[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 63 (Monday, May 18, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5014-S5019]
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-421. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Hawaii; to the Committee on Agriculture, 
     Nutrition, and Forestry.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 141

       Whereas, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
     Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, Public Law 104-193, bars 
     legal, noncitizen immigrants from receiving assistance under 
     the federal Food Stamp Program; and
       Whereas, food stamp eligibility is barred until legal 
     immigrants become citizens, can demonstrate forty qualifying 
     quarters of work in the United States, or meet five-year or 
     military exemptions; and
       Whereas, immigrants who lost their food stamp benefits 
     under PRWORA are legal immigrants, residing in the United 
     States under one of several immigration provisions that 
     permit noncitizens to reside in this country permanently; and
       Whereas, with most immigrant households that lost benefits, 
     at least one child is a United States citizen; and
       Whereas, a large proportion of the legal immigrants who 
     lost food stamp benefits were the most vulnerable, including 
     children, the elderly, and disabled; and
       Whereas, between August 1996 and July 1997, the number of 
     immigrants in Hawaii receiving assistance decreased from 
     10,332 to 2,285 individuals, a decrease of 8,047 individuals; 
     and
       Whereas, based on an average household size of 2.4 
     individuals, the Hawaii State Department of Human Services 
     estimates that there are approximately 2,900 fewer immigrant 
     families receiving food stamp assistance; and
       Whereas, last year's Balanced Budget Act began to restore 
     other types of benefits to legal immigrants, such as 
     disability payments and indigent health care to disabled 
     legal immigrants who were in this country in 1996; and
       Whereas, progress towards restoring the nutritional safety 
     net to some of the most vulnerable groups of legal immigrants 
     must be continued to make it possible for all working 
     families to meet the responsibilities of health and economic 
     self-sufficiency; and
       Whereas, the Clinton Administration, as a part of its 1999 
     budget proposal, will propose to restore federal food stamp 
     benefits to 730,000 legal immigrants who lost their benefits 
     as a result of PRWORA; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Nineteenth 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1998, 
     the Senate concurring, That the United States Congress is 
     strongly urged to restore food stamp benefits to legal, 
     noncitizen immigrants who have been denied participation in 
     the federal Food Stamp Program due to Public Law 104-193, 
     PRWORA; and be it
       Further resolved That certified copies of this Concurrent 
     Resolution be transmitted

[[Page S5015]]

     to the President of the United States, the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     United States, and Hawaii's Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-422. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Hawaii; to the Committee on Agriculture, 
     Nutrition, and Forestry.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 43

       Whereas, a strong and viable agricultural industry is vital 
     to Hawaii's economic base; and
       Whereas, as many as twenty-four new alien species are 
     introduced into the State each year, placing a dire threat on 
     Hawaii's environment and agriculture industry; and
       Whereas, the cost to the State to eradicate or mitigate the 
     harmful effects of these alien species would be monumental; 
     and
       Whereas, vegetables and fruits can carry salmonella if they 
     are tainted by sewage water or unclean hands; and
       Whereas, E. coli has been found on lettuce; and
       Whereas, in 1996, Guatemalan raspberries that were 
     contaminated with the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis 
     resulted in a rash of poisoning that sickened thousands of 
     people in twenty-nine states; and
       Whereas, this outbreak occurred again in 1997; and
       Whereas, the U.S. Federal Drug Agency (FDA) has seven 
     hundred inspectors and lab personnel to monitor fifty-three 
     thousand food processing plants in the U.S. and all imported 
     fresh and processed produce; and
       Whereas, plant inspections have decreased from one 
     inspection every three to five years in 1992, to one 
     inspection every ten years today; and
       Whereas, of the nearly two-thirds of all winter produce 
     eaten in the U.S., about six hundred million servings comes 
     into the U.S. through the Nogales, Arizona, checkpoint each 
     day; and
       Whereas, about seventy percent of the trucks go through the 
     Nogales entry gates without any inspection of the cargo; and
       Whereas, although the FDA is the agency that is primarily 
     responsible for food safety, its purview is mostly limited to 
     testing for excessive pesticide residue and cursory random 
     examination of about thirty percent of the trucks coming 
     through Nogales, of which samples are taken from about three 
     percent of the trucks; and
       Whereas, the FDA has no on-the-spot testing for pathogens 
     such as cyclospora, cryptosporidia, or E. coli, which are all 
     linked to food borne illnesses; and
       Whereas, globalization of the food marketplace is exposing 
     some consumers to a host of strange microbes, and therefore, 
     legislation has been introduced in Congress to create a 
     billion-dollar-a-year Food Safety Administration; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Nineteenth 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1998, 
     the Senate concurring, That Congress is urged to require that 
     the importation of all agricultural products into Hawaii have 
     a designation of country or origin and a certification of 
     inspection based on United States Department of Agriculture 
     standards to verify that each imported product has passed all 
     U.S. health and agricultural requirements; and be it
       Further resolved, That Congress support the creation of a 
     federal Food Safety Administration; and be it
       Further resolved, That certified copies of this Concurrent 
     Resolution be transmitted to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, the President of the United States 
     Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, Hawaii's Congressional Delegation, and the 
     Governor.
                                  ____

