[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 54 (Monday, April 26, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4375-S4379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. AKAKA:
S. 2346. A bill to amend the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that all
dogs and cats used by research facilities are obtained legally; to the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Pet Safety
and Protection Act. My legislation amends the Animal Welfare Act to
ensure that all companion animals such as dogs and cats used by
research facilities are obtained legally.
Over 30 years ago, Congress passed the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)
authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to set and enforce standards
protecting animals used in biomedical research, bred for commercial
sale, exhibited to the public, or commercially transported from
inhumane treatment. Despite the well-meaning intentions of the AWA and
the enforcement efforts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
the Act fails to provide reliable protection against the actions of
some unethical animal dealers.
Under the AWA, Class B animal dealers are defined as individuals
whose business includes the purchase, sale, or transport of animals in
commerce, including dogs and cats intended for use at research
facilities. To the dismay of animal welfare advocates and pet owners,
some Class B, or ``random source,'' dealers have resorted to theft and
deception to collect animals for resale. In many instances these
animals were found living under inhumane conditions.
As recently as August of 2003, USDA agents executed a warrant to
investigate a Class B dealer from Arkansas suspected of violations of
the AWA for the second time in several years. Many claims have been
levied against this dealer, and approximately 125 dogs were seized by
Federal agents during this week-long search. The investigation of this
facility is ongoing, and an indictment is pending.
The complaint being investigated by the USDA against the dealer
alleges that the respondents' veterinarian provided for them falsified
official health certificates for cats and dogs, and also provided them
with blank, undated, and signed health certificates. It is also alleged
that the dealer failed to provide the barest standards of care,
husbandry, and housing for the animals on the premises. The undercover
investigation of this facility has revealed that its proprietors were
aware that some of the companion animals brought to the facility were
stolen, and also revealed a list of over 50 ``bunchers,'' individuals
who obtain animals and sell them to ``random source'' animal dealers.
Bunchers have a variety of methods of obtaining companion animals,
including responding to newspaper ads offering free animals,
trespassing on private property to abduct the animals from yards, and
house burglaries.
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Inadequate veterinary care is one of the worst violations of the AWA
committed against these animals. The expense for quality veterinary
care is one that irresponsible Class B dealers do not wish to incur,
and animals often die as a result of their untreated injuries or
diseases. This was one of the violations uncovered by the
investigation, and often resulted from another violation of the AWA
that requires compatible grouping of animals. Vicious or diseased
animals were not separated from the general population and posed a risk
to all of the animals housed with them. In addition, this particular
dealer also provided inadequate housing facilities that exposed the
animals to injury from sharp wires. Fecal waste was allowed to
accumulate in the housing facility, and often dead dogs were left where
they fell in cages with other living animals. Food receptacles were
found to be contaminated with moldy and rotten food, and potable water
was not readily available to the animals. All of these are direct
violations of the Animal Welfare Act. In addition to neglect, these
animals often suffer abuse at the hands of dealers. Evidence of gross
cruelty is being uncovered while the USDA continues to investigate this
case.
The Pet Safety and Protection Act strengthens the AWA by prohibiting
the use of Class B dealers as suppliers of dogs and cats to research
laboratories. My legislation would not be a burden on research
facilities because only two percent of the approximately 2,051 Class B
dealers in the United States currently sell cats and dogs to research
facilities. I am not here to argue whether animals should or should not
be used in research. Medical research is an invaluable weapon in the
battle against disease. New drugs and surgical techniques offer promise
in the fight against cancer, Alzheimer's, tuberculosis, AIDS, and a
host of other life-threatening diseases. Animal research has been, and
continues to be, fundamental to advancements in medicine. However, I am
concerned with the sale of stolen pets and stray animals to research
facilities and the poor treatment of these animals by some Class B
dealers.
My legislation preserves the integrity of animal research by
encouraging research laboratories to obtain animals from legitimate
sources that comply with the AWA. Legitimate sources for animals
include USDA-licensed Class A dealers, breeders, and research
facilities, municipal pounds and shelters, and legitimate pet owners
who want to donate their animals to research. These sources are capable
of meeting the demand for research animals. The National Institutes of
Health, in an effort to curb abuse and deception, have already adopted
policies against the acquisition of dogs and cats from Class B dealers.
