[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 12 (Thursday, January 23, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1470-S1479]
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-7. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the 
     State of Pennsylvania relative to cancer and biomedical 
     research; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 668

       Whereas, Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and 
     mortality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and throughout 
     the nation; and
       Whereas, Cancer is disproportionately a disease of the 
     elderly, with more than half of all cancer diagnoses 
     occurring in persons 65 years of age or older, who are thus 
     dependent on the Medicare program for provision of cancer 
     care; and
       Whereas, Treatment with anticancer drugs is the cornerstone 
     of modern cancer care, and elderly cancer patients must have 
     access to potentially life-extending drug therapy, but the 
     Medicare program's coverage of drugs is limited to injectable 
     drugs or oral drugs that have an injectable version; and
       Whereas, The nation's investment in biomedical research has 
     begun to bear fruit with a compelling array of new oral 
     anticancer drugs that are less toxic, more effective and more 
     cost-effective than existing therapies, but because such 
     drugs do not have an injectable equivalent, they are not 
     covered by Medicare; and
       Whereas, Noncoverage of these important new products leaves 
     many Medicare beneficiaries confronting the choice of either 
     substantial out-of-pocket personal costs or the selection of 
     more toxic, less effective treatments that are covered by the 
     program; and
       Whereas, Medicare's failure to cover oral anticancer drugs 
     leaves at risk many beneficiaries suffering from blood-
     related cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, as well 
     as cancers of the breast, lung and prostate; and
       Whereas, Certain members of the Congress of the United 
     States have recognized the necessity of Medicare coverage for 
     all oral anticancer drugs and introduced legislation in the 
     107th Congress to achieve that result (H.R. 1624; S. 913): 
     Therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania respectfully urge the Congress 
     to adopt legislation requiring the Medicare program to cover 
     all oral anticancer drugs; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, members of the Congress, 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the 
     Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
     Services.

[[Page S1471]]

     
                                  ____
       POM-8. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the 
     State of Pennsylvania relative to memorializing September 11 
     as ``National Day of Life Appreciation and Freedom.''; to the 
     Committee on Governmental Affairs.

                        House Resolution No. 685

       Whereas, The terrorist atrocities of September 11, 2001, 
     against United States landmarks and citizens have united our 
     nation in grief, remembrance and respect for the freedoms we 
     enjoy; and
       Whereas, The Congress of the United States convened in 
     special session at Federal Hall in New York City on September 
     6, 2002, to honor victims of the terror attacks and 
     demonstrate national unity; and
       Whereas, Americans and citizens around the globe marked the 
     first anniversary of the terror attacks in public ceremonies, 
     including reading the names of victims at Ground Zero, and 
     through private observances and spontaneous tributes; and
       Whereas, Despite the shock and loss of the attacks, 
     survivors, witnesses and bereaved family members pursue the 
     work of rebuilding their lives and creating appropriate 
     memorials to honor the dead; and
       Whereas, In the face of continued threats against us, 
     public officials endeavor to safeguard our communities and 
     our democracy; and
       Whereas, Our strength rests in the continuity of our 
     national life and the inherent resilience which enabled 
     recovery from other painful events in our history and 
     empowers our progress toward a safe, peaceful and stable 
     future for our children: therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the Congress to 
     declare September 11 as ``National Day of Life Appreciation 
     and Freedom''; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President, the Presiding Officers of each House of 
     Congress and each member of the Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-9. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State 
     of California relative to retirement security and savings; to 
     the Committee on Finance.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 6

       Whereas, It has become increasingly apparent that many 
     working individuals face challenges that make it difficult 
     for them to maximize their retirement savings and plan 
     adequately for their retirement; and
       Whereas, Current law could be amended to encourage and 
     facilitate increased retirement savings and retirement 
     planning; and
       Whereas, The 106th Congress considered H.R. 1102, the 
     Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2000, which 
     subsequently failed passage; and
       Whereas, The Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2000 
     would have increased the amount of deductible contributions 
     workers could make each year to an Individual Retirement 
     Account, commonly known as an IRA, with special accelerations 
     allowed for individuals 50 years of age and older; and
       Whereas, The Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2000 
     would have increased the dollar limit on deductions for 
     participation in tax-deferred retirement plans, tax-sheltered 
     annuities, and deferred compensation plans under Sections 
     401(k), 403(b), and 457 of Title 26 of the United States 
     Code; and
       Whereas, The Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2000 
     would have repealed the laws that require the coordination of 
     contributions to a plan under Section 457 of Title 26 of the 
     United States Code with contributions to other such plans; 
     and
       Whereas, The Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2000 
     would have revised and clarified existing law to enhance 
     pension fairness for women; and
       Whereas, The Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2000 
     would have increased pension portability by allowing 
     distributions from IRAs, tax-deferred retirement plans, tax-
     sheltered annuities, and deferred compensation plans under 
     Sections 401(k), 403(b), and 457 of Title 26 of the United 
     States Code to be rolled over to other plans or arrangements, 
     including a surviving spouse's plans or arrangements; and
       Whereas, The Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2000 
     would have allowed a participant in a state or local 
     government plan to exclude from gross income certain direct 
     transfers of funds if they were used to purchase permissive 
     service credits under the plan or to repay certain 
     contributions: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California respectfully requests that the President of the 
     United States and the Congress of the United States enact 
     legislation containing provisions similar to the Retirement 
     Security and Savings Act of 2000; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and each 
     Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of 
     the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-10. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California relative to forest resources; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 25

       Whereas, California is blessed with 40 million acres of 
     forests that provide economic, consumer, environmental, and 
     aesthetic benefits indispensable to our quality of life; and
       Whereas, Preservation of those forestlands for fish and 
     wildlife habitat, recreation, water quality, and open-space 
     uses is a priority for all Californians and depends upon good 
     forest management practices to ensure sustainable forests; 
     and
       Whereas, Good forest management integrates the nurturing, 
     sustainable harvesting, and replanting of forests and 
     conservation of soil, air, water, wildlife, fish habitat, and 
     aesthetics; and
       Whereas, Approximately 85 percent of California's water 
     originates in forested watersheds; and
       Whereas, Good Forest management requires cooperation among 
     landowners, forest products enterprises, scientists, 
     government, forest residents and visitors, and consumers of 
     wood products; and
       Whereas, 16 million acres of California forests contain 
     productive forestlands available to provide a sustainable 
     supply of building materials, paper, furniture, medicines, 
     and other important products; and
       Whereas, Forest-based enterprises have been an important 
     component of California's economy for more than 150 years, 
     supporting jobs, families, businesses, and entire rural 
     communities throughout the state while providing significant 
     tax revenues to government; and
       Whereas, California was the first state to establish a 
     multiagency, discretionary environmental review and approval 
     process for timber harvesting on private lands in the United 
     States; and
       Whereas, Wood, a readily available and commonly used 
     building product that is renewable, recyclable, reusable, and 
     biodegradable, is critical to society's ability to meet the 
     public's demand for housing; and
       Whereas, Forest-based enterprises and professionals agree 
     that they have a responsibility to be good stewards of the 
     environment and are committed to continuing to improve upon 
     modern, scientifically sound approaches that ensure maximum 
     conservation and renewal of our forests: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California recognizes the important role that sustainably 
     managed forests and products from those forests will continue 
     to play in meeting the needs of the citizens of California; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature encourages good forest 
     practices to ensure the conservation, maintenance, and 
     enhancement of a productive and stable forest environment 
     that protects water quality, wildlife resources, and rural 
     communities; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature confirms its support for 
     economically and environmentally sound management practices 
     that ensure the sustainability of our forests as well as 
     future supplies of essential products for our forests; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature memorializes the Congress to 
     similarly declare its encouragement of public and private 
     investment in economically and environmentally sound 
     management practices that ensure sustainable forests for the 
     benefit of present and future generations; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to President and Vice President of 
     the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-11. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California relative to labor negotiations by 
     California waterfront workers; to the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 37

       Whereas, California ports are a crucial part of the global 
     and local economies, and the labor negotiations that concern 
     their operations are closely watched by businesses and 
     governments; and
       Whereas, The jobs in California ports are of high quality, 
     due to agreements that have been negotiated over the last 
     fifty year by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and 
     organized labor; and
       Whereas, The legal, established collective bargaining 
     process, including the right to strike, is a right of the 
     waterfront union members under the National Labor Relations 
     Act of 1935; and
       Whereas, The Bush administration has announced, through 
     Department of Labor officials, that it may invoke a national 
     economic emergency in order to forestall a strike under the 
     Taft-Hartley Act, or may use the National Guard to prevent 
     such a strike; and
       Whereas, The use of this power, or even the announcement of 
     the intentions to use it, will and has upset what has been, 
     up until now, a level playing field between management and 
     labor: Now therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California opposes any action by the President and the 
     administration that would impose a Taft-Hartley injunction 
     against waterfront unions, would remove union workers from 
     coverage by the National Labor Relations Act, or would send 
     military personnel to the West Coast docks to assist in a 
     lockout of waterfront union workers; and be it further

