-Americans in the 
     music industry and society as a whole; and
       Whereas, black music has generated a multibillion dollar 
     industry that contributes greatly to the domestic and 
     worldwide economy; and
       Whereas, in 1979, a meeting between then-President Jimmy 
     Carter, Kenneth Gamble, the president of Philadelphia 
     International Records and cofounder of the Black Music 
     Association, and a delegation of 77 black music 
     professionals, resulted in President Carter's designation of 
     June as Black Music Month; and
       Whereas, black music has a broad appeal to diverse groups, 
     both nationally and internationally: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature recognizes the 
     significance of African-American and other black music to 
     global culture, and the positive impact of this art form on 
     global commerce; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates the month 
     of June as Black Music Month throughout the State of 
     California, and calls upon the people of the state to study, 
     reflect on, and celebrate the majesty, vitality, and 
     importance of African-American and other black music; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies to this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-206. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Tennessee; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                     House Joint Resolution No. 32

       Whereas, on February 26, 1869, the Fortieth Congress of the 
     United States of America, at its third session, by a two-
     thirds (\2/3\) majority of both Houses, submitted to the 
     legislatures of the several states for ratification a 
     proposal to amend the Constitution of the United States of 
     America in the following words, to wit:


                             ``amendment 15

       ``Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to 
     vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or 
     by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition 
     of servitude.
       ``Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this 
     article by appropriate legislation.''; and
       Whereas, by proclamation of Federal Secretary of State 
     Hamilton Fish, dated March 30, 1870 (16 Stat. 1131-2), this 
     proposed amendment to the United States Constitution was 
     officially declared to have been duly ratified by the 
     legislatures of the constitutionally-required margin of at 
     least three-fourths (\3/4\) of the several states, there 
     being at the time 37 states in the Union; and
       Whereas, after Amendment 15 had made its way into our 
     Nation's highest law in early 1870, the legislatures of five 
     other states which had been in the Union prior to its 
     adoption--but which, like Tennessee, had not approved the 
     amendment--post-ratified it, many years after 1870, as 
     follows:
       Delaware in 1901 (Senate Joint Resolution No. 13);
       Oregon in 1959 (Senate Joint Resolution No. 7);
       California in 1962 (Senate Joint Resolution No. 9);
       Maryland in 1973 (Senate Joint Resolution No. 56);
       Kentucky in 1976 (House [Joint] Resolution No. 75); and
       Whereas, for the past 21 years, Tennessee has stood alone 
     as the only State in the Union, both well before Amendment 15 
     was proposed and long after it was adopted, whose legislature 
     has never placed its own unique imprimatur upon these 
     fundamental two sentences of the United States Constitution; 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the One 
     Hundredth General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the 
     Senate concurring, That Amendment 15 to the United States 
     Constitution, quoted above, is hereby post-ratified by the 
     Tennessee General Assembly, be it further
       Resolved, That House Joint Resolution No. 98 (Act ``Number 
     LXXX'') of the Thirty-Sixth General Assembly of the State of 
     Tennessee, in which Amendment 15 was rejected by the 
     Tennessee House of Representatives and by the Tennessee 
     Senate, be hereby revoked, repealed, and utterly rescinded, 
     be it further
       Resolved, That a properly inscribed copy of this Resolution 
     be transmitted by the Secretary of State of Tennessee to the 
     Archivist of the United States, Washington, D.C., in 
     compliance with Pub. L. 98-497, be it further
       Resolved, That properly inscribed copies of this Resolution 
     be individually transmitted by the Secretary of State of 
     Tennessee to each of the following persons in Washington, 
     D.C. with the respectful request that this Resolution be 
     published in the Congressional Record: the Vice-President of 
     the United States, as presiding officer of the United States 
     Senate; the Parliamentarian of the United States Senate; the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; and 
     the Parliamentarian of the United States House of 
     Representatives.
                                  ____

       POM-207. A resolution adopted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of 
     Commerce (Tennessee) relative to the National Spallation 
     Neutron Source; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation.
       POM-208. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 19