       POM-423. A resolution adopted by the Mayor and City Council 
     of the City of LaFollette, Tennessee relative to postal 
     services; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
       POM-424. A petition from the Demographer of the State of 
     Michigan relative to the year 2000 census; to the Committee 
     on Governmental Affairs.
       POM-425. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Oak Ridge, Tennessee relative to U.S. Department of Energy 
     missions in Oak Ridge; to the Committee on Governmental 
     Affairs.
       POM-426. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Cincinnati, Ohio relative to the U.S. Postal Service; to the 
     Committee on Governmental Affairs.
       POM-427. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Tennessee; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                       Senate Resolution No. 106

       Whereas, under the provisions of legislation recently 
     passed by the U.S. Senate, each of the fifty (50) states 
     would stand to lose twenty-one and one-half percent (21.5%) 
     of their annual highway funding if their respective 
     legislatures failed to enact federally prescribed laws on 
     three (3) public safety issues; and
       Whereas, specifically, S. 1173 would compel state 
     legislatures to enact the following three (3) sanctions or 
     else lose a significant amount of their state's share of 
     federal highway dollars:
       (1) the establishment of .08% as the legal blood alcohol 
     content level for the offense of driving while intoxicated;
       (2) a prohibition on open containers of alcoholic beverages 
     in moving motor vehicles; and
       (3) the enactment of mandatory sentences for drivers who 
     repeatedly operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated; and
       Whereas, although these three (3) public safety objectives 
     are indeed worthy, past experience has proven that federal 
     mandates are not in the best interests of the people of 
     Tennessee and our system of government as enunciated by the 
     10th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which 
     limits the federal government's powers to those specifically 
     delineated in the U.S. Constitution, with the remaining 
     powers and duties falling under the province of the states' 
     legislatures; and
       Whereas, these three (3) public safety objectives are 
     presently being carefully and exhaustively considered by 
     state legislatures, as they should be; and
       Whereas, these public safety objectives are strictly state 
     issues, as they encompass precisely the type of powers 
     envisioned by our founding fathers to be reserved to the 
     states by the 10th Amendment; and
       Whereas, State legislatures should act to accomplish these 
     public safety objectives only after pertinent data has been 
     accumulated and verifiable results have been demonstrated for 
     their respective state; no two (2) states are exactly alike 
     and different approaches to accomplish these goals may be 
     necessary in each state; and
       Whereas, past experience has also conclusively demonstrated 
     that incentive grants are far more effective than federal 
     mandates; and
       Whereas, the incentive grant approach permits state and 
     federal governments to collaborate in order to achieve shared 
     public safety objectives; and
       Whereas, in addition to allowing the states and the federal 
     government to work respectfully together as equals, instead 
     of operating as opposing and divisive forces, the incentive 
     grant approach does not require any pre-emption of state 
     rights or prerogatives, does not impose any federal mandates 
     upon state governments, and does not threaten states with the 
     loss of transportation dollars (in a bill, ``BESTEA'', that 
     allegedly provides for increased funding from the highway and 
     other transportation funds and restoration of integrity to 
     those same funds); and
       Whereas, this General Assembly is most fervently opposed to 
     federal mandates of any kind and requests the U.S. Congress 
     to respect the 10th Amendment, as well as their counterparts 
     at the state level; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the One-Hundredth General 
     Assembly of the State of Tennessee, That this General 
     Assembly hereby memorializes the United States Congress (and 
     specifically the Tennessee Congressional delegation) to 
     refrain from enacting into law the mandates and sanctions 
     imposed on the several states by S. 1173 (or H.R. 2400, if 
     amended to reflect the Senate Bill) of the One Hundred Fifth 
     U.S. Congress and to instead maintain the incentive grant 
     approach to accomplishing public safety objectives shared by 
     state and federal governments. Be it
       Further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Senate is 
     directed to transmit enrolled 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; and to each member of Tennessee's Congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-428. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                        House Resolution No. 173