[[Page S1472]]

       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-12. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California relative to airport security workers; to 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 39

       Whereas, The Aviation and Transportation Security Act 
     (Public Law 107-71) established the Transportation Security 
     Administration within the Department of Transportation, to be 
     administered by the Under Secretary of Transportation for 
     Security; and
       Whereas, Under the act, the Under Secretary is responsible 
     for day-to-day security screening operations for passenger 
     air transportation, including the screening of passenger 
     baggage; and
       Whereas, Under the act, the Under Secretary is responsible 
     for developing standards for the hiring, training, testing, 
     and retention of security screening personnel; and
       Whereas, Under the act, the qualification standards require 
     that security screeners be citizens of the United States; and
       Whereas, The Under Secretary assumed responsibility for 
     airport security on February 19, 2002, and all security 
     screening personnel that are not United States citizens will 
     be terminated by November 19, 2002; and
       Whereas, A large percentage of security screening personnel 
     at several airports in California are not United States 
     citizens; and
       Whereas, In the bay area alone, approximately 1,200 
     security screeners, most of whom are of Filipino descent, 
     will lose their jobs as a result of the requirement that 
     security screeners must be United States citizens, with no 
     demonstrable showing that this will improve safety or 
     security; and
       Whereas, The vast majority of security screeners that are 
     not citizens of the United States are legal immigrants from 
     nations that have long been friends or allies of the United 
     States and their countries having fought alongside our 
     soldiers during wartime; and
       Whereas, The vast majority of security screeners that are 
     not citizens of the United States have either applied for 
     citizenship or are prevented from applying for citizenship as 
     a result of punitive immigration policies; and
       Whereas, Immigrant security screeners are not to blame for 
     the September 11, 2001, disaster, and punitive action against 
     those immigrants who are not a security risk creates and 
     inflames ill feelings for this country abroad: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California memorializes the President and the Congress of the 
     United States to suspend or eliminate the requirement that 
     security screeners be citizens of the United States, and 
     instead provide that those individuals must meet the same 
     immigration requirements as persons who serve in the National 
     Guard; and be it further
       Resolved, That the President and the Congress should act to 
     ensure that any legal immigrant that has applied for 
     citizenship should be allowed to keep his or her security 
     screening job, absent evidence showing that they are a 
     security or criminal risk; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-13. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California relative to federal proposal to devolve 
     the administration of the unemployment insurance system; to 
     the Committee on Finance.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 42

       Whereas, Unemployment insurance has been the bedrock of the 
     social safety net for workers who have been laid off and are 
     seeking jobs and is the first line of defense during economic 
     downturns; and
       Whereas, Unemployment insurance not only provides vital 
     income support to laid off workers, but also stabilizes the 
     local, state, and national economies because the benefits 
     workers receive are invested back into the community; and
       Whereas, President Bush's proposal would destroy the 
     federal-state partnership on which the unemployment insurance 
     system is founded and would eliminate the historic role of 
     the federal government in both ensuring that administrative 
     financing keeps pace with ever-changing workload needs and 
     assuring that the program is implemented consistently across 
     the country; and
       Whereas, Although the administration proposes to provide 
     much-needed additional ``Reed Act'' funding for state 
     unemployment programs, under the proposal states would 
     receive no federal aid to fund the administrative costs of 
     the unemployment insurance system after 2006; and
       Whereas, President Bush's proposal would reduce federal 
     administrative payments that will result from the reduction 
     in the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) flat tax from $56 
     per worker per year to $14 per year; and
       Whereas, This proposal would force California to raise 
     taxes or find other state general funds to administer the 
     unemployment insurance program; and
       Whereas, President Bush's proposal would jeopardize the 
     federal government's ability to help our state respond to 
     economic downturns by drastically reducing the funding now 
     dedicated to the federal unemployment trust funds; and
       Whereas, The federal proposal would do nothing to help 
     states cope with the challenges of expanding and modernizing 
     their unemployment insurance systems, including ensuring that 
     more low-wage workers are covered when they become 
     unemployed; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California urges the President and Congress of the United 
     States to abandon the federal proposal to devolve the 
     administration of the unemployment insurance system. The 
     Legislature also urges the President and Congress of the 
     United States to instead work with the state to ensure that 
     the state receives a greater level of workload-based federal 
     appropriations for administrative financing, and to provide 
     new dedicated federal funding to help the state cover the 
     workers who are now having the most difficulty collecting 
     unemployment benefits; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit a 
     copy of this resolution to the President of the United States 
     and to each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-14. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California relative to veterans; to the committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 50

       Whereas, The United States presently has a population of 
     over 25 million veterans from its previous wars. The majority 
     of that veteran population is from World War II and the 
     Korean War; and
       Whereas, The World War II and Korean War veteran population 
     is presently over 70 years of age, and that group is passing 
     away at the rate of 1,000 veterans per day; and
       Whereas, The United States government has acknowledged its 
     responsibility to provide medical care or compensation for 
     medical problems, as well as other benefits, to those 
     veterans who served their country in time of war; and
       Whereas, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs 
     is charged with administering the federal benefits program 
     for veterans; and
       Whereas, When a veteran passes away with a claim pending 
     against the Department of Veterans Affairs, the claim 
     essentially ends with the veteran's passing regardless of how 
     long the claim had been pending; and
       Whereas, Dying while waiting is unacceptable for American 
     veterans; and
       Whereas, There presently exists a backlog of over 601,000 
     claims submitted by veterans. This backlog has persisted for 
     several years, with some claims outstanding for one year or 
     more; and
       Whereas, A significant portion of these claims involve 
     World War II and Korean War veterans, and despite determined 
     efforts by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs 
     to eliminate this backlog, the backlog continues; and
       Whereas, There exists a trained group of individuals known 
     as county veterans service officers located in 37 of the 50 
     states, representing 700 counties and a workforce of over 
     2,400 full-time local government employees; and
       Whereas, These county veterans service officers were 
     established in 1945 after World War II for the purpose of 
     helping returning veterans reenter civilian life, and have 
     continued to do so for all veterans of all wars since then; 
     and
       Whereas, These county veterans service officers are highly 
     trained individuals who have continued to provide assistance 
     to all veterans for over 50 years and are already familiar 
     with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs claims 
     policies and procedures; and
       Whereas, For example, in California, county veterans 
     service officers annually assist California's veterans obtain 
     monetary benefits in excess of $150 million by assisting 
     these veterans in filing over 50,000 claims annually with the 
     United States Department of Veterans Affairs; and
       Whereas, This claims processing backlog needs to be 
     urgently reduced while our World War II and Korean War 
     veterans are still with us; and
       Whereas, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs 
     could enter into a partnership with state and local 
     governments to utilize these highly trained county veterans 
     service officers to eliminate the present claims processing 
     backlog, by expanding the county veterans service officers' 
     role; and
       Whereas, This would be a cost-effective way of reducing the 
     claims processing backlog by eliminating the need for a 
     substantial increase in federal employees; and
       Whereas, These county veterans service officers, as 
     represented by the California Association of County Veterans 
     Service Officers and the National Association of County 
     Veterans Service Officers, have offered to assist the United 
     States Department of Veterans Affairs in exchange for block 
     grants to the various states based upon each state's veteran 
     population to compensate county veterans service officers for 
     their expanded role: Now, therefore, be it

[[Page S1473]]

       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California urges the Congress of the United States and the 
     President to support and enact legislation that would 
     establish a federal/state partnership to use the knowledge 
     and skills of the local county veterans service officers to 
     assist the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in 
     eliminating the veterans claims processing backlog in order 
     that America's veterans can take advantage of the benefits 
     that the United States has authorized for them for their 
     faithful and loyal service to a grateful nation; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-15. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California relative to a national memorial; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 52

