[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 48 (Tuesday, April 25, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2864-S2865]
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-455. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Wisconsin relative to the Federal Meat 
     Inspection Act and the Federal Poultry Products Inspection 
     Act; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
     Forestry.

                       Senate Joint Resolution 13

       Whereas, currently, federal law prohibits cattle, sheep, 
     swine, goat, chicken, turkey, duck, goose and guinea fowl 
     products that are inspected under state meat inspection 
     programs from being shipped across state lines, while federal 
     law allows state-inspected ostrich, venison, buffalo and 
     pheasant to be shipped across state lines; and
       Whereas, foreign meat products may be shipped freely among 
     the states; and
       Whereas, Wisconsin has 300 state-inspected plants, none of 
     which is allowed to market products in interstate commerce 
     due to an outdated federal law; and
       Whereas, Wisconsin and the United States are currently 
     suffering from a hog market crisis, including a closure of 
     packing facilities and a reduction in slaughter activity, due 
     in part to these outdated interstate restrictions; and
       Whereas, the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Federal 
     Poultry Products Inspection Act are restricting the 
     opportunity for these small plants to expand their markets 
     across state lines, provide additional slaughter capacity for 
     pork producers and increase the demand for their products; 
     now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the 
     members of the Wisconsin legislature request Congress to 
     address problems in the meat-processing industry concerning 
     packing, processing and marketing capacities; and, be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the members of the Wisconsin legislature 
     request Congress to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and 
     the Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act to allow for 
     interstate shipment of all state-inspected meats; and, be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the senate chief clerk shall provide copies 
     of this joint resolution to the President of the Senate and 
     the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United 
     States and to each of the senators and representatives from 
     Wisconsin.

       POM-456. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Tennessee relative to ethnicity categories for 
     educational data reporting; to the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 71

       Be it resolved by the senate of the one hundred first 
     General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the house of 
     representatives concurring, That this General Assembly hereby 
     memorializes the United States Congress to study the need to 
     increase the number and specificity of ethnicity categories 
     used for the reporting of educational data.
       Be it further resolved, That an enrolled copy of this 
     resolution be transmitted to the President and the Secretary 
     of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the U.S. 
     House of Representatives and the each member of Tennessee's 
     Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-457. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the Commonwealth of Virginia relative to the proposed ``Keep 
     Our Promise to Military Retirees Act''; to the Committee on 
     Armed Services.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 35

       Whereas, millions of men and women of the uniformed 
     services have served with honor, valor, and courage in 
     protecting our nation's freedom and peace; and
       Whereas, many recruited for the uniformed services prior to 
     1956 were reportedly promised free lifetime health care upon 
     retirement if they served for 20 years or more in the 
     service, although no health care statute existed; and
       Whereas, in 1956, the Dependent Medical Care Act was 
     passed, entitling those who entered the service on or after 
     June 7, 1956, and retired with a minimum of 20 years of 
     service, to medical and dental care in any medical facility 
     of the uniformed services, subject to the availability of 
     space and facilities, and capabilities of the medical staff; 
     and
       Whereas, the Military Medical Benefits Amendments of 1966 
     created the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the 
     Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS), the first fee-based program for 
     military health care recipients that included treatment by 
     civilian providers; and
       Whereas, the 1966 amendments further stipulated that any 
     person entitled to hospital insurance benefits under Title I 
     of the Social Security Amendment of 1965 would not be 
     eligible for CHAMPUS benefits; and
       Whereas, provider choice became more limited after the 
     passage of the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 
     1991, which lowered the CHAMPUS reimbursement rate to the 
     level of Medicare, leading to the exodus of many physicians 
     from the CHAMPUS program; and
       Whereas, the Defense Authorization Acts of Fiscal Year 1994 
     and Fiscal Year 1995 created a Health Maintenance 
     Organization model (TRICARE) as an option for military health 
     care and imposed enrollment fees for military managed care 
     plans; and
       Whereas, a series of recent base closures between 1988 and 
     1995 and further drawdowns of remaining military medical 
     treatment facilities has made access to health care in 
     military medical treatment facilities extremely difficult for 
     many military retirees; and
       Whereas, CHAMPUS and the TRICARE managed care programs that 
     have evolved from CHAMPUS do not provide the adequate health 
     care promised to military retirees and are inferior to care 
     available to other federal retirees; and
       Whereas, on September 28, 1999, H.R. 2966, ``The Keep Our 
     Promise to America's Military Retirees Act,'' was introduced 
     to provide all Medicare-eligible military retirees the 
     opportunity and option to either enroll in the Federal 
     Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP-65) or remain in 
     TRICARE past age 65; and
       Whereas, a key component of the legislation would make 
     military retirees who entered the service prior to CHAMPUS 
     eligible for health care under the Federal Employee Health 
     Benefits Program, with the government paying the full cost of 
     enrollment; and
       Whereas, restoring adequate health care coverage to 
     military retirees is long overdue; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, 
     That the Congress of the United States be urged to enact 
     ``The Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act''; 
     and, be it
       Resolved further, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit 
     copies of the resolution to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, 
     and the members of the Congressional Delegation of Virginia 
     in order that they may be apprised of the sense of the 
     General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.
                                  ____