The Pet Safety and Protection Act also reduces the Department of
Agriculture's regulatory burden by allowing the Department to use its
resources more efficiently and effectively. Each year, thousands of
dollars are spent on regulating dealers. To discourage any future
violations of the AWA, my bill increases the penalties to a minimum of
$1,000 per violation.
I reiterate that this bill in no way impairs or impedes research, but
will end the fraudulent practices of some Class B dealers, as well as
the unnecessary suffering of these animals in their care. I urge my
colleagues to support this important legislation. I ask unanimous
consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2346
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Pet Safety and Protection
Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF PETS.
(a) Research Facilities.--Section 7 of the Animal Welfare
Act (7 U.S.C. 2137) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 7. SOURCES OF DOGS AND CATS FOR RESEARCH FACILITIES.
``(a) Definition of Person.--In this section, the term
`person' means any individual, partnership, firm, joint stock
company, corporation, association, trust, estate, pound,
shelter, or other legal entity.
``(b) Use of Dogs and Cats.--No research facility or
Federal research facility may use a dog or cat for research
or educational purposes if the dog or cat was obtained from a
person other than a person described in subsection (d).
``(c) Selling, Donating, or Offering Dogs and Cats.--No
person, other than a person described in subsection (d), may
sell, donate, or offer a dog or cat to any research facility
or Federal research facility.
``(d) Permissible Sources.--A person from whom a research
facility or a Federal research facility may obtain a dog or
cat for research or educational purposes under subsection
(b), and a person who may sell, donate, or offer a dog or cat
to a research facility or a Federal research facility under
subsection (c), shall be--
``(1) a dealer licensed under section 3 that has bred and
raised the dog or cat;
``(2) a publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that--
``(A) is registered with the Secretary;
``(B) is in compliance with section 28(a)(1) and with the
requirements for dealers in subsections (b) and (c) of
section 28; and
``(C) obtained the dog or cat from its legal owner, other
than a pound or shelter;
``(3) a person that is donating the dog or cat and that--
``(A) bred and raised the dog or cat; or
``(B) owned the dog or cat for not less than 1 year
immediately preceding the donation;
``(4) a research facility licensed by the Secretary; and
``(5) a Federal research facility licensed by the
Secretary.
``(e) Penalties.--
``(1) In general.--A person that violates this section
shall be fined $1,000 for each violation.
``(2) Additional penalty.--A penalty under this subsection
shall be in addition to any other applicable penalty.
``(f) No Required Sale or Donation.--Nothing in this
section requires a pound or shelter to sell, donate, or offer
a dog or cat to a research facility or Federal research
facility.''.
(b) Federal Research Facilities.--Section 8 of the Animal
Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2138) is amended--
(1) by striking ``Sec. 8. No department'' and inserting the
following:
``SEC. 8. FEDERAL RESEARCH FACILITIES.
``Except as provided in section 7, no department'';
(2) by striking ``research or experimentation or''; and
(3) by striking ``such purposes'' and inserting ``that
purpose''.
(c) Certification.--Section 28(b)(1) of the Animal Welfare
Act (7 U.S.C. 2158(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``individual
or entity'' and inserting ``research facility or Federal
research facility''.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by section 2 take effect on the date
that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
______
By Mr. VOINOVICH (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Jeffords, and Mr.
Lieberman):
S. 2347. A bill to amend the District of Columbia Access Act of 1999
to permanently authorize the public school and private school tuition
assistance programs established under the Act; to the Committee on
Governmental Affairs.
Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, leveling the playing field for high
school graduates in the District of Columbia continues to be a top
priority of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the
Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia which I chair. Today I
would like to highlight the tremendous impact the District of Columbia
Tuition Assistance Program--D.C. TAG--has had on promoting higher
education for high school graduates in the Nation's Capital and
introduce legislation that would permanently authorize the District of
Columbia College Access Act of 1999.
In 1999, I worked with the House and fellow Senators Jeffords and
Durbin to craft the District of Columbia College Access Act which was
signed into law on November 12, 1999. Soon after, under the direction
of Mayor Anthony Williams, the D.C. TAG Program was created to
implement this important legislation. The first grants were awarded in
2000.