       Whereas, On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 
     while en route to San Francisco with 40 passengers and crew 
     aboard was hijacked by terrorists; and
       Whereas, The passengers and crew on the flight, 
     understanding that the intention of the hijackers was to fly 
     the plane into a target in the nation's Capitol, consulted 
     with each other and their families about what action to take; 
     and
       Whereas, The passengers moved to stop this heinous act of 
     terrorism, even at the cost of their lives, in an act of 
     extraordinary bravery and self-sacrifice that resulted in the 
     fatal crash of Flight 93 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania; 
     and
       Whereas, The passengers and crew, some of whom were 
     California residents, will forever be remembered and are 
     memorialized in this resolution. The crew included: Jason 
     Dahl, Leroy Homer, Jr., Lorraine G. Bay, Sandra W. Bradshaw, 
     Wanda A. Green, Ceecee Lyles, and Deborah Ann Jacobs Welsh. 
     The passengers included: Christian Adams, Todd Beamer, Alan 
     Beaven, Mark Bingham, Deora Bodley, Marion Britton, Thomas E. 
     Burnett, Jr., William Cashman, Georgine Rose Corrigan, 
     Patricia Cushing, Joseph Deluca, Patrick ``Joe'' Driscoll, 
     Edward Porter Felt, Jane C. Folger, Colleen L. Fraser, Andrew 
     Garcia, Jeremy Glick, Lauren Grandcolas, Donald F. Greene, 
     Linda Gronlund, Richard Guadagno, Toshiya Kuge, Hilda Marcin, 
     Waleska Martinez, Nicole Miller, Louis J. Nacke II, Donald A. 
     Peterson, Jean Hoadley Peterson, Mark ``Mickey'' Rothenberg, 
     Christine Snyder, John Talignani, Honor Elizabeth Wainio and 
     Kristin Gould White; and
       Whereas, Legislation (H.R. 3917) has been introduced to 
     designate the crash site as a National Memorial that will 
     honor the final resting place of the people of Flight 93 who 
     were courageous and heroic in giving their lives to bring 
     down the airplane. The legislation reads, in part, ``the 
     crash site is a profound symbol of American patriotism and 
     spontaneous leadership of citizen-heroes''; and
       Whereas, The designated National Memorial will honor the 
     heroism of the Californians who were among the passengers and 
     crew, demonstrating our commitment to the families, friends, 
     neighbors, and colleagues of the victims that the legacy of 
     their loved ones will endure for generations; and
       Whereas, The National memorial will remind future 
     generations of the unmatched courage of those aboard Flight 
     93 and inspire the nation to work for a world at peace and 
     free of terrorism: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California requests the Congress and President of the United 
     States to enact H.R. 3917 to designate a National Memorial at 
     the crash site of Flight 93 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania 
     to pay tribute to and honor the true heroes of this nation; 
     and be it further
       Resolved. That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-16. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California relative to the Temporary Assistance for 
     Needy Families (TANF) program; to the Committee on Finance.
       Whereas, The United States Congress must reauthorize the 
     Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program by 
     October 1, 2002; and
       Whereas, States are achieving success under TANF because 
     states have the flexibility to design appropriate, effective 
     programs that move people into work and support vulnerable 
     children. Under TANF, California has decreased families' 
     dependence on welfare, increased work rates and wages, and 
     improved the well-being of children; and
       Whereas, Welfare reauthorization should help states like 
     California build on their unprecedented success at moving 
     people off welfare; and
       Whereas, Devolution was a core principle in welfare reform. 
     The TANF block grant allows each state to design the most 
     effective and appropriate programs for moving families from 
     welfare to work. Under TANF, California welfare recipients 
     are working more hours than ever before and California has 
     nearly tripled the number of welfare recipients who are 
     working; and
       Whereas, The flexibility offered in current federal law has 
     permitted California to make the well-being of children its 
     highest priority. Under current federal law, California 
     ensures that poor children have a basic level of subsistence, 
     regardless of their parents' immigration status or ability to 
     meet participation requirements; and
       Whereas, Current federal law supports the fact that 
     different strategies are needed for families facing different 
     barriers to work. Today, California's counties develop 
     welfare-to-work plans, work program, and participation 
     requirements that are tailored to each family's unique 
     circumstances. Current federal law permits California's 
     counties to develop programs that are sensitive to state and 
     country labor markets and employment rates; and
       Whereas, Since 1997, when the TANF program was created, the 
     value of the TANF block grant has significantly diminished 
     due to inflation. If TANF funding continues at current 
     levels, the inflation-adjusted value of the block grant in 
     2007 would be approximately 22 percent less than its original 
     value in 1997; and
       Whereas, California is using all of its TANF block grant, 
     yet faces a projected shortfall in its TANF program. At the 
     same time, California faces a budget deficit of $24 billion, 
     increasing the importance of adequate federal funding; and
       Whereas, Child care is central to states' efforts to move 
     families into work. Under TANF, states have helped many 
     parents find and keep jobs, secure child care, and overcome 
     personal barriers to work. As work participation requirements 
     rise, so must state resources to meet families' corresponding 
     child care needs; and
       Whereas, Despite states' success in moving many families 
     off welfare, many families still on aid have numerous and 
     complex barriers to joining the workforce. States want to 
     move these families into work as quickly as possible, but 
     recognize that families with difficulties, such as domestic 
     violence, learning disabilities, and mental illness, must 
     receive supportive services to address these barriers to 
     work; and
       Whereas, California is currently being penalized by the 
     federal government for failure to implement a statewide 
     automated child support system due to system failure on the 
     part of the project's original vendor. California has paid 
     nearly $300 million in penalties from the state's General 
     Fund and, upon completion of the statewide automation system, 
     will pay total penalties of approximately $1.3 billion. 
     California has entered into a corrective action plan with the 
     United States Department of Health and Human Services and is 
     in full compliance with the plan; and
       Whereas, Federal child support automation penalties have 
     served the important purpose of capturing the attention of 
     California and have resulted in significant restructuring to 
     establish a reliable approach to securing a statewide 
     automated child support system; and
       Whereas, Governor Davis and the California Legislature have 
     made a strong commitment to improving the state's child 
     support program that has resulted in historically high levels 
     of child support collections: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That to build on the success of welfare 
     reform, in reauthorization of the TANF program, the 
     California Legislature urges federal policymakers to 
     maintain state flexibility to spend TANF funds. Given 
     states' demonstrated success using this flexibility, this 
     central premise of welfare reform should not be 
     compromised in welfare reauthorization; and be it further
       Resolved, In TANF reauthorization, the California 
     Legislature urges federal policymakers to maintain state 
     flexibility to provide a safety net to vulnerable children; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, In TANF reauthorization, the California 
     Legislature urges federal policymakers to maintain state 
     flexibility to design the most effective ways to move people 
     into work. State flexibility in designing work programs 
     should not be compromised in welfare reauthorization; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, In TANF reauthorization, the California 
     Legislature urges federal policymakers to adjust the TANF 
     block grant for inflation. Freezing the TANF block grant at 
     current levels is not adequate to maintain even current 
     program levels because inflation has eroded the value of the 
     block grants. Welfare reauthorization is an opportunity for 
     the federal government to address this funding inadequacy; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, In TANF reauthorization, the California 
     Legislature urges federal policymakers to recognize states' 
     needs to provide ongoing supportive service. Welfare 
     reauthorization should help states provide child care and 
     supportive services, as they are substantial defenses in 
     permanently keeping families off welfare; and be it further
       Resolved, In TANF reauthorization, the California 
     Legislature urges federal policymakers to base the year on 
     which the federal child support automation penalties are 
     assessed to the 1997-98 fiscal year, the year prior to 
     penalties first being imposed. This

[[Page S1474]]

     will ensure that states do not incur additional penalties 
     because of increased investments in the administration of 
     their child support programs; and be it further
       Resolved, In TANF reauthorization, the California 
     Legislature urges federal policymakers to give states the 
     option to reinvest federal child support automation penalties 
     back into their child support programs and automation 
     efforts. This will ensure that states continue to concentrate 
     on the deficiencies that contribute to automation 
     implementation delays and subsequent penalties; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, In TANF reauthorization, the California 
     Legislature urges federal policymakers to simplify the child 
     support distribution rules to allow more money to reach 
     families while also reducing California's system procurement 
     cost and assisting in an earlier completion of the stateside 
     automated system.
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-17. A resolution adopted by the New Jersey State Senate 
     relative to medicare program providing coverage for all anti-
     cancer drugs; to the Committee on Finance.