       Whereas, the military and the defense industry provide 
     California with highly skilled professionals working in the 
     leading edge of technology, and generate jobs that complement 
     and support the state's industrial and commercial leadership 
     in aerospace, advanced computing, and telecommunications 
     technology; and
       Whereas, since the inception of the Base Realignment and 
     Closure Commission in 1988, 29 military installations have 
     been closed or severely realigned in the State of California, 
     resulting in the loss of half a million direct and indirect 
     defense jobs; and
       Whereas, there is strong indication that another base 
     realignment and closure is in the offing and without strong 
     vigilance to retain the remaining installations, California 
     could experience additional closures and realignments; and
       Whereas, during the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure, the 
     Joint Cross Service Groups on Laboratories and Test and 
     Evaluation, both under the sponsorship of the Office of the 
     Secretary of Defense, recommended that military services 
     consider consolidating a major portion of aircraft and air-
     launched weapons research, development, testing, evaluation, 
     and training installations in the southwest United States; 
     and
       Whereas, the Southwest Defense Complex has a network of 
     existing military installations that are already 
     electronically linked and cooperatively managed; and
       Whereas, the Southwest Defense Complex would consist of 
     facilities in California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and 
     Utah; and
       Whereas, the Southwest Defense Complex is the only area in 
     the United States where research, development, testing, 
     evaluation, and training using advanced technology can be 
     conducted in a realistic, high fidelity environment with 
     minimal impact upon the general public; and
       Whereas, this unique southwestern area, with ideal weather 
     for testing and training operations, consists of mostly 
     Department of Defense and government lands that are largely 
     free of commercial airline routes, electromagnetic 
     interference, and high population density; and
       Whereas, this complex of nearly contiguous facilities has 
     the technical assets--scientific and engineering work force, 
     laboratories, test facilities, ranges, land and airspace--
     plus the track record of cooperation to allow it to assume 
     the principal Department of Defense role in developing and 
     testing complex air warfare systems; and
       Whereas, the Southwest Defense Alliance, consisting of a 
     group of local elected officials, representatives from 
     private industry, chambers of commerce, economic development 
     associations, base retention groups, and community leaders, 
     is dedicated to supporting and enhancing the Southwest 
     Defense Complex; and
       Whereas, the California Legislature unanimously expressed 
     support in 1994 for the Southwest Defense Complex, by 
     enacting a joint resolution; and
       Whereas, it would be desirable to reaffirm the California 
     Legislature's support for the Southwest Defense Complex, to 
     reduce the chances of additional base closures in California: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California respectfully

[[Page S8665]]

     memorializes the President and the Congress of the United 
     States to endorse and support the Southwest Defense Complex, 
     and the efforts of the Southwest Defense Alliance in 
     furtherance of the Southwest Defense Complex; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, and to each Senator and 
     Representative from California in the Congress of the United 
     States.
                                  ____

       POM-209. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of New Hampshire; to the Committee on Environment 
     and Public Works.

