[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 14, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6253-S6255]
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-102. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Michigan relative to funding 
     Red Cross emergency services; to the Committee on Environment 
     and Public Works.

                        House Resolution No. 40

       Whereas, For over a century, the American Red Cross has 
     served as a link between the people of the United States and 
     their Armed Forces; and
       Whereas, Under its Congressional Charter of 1905, the 
     American Red Cross is entrusted to deliver emergency messages 
     to members of the Armed Forces and their families; and
       Whereas, Military commanders around the world rely on the 
     Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES) to verify 
     the need to approve leave for military personnel, and to 
     provide financial support to enable them to return home when 
     necessary; and
       Whereas, In order to meet the Department of Defense 
     requirements for emergency leave verification, Red Cross AFES 
     is on call every hour of every day and night for 13 million 
     service members and their families; and
       Whereas, The Red Cross AFES program maintains a global 
     emergency communications network supported by 392 employees 
     and 28,000 volunteers located in 961 chapters across the 
     nation, on 108 military installations around the world, and 
     at two AFES Centers located at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Falls 
     Church, Virginia; and
       Whereas, Michigan's 26 Red Cross chapters and its work on 
     three installations provided emergency communications 
     assistance to 6,238 military personnel and their families in 
     Fiscal Year 2002. Since last July, the American Red Cross in 
     Michigan has seen a 43% increase in the number of military 
     cases served over last year; and
       Whereas, Operation Enduring Freedom, the war on terrorism, 
     and the Iraq conflict have placed increased demands on this 
     vital program. The Red Cross and Congress can no longer rely 
     on charitable contributions from the American public to 
     support this required serviced, especially during the current 
     economic downturn: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize Congress to include funding for the American Red 
     Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services in the National Defense 
     Authorization Act and the Department of Defense 
     Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2004 to help fund costs 
     associated with AFES emergency communications and staff 
     mobilization and deployment. We also support the inclusion of 
     AFES funding in the Department of Defense budget request 
     starting in fiscal year 2005; 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. Adopted by the House 
     of Representatives, April 10, 2003.
                                  ____

       POM-103. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Arizona relative to border 
     security; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                          House Memorial 2001

       Whereas, illegal immigration has reached record levels, 
     with some estimates placing the overall illegal immigrant 
     population at between five and ten million individuals. This 
     results in annual costs to society estimated in the billions 
     of dollars due to the extra funds spent on education, health 
     care, welfare and corrections programs; and
       Whereas, the nation's border states, including Arizona, are 
     particularly hard hit by the influx of illegal immigrants 
     across their borders. Among the more serious problems that 
     accompany illegal immigration are increased drug smuggling 
     and crime; and
       Whereas, this state does not condone the illegal 
     immigration of individuals into this country and it supports 
     the efforts of the United States Immigration and 
     Naturalization Service (INS) and its enforcement arm, the 
     Border Patrol, to vigorously enforce the immigration laws of 
     this country; and
       Whereas, while the INS and Border Patrol are charged with 
     enforcing current immigration laws, those laws do not go far 
     enough toward preventing the illegal entry of immigrants into 
     this country, requiring border states to rely on their own 
     resources to combat this growing problem; and
       Whereas, state resources would be less strained in the 
     fight against illegal immigration by the provision of federal 
     funds to increase border patrol measures in border states. 
     Further, congressional action to expand the scope of the 
     Posse Comitatus Act to allow greater military involvement in 
     the patrolling of United States borders would give states 
     much-needed assistance in preventing the entry of illegal 
     immigrants and in fighting terrorism, drug smuggling and 
     crime problems; and
       Whereas, article IV, section 4 of the Constitution of the 
     United States provides that ``The United States shall 
     guarantee to every State in this Union a Republic Form of 
     Government, and shall protect each of them against 
     Invasion.'' This confirmation of our national sovereignty 
     validates this request for additional resources to protect 
     our borders from illegal immigration and the harmful crime 
     and drug problems that accompany it.
       Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of 
     the State of Arizona, prays:
       1. That the Congress of the United States introduce and 
     enact legislation that would increase effective border 
     controls, including the provision of greater funding for 
     border states and laws that would allow for increased 
     military presence along this nation's borders.
       2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona 
     transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the 
     United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House 
     of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State 
     of Arizona.
                                  ____

       POM-104. A resolution adopted by the City Council of the 
     City of Detroit of the State of Michigan relative to S. 659 
     and H.R. 1036; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-105. A Senate joint resolution adopted by the General 
     Assembly of the State of Tennessee relative to restore state 
     and local sales tax deductibility from the Federal Income 
     Tax; to the Committee on Finance.