The aim of the Program was to afford D.C. high school graduates the
same opportunity that high school seniors in each of the 50 States
have, the ability to attend public universities and colleges at in-
State tuition rates in all 50 States and participating private
schools--Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) nationwide
or private colleges or universities in Virginia or Maryland. The
program has made it possible for D.C. residents to attend college who
did not have access to similar State-supported systems.
The D.C. TAG scholarships are used by D.C. residents to pay the
difference between in-State and out-of-State tuition, up to $10,000 per
student per
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school year with a cumulative cap of $50,000 per student. In addition,
as of March 2002, D.C. residents attending participating private
institutions started receiving tuition grants under the program of
$2,500 per student per school year with a cumulative cap of $12,500 per
student.
To date, D.C. TAG has dispersed more than $63 million to a total of
6,527 students, many of whom are the first in their family to attend
college. All current high school students who are D.C. residents are
eligible for these scholarships and participation is increasing.
The powerful impact of the program on high school graduates
continuing on to college is hard to deny. Data from the Department of
Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System show that
the number of D.C. high school graduates continuing on to college
increased from 1,750 in 1998 to 2,230 in 2002. That's a 28 percent
increase since the program was created. This is the highest level of
college attendance of District students and exceeds the national
average, over the same period, of a 5-percent increase.
Mayor Williams stated that `'No State in the Union can make that
claim. This unprecedented figure is due in large part, if not almost
exclusively, I believe, to D.C. TAG.''
According to a survey conducted by the D.C. TAG Office, the grants
have become an essential part of higher education planning for D.C.
residents. The majority of students who have received assistance
through the program have indicated that the existence of the grants
made a difference in their decision to attend college, and also played
a role in deciding which college to attend.
It is important for my colleagues to know that thousands of D.C.
students have taken advantage of this program. It can help to turn
around years of economic and educational despair in the District.
We are now coming to the end of the 5-year authorization for the
program which expires in November 2005. Because of this and the success
of the program, Senators Durbin, Jeffords, Lieberman, and I are
introducing this bill to permanently reauthorize the D.C. College
Access Act.
In closing I would like to quote two D.C. Residents. La Rue Purry,
currently a freshman at the University of Alabama states that ``This
program gave me the opportunity to get the education I always wanted,
the education my family couldn't have provided for me.''
Brian Ford, a former D.C. TAG recipient, who testified at the House
committee on Government Reform Hearing on March 25, 2004, stated that
``The D.C. Tuition Assistance Program is a necessity for the city of
Washington, DC, and for its residents. I urge Congress to please
continue to provide financial support to the D.C. TAG program so one
day students like myself can have a college diploma hanging on the wall
for the world to see.''
I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and I'm
confident that it can be enacted this year. I ask unanimous consent
that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 2347
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PERMANENT AUTHORIZATION OF TUITION ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS.
(a) Public School Program.--Section 3(i) of the District of
Columbia College Access Act of 1999 (sec. 38--2702(i), D.C.
Official Code) is amended by striking ``each of the five
succeeding fiscal years'' and inserting ``each succeeding
fiscal year''.
(b) Private School Program.--Section 5(f) of such Act (sec.
38--2704(f), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking
``each of the five succeeding fiscal years'' and inserting
``each succeeding fiscal year''.
______
By Mr. HATCH (for himself and Mr. Kennedy):
S. 2349. A bill to modify the application of the antitrust laws to
permit collective development and implementation of a standard contract
form for playwrights for the licensing of their plays; to the Committee
on the Judiciary.
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce S. 2349, ``The
Playwrights Licensing Antitrust Initiative'' or ``PLAI [play] Act.''
This legislation is designed to ensure the continued vitality of
American theater. When the theater is crowded and the curtain rises, it
is easy to forget that the entire show began with one person: the lone
playwright who put pen to paper. While this artistic independence--and
the individual expression it fosters--are absolutely central to the
continuing vitality of quality live theater in America, it has resulted
in individual playwrights being increasingly forced into a situation
where they bargain alone against corporate behemoths and organized
labor groups over terms of compensation and artistic control when their
works are performed on Broadway.
