[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 86 (Thursday, June 17, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7217-S7218]
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-197. A petition from the Attorney General of the State 
     of South Carolina relative to a proposed interstate compact 
     between Georgia and South Carolina; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.
       POM-198. A resolution adopted by the Board of 
     Commissioners, McNairy County, Tennessee relative to prayer 
     in schools; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-199. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas 
     relative to redress of grievances; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.
       POM-200. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas 
     relative to redress of grievances; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.
       POM-201. A petition from a citizen of the State of 
     Mississippi relative to a demand for damages for wrongful 
     death; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-202. A petition from a citizen of the State of 
     Mississippi relative to a demand for damages for wrongful 
     death; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-203. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada relative to Social Security; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12

       Whereas, The Social Security system provides benefits to 44 
     million Americans, including over 27 millions retirees, 4\1/
     2\ million people with disabilities, almost 4 million 
     surviving children and over 8 million surviving adults, and 
     is essential to the dignity and security of a large number of 
     the residents of this country; and
       Whereas, The Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors 
     Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds have reported 
     to Congress that the ``total income'' of the Social Security 
     system ``is estimated to fall short of expenditures beginning 
     in 2019 and in each year thereafter . . . until [trust fund] 
     assets are exhausted in 2029''; and
       Whereas, Intergenerational fairness, honest accounting 
     principles, prudent budgeting and sound economic policy all 
     require saving Social Security to ensure that our country may 
     better afford the demands placed on Social Security upon the 
     retirement of the ``baby boomer'' generation beginning in 
     2010; and
       Whereas, If efforts were expended to save the Social 
     Security system, the national savings would be expanded, 
     interest rates would be reduced, private investments would be 
     enhanced, labor productivity would increase and the economy 
     of this country would grow; and
       Whereas, The Social Security system produces an annual 
     surplus that is invested in government bonds and the United 
     States Department of Treasury currently borrows the 
     ``surplus,'' which is projected to approach $100 billion 
     dollars by the end of 1999, and spends this money on programs 
     that are unrelated to Social Security; and
       Whereas, The United States House of Representatives 
     introduced a bill into Congress 1 year ago, designated H.R. 
     3207, that would have created the ``Save Social Security 
     First Reserve Fund'' into which the Secretary of the Treasury 
     would be required to deposit budget surpluses pending Social 
     Security reform; and
       Whereas, This bill was referred to the Subcommittee on 
     Social Security on February 19, 1998, but died in committee; 
     and
       Whereas, Similar bills have been introduced to protect the 
     Social Security system, but to date none have been acted 
     upon; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada, 
     Jointly, Taht the members of the 70th session of the Nevada 
     Legislature hereby urge the Federal Government to invest all 
     surplus money from Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance 
     for the benefit of the Social Security system; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, that such investments must be in public debt 
     securities with suitable maturities and bearing interest at 
     rates determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, taking 
     into consideration current market yields on outstanding 
     marketable obligations of the United States of comparable 
     maturities; and be it further
       Resolved, That the income on such investments must be 
     credited to and form a part of the fund for use in the 
     future; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of 
     the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the 
     Treasury and each member of the Nevada Congressional 
     Delegation; and be it further
       Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage and approval.
                                  ____

       POM-204. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Hawaii relative to food quality protection; 
     to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 132

       Whereas, the safe, responsible use of pesticides for 
     agricultural, food safety, structural, public health, 
     environmental, and other purposes has significantly advanced 
     the overall welfare of Hawaii's citizens and the environment; 
     and
       Whereas, the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) 
     establishes new safety standards that pesticides must meet to 
     be newly registered or remain on the market; and
       Whereas, the FQPA requires the U.S. Environmental 
     Protection Agency (USEPA) to ensure that all pesticide 
     tolerances meet these new standards by reassessing one-third 
     of the 9,700 current pesticide tolerances by August 1999, and 
     all current tolerances in ten years; and
       Whereas, risk determinations based on sound science and 
     reliable real-world data are essential for accurate 
     decisions, and the best way for USEPA to obtain this data is 
     to require its development and submission by the registrants 
     through the data call-in process; and
       Whereas, risk determinations made in the absence of 
     reliable, science-based information is expected to result in 
     the needless loss of pesticides and certain uses of other 
     pesticides; and
       Whereas, the needless loss of pesticides and certain 
     pesticide uses will result in fewer pest control options for 
     Hawaii and would be