                    Senate Joint Resolution No. 184

       Whereas, the viability of the Federal system of government 
     of the United States has endured through the history of this 
     republic through the diligence of governmental officials in 
     adjusting to evolving economic, social and political 
     conditions to preserve equity and fairness; and
       Whereas, in 1986, amendments to the Internal Revenue Code 
     eliminated the option to deduct state and local sales taxes 
     paid by citizens from their income as reported on Federal 
     income tax forms, while the deductibility of state and local 
     income taxes was preserved; and
       Whereas, Tennessee is one of a few states which do not have 
     an income tax on salaries

[[Page S6254]]

     and wages; taxpayers in these several states do not enjoy the 
     same advantages in deductions as do taxpayers in those states 
     that do levy taxes on salaries and wages; and
       Whereas, in an effort to restore equity, Representative 
     Brady of Texas and others have introduced H.R. 720 to provide 
     taxpayers with the option of deducting state and local sales 
     taxes in lieu of state and local income taxes when computing 
     Federal income tax liability; and
       Whereas, the members of this General Assembly and the 
     citizens of this State regard the passage of this measure as 
     essential to the restoration of fairness in the 
     administration of Federal income tax: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the One Hundred Third General 
     Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the House of 
     Representatives concurring, That this General Assembly hereby 
     memorializes the Congress of the United States to act 
     expeditiously to allow for the deduction of state and local 
     sales tax in the computation of Federal income tax liability, 
     as would be allowed under the provisions of H.R. 720, now 
     pending before the Congress; be it further
       Resolved, That this General Assembly memorializes each 
     member of the United States Congress from Tennessee to 
     utilize the full measure of his or her influence to effect 
     the passage of Federal legislation providing for the 
     deduction on the Federal income tax, and urges the 
     Congressional delegations of our sister states of Alaska, 
     Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Texas, 
     Washington and Wyoming to join in this effort; be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Senate is directed to 
     transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable 
     George W. Bush, President of the United States; the President 
     and Secretary of the United States Senate; the Speaker and 
     the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives; and 
     to each member of the Congressional delegations of the states 
     of Tennessee, Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South 
     Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.
                                  ____

       POM-106. A senate resolution adopted by the General 
     Assembly of the State of Iowa relative to the federal 
     Medicare Program; to the Committee on Finance.
       Whereas, the federal Medicare program provides health care 
     coverage for more than 485,000 Iowa senior citizens and 
     disabled persons; and
       Whereas, all Americans equally contribute payroll taxes to 
     fund the federal Medicare program; and
       Whereas, Iowa has a disproportionately large number of 
     federal Medicare enrollees, making Iowa health care providers 
     particularly dependent on federal Medicare payments as a 
     revenue source; and
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
     Services of the United States Department of Health and Human 
     Services, Iowa hospitals provide the eighth highest quality 
     care of any state in the nation; and
       Whereas, the current federal Medicare funding formula has 
     created inequitable payments, leaving Iowa with the lowest 
     per-enrollee payment level in the nation; and
       Whereas, Iowa's unfairly low federal Medicare payments are 
     a drain on Iowa's economy, costing the state of Iowa 
     approximately $1 billion annually in Medicare reimbursement 
     funding that could aid in the payment of health care costs of 
     Medicare-eligible residents; and
       Whereas, Iowa's unfairly low federal Medicare payments make 
     it difficult to recruit physicians, nurses, and other health 
     care professionals, who are in great demand throughout Iowa 
     and the nation; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress has the authority to 
     pass legislation to address Iowa's Medicare equity concerns: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives 
     concurring, That the General Assembly of the State of Iowa 
     urges the United States Congress to pass legislation that 
     addresses Iowa's Medicare equity concerns; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent by the 
     Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United 
     States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to 
     all members of Iowa's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-107. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Montana relative to allowing taxpayers to deduct 
     sales tax on their federal income tax returns; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                     House Joint Resolution No. 34