Due to the interaction of Federal labor law, the antitrust laws, and
the Copyright Act, playwrights and their voluntary peer membership
organization, the Dramatists Guild of America, operate under the shadow
of possible antitrust litigation, which has substantially and
detrimentally decreased their ability to coordinate their actions in
protecting their artistic and financial interests. This has impeded the
ability of playwrights to act collectively in dealing with highly-
organized and unionized groups--such as actors, directors, and
choreographers on the one hand--and the increasingly consolidated
producers and investors on the other.
Playwrights contribute enduring, thoughtful entertainment and
cultural enrichment to our lives. I know that many of my colleagues
here in the Senate share my appreciation for the creative work they do.
Despite the importance of their work, our current antitrust laws
prevent them from negotiating a standard form contract for the
production of their works. As a result, playwrights--who are frequently
at a substantial bargaining disadvantage--are forced to accept
contracts on a take it or leave it basis.
If we truly want the American stage to flourish, we must remedy this
situation. The PLAI Act is a narrow measure that allows playwrights,
composers and lyricists--through either the Dramatists Guild or any
other voluntary peer organization--to act collectively in dealing with
other industry groups that operate both under and behind the bright
lights of the American stage.
The PLAI Act enables playwrights to act collectively without
violating the antitrust laws. It allows these men and women to sit down
with their creative colleagues in the industry to negotiate, adopt and
implement a standard form contract for the production of their works.
Actors, stagehands, directors, producers and venue owners of live
theater--nearly all other theater workers and artists--already have
this right. Importantly, this extends only to the adoption and
implementation--but not any collective enforcement--of an updated
standard form contract. Thus, it would merely allow dramatists to
replace the terms of the current standard contract--which I am given to
understand has remained virtually unchanged for several decades--with
amended terms that reflect the changing business and artistic landscape
on Broadway.
My hope is that the basic ability to develop a standard form contract
as well as provisions ensuring that certain artists' rights are
respected in the production of their plays will encourage young,
struggling playwrights to continue working in the field. Too often,
playwrights with great potential abandon their writing--or choose to
write for a different audience or venue--because they are powerless to
negotiate even minimum levels of compensation or artistic copyright
protection for their work. William Shakespeare himself was paid no more
than eight pounds apiece for his plays, and was not able to make his
living from writing. This was, of course, back in the late 16th
century.
We should not allow today's antitrust laws to be used to discourage
some of our most creative citizens from pursuing careers in live
theater. When talented individuals are pushed away from their craft
because of the unintended consequences of legislation, it is incumbent
upon those of us in Congress to set things right.
As a long time enthusiast of live theater, and a lyricist myself, I
am proud to co-sponsor this bill. It is my belief that the PLAI Act
will help foster the next Arthur Miller, the next Andrew
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Lloyd Webber, or the next Wendy Wasserstein. By helping playwrights in
this way we encourage the continued vibrancy of American live theater
and artistic and literary culture.
I commend my co-sponsor Senator Kennedy for his efforts on this bill.
His leadership and support represent a significant step forward in
preserving the future of live theater in America. I urge my colleagues
to join Senator Kennedy and me in supporting the PLAI Act.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 2349
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Playwrights Licensing
Antitrust Initiative Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. NONAPPLICATION OF ANTITRUST LAWS.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c), the antitrust
laws shall not apply to any joint discussion, consideration,
review, action, or agreement for the express purpose of, and
limited to, the development of a standard form contract
containing minimum terms of artistic protection and levels of
compensation for playwrights by means of--
(1) meetings, discussions, and negotiations between or
among playwrights or their representatives and producers or
their representatives; or
(2) joint or collective voluntary actions for the limited
purposes of developing a standard form contract by
playwrights or their representatives.
(b) Adoption and Implementation.--Subject to subsection
(c), the antitrust laws shall not apply to any joint
discussion, consideration, review, or action for the express
purpose of, and limited to, reaching a collective agreement
among playwrights adopting a standard form contract developed
pursuant to subsection (a) as the participating playwrights
sole and exclusive means by which participating playwrights
shall license their plays to producers.