                        House Joint Resolution 5

       Whereas, the state of New Hampshire has continued to 
     decrease air pollution emissions in accordance with the 
     federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990; and
       Whereas, the United States Environmental Protection Agency 
     (EPA) has continued to fund scientific air pollution research 
     which has shown that some of the scientific assumptions 
     behind the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are 
     invalid; and
       Whereas, certain regions of the country, including the 
     state of New Hampshire, are required to make considerable 
     additional expenditures on scientifically obsolete or 
     ineffective air pollution controls mandated by the federal 
     Clean Air Act; and
       Whereas, the federal Clean Air Act does not allow the EPA 
     to authorize states to substitute more cost effective air 
     pollution control strategies for scientifically obsolete or 
     ineffective air pollution control strategies, thereby 
     stifling innovation; and
       Whereas, certain regions of the country, including the 
     state of New Hampshire, are currently victims of air 
     pollution emitted upwind from the region, but are being held 
     responsible for that pollution by the federal Clean Air Act; 
     and
       Whereas, the federal Clean Air Act requires the EPA to 
     adopt standards which protect public health with an adequate 
     margin of safety, despite recent scientific research which 
     indicates that no safe level exists, providing opponents of 
     air pollution control expenditures with unnecessary 
     opportunities to question the implementation of the Clean Air 
     Act; and
       Whereas, the EPA is in the process of mandating low-
     emission vehicle requirements for new automobiles which 
     needlessly mix cost-effective stricter nitrogen oxide 
     emission standards with scientifically obsolete requirements 
     for stricter hydrocarbon emission standards; and
       Whereas, the EPA in its procedures for assessing state 
     implementation plans for air pollution control gives little 
     or no credit for voluntary pollution reductions already in 
     place that are not mandated by law, and gives excessive 
     credit for promises of future mandatory control measures; 
     now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in 
     General Court convened: That the federal Clean Air Act should 
     be amended to require the EPA to permit states to substitute 
     more effective air pollution control strategies for less 
     effective strategies mandated by the federal Clean Air Act, 
     so that states will be allowed to devise cost-effective 
     strategies that will produce more air pollution improvement 
     for less cost; and
       That the federal Clean Air Act should be amended so that 
     regions which are victims of windborne air pollution are not 
     held responsible, and if polluted air gets cleaner as it 
     passes over a region of a non-attainment area, that region 
     should not be required to observe the additional air 
     pollution control requirements for non-attainment areas, and 
     the EPA should instead look to upwind polluters to apply 
     additional controls; and
       That the federal Clean Air Act should be amended to promote 
     reductions in ground level ozone through nitrogen oxide 
     emission reductions from power plants, industrial boilers, 
     new automobiles, and new trucks, rather than further reducing 
     hydrocarbon emissions from existing gasoline vehicles or 
     industrial solvents; and
       That the federal Clean Air Act should be amended so that 
     the EPA may more justifiably set air quality standards at a 
     level other than zero, which improve over time at a steady 
     rate, based on scientific analysis of public health damage, 
     ecological damage, and cost of control; and
       That the EPA should revise its policies regarding motor 
     vehicle emissions, including low-emission vehicle standards, 
     to concentrate on nitrogen oxide emission reductions, not 
     hydrocarbon emission reductions; and
       That the EPA should revise its policies regarding state 
     implementation plans for air pollution control so that states 
     shall be given full credit in their state emission 
     inventories for non-mandatory pollution reductions which can 
     reasonably be expected to occur or to remain in place, 
     including low-emission vehicles already registered in the 
     state; and
       That the EPA should act on its responsibility to forcefully 
     communicate the results of its ongoing scientific research to 
     the United States Congress and encourage Congress to amend 
     the Clean Air Act so as to bring it in line with current 
     research; and
       That the EPA should promptly amend its own policies so as 
     to bring them in line with current research; and
       That the copies of this resolution be sent by the house 
     clerk to the President of the United States, the President of 
     the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, the chairpersons of committees of 
     the United States Congress having jurisdiction over the Clean 
     Air Act, the Administrator of the United States Environmental 
     Protection Agency, and each member of the New Hampshire 
     congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-210. A resolution adopted by Council of the City of 
     Cincinnati, Ohio relative to workforce development areas; to 
     the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
       POM-211. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California; to the Committee on Appropriations.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12

       Whereas, the Bolinas Lagoon, located in Northern 
     California, is one of nature's most magnificent, fragile, 
     wonderlands and includes a tidal embayment; and
       Whereas, Bolinas Lagoon provides a unique coastal 
     environment for fish, water birds, and marine mammals that is 
     unparalleled along the Northern California Coast, and is one 
     of the finest examples of marine wildlife areas on the earth; 
     and
       Whereas, Bolinas Lagoon is a state and national treasure 
     that has existed for more than 8,000 years; and
       Whereas, Bolinas Lagoon is unique in that it adjoins or is 
     part of the Point Reyes National Seashore, the Gulf of the 
     Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Audubon Canyon Ranch, 
     Tamalpais State Park, and the Golden Gate National Recreation 
     Area and is located in an area where there are several 
     essentially intact ecosystems that include both land and 
     water, side-by-side within already protected areas; and
       Whereas, few other places can offer such a unique 
     opportunity for so many species and habitat types to live and 
     coexist in a natural lagoon; and
       Whereas, the 1,000 acre Bolinas Lagoon preserve of the 
     Audubon Canyon Ranch, which maintains a nesting colony of 
     great and snowy egrets and great blue herons, fronts the 
     Bolinas Lagoon and is dependent on the viability of the 
     lagoon; and
       Whereas, more than 20,000 visitors a year observe the 
     egrets and herons feed their young and observe the young 
     birds taking their first flights from the canyon side high 
     above the lagoon; and
       Whereas, the Bolinas Lagoon is also home to brown pelicans, 
     harbor seals and their pups, and is nationally important 
     wintering area for water birds of the Pacific Flyway; and
       Whereas, Stinson Beach abuts the lagoon to the delight and 
     educational benefit of nearly 1,000,000 visitors a year; and
       Whereas, the economic value of the lagoon as a continuing, 
     viable ecological system is estimated to be in the hundreds 
     of millions of dollars; and
       Whereas, the Bolinas Lagoon is home to the magnificent 
     Audubon Canyon Ranch that has been designated by the United 
     States Department of the Interior as a National Natural 
     Landmark; and
       Whereas, the California Legislature is proud to recognize 
     Bolinas Lagoon as a state and national treasure of 
     extraordinary and irreplaceable beauty, economic value, and 
     environmental diversity: now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California urges the President and Congress of the United 
     States to appropriate federal funds to be used to preserve 
     and protect the Bolinas Lagoon; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and the Vice 
     President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House 
     of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative 
     from California in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-212. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 22