                        Senate Resolution No. 65

       Whereas, Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and 
     mortality in New Jersey and throughout the nation; and
       Whereas, Cancer is disproportionately a disease of the 
     elderly, with more than half of all cancer diagnoses 
     occurring in persons 65 years of age or older, who are 
     dependent on the federal Medicare program for provision of 
     cancer care; and
       Whereas, Treatment with anti-cancer drugs is the 
     cornerstone of modern cancer care and elderly cancer patients 
     must have access to potentially life-extending drug therapy, 
     but the Medicare program's coverage of drugs is limited to 
     injectable drugs or oral drugs that have injectable version; 
     and
       Whereas, The nation's investment in biomedical research has 
     begun to bear fruit with a compelling array of new oral anti-
     cancer drugs that are less toxic, more effective and more 
     cost-effective than existing therapies but, because these 
     drugs do not have an injectable equivalent, they are not 
     covered by the Medicare program; and
       Whereas, Non-coverage of these important new products 
     leaves many Medicare beneficiaries confronting the choice of 
     either substantial out-of-pocket personal costs or selection 
     of more toxic, less effective treatments that are covered by 
     the program; and
       Whereas, Medicare's failure to cover oral anti-cancer drugs 
     leaves at risk many beneficiaries who suffer from blood-
     related cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, as 
     well as cancers of the breast, lung and prostrate; and
       Whereas, Certain members of the United States Congress have 
     recognized the necessity of Medicare coverage for all oral 
     anti-cancer drugs and have introduced legislation in the 
     107th Congress to achieve that result, namely, H.R. 1624 and 
     S. 913: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey.
       1. This House respectfully memorializes the Congress of the 
     United States to adopt legislation requiring the Medicare 
     program to cover all oral anti-cancer drugs.
       2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by 
     the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary of 
     the Senate, shall be transmitted to the President of the 
     United States, the Secretary of Health and Human Services of 
     the United States, the Administrator of the Centers for 
     Medicare and Medicaid Services, the presiding officers of the 
     United States Senate and the House of Representatives, and 
     each of the members of the Congress of the United States 
     elected from the State of New Jersey.
                                  ____

       POM-18. A resolution adopted by the Pennsylvania House of 
     Representatives relative to projected State revenue shortfall 
     for fiscal year 2003-2004; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 694

       Whereas, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania anticipates a 
     $1.8 billion revenue shortfall for the 2003-2004 fiscal year 
     due to the economic downturn, which could rise substantially 
     due to additional State costs for homeland security and the 
     loss of other State revenues due to tax cut provisions 
     included in Federal economic stimulus legislation; and
       Whereas, Because of the loss of revenue as a result of the 
     recession and the new demands for public services since 
     September 11, 2001, State and local governments are facing 
     deep cuts in vital public services, including public health 
     systems, education and health care; and
       Whereas, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is currently 
     experiencing a 5.4% unemployment rate; and
       Whereas, The numbers of displaced workers increase the 
     demand for additional Medicaid coverage and other essential 
     safety net services and place additional strain on the 
     existing budget deficit; and
       Whereas, State and local spending accounted for close to 
     12% of our nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2000, the 
     slowing of state economies having affected all industries; 
     and
       Whereas, Medicaid, though provided through a Federal-state 
     partnership, accounts for approximately 16% of the 
     Commonwealth budgets; and
       Whereas, If no additional Federal funding is received by 
     Pennsylvania, we will be forced to reduce benefits and 
     eligibility to our most vulnerable citizens; and
       Whereas, The Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP) 
     provides an efficient means to distribute aid to states with 
     minimal administrative costs; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress to pass a 
     temporary increase in Medicaid funding to provide immediate 
     aid to states facing deficit budgets and increased costs to 
     their Medicaid programs; and be it further
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives urge the 
     Congress to quickly pass the State Budget Relief Act of 2001, 
     H.R. 3414, or any temporary increase in Medicaid funding to 
     assist our State in its budget crisis; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of each house of Congress, to the 
     Pennsylvania congressional delegation and to Governor Mark S. 
     Schweiker.
                                  ____

       POM-19. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Delaware relative to providing Medicare coverage for all 
     anti-cancer drugs; to the Committee on Finance.

                        Senate Resolution No. 21

       Whereas, cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and 
     mortality in the State of Delaware and throughout the Nation; 
     and
       Whereas, cancer is disproportionately a disease of the 
     elderly, with more than half of all cancer diagnoses 
     occurring in persons age 65 or older, who are thus dependent 
     on the federal Medicare program for provision of cancer care; 
     and
       Whereas, with treatment using anti-cancer drugs being the 
     cornerstone of modern cancer care, elderly cancer patients 
     must have access to potentially life-extending drug therapy, 
     but the Medicare program's current coverage for anti-cancer 
     drugs is limited to injectable drugs or oral drugs that have 
     an injectable version; and
       Whereas, the nation's investment in biomedical research has 
     begun to bear fruit with a compelling array of new oral anti-
     cancer drugs that are less toxic, more effective and more 
     cost-effective than existing therapies, but, because such 
     drugs do not have an injectable equivalent, they are not 
     covered by Medicare; and
       Whereas, non-coverage of these important new products 
     leaves many Medicare beneficiaries confronting the choice of 
     either substantial out-of-pocket personal costs or selection 
     of more toxic, less effective treatments that are covered by 
     the program; and
       Whereas, Medicare's failure to cover oral anti-cancer drugs 
     leaves at risk many individuals suffering from blood-related 
     cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, as well as 
     cancers of the breast, lung, and prostate; and
       Whereas, certain members of the United States Congress have 
     recognized the necessity of Medicare coverage for all oral 
     anti-cancer drugs and introduced legislation in the 107th 
     Congress to achieve that result (H.R. 1624; S. 913):
       Now, Therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the 141st General Assembly of the 
     State of Delaware, That the Congress of the United States is 
     hereby respectfully requested to enact legislation extending 
     coverage under the Medicare program for oral as well as 
     injected anticancer drugs, and be it further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the President of the United States, the 
     President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, members of Delaware's 
     congressional delegation, the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare 
     and Medicaid Services.
                                  ____

       POM-20. A resolution adopted by the City of Miami, State of 
     Florida relative to Federal election monitoring; to the 
     Committee on Rules and Administration.

                         Resolution No. 02-1014

       Be It Resolved by the Commission of the City of Miami, 
     Florida:
       Section 1. The City Attorney is directed to request the 
     United States Department of Justice to monitor voting in the 
     City of Miami at the November 5, 2002 election to assure the 
     rights of individuals to vote.
       Section 2. The City Commission states that the City of 
     Miami does not allege fraud or misconduct, but seeks to 
     assure the integrity of the United States' democratic system.
       Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of 
     this Resolution to President George W. Bush, Vice-President 
     Richard B. Cheney, Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, 
     Senators Bill Nelson and Bob Graham, all the members of the 
     United States House of Representatives for Miami-Dade County, 
     the United States Department of Civil Rights, Governor Jeb 
     Bush, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, 
     Mayor Alex Penelas, and Supervisor of Elections David Leahy.
       Section 4. This Resolution shall be come effective 
     immediately upon its adoption and signature of the Mayor

[[Page S1475]]

     
                                  ____
       POM-21. A resolution adopted by the Township of Washington, 
     Warren County, New Jersey relative to the phrase ``one nation 
     under God'' in the Pledge of Allegiance; to the Committee on 
     Rules and Administration.

