[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 70 (Monday, May 21, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5266-S5269]
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-56. A joint memorial adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Washington relative to the 
     Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                       Senate Joint Memorial 8006

       Whereas, The Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery located on 
     the Icicle River, a tributary of the Wenatchee River, and 
     operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
     performs the admirable function of producing spring chinook 
     salmon, providing benefits to the entire Columbia River 
     region; and
       Whereas, The Icicle River is a watershed that is home to 
     three fish species, chinook salmon, steelhead trout, and bull 
     trout, that are currently listed as threatened or endangered 
     under the federal endangered species act; and
       Whereas, Watershed restoration efforts are being undertaken 
     on a large scale by the State of Washington, treaty Indian 
     tribes, public utility districts, county, local, and city 
     governments, and local volunteer groups, to assist the 
     recovery of Icicle River and Wenatchee River salmon and 
     trout; and
       Whereas, The Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery currently 
     utilizes a water withdrawal design that does not provide 
     proper protection for salmon and trout, some of which are 
     naturally spawned endangered steelhead trout, endangered 
     spring run chinook salmon, or threatened bull trout; and
       Whereas, Operation of the Leavenworth National Fish 
     Hatchery could be modified with construction of fish passage 
     devices that would result in no jeopardy to listed salmon and 
     trout;
       Now, therefore, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that 
     the United States Fish and Wildlife Service will make the 
     proper modifications, in a timely manner, to the water 
     withdrawal structure at the Leavenworth National Fish 
     Hatchery so that its operation will be consistent with the 
     federal endangered species act.
       Be it resolved, That the United States Fish and Wildlife 
     Service apply for sufficient funding to construct the fish 
     passage modifications necessary at the Leavenworth National 
     Fish Hatchery, and that Congress shall see fit to appropriate 
     the necessary funds;
       Be it further resolved, That copies of this Memorial be 
     immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, 
     President of the United States, the United States Fish and 
     Wildlife Service, the President of the United States Senate, 
     the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member 
     of Congress from the State of Washington.
       POM-57. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Montana relative to the reduction of Forest 
     Fuels; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
                                  ____


                            Joint Resolution

       Whereas, the United States Forest Service was first 
     organized to protect the national forests from fire and to 
     provide a sustainable supply of timber, water, goods, and 
     services for the people of the United States; and
       Whereas, citizens of Montana and communities throughout the 
     western United States still depend on the prudent 
     stewardship, the sustained utilization of resources, and the 
     steady production of goods and services from the multiple use 
     management of public lands in those western states; and
       Whereas, the April 1999 U.S. General Accounting Office 
     report, ``Western National Forests, a Cohesive Strategy is 
     Needed to Address Catastrophic Wildfire Threats'' states, 
     ``the most extensive and serious problem related to the 
     health of national forests in the interior West is the 
     overaccumulation of vegetation, which has caused an 
     increasing number of large, intense, uncontrollable, and 
     catastrophically destructive wildfires''; and
       Whereas, the April 2000 U.S. Forest Service report, 
     ``Protecting People and Sustaining Resources in Fire-Adapted 
     Ecosystems: A Cohesive Strategy'' in response to the General 
     Accounting Office report, confirmed the conclusion stated 
     above and further warns ``Without increased restoration 
     treatments in these ecosystems wildland fire suppression 
     costs, natural resource losses, private property losses, and 
     environmental damage are certain to escalate as fuels 
     continue to accumulate and more acres become high-risk.'', 
     and the report also specifies that, at a low intensity, fire 
     is ecologically beneficial and has positive effects on 
     biodiversity, soil productivity, and water quality; and
       Whereas, the U.S. Forest Service further acknowledges that 
     39 million acres of national forest are at significant risk 
     of catastrophic wildfire and an additional 26 million acres 
     will be at similar risk due to increases