       Whereas, San Diego has a lengthy history associated with 
     the United States Navy and Naval Air Forces, and San Diego 
     was shaped by the birth of aviation technology and is proudly 
     and inextricably linked to the military's presence; and
       Whereas, the acquisition of the aircraft carrier Midway 
     would preserve a vital part of the United States military 
     history and its establishment as a museum would be a fitting 
     memorial to San Diego's contributions to victory in World War 
     II; and
       Whereas, the carrier museum would add excitement to the 
     maritime ambience of the cruise ship center, Mission Bay, 
     Seaport Village, the shipyards, and harbor islands; and
       Whereas, the carrier museum would be an attraction to both 
     domestic and foreign tourists, thereby enhancing the global 
     competitive position of the nearby convention center; and
       Whereas, the added attraction of a carrier museum would 
     result in longer tourist stays, with consequent increases in 
     retail sales, hotel and motel occupancy, and restaurant 
     patronage, resulting in higher sales and transient occupancy 
     tax revenues; and
       Whereas, the projected number of annual visitors to the 
     carrier museum would exceed 700,000, bringing at least fifty 
     million dollars ($50,000,000) in additional revenues into the 
     regional economy; and

[[Page S8666]]

       Whereas, carrier museum could be used as an ongoing 
     exposition to showcase San Diego's leadership in aerospace 
     and defense technology, to develop educational programs for 
     schoolage children, and to provide entertainment attractions 
     based on naval aviation history; and
       Whereas, the presence of a military museum in San Diego 
     would promote positive community relations between the 
     citizens and the military; and
       Whereas, the aircraft carrier Midway has been recently 
     decommissioned and is in good structural condition, and will 
     soon be coming up for sale as military surplus; and
       Whereas, a group of like-minded San Diego citizens have 
     established a nonprofit corporation and a committee to pursue 
     the acquisition of the aircraft carrier Midway; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of 
     California, jointly, That in order to enhance the public's 
     awareness of the contributions of the citizens of the State 
     of California and the County of San Diego to military 
     preparedness and, in particular, naval aviation history, and 
     to enhance the region's economy by increasing tourism and 
     creating new employment opportunities, the Legislature of the 
     State of California endorses the efforts to acquire the 
     aircraft carrier Midway as a permanent museum, educational, 
     and entertainment complex to be located in San Diego Bay; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California 
     respectfully requests the President and Congress of the 
     United States, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the 
     Department of Defense, to support the efforts of the citizens 
     of the State of California and the County of San Diego to 
     acquire the aircraft carrier Midway; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies 
     of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the 
     United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-213. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 21