       POM-458. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the Commonwealth of Virginia relative to the selection of 
     Fort Belvoir as the site of the United States Army Museum; to 
     the Committee on Armed Services.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 92

       Whereas, the Department of the Army has been granted 
     approval by the Congress to establish a national United 
     States Army Museum; and
       Whereas, among the sites being considered for the United 
     States Army Museum is Fort Belvoir, Virginia; and
       Whereas, located near the nation's capitol, with its wealth 
     of historic sites, Fort Belvoir would prove a worthy addition 
     to the Washington area's attractions; and
       Whereas, Northern Virginia is home to many sites of 
     military and historic significance, among them Arlington 
     Memorial Cemetery and the Iwo Jima Memorial; and
       Whereas, the home of the nation's first commander-in-chief, 
     George Washington, lies almost adjacent to Fort Belvoir at 
     Mount Vernon; and
       Whereas, many residents of Northern Virginia are collectors 
     of military memorabilia dating back to the American 
     Revolution, and their willingness to lend such material to 
     the Army Museum would be enhanced by its proximity to their 
     homes; and
       Whereas, the United States Army Museum would prove an asset 
     to the Northern Virginia area, and a Fort Belvoir location 
     would make the museum a convenient stop for the many 
     Americans interested in the nation's military history; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, 
     That the General Assembly hereby respectfully request that 
     Fort

[[Page S2865]]

     Belvoir be given favorable consideration as the site of the 
     United States Army Museum; and, be it
       Resolved further, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the Secretary of the Army, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     President of the United States Senate, and the members of the 
     Virginia Congressional delegation so that they may be 
     apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia.
                                  ____

       POM-459. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Maine relative to the Republic of Cyprus; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

                            Joint Resolution

       Whereas, this year marks the 26th anniversary of the 
     Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus; and
       Whereas, the Republic of Cyprus has been divided and 
     occupied by foreign forces since 1974 in violation of United 
     Nations resolutions; and
       Whereas, the international community and the United States 
     government have repeatedly called for the speedy withdrawal 
     of all foreign forces from the territory of Cyprus; and
       Whereas, there are internationally acceptable means to 
     resolve the situation in Cyprus, including the 
     demilitarization of Cyprus and the establishment of a 
     multinational force to ensure the security of both 
     communities in Cyprus; and
       Whereas, a peaceful, just and lasting solution to the 
     Cyprus problem would greatly benefit the security and the 
     political, economic and social well-being of all Cypriots and 
     contribute to improved relations between Greece and Turkey; 
     and
       Whereas, the United Nations has repeatedly stated the 
     parameters for such a solution, most recently in United 
     Nations Security Council Resolution 1217, adopted on December 
     22, 1998 with United States support; and
       Whereas, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1218, 
     adopted on December 22, 1998, calls for a reduction of 
     tensions in the island through a staged process aimed at 
     limiting and then substantially reducing the level of all 
     troops and armaments in Cyprus, ultimately leading to the 
     demilitarization of the Republic of Cyprus; and
       Whereas, President Clinton wholeheartedly supported 
     resolution 1218 and committed himself to taking all necessary 
     steps to support a sustained effort to implement it; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved: That We, your Memorialists, hereby endorse 
     President Clinton's commitment to undertake significant 
     efforts in order to promote substantial progress towards a 
     solution of the Cyprus problem in 2000; and be it further
       Resolved: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly 
     authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to 
     the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States and to 
     each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-460. A resolution adopted by the City Council of the 
     City of Cape May, New Jersey relative to the dumping of 
     contaminated dredge materials in the Atlantic Ocean; to the 
     Committee on Environmental and Public Works.
       POM-461. A resolution adopted by the Town Council of the 
     Town of Haysi, Virginia relative to the proposed construction 
     of a dam and reservoir in the area; to the Committee on 
     Appropriations.

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