[[Page S5267]]

     in the mortality of trees and brush caused by insects and 
     disease; and
       Whereas, catastrophic wildfires, such as those in 
     California in 1993, Florida in 1998, and Montana and Idaho in 
     2000, are recognized as among the defining natural disasters 
     of the past decade; and
       Whereas, the conflagrations that engulfed hundreds of 
     thousands of acres in Montana during 2000 caused millions of 
     dollars of damage to the property of residents; and
       Whereas, catastrophic wildfires not only cause damage to 
     the forests and other lands, but place the lives of 
     firefighters at risk and pose threats to human health, 
     personal property, sustainable ecosystems, air quality, and 
     water quality; and
       Whereas, the escaped Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire in May, 
     2000, which consumed 48,000 acres and destroyed 400 homes 
     with losses exceeding $1 billion in Los Alamos, New Mexico, 
     and the escaped Lowden Prescribed Fire in 1999 that destroyed 
     23 homes in Lewiston, California, highlight the unacceptable 
     risks of using prescribed burning if prescribed burning, as 
     reported, was the sole forest management practice of the 
     subject federal land management agencies; and
       Whereas, high-risk forest fuel has accumulated in 
     combination with reduced fire response capability by federal 
     agencies during the 1990s, resulting in catastrophic 
     wildfires becoming more difficult and expensive to extinguish 
     with a disproportionate burden being placed on state and 
     local resources, the costs to fight these fires has increased 
     by 150% between 1986 and 1994, and the costs of maintaining a 
     readiness force has increased by 70% between 1992 and 1997; 
     and
       Whereas, current planning efforts of the U.S. Forest 
     Service, such as the Sierra Nevada Framework, the Interior 
     Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, the Roadless 
     Initiative, and the federal monument proclamations rely 
     primarily on the extensive use of prescribed fire, which will 
     further exacerbate the risk of catastrophic wildfires on 
     federal lands throughout the West: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of 
     the State of Montana:
       (1) That in the interest of protecting the integrity and 
     posterity of Montana's forests, wild lands, wildlife habitat, 
     watersheds, air quality, human health and safety, and private 
     property, the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land 
     management agencies are urged to immediately implement a 
     cohesive strategy to reduce the overabundance of forest fuels 
     that place these resources at high risk of catastrophic 
     wildfire.
       (2) That the agencies are urged to utilize an appropriate 
     mix of fire suppression activities and forest management 
     methodologies, including selective thinning, selective 
     harvesting, grazing, the removal of excessive ground fuels, 
     small-scale prescribed burns, and the increased use of 
     private, local, and state contracts for prefire treatments on 
     federal forest lands.
       (3) That the Legislature urges that more effective fire 
     suppression in federal forest lands be pursued through 
     increased funding of mutual aid agreements with state and 
     local public firefighting agencies.
       (4) That in the interest of forest protection and rural 
     community safety, the federal Department of Agriculture and 
     the Department of Interior are urged to immediately draft, 
     for public review and adoption, a national prescribed fire 
     strategy for public lands that creates a process for the 
     evaluation of worst case scenarios that present a risk of 
     escaped prescribed fires and identifies alternatives that 
     will achieve the land management objectives while minimizing 
     the risk and use of prescribed fire, and that this strategy 
     be incorporated into any regulatory land use planning program 
     that proposes the use of prescribed fire as a management 
     practice. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State send copies of this 
     resolution to President George W. Bush, Vice President 
     Richard Cheney, Department of Interior Secretary Gale Norton, 
     Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, the 
     Governors of Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, 
     Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado, Arizona, and 
     New Mexico, Montana's Congressional Delegation, the Chief of 
     the U.S. Forest Service, the Director of the U.S. Park 
     Service, and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
                                  ____

       POM-58. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Montana relative to electricity prices in the 
     West; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                            Joint Resolution

