[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 51 (Monday, April 23, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3786-S3788]
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-9. A resolution adopted by the House of the Legislature 
     of the State of Kansas relative to the assistance with Gulf 
     War Illness; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                       House Resolution No. 6008

       Whereas, Nearly 700,000 members of the United States armed 
     forces, including 7,500 Kansans, deployed to the Persian Gulf 
     region during 1990 and 1991 to participate in Operation 
     Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait; 
     and
       Whereas, These Gulf War veterans have been, and continue to 
     be, afflicted by an abnormally high rate of unexplained 
     health problems. To date federal research efforts have not 
     identified the prevalence, patterns, causes or treatments for 
     illnesses suffered by Gulf War veterans. Yet thousands of our 
     veterans continue to suffer from a variety of chronic 
     symptoms; and
       Whereas, The Kansas Persian Gulf War Veterans Health 
     Initiative, a project of the Kansas Commission on Veterans 
     Affairs, primarily through the efforts of Dr. Lea Stelle, has 
     completed a scientific study of 2,000 Kansas Gulf War 
     veterans with the results being published in the American 
     Journal of Epidemiology. Major findings of this study 
     include:
       Kansas Gulf War veterans have significantly more health 
     problems than veterans who served in other areas. The study 
     results indicate these conditions may have been caused by 
     multiple factors.
       A pattern of chronic symptoms, Gulf War illness, was 
     identified. Thirty-four percent of Kansas Gulf War veterans 
     report a pattern of chronic symptoms that include joint pain, 
     respiratory problems, neuropsychologic difficulties, 
     diarrhea, skin rashes, and fatigue. Veterans with Gulf War 
     illness experience a pattern of multiple types of symptoms 
     that can persist for years, problems that can be severe and 
     disabling for some veterans.
       The rates of Gulf War illness can be linked to where and 
     when veterans served in the Persian Gulf region. Veterans who 
     served on board ship had the lowest rates (21%), with higher 
     rates in veterans who had been stationed in support areas of 
     Saudi Arabia (31%), and highest rates in veterans who were in 
     Iraq or Kuwait (42%). In addition, veterans who served only 
     during Desert Shield have a low rate of illness (9%), while 
     those who were in the Persian Gulf region several months 
     after the war ended have higher rates (36-43%).
       Veterans who did not deploy to the Persian Gulf, but 
     reported getting vaccines during the war, may have some of 
     the same health problems as Gulf War veterans; and
       Whereas, While it has been established that Gulf War 
     veterans suffer from an abnormally high rate of unexplained 
     health problems, the cause, or causes of these varied 
     conditions have not been determined, and the system for 
     providing care and treatment of these veterans has been 
     inadequate or nonresponsive to the conditions presented; and
       Whereas, Gulf War illness has had a severe negative impact 
     on the physical and emotional well-being of Gulf War 
     veterans, and has affected their ability to work, yet 
     adequate compensation for these conditions has not been 
     received by these veterans; and
       Whereas, Service connected illnesses have not be addressed 
     adequately for veterans of past wars and conflicts: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 
     Kansas, That we memorialize the President and the Congress of 
     the United States to provide funding for Gulf War illness 
     research independent of that administered by the United 
     States Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs; and to 
     establish a process of independent review of federal policies 
     and programs associated with Gulf War illness research, 
     benefits, and health care; and be it further
       Resolved, That we urge further assistance to veterans 
     afflicted with Gulf War illness, whether by the Department of 
     Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs or another designated 
     organization, to provide badly needed health care, vocational 
     assistance and disability compensation; and that there be 
     public service announcements informing veterans across the 
     nation of the findings of this research and informing the 
     veterans of the programs that are available to help them; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be directed to provide an enrolled copy of 
     this resolution to the President of the United States, the 
     Vice-President of the United States, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, the Secretary of 
     Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and to each 
     member of the Kansas Congressional delegation; to the 
     Governor of the State of Kansas, the Secretary of Health and 
     Environment, the Secretary of Human Resources, and the 
     Chairman of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs; and to 
     the National and State Commanders of the American Legion, the 
     Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans, 
     National Retired Officers Association, National Retired 
     Enlisted Association and the National Order of the Purple 
     Heart.
                                  ____