       Whereas, hunting and fishing are important activities for 
     millions of Americans. Hunting and fishing afford people an 
     opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors and to pursue 
     activities strongly associated with our pioneer heritage of 
     generations past. For some people the woods and waters are 
     much more than an occasional recreational diversion. For 
     these citizens, hunting and fishing represent a way of life; 
     and
       Whereas, through intense study, hunting and fishing have 
     become key tools in managing our wildlife resources. 
     Regulations balance the population levels of game animals and 
     fish. This has enormous benefits for our environment; and
       Whereas, in recent years, there are increasing numbers of 
     conflicts between those who hunt and fish and certain groups 
     that are committed to halting hunting and fishing. There have 
     been instances of individual and organized efforts to 
     obstruct hunting and fishing. In response to growing 
     concerns, Michigan enacted legislation in 1996 to make it a 
     crime to harass a person lawfully engaged in hunting or 
     fishing; and
       Whereas, in 1996, the citizens of Michigan voted on 
     statewide ballot questions related to hunting. Michigan 
     voters strongly supported a proposal affirming scientific 
     management of hunting while rejecting a proposal that sought 
     to impose restrictions on certain hunting practices. In other 
     states, however, voters have approved significant 
     restrictions on hunting. In the public discussions on these 
     questions, it is clear that many aspects of hunting and 
     fishing are misunderstood by a growing number of people. 
     Changes in where people live, as urban and suburban acreage 
     engulfs more of our rural areas, likely contribute to 
     misinformation about hunting and fishing and
       Whereas, responsible hunting and fishing practices, like 
     those exercised by the millions of people who enjoy 
     Michigan's outdoor

[[Page S5016]]

     bounty each year, enrich us all. Even those who may never 
     know the joys of these sports benefit in the efficient and 
     humane treatment of animals and fish that scientific 
     management offers. We must ensure that these time-honored and 
     productive pursuits are available for future generations; 
     now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to recognize 
     the right of all citizens to hunt and fish; 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 the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-429. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; to the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                            House Resolution

       Whereas, many municipalities own antiquated sewerage 
     treatment facilities which face substantial and sometimes 
     complete reconstruction to meet Environmental Protection 
     Agency standards, the cost of which can place extreme 
     hardship on the municipality; and
       Whereas, the Environmental Protection Agency has levied 
     significant fines on various muicipalities and their 
     authorities for failure to comply with sewerage treatment 
     standards in the operation of these outdated systems; and
       Whereas, municipalities have limited funds from which to 
     draw for both the fines and penalties and the repair and 
     construction and thereby have been or will be forced to raise 
     local taxes on residents to pay these fines and penalties; 
     and
       Whereas, the funds to pay for such fines and penalties were 
     raised at the local level, thereby seriously depleting 
     resources available for the municipalities and their 
     authorities to take full corrective action for the 
     noncomplying systems; and
       Whereas, these fines have posed a great hardship on those 
     municipalities by forcing them to divert funds needed for the 
     actual repair and restoration of the noncomplying systems 
     toward paying for the fines and penalties; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the Congress of the 
     United States to enact legislation directing the 
     Environmental Protection Agency to return no less than 80% of 
     all fines and penalties collected from any municipality, its 
     authorities or agencies to some for the rehabilitation of the 
     existing facilities to bring those facilities to required 
     environmental standards, which may include expenditures for 
     equipment and materials to correct operating deficiencies at 
     the facilities involved in the violation; and be it
       Further resolved, That copies of this resolution be 
     transmitted to the presiding officers of each house of 
     Congress and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-430. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Idaho; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                      House Joint Memorial No. 13

       Whereas, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency 
     act (ISTEA) of 1991, Public Law 102-240, expired on September 
     30, 1997, and federal surface transportation programs are now 
     being temporarily authorized under the Surface Transportation 
     Extension Act (STEA) of 1997, which expires on May 1, 1998; 
     and
       Whereas, delay or disruption of federal surface 
     transportation funds to the states and local governments 
     would cause serious transportation and economic problems for 
     the states and their citizens; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress is currently 
     considering various bills and amendments concerning a 
     multiyear reauthorization of ISTEA; and
       Whereas, the Legislature of the State of Idaho recognizes 
     the many positive aspects of ISTEA which should be retained 
     in any new federal surface transportation authorization act, 
     including: the need for development of intermodal 
     transportation systems; the development of partnerships 
     between federal, state, local and tribal governments for the 
     delivery of transportation systems and services; and an 
     increased level of responsibility and flexibility given to 
     state, local and tribal governments to address their unique 
     transportation needs and characteristics; and
       Whereas, ISTEA does need revision in order to eliminate 
     programs that are no longer needed or are unproductive and to 
     remove or revise those provisions which are overly 
     restrictive on the states. Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the Second Regular Session of 
     the Fifty-fourth Idaho Legislature, the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, That the 
     Congress of the United States adopt, in as timely a manner as 
     possible, a multiyear federal surface transportation program 
     reauthorization legislation which:
       1. Increases total federal funding for highways to the 
     maximum level sustainable by federal law, including spending 
     authority for funds derived from transfer of 4.3 cents in 
     motor fuel taxes from the General Fund to the Highway Trust 
     Fund;
       2. Includes fair and equitable formulas for distribution of 
     federal highway funds, based on the extent and use of the 
     highway system, both rural and urban;
       3. Recognizes the national interest in federal lands and 
     the economic impact on states with a large percentage of 
     federal lands;
       4. Streamlines and simplifies ISTEA by reducing regulations 
     and mandates on the states;
       5. Provides greater flexibility for state and local highway 
     programs to spend funds in accordance with their unique 
     transportation characteristics and priorities. Be it
       Further resolved That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to President Bill Clinton, 
     Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, the President of 
     the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
     Congress, and the congressional delegation of the State of 
     Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-431. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                        Senate Resolution No. 76