       Whereas, the United States Department of Energy has planned 
     five shipments of spent nuclear fuel rods from seven Asian 
     nations through the San Francisco Bay to the Concord Naval 
     Weapons Station over the next 13 years, with the first 
     shipment scheduled for early 1998, and
       Whereas, from the Concord Naval Weapons Station, the spent 
     nuclear fuel rods will be transported by rail or truck 
     through northern California, including Sacramento, and 
     through Nevada and Utah before arriving at the United States 
     Department of Energy's National Engineering and Environmental 
     Laboratory in Idaho; and
       Whereas, the proposed rail route from California to Idaho 
     will involve the shipments passing through the Feather River 
     Canyon where trains have derailed 28 times in 16 years; and
       Whereas, the combined shipments of spent nuclear fuel rods 
     will involve approximately one-half ton of uranium and small 
     amounts of plutonium; and
       Whereas, the planned shipments of spent nuclear fuel rods 
     will be made by private foreign flag ships; and
       Whereas, the United States Department of Energy intends to 
     ship the spent nuclear fuel rods to the Concord Naval Weapons 
     Station in a total of 38 20-ton steel casks purportedly able 
     to withstand airdrops from 200 feet and immersion in water 
     depths of 650 feet; and
       Whereas, the policy of bringing spent fuel from foreign 
     countries to the United States was adopted as a part of the 
     Atoms for Peace program enacted 50 years ago, when 41 
     countries agreed not to make nuclear weapons in exchange for 
     enriched uranium to use in research reactors; and
       Whereas, under the Atoms for Peace program, the United 
     States agreed to take the used fuel to relieve foreign 
     countries of problems with disposal and ease fears about 
     terrorists abroad using the fuel to make bombs; and
       Whereas, shipments of similar nuclear fuel rods began on 
     the east coast of the United States with no public notice as 
     early as 1958, with a total of 150 shipments through the 
     Charleston Naval Weapons Station in South Carolina; and
       Whereas, the Concord Naval Weapons Station has been the 
     secret west coast shipping point for nuclear bombs and 
     missiles since the beginning of the Cold War; and
       Whereas, the proposed route for the shipments to the 
     Concord Naval Weapons Station runs through the San Francisco 
     Bay area, placing over 6.5 million residents of California's 
     second largest metropolis in harm's way; and
       Whereas, portions of the San Francisco Bay area are subject 
     to intense shaking amplification and are still recovering 
     from major damage caused by the 1989 Lorna Prieta earthquake; 
     and
       Whereas, the planned shipments will result in unreimbursed 
     local government expenditures for enhanced emergency and 
     hazardous materials response systems; and
       Whereas, the United States Department of Energy has 
     inadequately addressed potential environmental and safety 
     impacts in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 
     shipment project, failed to fully inform local communities in 
     California of the catastrophic impacts of a potential 
     shipment accident, and failed to adequately document the 
     necessity of using the Concord station rather than 
     alternative shipping points, such as the naval base at 
     Bremerton, Washington; and
       Whereas, if the steel casks containing the spent nuclear 
     fuel rods are breached, there is no assurance that persons, 
     land, and waters will not be exposed to dangerous radioactive 
     materials; and
       Whereas, this state is committed foremost to protecting the 
     health and safety of its people and environment; and
       Whereas, on behalf of, and in addition to, local government 
     officials in the nine-county San Francisco Bay area, 
     including those with the City and County of San Francisco, 
     the County of Contra Costa, the City of Concord, the San 
     Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and 
     the Association of Bay Area Governments, 11 Members of the 
     Assembly have requested that the state Attorney General sue 
     the United States Department of Energy for a federal court 
     injunction to halt the shipments through the San Francisco 
     Bay region to Concord: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California memorializes the President and Congress of the 
     United States to call upon the Department of Energy to halt 
     indefinitely the five planned shipments of spent nuclear fuel 
     rods through the San Francisco Bay to the Concord Naval 
     Weapons Station for land transport to Idaho; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Department of Energy is further 
     memorialized to prevent any planned shipments of spent 
     nuclear fuel rods until appropriate public notice has been 
     provided and the safety and environmental impacts are fully 
     addressed, including how the full catastrophic impacts of a 
     potential shipment accident would be addressed by federal, 
     state, and local governments; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Department of Energy is further 
     memorialized to prevent any planned shipments of spent 
     nuclear fuel rods until there is a legally binding agreement 
     that the federal government will fully compensate local 
     governments, the state, individuals, and businesses that 
     might be impacted by the shipments, including compensation 
     for any accidents or security costs associated with the 
     shipments; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States, and the 
     Secretary of the Department of Energy.
                                  ____