       POM-10. A resolution adopted by the Brook Park City Council 
     in the State of Ohio relative to the steel industry; to the 
     Committee on Finance.
       POM-11. A petition from a citizen from the State of Georgia 
     relative to Senator Max Cleland; to the Committee on Rules 
     and Administration.
       POM-12. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Kansas relative to the establishment of a 
     federal energy policy; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                 Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1607

       Whereas, The nation faces a growing shortage of domestic 
     oil and the world may face petroleum shortages in the next 
     fifty years; and
       Whereas, Natural gas has risen dramatically in price 
     because demand has increased faster than supplies are 
     discovered; and
       Whereas, Domestic consumers are faced with ever-increasing 
     price spikes and lowered expectations of the market meeting 
     the demand for energy; and
       Whereas, The American association of petroleum geologists, 
     in concert with other scientific professional learned 
     societies, is convening in Washington, D.C., on April 23, 
     2001,

[[Page S3787]]

     to address the need for a national energy supply and to look 
     for new sources of energy; and
       Whereas, The United States does not have a public policy on 
     enegy: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of Kansas, the House of 
     Representatives concurring therein, That the legislature of 
     the state of Kansas encourages the development of a federal 
     energy policy that considers all possible future sources of 
     energy; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to send 
     enrolled copies of this resolution to the President of the 
     United States; the Vice-President of the United States; 
     Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the United States 
     Senate; the Speaker, Majority Leader and Minority Leader of 
     the United States House of Representatives; the Secretary of 
     the United States Department of Energy; to each member of the 
     Kansas Congressional Delegation; and to the American 
     Association of Petroleum Geologists, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, 
     Oklahoma 74101-0979.
                                  ____

       POM-13. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Kansas relative to life time health care 
     benefits for military retirees and their families; to the 
     Committee on Armed Services.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 5011

       Whereas, Insomuch as many of our citizens have risen to the 
     defense and safeguard of our state and nation, this 
     Concurrent Resolution of support and honor recognizes those 
     individuals who unselfishly served our state and nation as 
     they defended our democratic way of life and the freedoms set 
     down by the founding fathers of this nation; and
       Whereas, The state of Kansas through its Legislature 
     acknowledges and recognizes the contribution these veterans 
     of military service have made to the estate of all our 
     citizens, and we ask the Congress of the United States to 
     acknowledge these retired veterans by continuing to support 
     and improve their quality of life through extended health 
     care; and
       Whereas, This population of retired veterans served during 
     foreign and domestic crises of the 20th century, where their 
     involvement with names such as Ardennes, Wake, Guadalcanal, 
     Normandy, Bastogne and Iwo Jima earned our nation's highest 
     respect and accolades; while other names not so common to 
     America were added during the Korean conflict, like Inchon 
     and Choson; later came other Asian names like DaNang, Khe 
     Sanh, Hue and Quang Tri; places these retired veterans know 
     all too well as a battleground which tested their will to 
     survive and return; and
       Whereas, These retired veterans now constitute a 
     significant portion of the aging population in this country 
     and, in particular, our state; and
       Whereas, These retired veterans were guaranteed through 
     contract, both stated and implied, lifetime access to medical 
     benefits for themselves and their immediate family members 
     upon retirement for serving their nation unselfishly and 
     honorably for 20 years or more; and
       Whereas, Prior to retirement at age 65 years, this 
     population of our citizenry were provided health care service 
     through the military health care system or through other U.S. 
     Department of Defense programs; however, upon reaching the 
     age of 65 years and through recent Federal regulatory changes 
     in entitlements for military health care benefits, these 
     individuals that served and their family members, lost 
     significant portions of their health care support system; and
       Whereas, The medical benefits which were lost through 
     changes to Federal legislation forced these retired veterans 
     to pay out-of-pocket for medical coverage from alternative 
     sources; and those changes forced these citizens into omnibus 
     national health care programs, such as Medicare; and
       Whereas, Many retired veterans and their immediate family 
     members live on fixed incomes where the loss of medical 
     benefits significantly impacts their quality of life, 
     disrupts their needed levels of care and puts out of reach 
     certain health care capabilities and pharmaceutical support 
     to which they had been previously entitled; and
       Whereas, Many of these retired veterans suffering from 
     service connected injuries, serious illnesses, or medically-
     related quality of life developments have found that their 
     access to medical treatment facilities is now limited due to 
     significant downsizing or in many rural areas has become 
     nonexistent; and
       Whereas, These honorable men and women of Kansas and of 
     this nation who have sacrificed in the uniformed service of 
     our country are deserving of the health care programs to 
     sustain their quality of life that they were guaranteed for 
     20 or more years of unselfish service; and
       Whereas, The Legislature of the state of Kansas has a 
     special charge to safeguard and maintain the quality of life 
     for its citizens that have served and earned a retirement 
     from military service: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 
     Kansas, the Senate concurring therein, That the Kansas 
     Legislature respectfully requests and petitions its 
     Congressional representatives of the United States to 
     address, for rectification, the aforementioned concerns 
     regarding the health care coverage of our retired military 
     veterans and their immediate families; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State is hereby directed to 
     send enrolled copies of this resolution to the President of 
     the United States, the president pro tempore of the United 
     States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
     and to each member of the Kansas Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-14. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Wyoming relative to using Wyoming Powder River 
     Basin super compliant coal, to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                            Joint Resolution