       Whereas, a safe and efficient highway system is essential 
     to the nation's international competitiveness, key to 
     domestic productivity, and vital to our quality of life; and
       Whereas, Hawaii has critical highway investment needs that 
     cannot be addressed with current financial resources. The 
     Federal Highway Administration rates 313 miles of Hawaii's 
     most important roads in either poor or mediocre condition and 
     judges 51 per cent of our bridges to be deficient; and
       Whereas, the current level of federal funding for the 
     nation's highway system is inadequate to meet rehabilitation 
     needs, to protect the safety of the traveling public, to 
     begin solving congestion and rural access problems, to 
     conduct adequate transportation research, and to keep the 
     United States competitive in a global economy; and
       Whereas, the federal highway program is financed by 
     dedicated user fees collected from motorists to improve the 
     highway system and deposited into the federal Highway Trust 
     Fund. The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 transferred all federal 
     motor fuel taxes into the Highway Trust Fund but provided no 
     mechanism to ensure the funds are spent; and
       Whereas, the 1998 congressional budget would constrain 
     federal highway spending well below the level of highway tax 
     receipts, allowing the Highway Trust Fund's cash balance to 
     grow from just over $22 billion today to more than $70 
     billion by 2003; and
       Whereas, Hawaii and other states will be prohibited from 
     obligating any federal highway funds after April 30, 1998, 
     unless Congress and the President enact new highway 
     legislation by that date; and
       Whereas, without federal highway funds, many states will be 
     forced to delay life-saving safety improvements, congestion 
     relief projects, and other road and bridge improvements; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Nineteenth Legislature of the 
     State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1998, That the United 
     States Congress enact legislation reauthorizing the federal 
     highway program by May 1, 1998; and be it
       Further resolved, That the reauthorization bill should fund 
     the federal highway program at the highest level that the 
     user-financed Highway Trust Fund will support; and be it
       Further resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution 
     be transmitted to the President of the United States, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     President of the United States Senate, and Hawaii's 
     congressional delegation.
       POM-432. A resolution adopted by the Board of Commissioners 
     of the Town of Manteo, North Carolina relative to the Cape 
     Hatteras Lighthouse; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.
       POM-433. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                           Senate Resolution

       Whereas, The Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal National 
     Heritage Corridor was established by the Congress of the 
     United States in 1988 pursuant to the Delaware and Lehigh 
     Navigation Canal National Heritage Corridor Act of 1988 
     (Public Law 100-692, 102 Stat. 4552); and
       Whereas, The Corridor was established to define the 
     boundaries of these historic waterways and to coordinate 
     efforts to preserve their unique and historic character in 
     recognition of the important role that the Delaware Canal and 
     the Lehigh Navigation Canal played in transporting coal from 
     the anthracite region of Pennsylvania's northeast to the 
     industrial regions of New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, 
     which helped to transform Pennsylvania from an economy based 
     on agriculture to an economy based on industry and trade; and
       Whereas, Congress established the Corridor for the purpose 
     of assisting the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its local 
     governments in developing and implementing integrated 
     cultural, historical and natural resource policies that will 
     preserve the Delaware Canal's and the Lehigh Navigation 
     Canal's unique contributions to our national heritage; and
       Whereas, Congress established the Delaware and Lehigh 
     Navigation Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission to 
     organize

[[Page S5017]]

     these efforts, to coordinate the development of a Cultural 
     Heritage and Corridor Management Plan and to facilitate the 
     distribution of funds to projects undertaken in the Corridor; 
     and
       Whereas, The Cultural Heritage and Corridor Management Plan 
     authorized by Congress to coordinate Federal, State and local 
     efforts in this regard has been completed with the 
     cooperation of many Federal, State and local agencies; and
       Whereas, Consistent with the purposes of the act, the 
     implementation of the Cultural Heritage and Corridor 
     Management Plan has resulted in a strong regional coalition 
     that has sparked dozens of community revitalization, economic 
     development and resource preservation projects in Luzerne, 
     Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Bucks counties; and
       Whereas, The existence of the Corridor has encouraged 
     individual communities to interpret their heritage in the 
     context of a nationally significant story of settlement and 
     industrialization and has assisted those communities in the 
     development of educational public programs for people of all 
     ages and interests; and
       Whereas, The Corridor has received $2.7 million in Federal 
     funds and has stimulated $29.1 million in State, local and 
     private matching dollars at a rate of greater than ten to 
     one, creating new investment and improvements to the natural, 
     cultural, scenic and historic resources of the Corridor; and
       Whereas, The Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal National 
     Heritage Corridor Commission is scheduled to terminate on 
     November 18, 1998; and
       Whereas, The Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal National 
     Heritage Corridor Commission, recognizing the continued 
     relevance of the commission's activities to preserve the 
     Corridor, has requested that Congress authorize a ten-year 
     extension of the commission to the year 2008 and authorize 
     additional Federal funds for the completion of the goals set 
     in the Cultural Heritage and Corridor Management Plan; 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania memorialize Congress to authorize a ten-year 
     extension of the Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal 
     National Heritage Corridor Act and to authorize continued 
     Federal support for Corridor projects; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, to the presiding officers 
     of each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from 
     Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-434. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                            House Resolution

