[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 20, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8872-S8874]
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-251. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the General 
     Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to 
     loans for state and local governments; to the Committee on 
     Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

                           Senate Resolution

       Whereas, All state and local governments and school 
     districts have a substantial need to undertake capital 
     projects to build or improve new or existing schools, roads, 
     bridges, water and sewer systems, waste disposal facilities, 
     public housing units, public buildings and environmental 
     improvements; and
       Whereas, The Federal Government is in a much better 
     position than state and local governmental units and school 
     districts to raise large amounts of capital to fund major 
     capital projects; and
       Whereas, The Treasury of the Federal Government has an 
     ongoing program utilizing treasury bills, bonds, notes and 
     other financial instruments to raise its needed operating 
     capital; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of Pennsylvania memorialize 
     Congress to support the concept of creating interest-free 
     loans to state and local governments and school districts to 
     provide for capital projects for schools, roads, bridges, 
     water and sewer projects, waste disposal projects, public 
     housing, public buildings and environmental projects; 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-252. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to the ``Flag Protection 
     Amendment''; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 136

       Whereas, the United States flag is a symbol of our country; 
     and
       Whereas, desecration of the flag disgusts and enrages many 
     American citizens, including the men and women who put their 
     lives at risk to uphold what the flag symbolizes; and
       Whereas, the Supreme Court of the United States has held 
     that flag desecration is protected speech under the First 
     Amendment of the Constitution of the United States; and
       Whereas, Congress responded by passing the Flag Protection 
     Act of 1989, which the Supreme Court declared 
     unconstitutional; and
       Whereas, in its current term, Congress is considering the 
     Flag Protection Act, a constitutional amendment giving 
     Congress the authority to pass laws protecting the flag from 
     desecration; and
       Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana has visited the flag 
     burning issue on numerous occasions and has consistently 
     voted against the flag burner and in favor of protecting the 
     flag. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to pass the 
     Flag Protection Amendment, an amendment to the Constitution 
     of the United States, giving Congress the authority to pass 
     laws protecting the United States flag from desecration. Be 
     it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives and to each member 
     of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-253. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to the Big Creek 
     Recreation Access Project; to the Committee on 
     Appropriations.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 124

       Whereas, Big Creek, a Louisiana Natural and Scenic River, 
     is located entirely in Grant Parish with a historical record 
     of recreation and commerce dating back to the 1800's and is 
     vital to recreation, commerce, and tourism in the Pollock 
     area and the state of Louisiana; and
       Whereas, Big Creek provides excellent canoeing and related 
     recreational opportunities which are in great demand in the 
     Kisatchie National Forest; and
       Whereas, the United States Forest Service, Department of 
     Agriculture, has designed the

[[Page S8873]]

     Big Creek Recreation Access Project and has approved its 
     construction as funds become available; and
       Whereas, the Big Creek Recreation Access Project would be a 
     great economical boost for recreation, commerce, and tourism 
     in the Pollock area and the state of Louisiana by providing 
     canoeing, fishing, swimming, hiking, and sanitary facilities 
     for the public on Kisatchie National Forest lands. Therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to provide funding for the 
     construction of the Big Creek Recreation Access Project; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-254. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to tobacco settlement; to 
     the Committee on Finance.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 59

       Whereas, the state attorney general and attorneys general 
     of forty-five other state and five territories have filed 
     claims against the tobacco industry; and
       Whereas, the state's attorneys general carefully crafted 
     the settlement agreement to reflect only costs incurred by 
     the states; and
       Whereas, these lawsuits represent years of state effort and 
     leadership, and the states have borne all risks while the 
     United States government failed to participate in such 
     litigation; and
       Whereas, the president of the United States announced a 
     federal surplus of seventy billion dollars in his state of 
     the union address. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to 
     guarantee that one hundred percent of all monies due states 
     from the tobacco industry settlement, agreement, or judgment 
     be paid in full to such states; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to prohibit any and all 
     activities, including excise taxes on tobacco products and 
     recoveries of Medicaid costs for smoking-induced illnesses, 
     that would result in reducing the amount of funds available 
     to the states from any tobacco industry settlement, 
     agreement, or judgment; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-255. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to food and humanitarian 
     aid to Cuba; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                        Senate Resolution No. 51