       Whereas, the United States, generally and the western 
     states specially are experiencing severe energy shortages, 
     particularly a shortage of electrical energy; and
       Whereas, new energy generation facilities are urgently 
     needed to prevent these shortages and the damaging 
     consequence of these shortages as they permeate the economy; 
     and
       Whereas, in recent years the timely construction of these 
     necessary facilities has been obstructed through endless 
     litigation and other delaying tactics; and
       Whereas, the majority of people of the State of Wyoming 
     desire to pursue sound energy and economic development; and
       Whereas, Wyoming is richly endowed with natural resources, 
     including Powder River Basin super compliant coal and Wyoming 
     gas and oil that could solve the pending electrical energy 
     supply crisis: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved By The Members of the legislature of the State of 
     Wyoming:
       1. That the President, the Vice-President, the Congress and 
     the Executive Branch of the federal government are urged to 
     immediately secure the construction of critically needed new 
     electric generation facilities, oil, and gas pipeline and 
     transmission facilities using Wyoming Powder River Basin 
     super compliant coal, Wyoming gas and other available Wyoming 
     natural resources.
       2. That the United States Congress is urged to enact any 
     legislation that will support the construction of energy and 
     electric generation facilities, transmission facilities and 
     gas pipelines.
       3. That the Secretary of State send copies of this 
     resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice-
     President of the United States, the President of the United 
     States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the United States Secretary of Energy and 
     the Wyoming Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-15. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to 
     Medicaid; to the Committee on Finance.
       POM-16. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to 
     the metal industry; to the Committee on Finance.

                              A Resolution

       Whereas, Metal manufacturing is integral to the economy of 
     the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, employing over 72,900 
     workers in the primary metal industry and 86,200 workers in 
     the fabricated metal products industry; and
       Whereas, The American steel industry holds an important 
     place in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 
     its contribution to business and industry; and
       Whereas, The American steel industry plays a vital role in 
     our national security, which depends on a strong domestic 
     steel economy, and in our national defense, which relies on a 
     strong steel manufacturing base, and is of paramount concern 
     for America and our allies; and
       Whereas, The specialty steel industry, which includes 
     stainless steel, tool steel and other alloyed metal steel, 
     holds an important position in the economic and industrial 
     history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United 
     States and has made significant improvements to restructure, 
     modernize and become a world leader in productivity and 
     competitiveness; and
       Whereas, The current economic and financial crises in 
     Russia, Asia and other foreign nations have involved severe 
     devaluation of the currencies of several primary steel-
     producing and steel-consuming countries along with a collapse 
     in the domestic demand for steel and specialty steel in these 
     countries; and
       Whereas, The crises have generated and will continue to 
     generate surges of steel imports into the United States, 
     flooding the American market with foreign steel and foreign 
     steel products at prices severely below production cost, 
     thereby disadvantaging the American steel industry and its 
     workers and families in the marketplace while the United 
     States, through the International Monetary Fund, continues to 
     participate in a massive financial bailout of these countries 
     in a manner that encourages exports; and
       Whereas, Imports of specialty steel from foreign producers 
     are being dumped into this country in large quantities at 
     unfair, below-market prices, contributing significantly to 
     reduced earnings and reductions in employment for American 
     workers; and
       Whereas, The dumping of stainless steel plate in coils and 
     other specialty steel products is prevalent in the United 
     States market, causing an adverse impact on domestic steel 
     production and the thousands of jobs in this Commonwealth and 
     the United States associated with the regular and specialty 
     steel industry; and
       Whereas, Recent reports confirm that this country is headed 
     for a downturn in the