       Whereas, wholesale prices of electricity have soared to 
     unprecedented levels, reaching as high as 30 times the prices 
     of a year ago; and
       Whereas, many of the state's largest businesses purchase 
     power at rates tied to wholesale price indices, and a growing 
     number of these businesses have been compelled to curtail 
     production or cease operations altogether and lay off 
     hundreds of workers because of high energy costs; and
       Whereas, wholesale price increases will lead to sharp 
     increases in retail electricity prices for business, 
     agricultural, and residential consumers in Montana in the 
     near future, with potentially devastating economic 
     consequences; and
       Whereas, high wholesale energy prices threaten the solvency 
     of utilities in Montana and throughout the Northwest region; 
     and
       Whereas, taxpayer-supported public entities such as the 
     Montana university system, other public schools, and local 
     governments face unanticipated cost increases for energy and 
     may have to scale back their operations to meet these costs; 
     and
       Whereas, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission exercises 
     jurisdiction over wholesale power generation sold in 
     interstate commerce; and
       Whereas, actions taken to date by the federal Department of 
     Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to 
     address problems in the wholesale market have not resulted in 
     any meaningful reduction in wholesale power prices; and
       Whereas, in December 2000 and in January, 2001 the United 
     States Secretary of Energy issued orders requiring certain 
     energy entities to generate, deliver, interchange, and 
     transmit electrical energy when requested by the California 
     independent system operator, and these orders have been 
     extended on repeated additional occasions; and
       Whereas, several of the companies that received the energy 
     from these entities are in an unstable financial condition, 
     and there are serious questions about their ability to meet 
     their obligations to pay for this electricity; and
       Whereas, without strong and immediate action by the federal 
     government to lower wholesale power prices, Montana and other 
     western states could suffer long-term and irreversible 
     economic harm: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of 
     the State of Montana: That the President of the United 
     States, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Federal Energy 
     Regulatory Commission take strong, short-term measures to 
     reduce wholesale prices throughout the Western region; be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the new administration act immediately to 
     develop and implement a long-term strategy to reform the 
     wholesale energy market to avoid continued price spikes that 
     threaten to undermine the prosperity of the western United 
     States; be it further
       Resolved, That the new administration commit to providing 
     assistance to low-income citizens who are most at risk from 
     volatile energy prices; be it further
       Resolved, That the federal government commit to allowing 
     the western states to work toward fulfilling the region's 
     energy supply needs through existing relationships and to 
     refraining from any additional orders directing suppliers to 
     provide electricity to California; be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be immediately 
     transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the 
     United States, the Honorable Spencer Abraham, Secretary of 
     Energy, the members of the Federal Energy Regulatory 
     Commission, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of 
     Congress from the state of Montana.
                                  ____

       POM-59. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Washington relative to the trade of upland 
     acquacultural products in relations with Canada; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                       Senate Joint Memorial 8016

       Whereas, The upland aquaculture industry in Washington 
     state produce high-quality, pathogen-free, nonanadromous 
     upland products for sale to public agencies and private 
     companies throughout the world; and
       Whereas, Washington state's upland acquaculture industry 
     employs hundreds of people in well-paying, technical 
     positions located in many rural communities throughout the 
     state, generating forty million dollars worth of products; 
     and
       Whereas, Canadian customers have expressed the desire to 
     purchase high-quality aquacultural products from Washington 
     state producers; and
       Whereas, Many customers in the United States currently 
     purchase aquacultural products from Canada; and
       Whereas, Increased freedom to engage in the commercial 
     trade of upland aquacultural products between the United 
     States and Canada will only help our two nations grow more 
     prosperous;
       Now, therefore, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that 
     the government of the United States emphasize the importance 
     of the free and fair trade of upland aquacultural products in 
     its relations with the government of Canada.
       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.
                                  ____

       POM-60. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Pennsylvania relative to veterans 
     benefits; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                           Senate Resolution

       Whereas, All Americans owe a great debt of gratitude to our 
     military veterans for their brave and unselfish service to 
     protect and defend the United States and all of its citizens; 
     and
       Whereas, Many World War II and Korean War veterans are 
     retired and some have serious health problems that require 
     prompt attention; and
       Whereas, It is estimated that 16% of the 700,000 veterans 
     from the Persian Gulf War are receiving disability 
     compensation and/or

[[Page S5268]]

     treatment which further compounds the pressure on an already 
     strained health service delivery system; and
       Whereas, Some of these veterans are waiting seven to ten 
     months to become eligible for benefits to which they are 
     entitled; and
       Whereas, Recent news accounts indicate that over the last 
     several years the waiting list to see a physician for initial 
     approval of benefits at the Lebanon Veterans Administration 
     Medical Center alone has grown to approximately 4,600 
     veterans; and
       Whereas, It is believed that the same or similar situation 
     exists at our other veterans administration medical centers 
     throughout this commonwealth and our nation; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania memorialize the President and the Congress of 
     the United States to take steps to reduce the waiting lists 
     that have developed over the last several years and end the 
     unfortunate delay of benefits that have been earned by the 
     deserving veterans of our United States military services; 
     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-61. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii relative to Americans 
     interned during World War II; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                     House Concurrent Resolution 50