       Whereas, The Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal National 
     Heritage Corridor was established by the Congress of the 
     United States in 1988 pursuant to the Delaware and Lehigh 
     Navigation Canal National Heritage Corridor Act of 1988 
     (Public Law 100-692, 102 Stat. 4552); and
       Whereas, The corridor was established to define the 
     boundaries of these historic waterways and to coordinate 
     efforts to preserve their unique and historic character, in 
     recognition of the important role that the Delaware Canal and 
     the Lehigh Navigation Canal played in transporting coal from 
     the anthracite region of Pennsylvania's northeast to the 
     industrial regions of New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, 
     which helped to transform Pennsylvania from an economy based 
     on agriculture to an economy based on industry and trade; and
       Whereas, Congress established the corridor for the purpose 
     of assisting the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its local 
     governments in developing and implementing integrated 
     cultural, historical and natural resource policies that will 
     preserve the Delaware Canal's and the Lehigh Navigation 
     Canal's unique contributions to our national heritage; and
       Whereas, Congress established the Delaware and Lehigh 
     Navigation Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission to 
     organize these efforts, to coordinate the development of a 
     Cultural Heritage and Corridor Management Plan and to 
     facilitate the distribution of funds to projects undertaken 
     in the corridor; and
       Whereas, The Cultural Heritage and Corridor Management Plan 
     authorized by Congress to coordinate Federal, State and local 
     efforts in this regard has been completed with the 
     cooperation of many Federal, State and local agencies; and
       Whereas, Consistent with the purposes of the act, the 
     implementation of the Cultural Heritage and Corridor 
     Management Plan has resulted in a strong regional coalition 
     that has sparked dozens of community revitalization, economic 
     development and resource preservation projects in Luzerne, 
     Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Bucks Counties; and
       Whereas, The existence of the corridor has encouraged 
     individual communities to interpret their heritage in the 
     context of a nationally significant story of settlement and 
     industrialization and has assisted those communities in the 
     development of educational public programs for people of all 
     ages and interests; and
       Whereas, The corridor has received $2.7 million in Federal 
     funds and has stimulated $29.1 million in State, local and 
     private matching dollars at a rate of greater than ten to 
     one, creating new investment and improvements to the natural, 
     cultural, scenic and historical resources of the corridor; 
     and
       Whereas, The Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal National 
     Heritage Corridor Commission is scheduled to terminate on 
     November 18, 1998; and
       Whereas, The Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal National 
     Heritage Corridor Commission, recognizing the continued 
     relevance of the commission's activities to preserve the 
     corridor, has requested that Congress authorize a ten-year 
     extension of the commission to the year 2008 and authorize 
     additional Federal funds for the completion of the goals set 
     in the Cultural Heritage and Corridor Management Plan; 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize Congress to 
     authorize a ten-year extension of the Delaware and Lehigh 
     Navigation Canal National Heritage Corridor Act and to 
     authorize continued Federal support for corridor projects; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, to the presiding officers 
     of each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from 
     Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-435. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Kansas; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 5035

       Whereas, Each state is able and has the right to determine 
     if there should be competition in retail sales of electricity 
     within the state and the time period for implementation of 
     competition; and
       Whereas, Each state has unique electric power supply 
     sources and demand requirements that cannot readily be 
     accommodated by a federal mandate; and
       Whereas, Availability of reliable electric energy at 
     affordable prices has a tremendous impact on the public 
     health and welfare in each state; and
       Whereas, The Legislature of the State of Kansas created the 
     Retail Wheeling Task Force, composed of legislators and 
     representatives of all interested parties, to study and make 
     recommendations regarding competition in retail sales of 
     electricity in Kansas; and
       Whereas, The Task Force devoted long hours for 18 months to 
     understanding the issue of competition in retail sales of 
     electricity, its potential impact on the citizens of this 
     state and means of addressing the issue to benefit the 
     greatest number of Kansans; and
       Whereas, The federal government does not have the 
     knowledge, time or money necessary to similarly assess the 
     needs of each individual state: Now, therefore,
       Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State 
     of Kansas, the Senate concurring therein: The Legislature of 
     the State of Kansas strongly urges the Congress of the United 
     States not to take action to mandate competition in retail 
     sales of electricity and to leave that responsibility to the 
     individual states; and
       Be it further resolved: The Secretary of State is directed 
     to send enrolled copies of this resolution to the President 
     of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, each United States Senator and each 
     United States Representative representing Kansas, the 
     secretary of the United States Department of Energy and the 
     President of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-436. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Idaho; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                       House Joint Memorial No. 9