[[Page S7218]]

     harmful to the economy of Hawaii by jeopardizing agriculture, 
     one of the few industries that has shown great strength 
     during the recent years of the State's flat economy, and 
     fewer pest control options for urban and suburban uses that 
     will result in significant loss of personal property and 
     increased human health concerns; and
       Whereas, the needless loss of pesticides will jeopardize 
     the ability of the state and county governments to protect 
     public health and safety on public property and to protect 
     our natural environmental resources, for example, from 
     aggressive alien species; and
       Whereas, the flawed implementation of the FQPA is likely to 
     result in significant increases in food costs to consumers, 
     thereby putting the nutritional needs of children, the poor, 
     and the elderly at unnecessary risk; and
       Whereas, the Clinton administration has directed the USEPA 
     and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to work jointly toward 
     implementing the FQPA in a manner that assures that our 
     children will be adequately protected and that risk 
     determinations related to pesticide tolerances and 
     registrations will be based on accurate, science-based 
     information; and
       Whereas, the cost of developing data to quantify real-world 
     risk is prohibitive and minor use data may not be financed by 
     pesticide registrants and the State and pesticide users may 
     fund studies to support minor users; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature of the 
     State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of 
     Representatives concurring, that the Legislature of the State 
     of Hawaii does hereby respectfully request that the U.S. 
     Congress direct the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental 
     Protection Agency to:
       (1) Initiate rulemaking to ensure that the policies and 
     standards it intends to apply in evaluating pesticide 
     tolerances and making realistic risk determinations are based 
     on accurate information, real-world data available through 
     the data call-in process, and sound science, and are subject 
     to adequate public notice and comment before it issues final 
     pesticide tolerance determinations;
       (2) Provide interested persons the opportunity to produce 
     data needed to evaluate pesticide tolerances so that USEPA 
     can avoid making faulty final pesticide tolerance 
     determinations based upon unrealistic default assumptions;
       (3) Implement the FQPA in a manner that will not adversely 
     disrupt agricultural production nor adversely affect the 
     availability, diversity of the food supply, nor jeopardize 
     the public health or environmental quality through the 
     needless reassessment of pesticide tolerances for non-
     agricultural activities; and
       (4) Delay the August 1999, deadline until 2001 or until the 
     USEPA, USDA, industry leaders and manufacturers can provide 
     science-based data as to use, application, and residue of the 
     pesticides under review; and be it further
       Resvolved, That the Legislature of the State of Hawaii 
     respectfully requests that pesticide registrants and the U.S. 
     Environmental Protection Agency support minor use 
     registrations by reserving a meaningful portion of the risks 
     projected from the use of a pesticide or a class of 
     pesticides for minor uses; and be it further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Concurrent 
     Resolution be transmitted to the Speaker of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives, President of the U.S. Senate, members of 
     Hawaii's congressional delegation, the Administrator of the 
     USEPA, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
     the Governor of Hawaii, the American Crop Protection 
     Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and 
     Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment.
                                  ____

       POM-205. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii relative to The United 
     Nations Children's Fund; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.

                        House Resolution No. 219

       Whereas, a forum is needed to follow up on the 
     recommendations of the Millennium Young People's Congress to 
     be held in October 1999; and
       Whereas, children and youth are the key to world peace, 
     sustainability, and productivity in the next millennium; and
       Whereas, the health, welfare, and rights of children are 
     the basic foundations that must be established for all 
     children and youth; and
       Whereas, Hawaii's location in the middle of the Pacific Rim 
     provides an excellent and strategic location for the meeting 
     place to follow up on the recommendations of the Millennium 
     Young People's Congress, to discuss the health, welfare, and 
     rights of children as basic foundations for all children and 
     youth, and to research pertinent issues and alternatives 
     concerning children and youth and propose viable models for 
     societal application; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Twentieth 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, 
     that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is 
     respectfully requested to establish a center for the health, 
     welfare, and rights of children and youth in Hawaii and 
     support for the center is respectfully requested from the 
     President of the United States and Congress; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the Secretary General of the United Nations 
     Children's Fund, the President of the UNICEF Executive Board, 
     the President of the United States, the President of the 
     United States Senate, and the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives.
                                  ____

       POM-206. A concurrent resolution of the Legislature of the 
     State of Hawaii relative to the nomination of the Chief of 
     Staff, U.S. Army; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 56

       Whereas, on April 21, 1999, General Shinseki was nominated 
     by President Clinton to become Chief of Staff of the United 
     States Army; and
       Whereas, General Eric Shinseki was born in Lihue, Hawaii, 
     graduated from Kauai High School in 1961, and is a graduate 
     of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Duke 
     University; and
       Whereas, General Shinseki currently serves as the Vice-
     Chief of Staff of the United States Army and is also the 
     first Asian-American four-star general having received his 
     fourth star in August of 1997 when he became commanding 
     general of all U.S. Army forces in Europe and was head of the 
     stabilization force in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and
       Whereas, General Shinseki's awards and decorations include 
     the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze 
     Star, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Twentieth 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, 
     the Senate concurring, that the United States Senate is urged 
     to confirm the nomination of General Eric Shinseki as Chief 
     of Staff of the United States Army; and be it further
       Resolved, That a certified copy of this Concurrent 
     Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United 
     States Senate, to Senator Daniel K. Inouye, and to Senator 
     Daniel K. Akaka.

                          ____________________