                        Resolution No. 2002-104

       Whereas, on June 26, 2002 the United States Court of 
     Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declared the Pledge of 
     Allegiance unconstitutional as it violates the Establishment 
     Clause of the Constitution because it includes the phrase ``. 
     . . one Nation under God . . . ;'' and
       Whereas, from its very inception, references to the Deity 
     and the Deity's importance to this nation have been included 
     in our most sacred founding documents and political 
     statements, from the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of 
     Independence, the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln's Second 
     Inaugural Speech, and through the current crises of September 
     11, 2001; and
       Whereas, THE PHRASE ``. . . one nation under God . . .'' 
     has been an unchallenged and cherished part of the Pledge of 
     Allegiance and has been a part of the fabric of Washington 
     Township's Life; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights states 
     Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of 
     religion; and
       Whereas, by the aforesaid phrase, the Founding Fathers were 
     referring to the establishment of a supported church or 
     religion as existed at that time in the several nations of 
     Europe, and not to references to in communal ceremonies; and
       Whereas, references to Deity in official government 
     documents, speeches and mottoes, including the Pledge of 
     Allegiance, have long been a long established tradition and 
     manifestly do not constitute the meaning of ``an 
     establishment of religion'' as intended by the Founding 
     Fathers; and
       Whereas, the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court violates 
     this sacred right by forbidding citizens to enunciate the 
     phrase in question, and as the controversy has the potential 
     for reaching the U.S. Supreme Court and could directly impact 
     the citizens of Washington Township; and
       Whereas, the overwhelming majority of Americans and 
     Washington Township residents, support the inclusion of this 
     phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance, and share our outrage, 
     and no one is under any compulsion to recite that portion of 
     the Pledge of Allegiance under dispute should they wish to 
     exclude it: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Township Committee of the Township of 
     Washington, Warren County, State of New Jersey as follows:
       1. This Committee condemns in the strongest terms possible 
     this imprudent decision by the United States Court of Appeals 
     for the Ninth Circuit;
       2. That this decision is an egregious example of the 
     arbitrary and unconstitutional abuse of powers by the Federal 
     Courts;
       3. That the Committee urges all elected Warren County 
     officials to effectuate whatever actions may be necessary to 
     nullify this decision;
       4. That all of the Washington Township schools be 
     encouraged and urged to continue recitation of the Pledge of 
     Allegiance in its current format in all their classes;
       5. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the President 
     of the United States, the Honorable George W. Bush, the Vice-
     President of the United States, the Honorable Richard Cheney, 
     and to all our elected officials both Federal and State;
       6. That a copy of this resolution be sent to all the Board 
     of Chosen Freeholders in the State of New Jersey and to all 
     the Municipal Governing Bodies in the County of Warren, 
     urging them to adopt and distribute similar resolutions 
     addressing this execrable decision;
       7. That this Committee, in order to demonstrate it's 
     commitment to the principles expressed herein, hereby 
     approves the posting of a copy of the Pledge of Allegiance 
     including especially the phrase ``ONE NATION UNDER GOD'' in 
     its Township Meeting Room.
                                  ____

       POM-22. A resolution adopted by the Borough of Moonachie, 
     New Jersey relative to the phrase ``one nation under God'' in 
     the Pledge of Allegiance; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                         Resolution No. 02-169

       Whereas, on June 26, 2002 the United States Court of 
     Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declared the Pledge of 
     Allegiance unconstitutional as it violates the Establishment 
     Clause of the Constitution because it includes the phrase ``. 
     . . one nation under God. . .'', and
       Whereas, references to the Deity have been included in most 
     sacred founding documents, speeches, mottoes, and political 
     statements including the most recent crisis of September 11, 
     2001; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights states 
     Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of 
     religion; and
       Whereas, the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court violates 
     this sacred right by forbidding citizens to express the 
     phrase in question and has the potential to directly impact 
     the citizens of Moonachie and the entire Bergen County; and
       Whereas, the majority of Americans and Moonachie residents 
     support the inclusion of this phrase in the Pledge of 
     Allegiance and no one is required to recite that portion of 
     the Pledge of Allegiance under dispute should they wish to 
     exclude it: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of 
     Moonachie as follows:
       1. The Mayor and Council object to the recent decision by 
     the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit;
       2. That this decision is an example of an arbitrary and 
     unconstitutional abuse of powers by the Federal Courts:
       3. That the Mayor and Council urges all of our elected 
     officials to take whatever actions may be necessary to 
     nullify this decision;
       4. That all of our schools be encouraged and urged to 
     continue to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in it current 
     format in all of their classes;
       5. That a copy of this resolution shall be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the Honorable George W. Bush, 
     the Vice President of the United States, the Honorable 
     Richard Cheney, and to all of our elected officials, both 
     Federal and State;
       6. That a copy of this resolution shall also be sent to all 
     the Municipal Governing Bodies in the County of Bergen as 
     well as the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, urging 
     them to adopt and distribute a similar resolution.
                                  ____

       POM-23. A resolution adopted by the Township of Oldmans, 
     New Jersey relative to the phrase ``one nation under God'' in 
     the Pledge of Allegiance; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                         Resolution No. 2002-69

       Whereas, on June 26, 2002 the United States Court of 
     Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declared the Pledge of 
     Allegiance unconstitutional as it violates the Establishment 
     Clause of the Constitution because it includes the phrase 
     ``one Nation under God'' and
       Whereas, from its very inception, references to te deity 
     and the Deity's importance to this nation have been included 
     in our most sacred founding documents and political 
     statements, from the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of 
     Independence, the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln's Second 
     Inaugural Speech, and through the current crises of September 
     11, 2001; and
       Whereas, the phrase ``one Nation under God'' has been an 
     unchallenged and cherished part of the Pledge of Allegiance 
     and has been a part of the fabric of Oldmans Township life 
     for almost 50 years; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights states 
     Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of 
     religion; and
       Whereas, by the aforesaid phrase, the Founding Fathers were 
     referring to the establishment of a state supported church or 
     religion as existed at that time in the several nations of 
     Europe, and not to references to God in communal ceremonies; 
     and
       Whereas, references to Deity in official government 
     documents, speeches and mottoes, including the Pledge of 
     Allegiance, have been a long established tradition and 
     manifestly do not constitute the meaning of ``an 
     establishment of religion'' as intended by the Founding 
     Fathers; and
       Whereas, the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court violates 
     this sacred right by forbidding citizens to enunciate the 
     phrase in question, and as the controversy has the potential 
     for reaching the U.S. Supreme Court and could directly impact 
     the citizens of Oldmans Township; and
       Whereas, the overwhelming majority of Americans and Oldmans 
     Township residents, support the inclusion of this phrase in 
     the Pledge of Allegiance, and share our outrage, and no one 
     is under any compulsion to recite that portion of the Pledge 
     of Allegiance under dispute should they wish to exclude it: 
     Now therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Township Committee of the Township of 
     Oldmans as follows:
       1. The Oldmans Township Committee condemns in the strongest 
     terms possible this imprudent decision by the United States 
     Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
       2. That this decision is an egregious example of the 
     arbitrary and unconstitutional abuse of powers by the Federal 
     Courts.
       3. The Oldmans Township Committee urges all of our elected 
     Salem County Officials to effectuate whatever actions may be 
     necessary to nullify this decision.
       4. That the Oldmans Township School be encouraged and urged 
     to continue recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in its 
     current format in all their classes.
       5. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the President 
     of the United States, the Honorable George W. Bush, the Vice 
     President of the United States, the Honorable Richard Cheney, 
     and to all our elected officials, both federal and state.
       6. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Salem 
     County Board of Chosen Freeholders and to all the Municipal 
     Governing Bodies in the County of Salem, urging them to adopt 
     and distribute similar resolutions addressing this execrable 
     decision.
       7. The Oldsman Township Committee, in order to demonstrate 
     its commitment to the principles expressed herein, hereby 
     approves the posting of a copy of the Pledge of Allegiance 
     including especially the phrase ``ONE NATION UNDER GOD'' in 
     its Township Committee Meeting Room until December 21, 2002.
                                  ____

       POM-24. A resolution adopted by the Elsinboro Township, 
     Salem County, New Jersey relative to the phrase ``one nation 
     under God'' in the Pledge of Allegiance; to the Committee on 
     the Judiciary.

[[Page S1476]]