[[Page S3788]]

     economy, thereby requiring prompt Federal action and 
     initiatives; and
       Whereas, Recent reports confirm that 14 steel companies 
     have filed for bankruptcy protection, and the impact of this 
     problem goes well beyond one industry; and
       Whereas, Statistics over the last three years have proven 
     that the dumping of foreign steel into the American 
     marketplace has had a devastating economic effect on American 
     jobs; and
       Whereas, There is a serious need for improvements in the 
     enforcement of United States trade laws to provide an 
     effective response to this situation; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania call on the President of the United States and 
     the Federal Government to take all necessary action to:
       (1) pursue enhanced enforcement of United States trade laws 
     with respect to the surge of steel imports into the United 
     States, using all remedies available under those laws, 
     including duties relating to stainless steel plate in coils;
       (2) continue to impose antidumping duties on imports of 
     specialty steel from these foreign nations;
       (3) work to establish a more equitable distribution of the 
     burden of accepting imports of specialty steel from foreign 
     nations;
       (4) establish the appropriate forum or mechanism for 
     executive branch interagency cooperation to closely monitor 
     imports of steel, including specialty and stainless steel 
     plate in coils; and
       (5) report to the Congress of the United States as soon as 
     possible a comprehensive, workable plan for addressing the 
     surge in all steel imports, including the negative effects on 
     employment, prices and investments in the American specialty 
     and regular steel industry; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, the Vice President of the 
     United States, the United States Trade Representative and to 
     each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-17. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the Commonwealth of Virginia relative to Interstate Route 81 
     corridor; to the Committee on Appropriations.

                    Senate Joint Resolution No. 423

       Whereas, the Virginia portion of Interstate Route 81 is 
     among the most heavily traveled highway corridors in the 
     United States; and
       Whereas, Interstate Route 81 was originally designed to 
     accommodate ten percent truck traffic, but, over time, the 
     percentage of truck traffic has continued to grow, until the 
     highway's traffic today is composed of approximately forty 
     percent trucks; and
       Whereas, this large number of heavy vehicles not only 
     contributes to traffic congestion and exacerbates the 
     severity of highway crashes, but also increases the frequency 
     and the cost of highway maintenance and reconstruction on 
     Interstate Route 81 and other highways in the corridor; and
       Whereas, transferring freight from highway trucks to rail 
     saves fuel, reduces congestion, minimizes air and water 
     pollution, reduces highway maintenance and construction 
     costs, and promotes safety; and
       Whereas, Interstate Route 81 is paralleled for its entire 
     length through Virginia by a railroad, much of which was 
     initially engineered and constructed more than 100 years ago, 
     and which does not currently provide a competitive 
     alternative to the use of Interstate Route 81 by heavy 
     trucks; and
       Whereas, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public 
     Transportation has studied whether improvements to the 
     parallel rail infrastructure are likely to result in the 
     diversion of some of the interstate heavy truck traffic from 
     Interstate Route 81 to the railroad, and whether investing 
     public funds in improving the railroad infrastructure would 
     result in measurable benefit to the public; and
       Whereas, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public 
     Transportation study concluded that specified improvements to 
     the rail infrastructure in the Interstate Route 81 corridor 
     could divert to the railroad as much as 10 to 25 percent of 
     the interstate truck traffic now moving and projected to move 
     on Interstate 81, with a potential public benefit of as much 
     as $300 million to $2 billion; and
       Whereas, diversion to rail of such a substantial number of 
     heavy trucks would reduce congestion, reduce maintenance and 
     construction costs, reduce fuel consumption, reduce air and 
     water pollution, reduce accidents, and is clearly in the 
     public interest; and
       Whereas, public funding of improvements to the railroad 
     infrastructure, together with completion of the scheduled 
     improvements to Interstate Route 81, would provide an example 
     to the nation of the significant public benefits resulting 
     from the use of public funds in providing a viable rail 
     alternative for the transportation of interstate freight; 
     now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, 
     That the United States Congress be urged to appropriate funds 
     for improvement of rail infrastructure in the Interstate 
     Route 81 corridor. Such improvement shall ensure that the 
     railroad that parallels Interstate Route 81 in Virginia 
     provides a viable alternative to the use of Interstate Route 
     81 for the movement of interstate freight traffic; and, be it
       Resolved further, That the General Assembly of Virginia 
     support the conclusions of the study conducted by the 
     Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and 
     commend it to the United States Congress for consideration; 
     and, be it
       Resolved finally, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, the President of the United States 
     Senate, the Secretary of the United States Department of 
     Transportation, and the members of the Virginia Congressional 
     Delegation in order that they may be apprised of the Sense of 
     the General Assembly in this matter.
                                  ____