       Whereas, during World War II, approximately 120,000 
     Japanese Americans and permanent resident aliens of Japanese 
     ancestry were interned, relocated, or evacuated from their 
     homes in the United States because of their race; and
       Whereas, nearly fifty years later the country apologized 
     for this grave injustice, and passed the Civil Liberties Act 
     of 1988, authorizing payments of $20,000 to each such person 
     who suffered as a result; and
       Whereas, the Civil Liberties Act does not cover or even 
     address the Japanese of Latin American ancestry who were 
     interned in the United States during World War II; and
       Whereas, during World War II, the United States put 
     pressure on thirteen nations in Central and South America to 
     deport to the United States and intern their citizens and 
     legal residents of Japanese of Latin American ancestry; and
       Whereas, 2,264 Japanese Latin Americans were so deported 
     and interned: nearly nine hundred were involuntarily 
     exchanged for prisoners of war and of the one thousand four 
     hundred who remained in United States concentration camps, 
     more than one thousand were deported to Japan after the war 
     and the majority of the remainder forced to work for 
     subminimum wages on farms, twelve hours a day, seven days a 
     week; and
       Whereas, a small token apology was made in 1998 resulting 
     from settlement of the case of Mochizuki v. United States, in 
     which the United States offered an apology and a token 
     settlement of $5000, to be paid from the 1988 Civil Liberties 
     Act fund as long as the moneys were available; and
       Whereas, the monetary reparation is symbolic and the 
     discrepancy between the reparations given to the Japanese 
     Americans and the Japanese Latin Americans is insulting, 
     painful, and denies the very real fact that these people were 
     ripped from their homes, deported to another country, and 
     classified as ``illegal enemy aliens'' after the war; and
       Whereas, section 23 of the 1999 Mochizuki v. United States 
     agreement, that gave nominal reparations to a limited number 
     of Japanese Latin Americans provides: ``Nothing in this 
     agreement shall be deemed to override any subsequent 
     legislative enactment designed to compensate class members''; 
     and
       Whereas, the approximately one thousand five hundred 
     surviving interned Japanese Latin Americans are rapidly 
     passing away and the equalization of reparations should be 
     done while they can appreciate its symbolism; and
       Whereas, justice dictates that the suffering of the 
     interned Japanese of Latin American ancestry be recognized 
     and that this wrong be righted; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the house of Representatives of the Twenty-
     first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2001, the Senate concurring, That Hawaii's congressional 
     delegation is urged to support and co-sponsor legislation in 
     Congress to equalize reparations for Japanese of Latin 
     American ancestry interned during World War II; and be it 
     further
       Resolved That certified copies of this Concurrent 
     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 the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

        POM-62. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii relative to Hawaii 
     Volcanoes National Park; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                          House Resolution 56

       Whereas, the Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island 
     consisting of 217,000 acres is one of only two national parks 
     in this State; and
       Whereas, the Volcanoes National Park attracts about 
     1,500,000 visitors each year who enjoy the natural beauty of 
     the lava fields, native forests, and ocean cliffs; and
       Whereas, a large parcel of land lying to the south and west 
     of the Volcanoes National Park known as Kahuku Ranch 
     consisting of 117,000 acres has come up for sale; and
       Whereas, the Kahuku Ranch is a piece of real estate that 
     contains outstanding geological, biological, and cultural, 
     scenic, and recreational value; and
       Whereas, the National Park Service since 1945 has 
     recognized that the property contained nationally significant 
     resources and in fact, in its 1975 Master Plan, the National 
     Park service identified the property as a ``potential 
     addition to improve the geological, ecological, and scenic 
     integrity of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park''; and
       Whereas, this sale offers an opportunity rarely imagined 
     because it gives the National Park Service an excellent 
     chance to expand and protect native plants and archaeological 
     sites from destruction; and
       Whereas, this opportunity can benefit current and future 
     generations of residents and tourists, because expansion of 
     the of the Volcanoes National Park will preserve more open 
     space, add to the natural environment, protect affected 
     native species, and preserve cultural and historical sites; 
     and
       Whereas, the Volcanoes National Park has been soliciting 
     comments from the public regarding possible purchase of 
     Kahuku Ranch and addressing the concerns of access for 
     hunters, cultural practices, educational purposes, jobs, and 
     small business opportunities; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-
     first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2001, That this body supports the acquisition of Kahuku Ranch 
     by the United States National Park Service for expansion of 
     the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; and be it further
       Resolved That certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the Superintendent, Hawaii Volcanoes National 
     Park; the Speaker of the United State House of 
     Representative; the President of the United States Senate; 
     and to the meeting of Hawaii's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-63. A resolution adopted by the City Counsel of the 
     City of Westminster, California relative to the Republic of 
     Vietnam; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
       POM-64. A resolution adopted by the City Counsel of 
     Strongsville, Ohio relative to the Domestic Steel Industry; 
     to the Committee on Finance.
       POM-65. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Ohio relative to tax relief; to 
     the Committee on Finance.