                         Resolution No. 2002-37

       Whereas, on June 26, 2002 the United States Court of 
     Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declared the Pledge of 
     Allegiance unconstitutional as it violates the Establishment 
     Clause of the Constitution because it includes the phrase ``.  
     .  . one Nation under God .  .  .''; and
       Whereas, from its very inception, references to the Deity 
     and the Deity's importance to this nation have been included 
     in our most sacred founding documents and political 
     statements, from the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of 
     Independence, the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln's Second 
     Inaugural Speech, and through the current crises of September 
     11, 2001, and
       Whereas, the phrase `` .  .  . one Nation under God .  .  
     .'' has been an unchallenged and cherished part of the Pledge 
     of Allegiance and has been a part of the fabric of Elsinboro 
     Township life for almost 50 years; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights states 
     Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of 
     religion; and
       Whereas, by the aforesaid phrase, the Founding Fathers were 
     referring to the establishment of a state supported church or 
     religion as existed at that time in the several nations of 
     Europe, and not to references to God in communal ceremonies; 
     and
       Whereas, references to Deity in official government 
     documents, speeches and mottos, including the Pledge of 
     Allegiance, have been a long established tradition and 
     manifestly do not constitute the meaning of ``an 
     establishment of religion'' as intended by the Founding 
     Fathers; and
       Whereas, the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court violates 
     this sacred right by forbidding citizens to enunciate the 
     phrase in question, and as the controversy has the potential 
     for reaching the U.S. Supreme Court and could directly impact 
     the citizens of Elsinboro Township; and
       Whereas, the overwhelming majority of Americans and 
     Elsinboro township residents, support the inclusion of this 
     phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance, and share our outrage, 
     and no one is under any compulsion to recite that portion of 
     the Pledge of Allegiance under dispute should they wish to 
     exclude it: Now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the Township Committee of the Township of 
     Elsinboro as follows:
       1. The Elsinboro Township Committee condemns in the 
     strongest terms possible this imprudent decision of the 
     United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
       2. That this decision is an egregious example of the 
     arbitrary and unconstitutional abuse of powers by the Federal 
     Courts.
       3. The Elsinboro Township Committee urges all of our 
     elected Salem County Officials to effectuate whatever actions 
     may be necessary to nullify this decision.
       4. That the Elsinboro Township School be encouraged and 
     urged to continue recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in 
     its current format in all their classes.
       5. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the President 
     of the United States, the Honorable George W. Bush, the Vice-
     President of the United States, the Honorable Richard Cheney, 
     and to all our elected officials, both federal and state.
       6. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Salem 
     County Board of Chosen Freeholders and to all the Municipal 
     Governing Bodies in the County of Salem, urging them to adopt 
     and distribute similar resolutions addressing this execrable 
     decision.
       7. The Elsinboro Township Committee, in order to 
     demonstrate its commitment to the principles expressed 
     herein, hereby approves the posting of a copy of the Pledge 
     of Allegiance including especially the phrase ``ONE NATION 
     UNDER GOD'' in its Township Committee Meeting Room until 
     December 31, 2002.
                                  ____

       POM-25. A resolution adopted by the Borough of Butler, New 
     Jersey relative to the phrase ``one nation under God'' in the 
     Pledge of Allegiance; to the Committee on Rules and 
     Administration.

                        Resolution No. R2002-119

       Whereas, on June 26, 2002, the United States Court of 
     Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declared the Pledge of 
     Allegiance unconstitutional as it violates the Establishment 
     Clause of the Constitution because it includes the phrase ``. 
     . . one nation under God . . .'', and
       Whereas, from its very inception, references to the Deity 
     and the Deity's importance to this nation have been included 
     in our most sacred founding documents and political 
     statements, from the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of 
     Independence, the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln's Second 
     Inaugural Speech, and through the current crises of September 
     11, 2001; and
       Whereas, the phrase ``. . . one nation under God . . .'' 
     has been an unchallenged and cherished part of the Pledge of 
     Allegiance and has been a part of the fabric of Morris County 
     life for almost 50 years; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights states 
     Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of 
     religion; and
       Whereas, by the aforesaid phrase the Founding Fathers were 
     referring to the establishment of a state supported church or 
     religion as existed at that time in the several nations of 
     Europe, and not to references to God in communal ceremonies; 
     and
       Whereas, references to the Deity in official government 
     documents, speeches and mottoes, including the Pledge of 
     Allegiance, have been a long established tradition and 
     manifestly do not constitute the meaning of ``an 
     establishment of religion'' as intended by the Founding 
     Fathers; and
       Whereas, the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court violates 
     this sacred right by forbidding citizens to enunciate the 
     phase in question, and as the controversy has the potential 
     for reaching the U.S. Supreme Court and could directly impact 
     the citizens of the Borough of Butler; and
       Whereas, the overwhelming majority of Americans and Morris 
     County residents, support the inclusion of this phrase in the 
     Pledge of Allegiance, and share our outrage, and no one is 
     under any compulsion to recite that portion of the Pledge of 
     Allegiance under dispute should they wish to exclude it: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Major and Council of the Borough of 
     Butler, New Jersey, as follows:
       1. This Mayor and Council condemns in the strongest term 
     possible, this imprudent decision by the United States Court 
     of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit;
       2. That this decision is an egregious example of an 
     arbitrary and unconstitutional abuse of powers by the Federal 
     Courts;
       3. That the Mayor and Council urges all of our elected 
     Morris County officials to effectuate whatever actions may be 
     necessary to nullify this decision:
       4. That all of our Morris County schools be encouraged and 
     urged to continue recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in 
     its current format in all their classes;
       5. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the President 
     of the United States, the Honorable George W. Bush; to the 
     Vice-President of the United States, the Honorable Richard 
     Cheney, and to all our elected officials, both federal and 
     state;
       6. That a copy of this resolution be sent to all the other 
     Municipal Governing Bodies in the County of Morris, urging 
     them to adopt and distribute similar resolutions addressing 
     this execrable decision.
                                  ____

       POM-26. A resolution adopted by the City of Buffalo, state 
     of New York relative to Buffalo's CDGB allocation; to the 
     Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

                           Resolution No. 184

       Whereas, HUD Assistant Secretary Roy Bernardi has informed 
     Mayor Masiello that the City of Buffalo will be losing 
     approximately $1.825 million in CDBG funding in its 2003 
     allocation (#11, CCP 10/15/02-``HUD CDBG Fiscal Year 2003 
     Allocation);
       Whereas, According to Mr. Bernardi, this funding cut is 
     mandated by HUD's funding formula, which is based on the 2000 
     census data of poverty, housing overcrowding and pre 1940 
     housing; and
       Whereas, According to HUD's ``CDBG Program Description'', 
     CDBG funds may be used to ``benefit persons of law and 
     moderate income, aid in the prevention or elimination of 
     slums or blight, or meet other community development needs of 
     particular urgency'';
       Whereas, It defies logic and fact that the City of Buffalo 
     should see a decrease in funding, given its ongoing devotion 
     in the areas of poverty and housing; and
       Whereas, As in other urban areas throughout the country, it 
     is very likely that Buffalo suffered an undercount of both 
     its population and level of poverty in the 2000 census; and
       Whereas, Buffalo's need for CDBG funding exists in greater 
     measure that ever before, and a cut at this time would be 
     particularly egregious given the City's projected deficit of 
     $228 million for fiscal year 2003/04; and
       Whereas, For the sake of Buffalo's impoverished 
     communities, where hope is running short, it is imperative 
     that our Congressional delegates work effectively and 
     urgently to restore Buffalo's CDBG funding cut;
       Now, therefore, Be It Resolved That:
       This Common Council requests the WNY Congressional 
     delegation to insure that the City of Buffalo's CDBG 
     allocation for 2003 is restored to at least the 2002 level, 
     whether by appealing flaws in the formula that mask Buffalo's 
     need, or by building an alliance to increase total CDBG 
     funding nationwide; and
       Now, Therefore, Be It Further Resolved That:
       This Common Council requests the WNY Congressional 
     delegation members to file a response to this request with 
     the Council
     c/o the City Clerk, 1308 City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202, as 
     soon as possible, outlining any ways in which City officials 
     and others can support their strategy to restore CDBG 
     funding; and
       Be It Finally Resolved That:
       The City Clerk be directed to send certified copies of this 
     resolution to Congress members Slaughter, Quinn, and LaFalce, 
     Senator Schumer and Clinton, the Clerk of the Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House, HUD Secretary Martinez and President 
     Bush.
                                  ____

       POM-27. A resolution adopted by the Michigan State Senate 
     relative to the Hunting Heritage Protection Act; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                       Senate Resolution No. 281

       Whereas, Hunting is an activity that is enjoyed by millions 
     of people across Michigan and our entire country. Unlike some 
     recreational pursuits, however, hunting provides a direct 
     link to the outdoors heritage of our nation and is a sport 
     that is closely tied to the quality of our natural resources. 
     The benefits of hunting extend far beyond economic 
     considerations. This reality is especially appreciated by the 
     people of Michigan; and

[[Page S1477]]

       Whereas, Recreational hunting continues to be an important 
     way people relate to the outdoors, even in our modern 
     society. Hunters and hunting organizations are among the most 
     dedicated supporters of sound wildlife management and 
     conservation practices. Fees from licenses contribute to 
     programs that maintain unique resources for future 
     generations; and
       Whereas, In an effort to perpetuate our country's hunting 
     heritage, Congress has been considering legislation that 
     would take steps to ensure that hunting remains a key part of 
     wildlife management on federal lands. This legislation, the 
     Hunting Heritage Protection Act, provides that federal lands 
     will be open to hunting, with specific exceptions. Federal 
     agencies with authority on public lands are to support and 
     enhance hunting within applicable laws and regulations. The 
     legislation includes provisions to ensure that there is no 
     net loss of land available for hunting as future land 
     decisions are made; and
       Whereas, Michigan has a long history of respect for the 
     role that sound wildlife management can play in preserving 
     unique recreational resources. Our citizens have strongly 
     supported moves to protect our woods, waters, and wildlife. 
     Federal legislation to ensure that hunting remains part of 
     our national heritage reflects the will of our state: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of 
     the United States to enact the Hunting Heritage Protection 
     Act; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-28. A resolution adopted by the Michigan State Senate 
     relative to funding for efforts to prevent the invasion of 
     the Asian carp into the Great Lakes; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                       Senate Resolution No. 282