       POM-214. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 7

       Whereas, on the evening of January 2, 1997, inflows at 
     Millerton Lake, behind Friant Dam, surged from 22,441 cubic 
     feet per second to 95,040 cubic feet per second in seven 
     hours; and
       Whereas, Millerton Lake storage peaked at a record 530,452 
     acre-feet, nearly 10,000 acre-feet above capacity, on January 
     3, 1997; and
       Whereas, widespread flooding followed along the San Joaquin 
     River below Friant Dam; and
       Whereas, the resultant flooding partially washed out 
     bridges linking the Counties of Fresno and Madera as well as 
     homes and the Friant Fish Hatchery; and
       Whereas, downstream levee breaks flooded thousands of acres 
     of farmland; and
       Whereas, the yield of the San Joaquin River system is 
     currently overcommitted with respect to meeting obligations 
     to contractors, fisheries, and the water quality concerns of 
     downstream water users; and
       Whereas, the waters of the San Joaquin River, as impounded 
     by the Friant Dam, are currently put to beneficial use 
     serving some of the most productive small family farms in the 
     nation in the water-short Friant Division of the federal 
     Central Valley Project; and
       Whereas, diversions from the San Joaquin River have 
     resulted in diminished water quality for downstream users, 
     particularly those on the lower San Joaquin River; and
       Whereas, California's population is projected to increase 
     by 20 million residents in the next 25 years, particularly in 
     the Central Valley region of the state, thereby placing 
     further demands on the state's ability to provide flood 
     protection as well as an adequate water supply; and
       Whereas, the increasing difficulty of meeting these 
     various, sometimes competing, needs gives cause to review the 
     feasibility of raising Friant Dam to help meet those needs by 
     building on the existing investment on the San Joaquin River; 
     and
       Whereas, the United States Bureau of Reclamation 
     reconnaissance studies conducted in 1952, 1975, and 1982 
     attest to the physical, but not the economic, feasibility of 
     raising Friant Dam; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California respectfully memorializes the President and the 
     Congress of the United States to authorize and fund a prompt 
     evaluation of the physical potential for, and economic 
     feasibility of, raising Friant Dam and making use of the 
     increased capacity to help meet flood protection and

[[Page S8667]]

     water supply needs for citizens of this state, without 
     impairing the existing rights of, and benefits to, and 
     without altering the costs to, the current users of the 
     waters of the San Joaquin River; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, the Secretary of the Interior, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each Senator and 
     Representative from California in the Congress of the United 
     States.
                                  ____

       POM-215. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly 
     of the State of Tennessee; to the Committee on Environmental 
     and Public Works.

                     House Joint Resolution No. 77

       Whereas, the authorization of the Intermodal Surface 
     Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), which has 
     appropriated over $150 billion for our nation's highway, 
     transit, motor carrier, safety and research programs during 
     the past six (6) years, is due to expire on September 30, 
     1997; and
       Whereas, as Congressional reauthorization of ISTEA fast 
     approaches, it is imperative for all viable alternatives that 
     provide more equitable transportation funding support for the 
     states to be carefully considered; and
       Whereas, the Streamlined Transportation Efficiency Program 
     for the 21st Century (STEP 21) is a large, multi-state 
     coalition of State Departments of Transportation that has 
     developed a proposal to reorient the nation's surface 
     transportation program toward the 21st Century; and
       Whereas, STEP 21 limits its proposal to the highway mode 
     and focuses on a few critical issues in the federal highway 
     plan--flexibility, equity, streamlining and funding 
     distribution; and
       Whereas, in fact, STEP 21 builds on traditional ISTEA 
     partnerships, while modernizing federal aid formulas that are 
     inadequate to meet the mobility and economic development 
     needs of the next century; and
       Whereas, STEP 21's evolutionary approach provides the 
     following benefits:
       (1) Appropriately funds the National Highway System as the 
     key federal responsibility in surface transportation. This 
     program will benefit the entire nation by providing 
     consistent mobility, connectivity, and economic benefit for 
     all states;
       (2) Recognizes states' diversity and provides the 
     flexibility to tailor transportation solutions to their 
     particular circumstances by reaffirming ISTEA planning 
     processes, returning decision-making to the state and local 
     levels, and eliminating federal mandates;

                           *   *   *   *   *

       Resolved, That this General Assembly urges Congress to 
     continue, as an integral component of STEP 21, the local 
     Metropolitan Planning Organizations that have assured local 
     governments a meaningful role in setting transportation 
     priorities and policies, be it further
       Resolved, That this General Assembly memorializes each 
     member of the U.S. Congress from Tennessee to utilize the 
     full measure of his or her influence to effect the enactment 
     of ``The ISTEA Integrity Restoration Act'' or STEP 21 
     legislation, and especially the provision guaranteeing all 
     states a ninety-five percent (95%) return on their total 
     contributions to the Federal Highway Trust Fund, be it 
     further
       Resolved, That this General Assembly recognizes the 
     important role that counties perform in maintaining rural 
     bridges and roads across the State of Tennessee and therefore 
     pledges, that in the event Congress enacts STEP 21 
     legislation, resulting in an increase in federal highway 
     funding for the State of Tennessee, the State should share a 
     portion of such increased funding with the local governments 
     who perform this vital task, be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives is directed to transmit a certified copy of 
     this resolution to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of 
     the United States; the President and the Secertary of the 
     U.S. Senate; the Speaker and the Clerk of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives; and to each member of the Tennessee 
     delegation to the U.S. Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-216. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California; to the Committee on Governmental 
     Affairs.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 25