                          House Resolution 35

       Whereas, Federal taxes are the highest they have ever been 
     during peacetime; and
       Whereas, All taxpayers should be allowed to keep more of 
     their own money; and
       Whereas, One way to encourage economic growth is to cut 
     marginal tax rates across all tax brackets; and
       Whereas, Under current tax law, low-income workers often 
     pay the highest marginal rates; and
       Whereas, President Bush's tax relief plan will contribute 
     to raising the standard of living for all Americans; and
       Whereas, President Bush's tax relief plan will increase 
     access to the middle class for hard working families, treat 
     all middle class families more fairly, encourage 
     entrepreneurship and growth, and promote charitable giving 
     and education; and
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the State of 
     Ohio requests the Congressional delegation of the State of 
     Ohio to support and work to pass a tax relief plan and, in 
     doing so, give due consideration of the plan offered by 
     President Bush; and be it further
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives, in considering 
     a tax relief plan, place a priority on fair distribution of 
     relief to all Americans, including the lowest wage earners, 
     consider other avenues to relief, such as a reduction in 
     payroll taxes, consider the implications of a plan on 
     programs aiding children, veterans and the poor, and consider 
     a trigger mechanism to adjust the reduction if revenue 
     estimates prove inaccurate.
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
     transmit duly authenticated copies of this Resolution to the 
     President of the United States, to the members of the Ohio 
     Congressional delegation, to the Speaker and Clerk of the 
     United States House of Representatives, to the President Pro 
     Tempore and Secretary of the United States Senate, and to the 
     news media of Ohio.
                                  ____

       POM-66. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Ohio relative to the New Markets 
     for State-Inspected Meat Act; to the Committee on 
     Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                         Senate Resolution 126

       Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Ohio:
       Whereas, In 1967, the Wholesome Meat Inspection Act and the 
     Wholesome Poultry Products Act authorized any state with an 
     inspection program certified by the United States Department 
     of Agriculture as at least equal to the federal program to 
     inspect meat and poultry products for distribution within the 
     state's borders. Currently, the United States Department of 
     Agriculture primarily regulates large meat-packing 
     operations, and state inspection programs have developed 
     expertise in addressing the unique needs of small meat-
     packing operations; and

[[Page S5269]]

       Whereas, In spite of the fact that state programs must be 
     at least equal to the federal program, a ban exists on the 
     interstate shipment of state-inspected meat. However, meat 
     that is inspected in foreign countries is not prohibited from 
     being sold in this country; and
       Whereas, The ban on the interestate shipment of state-
     inspected meat has a chilling effect on the growth and 
     prosperity of small meat packers in this country. Not only do 
     the small operations face competition from large domestic 
     meat packers, they are forced to sit idly by while foreign 
     operations have access to purchasers who are off-limits to 
     the small packers; and
       Whereas, The New Markets for State-Inspected Meat Act of 
     the 106th United States Congress reinforced a single safety 
     standard between the state programs and the United States 
     Department of Agriculture for all meat and poultry 
     inspections and authorized the interestate shipment of state-
     inspected products. The proposed law thus provided equal 
     participation in the meat industry for all meat packers while 
     ensuring that the health of consumers would not be 
     compromised. However, the Congress adjourned without enacting 
     it; now therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the State of Ohio urges the 
     107th Congress of the United States to reintroduce and pass 
     the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat Act as a means of 
     assisting small meat-packing operations and to restore 
     fairness to the meat industry in this country; and be it
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 
     authenticated copies of this resolution to the Speaker and 
     Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, to the 
     President Pro Tempore and Secretary of the United States 
     Senate, to the members of the Ohio Congressional delegation, 
     and to the news media of Ohio.

                          ____________________