       Whereas, Aquatic species from outside the Great Lakes that 
     have become established here have significantly altered the 
     ecology of this treasured freshwater resource. The lamprey, 
     zebra mussel, and goby are the best known of these exotic 
     invaders. The costs, from municipalities that have to 
     maintain water systems to those who make their living on the 
     lakes through recreation or other businesses, represent an 
     enormous economic drain. Most importantly, these species can 
     seriously upset the delicate balance of nature in ways we may 
     not fully understand for decades; and
       Whereas, Another invasion species is close to entering the 
     Great Lakes. The Asian carp, a large, voracious fish imported 
     to the Mississippi Valley region to clean certain vegetation 
     and snails from commercial fish farming operations, has been 
     making its way up the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal and is 
     apparently getting close to Lake Michigan. Offices in the 
     Great Lakes area and from the International Joint Commission 
     have called for Congress to support measures to keep this 
     threat out of the Great Lakes; and
       Whereas, One of the strategies proposed to prevent the 
     Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan is an electric 
     dispersal barrier near Chicago. Congress has been considering 
     appropriations that would provide for the United States Corps 
     of Engineers to implement the dispersal barrier project. 
     Delays in this effort jeopardize further the long-term health 
     of the Great Lakes; Now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of 
     the United States to provide funding for efforts to prevent 
     the invasion of the Asian carp into the Great Lakes; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and member of the 
     Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-29. A resolution adopted by the City of Salem, New 
     Jersey relative to the phrase ``one nation under God'' in the 
     Pledge of Allegiance; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                         Resolution No. 02-150

       Whereas, on June 26, 2002 the United States Court of 
     Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declared the Pledge of 
     Allegiance unconstitutional as it violates the Establishment 
     Clause of the Constitution because it includes the phrase ``. 
     . . one Nation under God . . .''; and
       Whereas, from its very inception, references to the Deity 
     and the Deity's importance to this nation have been included 
     in our most sacred founding documents and political 
     statements, from the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of 
     Independence, the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln's Second 
     Inaugural Speech and through the current crises of September 
     11, 2001; and
       Whereas, the phrase ``. . . one Nation under God . . .'' 
     has been an unchallenged and cherished part of the Pledge of 
     Allegiance and has been a part of the fabric of the City of 
     Salem life for almost 50 years; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights states 
     ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of 
     religion; and
       Whereas, by the aforesaid phrase, the Founding Fathers were 
     referring to the establishment of a state supported church or 
     religion as existed at that time in the several nations of 
     Europe, and not to references to God in communal ceremonies; 
     and
       Whereas, references to Deity in official government 
     documents, speeches and mottos, including the Pledge of 
     Allegiance, have been a long established tradition and 
     manifestly do not constitute the meaning of ``an 
     establishment of religion'' as intended by the Founding 
     Fathers; and
       Whereas, the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court violates 
     this sacred right by forbidding citizens to enunciate the 
     phrase in question, and as the controversy has the potential 
     for reaching the U.S. Supreme Court and could directly impact 
     the citizens of the City of Salem; and
       Whereas, the overwhelming majority of Americans which 
     includes the residents of the City of Salem, support the 
     inclusion of this phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance, and 
     share our outrage, and no one is under any compulsion to 
     recite that portion of the Pledge of Allegiance under dispute 
     should they wish to exclude it: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Mayor and Common Council of the City of 
     Salem, County of Salem, and State of New Jersey as follows:
       1. The Mayor and Common Council condemns in the strongest 
     terms possible this imprudent decision by the United States 
     Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
       2. That this decision is an egregious example of the 
     arbitrary and unconstitutional abuse of powers by the Federal 
     Courts.
       3. The Mayor and Common Council of the City of Salem urges 
     all of our elected Salem County Officials to effectuate 
     whatever actions may be necessary to nullify this decision.
       4. That the Salem City School System be encouraged and 
     urged to continue recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in 
     its current format in all their classes.
       5. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the President 
     of the United States, the Honorable George W. Bush, the Vice-
     President of the United States, the Honorable Richard Cheney, 
     and to all our elected officials both federal and state.
       6. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Salem 
     County Board of Chosen Freeholders and to all the Municipal 
     Governing bodies in the County of Salem, urging them to adopt 
     and distribute similar resolutions addressing this execrable 
     decision.
       7. The Mayor and Common Council of the City of Salem, in 
     order to demonstrate its commitment to the principles 
     expressed herein, hereby approves the posting of a copy of 
     the Pledge of Allegiance including especially the phrase 
     ``ONE NATION UNDER GOD'' in its Council Meeting Room until 
     December 31, 2002.
                                  ____

       POM-30. A resolution adopted by the Humboldt County 
     Democratic Central Committee, City of Eureka, State of 
     California relative to the use of force against Iraq; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

                              A Resolution

       Whereas the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee is 
     responsible for representing the values and interests of 
     Democratic voters in Humboldt County;
       Whereas members of the Humboldt County Democratic Central 
     Committee are publicly elected and constitute a diverse body 
     of community leaders with demonstrated knowledge of civic 
     issues and commitment to public service;
       Whereas there are over 30,000 registered Democratic voters 
     in Humboldt County, making the Democratic Party the largest 
     civic organization on California's North Coast;
       Whereas the possibility of war between the United States of 
     America and the Republic of Iraq is a matter of great concern 
     to Humboldt County Democrats;
       Whereas the consequences of such a war could include the 
     loss of American lives, the deaths of innocent Iraqi 
     civilians, damage to United States diplomatic relations with 
     countries throughout the Arab and Muslim world, diminished 
     cooperative international efforts to reduce international 
     terrorism, dangerously high global energy prices, and 
     increased ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East;
       Whereas a congressional authorization for the President to 
     use force that would result in the overthrow of another 
     government is tantamount to a declaration of war, a power 
     constitutionally reserved to Congress, and one which cannot 
     be deferred or delegated to the President;
       Whereas embarking on such a war without broad international 
     support and participation defies international laws and 
     standards of decent, civilized behavior;
       Whereas, the United States and the international community 
     have not yet exhausted peaceful means to resolve the issues 
     of Iraqi compliance with United Nations Security Council 
     resolutions, which if successful, would provide knowledge 
     about the true extent of potential threats posed by Iraq;
       Whereas the Administration has failed to justify the human 
     and financial cost of attacking Iraq, which must be based on 
     either an objectively imminent threat posed by Iraq or a 
     preeminent role that Iraq plays in supporting terrorism;
       Whereas the use of force by the United States against 
     another government under these circumstances undermines the 
     democratic principles of this great republic to uphold 
     justice, liberty and human rights;
       Whereas the sudden and relentless emphasis on this issue by 
     the Republican Party,

[[Page S1478]]

     the President and his administration just before a critical 
     national election diverts public attention away from other 
     vitally important issues including corporate fraud, the 
     growing national debt, health care reforms and preserving 
     Social Security: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Humboldt County Democratic Central 
     Committee hereby opposes the preemptive use of force or a 
     Congressional resolution authorizing such a use of force 
     against Iraq or any sovereign nation without independently 
     verified evidence of an imminent threat, due consideration of 
     the short- and long-term consequences noted above, and the 
     exhaustion of all peaceful means to remedy the situation; be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Humboldt County Democratic Central 
     Committee calls upon the President and his administration to 
     fully participate in international collaborative efforts to 
     peacefully ensure Iraqi compliance with United Nations 
     resolutions; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Humboldt County Democratic Central 
     Committee calls upon our elected officials to pursue domestic 
     policies that reduce our dependence on energy imports and 
     support foreign policies that consistently respect and 
     support human rights, national sovereignty, and international 
     efforts to reduce poverty; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to our 
     elected officials, the local media and civic organizations.
                                  ____

       POM-31. A resolution adopted by the City of Miami, State of 
     Florida relative to human rights violations in Afghanistan; 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                         Resolution No. 02-860