       Whereas, national economic studies show that states that 
     rely on sales taxes for governmental revenue generally 
     experience stronger economic growth than those states that 
     rely on income taxes for governmental revenue; and
       Whereas, until 1986, federal law allowed taxpayers to 
     deduct sales taxes on their federal income tax return; and
       Whereas, the Tax Reform Act of 1986 removed the ability of 
     taxpayers to deduct sales taxes on their federal income tax 
     return; and
       Whereas, not allowing the deduction of sales taxes on the 
     federal income tax return discriminates against those states 
     that do not impose income taxes and is counterproductive to 
     economic growth; and
       Whereas, a major impediment preventing Montana from 
     switching from the income tax to a sales tax is the higher 
     federal tax burden that Montana taxpayers would face because 
     they would not be allowed to deduct sales taxes on their 
     federal income tax return; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress has recently considered 
     legislation to restore the deduction of sales taxes on the 
     federal income tax return; and
       Whereas, federal policy should encourage states to develop 
     tax policies, including the use of sales taxes to fund 
     government services, that encourage economic growth: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of 
     the State of Montana, That the Legislature urge Congress to 
     enact and the President of the United States to approve 
     legislation to allow taxpayers to deduct sales taxes paid on 
     their federal income tax return; be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature encourage the Montana 
     Congressional Delegation to work in its respective houses of 
     Congress for the enactment of federal legislation that would 
     allow taxpayers to deduct sales taxes paid from their federal 
     income tax return; be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State send copies of this 
     resolution to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the 
     United States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of 
     Congress from the State of Montana.
                                  ____

       POM-108, A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     New Mexico relative to the proposal of standard market design 
     for electricity markets; to the Committee of Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                           Senate Memorial 56

       Whereas, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a 
     notice of proposed rulemaking on July 31, 2000 regarding a 
     standard market design for the nation's wholesale electricity 
     markets; and
       Whereas, the provisioning of electricity is an essential 
     service that is critically important to the citizens and 
     businesses of New Mexico and of all states; and
       Whereas, the delivery of electric service that is reliable, 
     safe and consistent with environmental values and that is 
     stably and reasonably prices is also of critical importance 
     to the citizens and businesses of New Mexico and of all 
     states; and
       Whereas, in the best traditions of federalism, the nation's 
     electric power supply has historically been regulated through 
     the cooperation and complementary activity of state, federal 
     and other agencies; and
       Whereas, through that cooperative and complementary system 
     of regulation, the nation's electric power supply is, on the 
     whole, safe, affordable efficient and dependable; and
       Whereas, it is evident from the standard market design for 
     the nation's wholesales electricity markets that the Federal 
     Energy Regulatory Commission is proposing to make fundamental 
     changes in the way electric transmission is controlled, 
     operated and priced; and
       Whereas, the changes inherent in the standard market design 
     of the nation's wholesale electricity markets appear to 
     necessitate alterations in the jurisdiction of the various 
     state commissions; and
       Whereas, in recognition of the failure of the California 
     energy market, with its direct effects on the economy of that 
     state and its indirect effects on other state through 
     disruption of a previously beneficial and stable wholesale 
     market, the New Mexico Legislature, in 2001, postponed any 
     opening of retail markets in New Mexico until 2007; and
       Whereas, the standard market design for the nation's 
     wholesale electricity markets implies vast changes in control 
     over the disposition of transmission assets, operations, 
     pricing and sitting and makes them subject to a form of 
     control that escapes state oversight; and
       Whereas, the changes necessitated the standard market 
     design for the nation's wholesale electricity markets would 
     effectively remove the business of electric transmission from 
     any meaningful public scrutiny or accountability and
       Whereas, Federal Policy should both protect consumers and 
     preserve the full ability of statues and municipalities to 
     oversee reliable and reasonably priced electricity service to 
     retail customers; and
       Whereas, wholesale markets have been in existence within 
     the western interconnection for some time and have played an 
     integral role in the successful operation of western electric 
     systems; and
       Whereas, as a credible cost-benefit analysis of either 
     regional transmission organizations or standard market 
     design, that accurately forecasts the effect of standard 
     market design on New Mexico rate payers has not yet been 
     performed; and
       Whereas, New Mexico and its citizens must balance 
     significant air-quality and land-use issues related to energy 
     production and transport with the economic benefit of those 
     activities, and should not be deprived of that economic 
     benefit through premature implementation of standard market 
     design; and
       Whereas, a clear demonstration of benefit must be performed 
     prior to the implementation of any new system for wholesale 
     electric power delivery that has economic and judictional 
     implications as profound as those inherent in the Federal 
     Energy Regulation Commission's current standard market design 
     proposal: Now, therefore, it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Mexico that the 
     Federal Energy Regulatory