(c) Amendment of Contract.--A standard form of contract
developed and implemented under subsections (a) and (b) shall
be subject to amendment by individual playwrights and
producers consistent with the terms of the standard form
contract.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Antitrust laws.--The term ``antitrust laws'' has the
meaning given it in section (a) of the first section of the
Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 12) except that such term includes
section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45)
to the extent that such section applies to unfair methods of
competition.
(2) Playwright.--The term ``playwright'' means the author,
composer, or lyricist of a dramatic or musical work intended
to be performed on the speaking stage and shall include,
where appropriate, the adapter of a work from another medium.
(3) Producer.--The term ``producer''--
(A) means any person who obtains the rights to present live
stage productions of a play; and
(B) includes any person who presents a play as first class
performances in major cities, as well as those who present
plays in regional and not-for-profit theaters.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it is a privilege to join in cosponsoring
the Playwrights Licensing Antitrust Initiative Act, to permit the
development of a standard, minimum contract for playwrights for the
licensing and production of their work.
The bill will provide needed protection for playwrights whose work is
the creative force behind so many memorable successes in the Nation's
performing arts. The stunning creations that millions of Americans
enjoy on Broadway, Off Broadway, and in local communities across the
country reflect the special genius of our creative artists. They
express our Nation's hopes, disappointments, achievements and its
challenges for the years ahead.
If you travel to New York this week, you can attend any one of dozens
of shows to entertain or enlighten us. There are classic musical
productions--shows that we have loved all our lives such as Gypsy and
42nd Street and Fiddler on the Roof, and more recently, The Producers.
There are other dramatic works on issues that are important to each of
us--about personal struggles and individual achievement and growth,
about immigration and race relations--Bridge and Tunnel, The Tricky
Part and Caroline, or Change. They are the new classics from the
emerging voices of theater.
The men and women who write these shows should be fairly compensated
for their creative achievements. The bill that Senator Hatch and I
introduce today will provide a measure of greater fairness for them.
Currently, they are prohibited from entering into any collective
negotiation for compensation or control of their work. Because they are
not members of a union, they must negotiate individually with producers
of their work.
For well-known authors, the negotiation can be challenging. For
emerging authors, it can be impossible.
The bill we are proposing will grant a very limited modification of
the antitrust laws, so that playwrights will be able to negotiate a
minimum compensation package as fair reimbursement for their work. It
will give playwrights similar rights to actors, actresses, dancers,
composers, musicians and others who bring theater to life on America's
stages.
Currently, writers who work in the film industry enjoy greater
protection for their work than their counterparts in the theater. We
need to do more to see that our talented playwrights are able to
continue their work in our theaters, and end the alarming current trend
away from writing for live theater.
As President Kennedy once said, ``I am certain that after the dust of
centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not
for victories or defeats in battle or politics, but for our
contribution to the human spirit.''
I hope that we can take this opportunity to expand the creative arts
in our country and contribute to the vital spirit of our citizens in
communities across America with their performances in drama, comedy and
music.
American theater is as lively, diverse, and exciting as any in the
world. We must do all we can to protect this unique legacy and ensure a
healthy theater community in the years ahead.
I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this important
legislation.
______
By Mr. CONRAD (for himself and Mr. Dorgan):
S.J. Res. 34. A joint resolution designating May 29, 2004, on the
occasion of the dedication of the National World War II Memorial, as
Remembrance of World War II Veterans Day; to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, after 17 years of hard work on the part of
many individuals, especially World War II veterans, the World War II
memorial will become a reality on Saturday, May 29, 2004 with a
dedication ceremony in Washington, D.C. Hundreds of thousands of World
War II veterans and their families are expected to attend. In
recognition of this important occasion, I am introducing a Senate Joint
Resolution along with my distinguished colleague, Senator Byron Dorgan,
to honor our World War II veterans, their families and this dedication
next month.
The idea for the National World War II Memorial was first presented
to Congresswomen Marcy Kaptur during a conversation with a constituent
and World War II veteran, Roger Durbin in 1987. Shortly after that
conversation, Congresswoman Kaptur introduced legislation to create a
memorial, and Congress passed legislation authorizing the national
memorial in 1993.