       Whereas, Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890; 
     and
       Whereas, the Idaho Admission Bill, 26 Stat. L. 215, ch. 
     656, provides that the Congress would grant certain lands to 
     the state for the support of public schools and did grant 
     those lands; and
       Whereas, Section 5 of the Idaho Admission Bill, 26, Stat. 
     L. 215, ch. 656, requires that the proceeds from the sale of 
     those lands shall constitute a permanent school fund, only 
     the interest of which can be used to support public schools; 
     and
       Whereas, the restrictions on the use of proceeds and 
     interest are inconsistent with modern concepts of prudent 
     investment; and
       Whereas, the restrictions can be modified to reflect modern 
     business practices without undue risk to the state or the 
     beneficiaries of the funds:
       Now therefore, be it resolved by the members of the Second 
     Regular Session of the Fifty-fourth Idaho Legislature, the 
     House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, 
     That the Congress expeditiously amend the Idaho Admissions 
     Bill, 26 Stat. L. 215, ch. 656, as follows: Section 5. Sale 
     or lease of school lands. (a) Except as provided in 
     subsection (b) all lands herein granted for educational 
     purposes shall be disposed of sold only at public sale, the 
     proceeds to constitute a permanent public school permanent 
     endowment fund. Proceeds from the sale of school lands may be 
     deposited into a land bank fund to be used to acquire other 
     lands in the state for the benefit of the endowment 
     beneficiaries, under such laws as may be prescribed by the 
     legislature. If the land sale proceeds are not used to 
     acquire other lands in the state within a time provided by 
     the legislature, the proceeds and any earnings on the 
     proceeds shall be deposited into the public school permanent 
     endowment fund. The interest earnings of which only the 
     public school permanent endowment fund shall be deposited 
     into

[[Page S5018]]

     an earnings reserve fund and distributed expended in the 
     support of said public schools of the state in the manner 
     prescribed by law. Such lands may, under such regulations 
     laws as the legislature shall prescribe, be leased, for 
     periods of not more than ten years, and in the case of an 
     oil, gas, or other hydrocarbon lease or a geothermal resource 
     and associated byproducts lease, for as long thereafter as 
     such product is produced in paying quantities or the lessee 
     in good faith is conducting well drilling or construction 
     operations provided any such lease secures the maximum long-
     term financial return, and such lands shall not be subject to 
     preemption, homestead entry, or any other entry under the 
     land laws of the United States, whether surveyed or 
     unsurveyed, but shall be reserved for school purposes only. 
     (b) Such lands may be exchanged for other lands, public or 
     private. The values of such lands so exchanged shall be 
     approximately equal or, if they are not approximately equal, 
     they shall be equalized by the payment of money by the 
     appropriate party. If any such lands are exchanged with the 
     United States, such exchange shall be limited to Federal 
     lands within the State that are subject to exchange under the 
     laws governing the administration of such lands. All such 
     exchanges heretofore made with the United States are hereby 
     approved;
       Be it further resolved that the Secretary of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
     Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the 
     State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-437. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Idaho; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                      House Joint Memorial No. 10