       Whereas, breast cancer is the most common malignancy found 
     in women and the most common cause of cancer-related death in 
     women 15 to 54 years of age; and
       Whereas, breast cancer is the second leading cause of 
     cancer-related deaths among women, with one in every eight 
     women likely to develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and 
     183,400 new diagnoses of breast cancer each year; and
       Whereas, it is estimated that 46,240 women died from breast 
     cancer in 1996, with five new diagnoses and one death 
     occurring every 15 minutes in the United States, and 
     worldwide, every 30 seconds a new diagnosis of breast cancer 
     and a death as a result of breast cancer; and
       Whereas, the cause or causes of breast cancer have not been 
     identified and no cure is available at this time, which 
     demonstrates that more intense research is needed to improve 
     care and treatment and to find a cure for this dreadful 
     disease; and
       Whereas, the Congress has introduced bills in the United 
     States Senate and the House of Representatives, S.R. 1937 and 
     H.R. 3401 and most recently H.R. 407 (January 9, 1997), which 
     would create a new first-class postage stamp at a rate of one 
     cent ($0.01) above the first-class postage rate charged which 
     would be offered to postal patrons on a voluntary basis as an 
     alternative to the rate that would otherwise apply; and
       Whereas, the amounts attributable to the one cent ($0.01) 
     differential established under the Breast-Cancer Research 
     Stamp Act of 1997 would be paid by the United States Postal 
     Service to the National Institutes of Health under 
     arrangements by which these agencies mutually agree to carry 
     out the purposes of the act; and
       Whereas, the Cure Breast Cancer postage stamp has received 
     strong support and endorsements from Members of Congress, 
     breast cancer research organizations, corporations, medical 
     associations, voluntary organizations, and state-elected 
     officials, leading to the introduction of the Breast-Cancer 
     Research Stamp Act of 1997 to create the Cure Breast Cancer 
     postal stamp donation program; Now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature urges the Congress 
     and the President to enact H.R. 407 (January 9, 1997), the 
     Breast-Cancer Research Stamp Act of 1997, to create the Cure 
     Breast Cancer Research Postage Stamp and memorialize the 
     Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service to 
     implement this voluntary program to supplement the funds 
     available for breast cancer research; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, to the Board of Governors of the United 
     States Postal Service, and to each Senator and 
     Representatives from California in the Congress of the United 
     States.
                                  ____

       POM-217. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California; to the Committee on Veterans' 
     Affairs.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 28

       Whereas, during World War II, the military forces of the 
     Commonwealth of the Philippines were drafted to serve in the 
     United States armed forces by Executive Order of President 
     Franklin Delano Roosevelt of July 26, 1941; and
       Whereas, Filipino soldiers defended the American flag in 
     the battles of Bataan and Corregidor; and
       Whereas, thousands of Filipino prisoners of war died during 
     the 65-mile Bataan Death March, and those who survive were 
     imprisoned under inhumane conditions, suffered numerous 
     casualties, and endured four long years of occupation; and
       Whereas, the soldiers who escaped capture, together with 
     Filipino civilians, valiantly fought against the occupation 
     forces, their guerrilla attacks foiling the plans of the 
     Japanese for a quick takeover of the region, and allowing the 
     United States the time needed to prepare forces to defeat 
     Japan; and
       Whereas, despite the vital participation of the Filipino 
     soldiers in the outcome of the war, the 79th United States 
     Congress voted after the war ended to deny benefits and 
     recognition to the Filipino World War II veterans, in what 
     was known as the Rescissions Act of 1946; and
       Whereas, on February 26, 1997, House Resolution 836, a bill 
     to provide full benefits from the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs to veterans who served in the Philippine Commonwealth 
     Army, and the Special Philippine Scouts, was introduced in 
     the House of Representatives of the United States Congress by 
     Representative Benjamin Gilman of New York, and 
     Representative Bob Filner of this state; Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California commends the heroic acts of Filipino war veterans, 
     and honors these individuals for their contributions to the 
     United States armed forces; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California 
     respectfully memorializes and urges the President and 
     Congress of the United States to enact House Resolution 836; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States.

                          ____________________