       Whereas, the abuse of women and children in Afghanistan and 
     Pakistan and other countries under the leadership of 
     fundamentalist regimes has been well documented by nations, 
     international human rights organizations and the media, 
     particularly since the take-over of Afghanistan by the 
     Taliban; and
       Whereas, these women and children continue to suffer from 
     the deprivation and violation of their civil and human rights 
     and be subjected to violence, repression and abuse; and
       Whereas, the City of Miami Commission on the Status of 
     Women has set out in its Position Statement/Paper its 
     condemnation of the treatment of women and children in 
     Afghanistan and Pakistan; and
       Whereas, the City Commission wishes to strongly urge the 
     government of the United States, and any other nations or 
     authorities responsible for the status and treatment of 
     women, to review the Position Statement/Paper of the City of 
     Miami Commission on the Status of Women: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Commission of the City of Miami, Florida:
       Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the 
     Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and 
     incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
       Section 2. The United States government and any other 
     nations or authorities responsible for the status and 
     treatment of women are strongly urged to review the Position 
     Statement/Paper of the City of Miami Commission on the Status 
     of Women which condemns the treatment of women and children 
     in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
       Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of 
     this Resolution to President George W. Bush, Vice-President 
     Richard B. Cheney, Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, 
     Senators Bob Graham and Bill Nelson, all members of the 
     United States House of Representatives for Miami-Dade County, 
     the United States Department of State, the United States 
     Department of Justice, the United Nations High Commissioner, 
     and all Consulate Generals based in the City of Miami and 
     Miami-Dade County.
       Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective 
     immediately upon its adoption and signature of the Mayor.

    City of Miami Commission on the Status of Women Position Paper 
   Condemning the Treatment of Women and Children in Afghanistan and 
                                Pakistan

       The abuse of women in Afghanistan and Pakistan and other 
     countries under the leadership of fundamentalist regimes has 
     been documented for several years, particularly since the 
     take-over of Afghanistan by the Taliban.
       Prior to the takeover by the Taliban in 1996, women 
     throughout Afghanistan enjoyed some degree of freedom. The 
     Taliban institutionalized the sort of discrimination the 
     entire world has now soundly condemned. Women comprised some 
     70% of school teachers, 50% of civilian workers, and 40% of 
     doctors in Kabul.
       Women have been banished to a bare existence, denied most 
     schooling, adequate medical care, and any means to support 
     themselves. It is estimated that the illiteracy rate among 
     women is now 90%. Many women and children have died seeking 
     medical care of any sort. It is also estimated by 
     international organizations that there exist some 40,000 
     widows in Afghanistan. Though exempt from some of the edicts 
     of the past government, they have been left with few means to 
     support and feed themselves and their children.
       Women and their male supporters have been publicly beaten 
     and frequently killed by the ``Religious Police'' in their 
     attempts to enforce their version of the law.
       Many women have continued to pursue education and medicine 
     in secret, teaching in secret home schools, and doctors have 
     had to practice medicine under extreme restrictions as to 
     their dress and the patients they may treat.
       A recent article in the Miami Herald declared that in spite 
     of the ``loya jirga'' (or ``grand council'' that was in 
     progress in Afghanistan to choose the country's current and 
     future leaders, in practice, women who speak out and fail to 
     wear the traditional clothing mandated in the past, are still 
     prime targets of the local warlords and their followers and 
     are thus unable to fully participate in the rebuilding 
     process. Recently, a relief agency trucking supplies into the 
     mountains was stopped and a female relief worker raped by the 
     ``soldiers.'' Many of the warlords who control the areas of 
     worst abuse are the same warlords who are participating in 
     the ``loya jirga'' and have obtained positions of authority 
     in the new government. Women who are working for progress and 
     healing are subject to retribution at all levels.
       In Pakistan and India, women have also historically been 
     subject to repression and laws which treat them as less than 
     property.
       1. The United States government must come out even more 
     strongly in support of women and children in Afghanistan and 
     Pakistan and the Non-Governmental Organizations that strive 
     to support them.
       2. In spite of the passage of the Afghanistan Women and 
     Children Relief Act of 2001 by Congress, more funding and 
     more support must be forthcoming. The United States was the 
     driving force behind the liberation of the countries in 
     question from extremist rule, and must be the leading force 
     assisting in the remediation of these atrocities.
       3. The governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan should be 
     encouraged to clearly and publicly condemn all acts of 
     violence against women. They should develop and implement 
     policies and disseminate materials to promote women's safety 
     in the community and in detention.
       4. The governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan should 
     prohibit all acts of violence against women and establish 
     legal protection. They should review existing laws such as 
     the ``Hudood Ordinance'' (which criminalizes extra-marital 
     sex, including adultery, fornication and rape outside of a 
     valid marriage) and add additional protections and penalties.
       5. The governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan must 
     investigate all allegations of violence against women and 
     prosecute and punish those found to be responsible.
       6. In Afghanistan, women must be reintroduced into open 
     society with all the protections we in the West enjoy. Women 
     doctors must be allowed to go back to work. Women teachers 
     must be allowed to teach and schools must be allowed past the 
     8th grade.
       7. Women must be made equal citizens as far as enlightened 
     religious practice allows. Prior regimes in Afghanistan 
     allowed women great latitude in society. That must be 
     restored.
       8. The United States must fully support all United Nations 
     efforts to end all forms of discrimination against women, and 
     monitor these efforts on an ongoing basis and report to the 
     people of the United States on progress achieved.
                                  ____

       POM-32. A resolution adopted by the City of Belvedere State 
     of New Jersey relative to supporting Israel in the campaign 
     against terrorism; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                               Resolution

       Whereas, the United States of America was struck by suicide 
     terrorists on September 11, 2001, in attacks that killed 
     thousands of U.S. citizens, destroyed the World Trade Center 
     in New York City, damaged the Pentagon, and purposefully 
     incinerated four commercial aircraft by turning those planes 
     into suicide missiles; and
       Whereas, the government of the United States and the 
     military of this country are currently involved in an 
     international and domestic effort of historic proportions to 
     curb terrorism against this country and assist our friends 
     and allies who are engaged in similar efforts; and
       Whereas, the State of Israel, the closest ally of the 
     United States in the Mideast and the only democratic nation 
     in that region, has experienced a brutal spate of suicide 
     terrorist attacks against civilizations in the last year by 
     groups sponsored or given safe harbor by the Palestinian 
     Authority and its Chairman, Yasser Arafat, and substantially 
     assisted by our nations in the region such as Iraq and Iran; 
     and
       Whereas, an attack against the civilian population by 
     terrorists of one country is an attack on civilizations in 
     all countries and the increased use of suicide bombers is a 
     new form of terrorism that threatens civilians everywhere; 
     and
       Whereas, the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders 
     laments the tragic loss of life experience by the Israeli 
     people during the recent hostilities in the Mideast: Now, 
     therefore be it
       Resolved by the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders:
       That the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders on 
     behalf of the citizens of Warren County stands behind those 
     efforts of our President that support the government and 
     people of Israel in this time of crisis in the Mideast.
       That the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders on 
     behalf of the citizens of Warren County supports the State of 
     Israel and

[[Page S1479]]

     her citizens in the campaign against terror and in the effort 
     to root out the terrorist infrastructure currently protected 
     by and encouraged by the Palestinian Authority and other 
     nations in the region still at war with the State of Israel.
       That the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders on 
     behalf of the citizens of Warren County call upon all Arab 
     nations committed to and desirous of peace to take action by: 
     abstaining from monetarily rewarding attacks on innocent 
     citizens; encouraging accountability in the peace process by 
     facilitating the establishment of democratic institutions of 
     government in the Palestinian Authority to insure enforcement 
     of peace if and when it is brokered; halting the use of state 
     media and state education systems to fomet religious hatred 
     and anti-Semitism; and encouraging the Palestian Authority to 
     place in leadership people capable and willing to negotiate 
     and consummate a permanent peace accord.
       That the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders on 
     behald of the citizens of Warren County urges our President 
     and our Congress to support the State of Israel in its effort 
     to live in peace and security, minimize to the greatest 
     extent loss to innocents and to withstand pressure from those 
     who would appease or accommodate terrorism in any form or at 
     any place.
       That a copy of this resolution be distributed to the 
     President of the United States, the Honorable George W. Bush, 
     to the Vice President of the United States, the Honorable 
     Richard Cheney, and to all our elected officials, both 
     federal and state.

                          ____________________