       Whereas, two legislative instruments, SR 926 and HR 1644, 
     which are pending in Congress have been designated the Cuban 
     Food and Medicine Security Act of 1999 and would allow the 
     sale of food and medicine to the people of Cuba; and
       Whereas, Cuba is the only country prohibited by federal law 
     from purchasing food and medicine from United States 
     suppliers; and
       Whereas, this prohibition has done nothing to punish Cuba's 
     government or Cuba's political leaders but the innocent 
     people of Cuba who are in need of food and medicine; and
       Whereas, the United States has always promoted global 
     humanitarian aid, yet its current prohibition of the sale of 
     food and medicine to Cuba is antithetical to its history of 
     humanitarianism; and
       Whereas, the federal government has recently approved the 
     sale of food and medicine to countries such as Iran, Iraq, 
     Libya, and Sudan, and even in the midst of the Cold War, the 
     United States sold food and medicine to the former Soviet 
     Union; and
       Whereas, prior to 1960, the people of Cuba purchased 
     hundreds of thousands of tons of rice and other food products 
     annually which were shipped to Cuba through the Port of Lake 
     Charles; and
       Whereas, if such purchases were allowed, Cuba's high demand 
     for food products may provide a ready market for Louisiana's 
     agricultural goods; and
       Whereas, the sale of food and medicine to the people of 
     Cuba would benefit this state and the country by a promotion 
     of humanitarian policy, an enhancement of the farm-business 
     community, and the creation of hundreds of jobs at the Port 
     of Lake Charles and elsewhere within our economy. Therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana 
     does hereby memorialize Congress of the United States to 
     adopt the Cuban Food and Medicine Security Act of 1999 or 
     other similar legislation which would eliminate the current 
     prohibition against the sale of food and medicine to the 
     people of Cuba; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives and to each member 
     of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-256. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to a proposed ``National 
     Week of Prayer for Schools''; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 42

       Whereas, presidents throughout American history have called 
     our people to prayer, especially Abraham Lincoln in 1863; and
       Whereas, in light of this history, a week of dedication 
     toward prayer for our schools should be set aside for the 
     sake of our children and their future; and
       Whereas, we invite the people of this nation to join 
     together to pray, sing, proclaim, and speak for the 
     progression of educational programming in our country; and
       Whereas, we encourage the citizens of our nation to pay for 
     the dedicated teachers, staff, and administrators who are 
     molding the children's dreams and our futures. Therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana hereby 
     memorializes the United States Congress to proclaim the first 
     week in August of each year as ``National Week of Prayer for 
     Schools''; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives and to each member 
     of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-257. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to the ``Comprehensive 
     Hurricane Protection Plan for Coastal Louisiana''; to the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 30

       Whereas, Louisiana citizens living and working in southeast 
     Louisiana have been and continue to be vulnerable to the 
     devastating effects of hurricanes and tropical storms; and
       Whereas, federal, state, and local governments have 
     attempted to provide hurricane protection to the residents of 
     the region by implementing construction projects designed to 
     protect specific areas; and
       Whereas, a comprehensive plan is in need of being developed 
     to provide protection for the areas outside of existing 
     project boundaries which are subject to catastrophic damages 
     due to hurricanes and other storm events; and
       Whereas, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is analyzing a 
     plan, entitled the ``Comprehensive Hurricane Protection Plan 
     for Coastal Louisiana'', to provide continuous hurricane 
     protection from the vicinity of Morgan City, Louisiana to the 
     Louisiana-Mississippi border; and
       Whereas, the plan will seek to expedite the ongoing 
     construction of several hurricane protection projects, seek 
     immediate congressional authorization for projects being 
     planned, initiate and expedite hurricane protection and flood 
     control studies in the region, initiate a study of flood 
     proofing major hurricane evacuation routes, and initiate a 
     reevaluation of existing hurricane protection projects to 
     provide for category 4 or 5 hurricanes; and
       Whereas, the development of the plan will necessitate a 
     major cooperative effort of federal, state, and local 
     governments requiring a considerable amount of funds for 
     planning, implementation, and construction; and
       Whereas, the association of Levee Boards of Louisiana fully 
     supports and endorses the concepts of the comprehensive 
     hurricane protection plan. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to authorize and urge the 
     governor of the state of Louisiana to support the development 
     of the ``Comprehensive Hurricane Protection Plan for Coastal 
     Louisiana'' by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide 
     continuous hurricane protection from Morgan City to the 
     Mississippi border; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives, to each member of 
     the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress, and 
     to the governor of the state of Louisiana.
                                  ____