       Whereas, on January 22, 1998, U.S. Forest Service chief 
     Michael Dombeck proposed a major overhaul of the forest road 
     system, including a proposal to halt all road construction in 
     roadless areas of national forests; and
       Whereas, forests occupy some \3/4\ billion acres, or \1/3\ 
     of the land area of the United States and the change would 
     effectively create the largest de facto wilderness bill in 
     history which would close public access to in excess of 47% 
     of the national forest land base outside established 
     wilderness, as well as limit access to wilderness; and
       Whereas, this proposed policy change will result in an 
     eighteen-month moratorium on road building within roadless 
     areas currently defined as areas over 5,000 acres, roadless 
     areas identified and inventoried within their forest plans, 
     roadless areas over 1,000 acres that are adjacent to other 
     roadless areas of 5,000 acres or larger which are 
     congressionally designated wilderness or ``wild river'' 
     corridors, roadless or very low density areas designated for 
     inclusion by regional foresters because of their unique 
     ecological or social values, and decommissioning of 
     ``unneeded'' existing roads; and
       Whereas, a moratorium by administrative fiat circumvents 
     the public participation and environmental documentation 
     requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and the 
     National Forest Management Act, as well as the Congress of 
     the United States; and
       Whereas, Idaho Code sections 40-107 and 40-204A define 
     ``federal lands rights-of-way'' within the context of Revised 
     Statute 2477, codified as 43 United States Code 932, and 
     Idaho House Joint Memorial No. 6 of 1993 affirms Idaho's 
     interest in maintaining Revised Statute 2477 authorization 
     and grants, in rights-of-way access to unreserved, or 
     formerly unreserved public lands; and
       Whereas, as counties are entitled to receive 25% of 
     receipts from national forest lands, the new policy has the 
     potential of eliminating $100 million dollars in desperately 
     needed moneys for local schools; and
       Whereas, the administration has only evaluated the 
     devastating economic effect on timber harvest and is ignoring 
     the negative impact on mining, grazing, commercial and 
     private recreationists and local economies; and
       Whereas, unemployment rates could rise up to 33% in 7 
     western states and in some eastern and southern states; and
       Whereas, forest roads are an integral part of maintaining 
     forest health, as well as an integral part of a socioeconomic 
     base that would shortchange rural counties of millions in 
     revenue for having federal forests within their boundaries; 
     and
       Whereas, a road moratorium would preempt all state and 
     local laws and regulations; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the members of the Second Regular Session of 
     the Fifty-fourth Idaho Legislature, the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that the 
     Congress of the United States is urged to recognize state and 
     county rights-of-way under Revised Statute 2477 and take 
     appropriate action to invalidate the proposed policy change 
     for forest roadless areas; and be it further
       Resolved that the Congress of the United States is urged to 
     do all within its statutory authority to deny funding for the 
     implementation of the proposed policy change by 
     administrative fiat; and be it further
       Resolved that the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, an she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the Honorable William 
     Clinton, President of the United States, to the Honorable Dan 
     Glickman, Secretary of Agriculture, to Chief Michael Dombeck, 
     United States Forest Service, to the President of the Senate 
     and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, 
     the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho 
     in the Congress of the United States, and to the Honorable 
     Phil Batt Governor of the State of Idaho.
                                  ____

       POM-438. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Idaho; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                      House Joint Memorial No. 14

       Whereas, the United States Department of Agriculture, in 
     concert with the United States Department of the Interior, 
     has been actively involved for the last three and one-half 
     years in the promulgation of a $35-40 million dollar land 
     management project involving virtually all of the 
     Northwestern States, named the Interior Columbia Basin 
     Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP); AND
       Whereas, ICBEMP has not been properly authorized by the 
     United States Congress, nor coordinated with the state of 
     Idaho, notwithstanding the inevitable involvement of 
     intermingled state and private lands; and
       Whereas, representatives of a number of federal wildlife, 
     natural resource and land management agencies have been 
     engaged in the preparation of an ICBEMP Draft Environmental 
     Impact Statement (DEIS) without sufficient regard to or 
     consideration of state concerns and interests; and
       Whereas, there is no definitive description of an ecosystem 
     or ecosystem management contained in the ICBEMP DEIS as 
     drafted, and associated documents; and
       Whereas, implementation of ICBEMP will have major impacts 
     on the management of federal lands and therefore major 
     impacts on the counties of this state including a reduction 
     in human economic use of public lands, delays in land use 
     decision-making and new restrictions on both commodity and 
     noncommodity public land outputs, including recreation; and
       Whereas, the preferred alternative in the DEIS, while 
     supposedly designed to aggressively restore ecosystems and 
     support people, in reality focuses on ecosystem protection to 
     be achieved by minimizing human impacts to the environment; 
     and
       Whereas, the DEIS's Desired Range of Future Conditions 
     reflect the personal values of its authors and are not 
     necessarily based on a sound scientific information; and
       Whereas, ecological considerations have been given more 
     weight than providing predictable levels of goods and 
     services from federal lands while procedures and standards 
     for measurement have not been developed for ecosystem health 
     and ecological integrity; and
       Whereas, the ICBEMP DEIS fails to explicitly identify the 
     economic or social needs of people, cultures, and communities 
     in the Columbia River Basin as they pertain to federal lands 
     and fails to define sustainable and predictable levels of 
     products and services from U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of 
     Land Management lands; and
       Whereas, the DEIS contains no significant legal 
     justification for shifting to ecosystem based management 
     while at the same time nullifying the many years of 
     cooperative effort contained in existing land management 
     plans; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the Second Regular Session of 
     the Fifty-fourth Idaho Legislature, the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that we 
     urgently request the Congress of the United States to take 
     action immediately to terminate the Interior Columbia Basin 
     Ecosystem Management Project with no Record of Decision being 
     approved. We request that all funding enabling further action 
     toward the implementation be terminated and withdrawn from 
     all federal agencies involved. All valid science based 
     information developed by this project should be communicated 
     to BLM district managers and National Forest supervisors for 
     consideration of public input in statutorily scheduled 
     environmental land and resource management plan revisions; be 
     it further
       Resolved that the members of the Second Regular Session of 
     the Fifty-fourth Idaho Legislature, the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, strongly 
     support natural resource planning and environmental 
     management featuring site-specific management decisions made 
     by local decision-makers, local citizenry and parties 
     directly and personally affected by environmental land and 
     resource management decisions; and be it further
       Resolved that the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the Secretary of the 
     United States Department of Interior, to the Chief of the 
     Forest Service of the United States Department of 
     Agriculture, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker 
     of the House of Representatives of Congress, and the 
     congressional delegation representing the state of Idaho in 
     the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-439. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Washington; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