       POM-18. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Washington relative to the 1946 Rescission Act; 
     to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                       House Joint Memorial 4002

       Whereas, The Philippine Islands was a territory of the 
     United States until July 4, 1946, and the United States had 
     control over Philippine nationals and its internal affairs. 
     The Philippines Commonwealth had no function in matters of 
     foreign affairs and could not declare war nor surrender its 
     forces; and
       Whereas, On July 26, 1941, U.S. President Roosevelt issued 
     a Military Order and invoked his powers under Section 
     2(a)(12) of the Philippine Independence Act (P.L. No. 77-127 
     Section 10(a)) to ``call and order into the service of the 
     Armed Forces of the United States . . . all of the organized 
     military forces of the government of the Commonwealth of the 
     Philippines''; and
       Whereas, World War II is remembered as The Good War that 
     President Roosevelt claimed to have defended the great human 
     freedoms against the encroachment and attack of the dark 
     forces of despotism; and
       Whereas, Filipino soldiers fought during World War II under 
     the American flag and under the direction and control of 
     United States military leaders pursuant to President 
     Roosevelt's July 1941 Military Order; and
       Whereas, Shortly after the war in 1946, the U.S. Congress 
     passed the Rescission Act which specifically mandates that 
     services rendered by Filipino World War II veterans ``. . . 
     shall not be deemed to have been active military, naval, or 
     air service for the purposes of any law of the United States 
     conferring rights, privileges or benefits . . .''; and
       Whereas, The legislative rider appended to the 1946 
     Rescission Act denies U.S. military status and benefits to 
     those veterans who fought under the command of officers of 
     the U.S. Armed Forces in the Philippines; and
       Whereas, The significant and adverse impact of the 1946 
     Rescission Act is its unjust discrimination against Filipino 
     soldiers of World War II by denying them eligibility for 
     equal benefits administered by the department of veterans 
     affairs; and
       Whereas, Filipinos are the only national group singled out 
     for denial of full U.S. veterans status while the soldiers of 
     more than sixty-six other U.S. allied countries, who were 
     similarly inducted into the service of the armed forces of 
     the United States during World War II, were granted full U.S. 
     veterans status; and
       Whereas, The United States government has yet to fully 
     restore the rights, privileges, and benefits guaranteed, then 
     taken away from Filipino soldiers of WWII; and
       Whereas, The gallantry, loyalty, and sacrifices of Filipino 
     veterans of WWII, who fought for freedom and democracy in the 
     Armed Forces of the United States, deserve recognition and 
     their honor and dignity restored; and
       Whereas, There is no pending legislation in the U.S. 
     Congress that will restore full United States veterans status 
     to Filipino WWII veterans: Now, therefore
       Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the President and 
     Congress of the United States during the First Session of the 
     106th Congress take action necessary to amend the 1946 
     Rescission Act and honor our country's moral obligation to 
     restore these Filipino veterans full United States veterans 
     status with the military benefits that they deserve; be it
       Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
     transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the 
     United States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of 
     Congress from the State of Washington.

                          ____________________