The National World War II Memorial will pay tribute to the more than
16,112,000 veterans of all military services--Army, Army Air Corps,
Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine--who served in
World War II between the invasion of Poland in 1939 and the surrender
of Japan in 1945. Approximately 69,000 of these servicemen were from
North Dakota. The memorial will acknowledge the supreme sacrifice of
more than 400,000 military personnel, including 1,569 North Dakotans,
who lost their lives between 1939 and 1945.
As veterans and their families visit Washington over the coming
weeks, many will recall the heroism and sacrifices from some of the
remarkable campaigns and famous battles of World War II, including the
attack on Pearl Harbor, December, 1941; the Battle of Midway, June,
1942; the Allied campaign across North Africa, November, 1942;
Operation Overlord (D-Day), June 1944; the capture of Iwo Jima,
February, 1945; and the Tokyo bombing raids of March, 1945.
The Memorial will also have special meaning for North Dakotans as
they remember the heroic efforts of the 164th Infantry Regiment of the
American Division, a unit of the North Dakota Army National Guard and
the
[[Page S4379]]
first unit of the United States Army to land on Guadalcanal in October,
1942. Some of the fiercest fighting of World War II took place in the
effort to recapture the island.
The Memorial will also hold special meaning for Senators and Members
of Congress of the 108th Congress as we recognize and honor current
members including Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Senator Ernest F. Hollings,
Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, Senator Ted
Stevens, Senator John W. Warner, Congressman Cass Ballenger,
Congressman John D. Dingell, Congressman Ralph M. Hall, Congressman Amo
Houghton, Congressman Henry J. Hyde, and Congressman Ralph Regula.
As we pause during the Memorial Day weekend to remember World War II
veterans who served and sacrificed so much more than 59 years ago, it
is my hope that Americans will honor and remember this ``Greatest
Generation'' for the contributions that have enabled millions of
Americans, for more than 50 years, to enjoy unparalled prosperity and
the blessings of freedom. Let us also remember the ongoing sacrifices
of our active duty military personnel who are currently serving in all
parts of the world, but especially in Iraq and the conflict against
terrorism in Afghanistan.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the joint resolution be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the joint resolution was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S.J. Res. 34
Whereas on May 29, 2004, thousands of veterans, their
families, and friends will gather on the Mall in Washington,
District of Columbia, to dedicate the National World War II
Memorial;
Whereas on that day, Americans will pay tribute to the more
than 16,112,000 veterans of all military services who served
in World War II between the German invasion of Poland in 1939
and the surrender by Japan on V-J Day in 1945;
Whereas on that day, Americans will be reminded of the
heroism and sacrifice of members of the Armed Forces who were
on duty during some of the critical conflicts of World War
II, including the attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941,
the Battle of Midway of June 6, 1942, the invasion of
Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942, the Allied campaign in North
Africa in November 1942, Operation Overlord (D-Day) on June
6, 1944, the capture of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945, and
the Tokyo bombing raids of March 1945;
Whereas on that day, veterans and their families from North
Dakota will honor the heroism and sacrifice of the
approximately 69,000 North Dakota veterans who served in
World War II, including 1,569 who made the ultimate
sacrifice, and recognize the hardships and sacrifices of the
164th Regiment of the American Division, a unit of the North
Dakota Army National Guard, who were the first unit of the
United States Army to land on Guadalcanal on October 13,
1942, in the campaign to recapture that island;
Whereas on that day, America will acknowledge the supreme
sacrifice of the more than 400,000 Army, Army Air Corps,
Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine
personnel who were killed in action in World War II;
Whereas 12 distinguished Senators and Members of Congress
serving in the 108th Congress, including Senator Daniel K.
Akaka, Senator Ernest F. Hollings, Senator Daniel K. Inouye,
Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, Senator Ted Stevens, Senator
John W. Warner, Congressman Cass Ballenger, Congressman John
D. Dingell, Congressman Ralph M. Hall, Congressman Amo
Houghton, Congressman Henry J. Hyde, and Congressman Ralph
Regula, served in World War II; and
Whereas World War II veterans, members of the generation
known as ``the Greatest Generation'', through their sacrifice
and hard work over more than 50 years, have enabled millions
of Americans to enjoy unparalleled prosperity and the
blessings of freedom: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That May 29,
2004, is hereby designated as Remembrance of World War II
Veterans Day, and the President is urged to call upon the
people of the United States to celebrate the day with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
____________________