[[Page S6255]]

     Commission be requested to withdraw it current standard 
     market design for the nation's wholesale electricity markets; 
     and be it further
       Resolved that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     President of the United States Senate, the Members of the New 
     Mexico Congressional Delegation and the Commissioners of the 
     Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
                                  ____

       POM-109. A resolution adopted Legislature of the State of 
     Arizona to unfunded federal education mandates; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                     House Concurrent Memorial 2001

       Whereas, the federal government has expanded its power 
     beyond its constitutional bounds at the expense of state and 
     local governments by imposing unfunded federal education 
     mandates. Federal mandates are being imposed at an alarming 
     rate on the states without the accompanying tax dollars 
     necessary to implement the mandated programs. The impact of 
     unfunded federal mandates threatens the fiscal integrity of 
     the states as well as the states' rights of self-
     determination.
       Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of 
     the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
       1. That the President and Congress of the United States 
     take immediate action to either rescind or fully fund federal 
     education mandates imposed on state and local governments and 
     cease passing any other legislation imposing an unfunded 
     education mandate on the states.
       2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona 
     transmit a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     United States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and 
     each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
                                  ____

       POM-110. A resolution adopted by the City of Cicero, State 
     of Illinois Chapter, Lithuanian American Community relative 
     to membership to NATO; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
       POM-111. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     New Hampshire relative to ancient Macedonians; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

                          Senate Resolution 1

       Whereas, Philip of Macedonia, his son, Alexander the Great, 
     and his tutor, the philosopher Aristotle, were born and 
     raised in the northern province of Greece, Macedonia; and
       Whereas, the language and culture of the ancient 
     Macedonians, the ancestors of the inhabitants of northern 
     Greece today, were Hellenic; and
       Whereas, the Macedonians, like the rest of the Hellenes in 
     antiquity, believed in the 12 gods of Olympus and 
     participated with their fellow Hellenes in the Olympic Games; 
     and
       Whereas, Pella, the palace where Alexander the Great was 
     born, and Vergina, the burial site of the Macedonian kings, 
     are all located in northern Greece, Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate:
       That the New Hampshire Senate recognizes that the ancient 
     Macedonians were Hellenes, and that the inhabitants of 
     Macedonia today are their Hellenic descendants and part of 
     the northern province of Greece, Macedonia; and
       That the history of ancient Macedonia has been Hellenic for 
     3,000 years and continues to be so today; and
       That copies of this resolution be forwarded by the senate 
     clerk to the President of the United States, the President of 
     the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, and the members of the New 
     Hampshire congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-112. A resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors, 
     County of Humbolt of the State of California relative to the 
     Board of Supervisors expressed opposition to the War in Iraq; 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
       POM-113. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the State of North Dakota honoring and supporting the United 
     States Armed Forces; to the Committee on Armed Services.
       Whereas, the personnel of the Armed Forces of the United 
     States are engaged in deadly combat with the forces of the 
     Iraqi regime of President Saddam Hussein and in a greater war 
     on terrorism around the world; and
       Whereas, the sacrifice and honor of the personnel called to 
     active military duty and the support and sacrifices of their 
     families is deserving of the full measure of respect and 
     appreciation of all North Dakotans, which should be conveyed 
     so that the personnel called to active duty and their 
     families have no doubt of the esteem for them in the hearts 
     and minds of North Dakotans; and
       Whereas, as in previous conflicts, a large number of North 
     Dakotans are participating in war as members of the regular 
     Armed Forces and as members of the North Dakota National 
     Guard, so much so that North Dakota has a greater share of 
     its population called from the reserves of active duty than 
     any other state: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of North Dakota, the House of 
     Representatives concurring therein; That the Fifty-eighth 
     Legislative Assembly supports and honors the personnel of the 
     Armed Forces of the United States as they enter harm's way 
     around the world and the families of these men and women for 
     their support and sacrifice; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be forwarded by 
     the Secretary of State to the President of the United States, 
     the presiding officers of the United States House of 
     Representatives and the United States Senate, the Secretary 
     of Defense, the Secretary of State, to each member of the 
     North Dakota Congressional Delegation, and to the Adjutant 
     General of North Dakota.

                          ____________________