       POM-258. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to the Turtle Excluder 
     Device regulations; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
     and Transportation.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 12

       Whereas, due to the protection of the beaches on Rancho 
     Nuevo, Mexico, the number of documented nests of the 
     endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtle has increased to nearly 
     four thousand from a low of about seven hundred in 1985; and
       Whereas, the sea turtle population has increased to the 
     point where modifications of turtle excluder device (T.E.D.S) 
     regulations are feasible without causing detriment to the 
     increasing turtle population; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana shrimping industry views current 
     T.E.D. regulations as a direct threat to their industry; and
       Whereas, commercial shrimp trawl vessel licenses have 
     dropped from a high of approximately thirty-two thousand in 
     1987, just prior to the T.E.D. regulations, to a present-day 
     low of approximately fifteen thousand. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to pursue other viable 
     alternatives to

[[Page S8874]]

     present T.E.D. regulations, including, but not limited to 
     seasonal exemptions, where there is a low presence of the 
     Kemp Ridley turtle in the winter season; and area exemptions 
     where there has been no historical evidence of Kemp Ridley 
     populations; and an industry funded recovery program; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-259. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to the National Resource 
     Conservation Service; to the Committee on Appropriations.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 60

       Whereas, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 
     formerly the Soil Conservation Service, has been providing 
     technical assistance to Louisiana's landowners and land 
     managers since 1935; and
       Whereas, such technical assistance has been provided 
     through formal working agreements with each of Louisiana's 
     forty-three soil and water conservation districts; and
       Whereas, a science-based, multidisciplinary workforce's no-
     cost assistance has been instrumental to the development of 
     Louisiana's productive cropland, pasture land, and forests; 
     and
       Whereas, NRCS has generally provided services and funds to 
     the people of Louisiana through the soil and water 
     conservation districts at a ratio of approximately ten 
     federal dollars for each state dollar; and
       Whereas, Louisiana landowners and land managers are 
     besieged by regulations and enforcement actions related to 
     clean air, clean water, wetland protection and restoration, 
     animal waste management, nutrient and pesticide management, 
     riparian area protection, and other environmental 
     requirements; and
       Whereas, the technical assistance that NRCS provides is 
     critical to our state's landowners' continuing compliance 
     with these complex environmental laws and regulations; and
       Whereas, private landowners and land managers control over 
     eighty percent of Louisiana's land, and their understanding 
     and application of sound conservation practices to their land 
     is essential to maintain its productivity; and
       Whereas, these sound conservation practices constitute an 
     important non-point source environmental protection program 
     on a statewide and national basis; and
       Whereas, the president of the United States has proposed a 
     budget that in effect would reduce NRCS field service staff 
     by over 1,050 nationwide with a possible twenty-five 
     reduction in Louisiana's field staff; and
       Whereas, this potential reduction in field service staff 
     would severely weaken the state and national non-point source 
     environmental protection program, and the resulting impact of 
     the reduced availability of technical assistance would likely 
     lead to increased violations by private landowners. 
     Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to restore any budget 
     reductions affecting NRCS in order that it can adequately 
     serve the conservation and environmental needs of Louisiana; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That this Resolution shall be transmitted to the 
     secretary of the United States Senate, the clerk of the 
     United States House of Representatives, each member of the 
     Louisiana congressional delegation, the secretary of the 
     United States Department of Agriculture, and the president of 
     the United States.

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