[[Page S5019]]

                  Substitute House Joint Memorial 4035

       Whereas, The citizens of Washington State place great value 
     upon their natural heritage and desire to protect and enhance 
     it; and
       Whereas, The growing population of Washington State is 
     placing growing demands on the state's natural resources 
     available for recreation; and
       Whereas, Because of this growing demand and its attendant 
     impacts on the environment, the federal government is 
     considering restrictions on public access to popular 
     recreation sites in Washington's central Cascade Mountains; 
     and
       Whereas, Plum Creek Timber Company, L.P. presently owns 
     numerous sites near the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area which 
     are of surpassing recreational and environmental value; and
       Whereas, Such lands are located in a ``checkerboard'' 
     pattern of alternating sections, and configuration that 
     presents both private and public land managers with 
     difficulties in meeting their respective objectives; and
       Whereas, Both sectors have stated a willingness to exchange 
     lands to accommodate mutual interests; and
       Whereas, The federal government and Plum Creek Timber 
     Company are completing an environmental impact statement for 
     an exchange of private and public lands in the Cascade 
     Mountains; and
       Whereas, This process has involved extensive public 
     participation; and
       Whereas, This exchange complements the President's Forest 
     Plan; and
       Whereas, This exchange, if completed as currently proposed, 
     would transfer into public ownership up to 60,000 acres of 
     private land while transferring into private ownership up to 
     40,000 acres of public land; and
       Whereas, The United States Forest Service and Plum Creek 
     Timber Company L.P., have worked toward this land exchange 
     for over a decade, expending more than two million dollars in 
     environmental studies and land analysis; and
       Whereas, Time is of the essence because the longer it takes 
     to complete the exchange, the less private land will be 
     precluded from harvest activities;
       Now, therefore, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that 
     the United States Government promptly complete the proposed 
     Interstate 90 land exchange, thus securing the greatest 
     possible environmental, recreational, and land-management 
     benefits at the earliest possible time; be it
       Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
     transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of 
     the United States, the President of the United States Senate, 
     the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the United 
     States Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, and each member 
     of Congress from the State of Washington.
                                  ____

       POM-440. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 16

       Whereas, the coastal regions of the United States are 
     fragile environmentally and under intense pressure from 
     storms and natural disasters, population growth and, in some 
     states, from onshore support activities that are necessitated 
     by the development of the nation's oil and natural gas 
     resources on the federal Outer Continental Shelf; and
       Whereas, each year the federal government receives billions 
     of dollars in revenues from the development of oil and 
     natural gas resources on the federal Outer Continental Shelf, 
     a capital asset of this nation; and
       Whereas, the federal government does not share directly 
     with the coastal states a meaningful share of these revenues, 
     while the federal government does share with states fifty 
     percent of the revenues from onshore federal mineral 
     development; and
       Whereas, at least a portion of the revenues from this 
     capital asset of the nation should be reinvested in 
     infrastructure and environmental restoration in the coastal 
     regions of this nation; and
       Whereas, states that host onshore activities in support of 
     the offshore federal Outer Continental Shelf mineral 
     development should receive a share of these revenues to 
     offset state impacts of this development; and
       Whereas, the Outer Continental Shelf Policy Committee of 
     the United States Department of the Interior has recommended 
     that all states, and the territories, should receive a 
     portion of these revenues as an automatic payment annually 
     pursuant to a formula based on proximity to offshore 
     production, miles of shoreline and population; and
       Whereas, members of Congress representing coastal states 
     are preparing federal legislation to enact the proposal to 
     share a portion of federal Outer Continental Shelf revenues 
     with all coastal states and the territories; therefore, be it
       Resolved that the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the 
     Congress of the United States to support and adopt 
     legislation to provide for the sharing of revenues generated 
     through mineral exploration on the federal Outer Continental 
     Shelf with coastal states and territories pursuant to a 
     formula recommended by the Outer Continental Shelf Policy 
     Committee; and be it further
       Resolved that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate, the clerk of the 
     United States House of Representatives and to each member of 
     the Louisiana Congressional delegation.

                          ____________________