[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 94 (Friday, July 9, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7898-S7899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 402--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE WITH RESPECT 
TO THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOOD AID PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE 
       AGRICULTURAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1954

  Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Daschle, Mr. 
Crapo, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. 
Lincoln, Mr. Kohl, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Lugar, 
and Mr. Dayton) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 402

       Whereas, in the aftermath of the Second World War, many 
     countries did not have sufficient cash to buy the 
     agricultural commodities needed to feed the people of those 
     countries, especially in war-torn Europe and Asia;
       Whereas, during the term of President Dwight David 
     Eisenhower, it became apparent that the abundance of food 
     available in the United States could be used as an instrument 
     in building a durable peace after the Second World War;
       Whereas a concessional credit program was established under 
     title I of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance 
     Act of 1954 (commonly known as ``P.L. 480'') (7 U.S.C. 1701 
     et seq.), signed into law on July 10, 1954, to allow for 
     sales of agricultural commodities from the United States to 
     developing countries for dollars on generous credit terms or 
     for local currencies, with proceeds to be used by 
     participating governments or nongovernmental private entities 
     to encourage economic development;
       Whereas since the enactment of the Agricultural Trade 
     Development and Assistance Act of 1954, the title I program 
     has facilitated sales of agricultural commodities from the 
     United States, totaling an estimated $30,000,000,000 to 
     nearly 100 countries;
       Whereas the Food for Peace program was established under 
     title II of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance 
     Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.), to provide humanitarian 
     assistance to poor and hungry people in developing countries, 
     based on legislation originally introduced by Senator Hubert 
     Humphrey;
       Whereas during the half-century since the establishment of 
     the Food for Peace program, the United States Agency for 
     International Development and the Department of Agriculture 
     have worked together to provide 107,000,000 tons of food aid 
     to developing countries, helping an estimated 3,400,000,000 
     people through 2003;
       Whereas the government of the United States has depended on 
     the commitment, skill, and experience of dozens of private 
     voluntary organizations based in the United States, as well 
     as the United Nations World Food Program, to carry out the 
     Food for Peace program on the ground in developing countries; 
     and
       Whereas a number of countries that were early beneficiaries 
     of both programs have emerged as democracies and strong 
     commercial trading partners, including South Korea, Taiwan, 
     the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Mexico, and 
     Turkey, in part as a result of development projects and food 
     distribution programs conducted using agricultural 
     commodities from the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) on the 50th anniversary of the date of enactment of the 
     Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 
     U.S.C. 1691 et seq.) on July 10, 1954, recognizes the United 
     States Agency for International Development, the Department 
     of Agriculture, and associated partners for--
       (A) providing emergency food assistance to address famine 
     or other extraordinary relief requirements;
       (B) forging linkages between the abundance of food produced 
     under the agricultural system of the United States and people 
     in need of assistance throughout the world;
       (C) undertaking activities to alleviate hunger;
       (D) promoting economic, agricultural, educational, and 
     community development in developing countries;
       (E) identifying the private partners capable of carrying 
     out the mission of the programs established under that Act;

[[Page S7899]]

       (F) implementing procedures governing the use and 
     evaluation of the programs and funds; and
       (G) overseeing the use of taxpayers dollars to carry out 
     the programs; and
       (2) declares that July 10, 2004, is a day that recognizes--
       (A) the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the 
     concessional credit program and the Food for Peace program 
     under the Agricultural Trade and Development Act of 1954 (7 
     U.S.C. 1691 et seq.); and
       (B) the accomplishments of the United States Agency for 
     International Development, the Department of Agriculture, and 
     associated private voluntary organization and nongovernmental 
     organization partners in alleviating hunger and poverty, 
     bolstering development, and restoring hope around the world.
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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 122--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS 
REGARDING THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES AT THE 56TH ANNUAL MEETING OF 
                  THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION

  Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Dodd, Mr. 
Kennedy, Mr. Chafee, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Collins, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Reed, 
Mr. Corzine, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Biden, and Mr. Lieberman) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 122

       Whereas whales have very low reproductive rates, making 
     many whale populations extremely vulnerable to pressure from 
     commercial whaling;
       Whereas whales migrate throughout the world's oceans and 
     international cooperation is required to successfully 
     conserve and protect whale stocks;
       Whereas in 1946 a significant number of the nations of the 
     world adopted the International Convention for the Regulation 
     of Whaling, which established the International Whaling 
     Commission to provide for the proper conservation of whale 
     stocks;
       Whereas in 2003 the Commission established a Conservation 
     Committee, open to all members of the Commission, for the 
     purpose of facilitating efficient and effective coordination 
     and development of conservation recommendations and 
     activities, which are fully consistent with the conservation 
     objectives stated in the 1946 Convention;
       Whereas the Commission adopted a moratorium on commercial 
     whaling in 1982 in order to conserve and promote the recovery 
     of whale stocks, many of which had been hunted to near 
     extinction by the commercial whaling industry;
       Whereas the Commission has designated the Indian Ocean and 
     the ocean waters around Antarctica, as whale sanctuaries to 
     further enhance the recovery of whale stocks;
       Whereas many nations of the world have designated waters 
     under their jurisdiction as whale sanctuaries where 
     commercial whaling is prohibited, and additional regional 
     whale sanctuaries have been proposed by nations that are 
     members of the Commission;
       Whereas two member nations currently have reservations to 
     the Commission's moratorium on commercial whaling, and one 
     member nation is currently conducting commercial whaling 
     operations in spite of the moratorium and the protests of 
     other nations;
       Whereas the Commission has adopted several resolutions at 
     recent meetings asking member nations to halt commercial 
     whaling activities conducted under reservation to the 
     moratorium and to refrain from issuing special permits for 
     research involving the killing of whales;
       Whereas one member nation of the Commission has taken a 
     reservation to the Commission's Southern Ocean Sanctuary and 
     also continues to conduct unnecessary lethal scientific 
     whaling in the Southern Ocean and in the North Pacific Ocean;
       Whereas one member nation of the Commission has taken a 
     reservation to the Commission's Southern Ocean Sanctuary and 
     also continues to conduct unnecessary lethal scientific 
     whaling in the Southern Ocean and in the North Pacific Ocean;
       Whereas whale meat and blubber is being sold commercially 
     from whales killed pursuant to such unnecessary lethal 
     scientific whaling, further undermining the moratorium on 
     commercial whaling;
       Whereas the Commission's Scientific Committee has 
     repeatedly expressed serious concerns about the scientific 
     need for such lethal research and recognizes the importance 
     of demonstrating and expanding the use of non-lethal 
     scientific research methods;
       Whereas last year one member nation unsuccessfully sought 
     an exemption allowing commercial whaling of up to 150 minke 
     whales and 150 Bryde's whales, contrary to the moratorium and 
     without review of the scientific committee, and continues to 
     seek avenues to allow lethal takes of whales by vessels from 
     specific communities in a manner that would undermine the 
     moratorium on commercial whaling;
       Whereas more than 8500 whales have been killed in lethal 
     scientific whaling programs since the adoption of the 
     commercial whaling moratorium and the lethal take of whales 
     under scientific permits has increased both in quantity and 
     species, with species now including minke, Bryde's, sei, and 
     sperm whales; and
       Whereas engaging in commercial whaling under reservation 
     and lethal scientific whaling undermines the conservation 
     program of the Commission: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by 
     the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That it 
     is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) at the 56th Annual Meeting of the International Whaling 
     Commission the United States should--
       (A) remain firmly opposed to commercial whaling;
       (B) support the purposes and functions of the Conservation 
     Committee, which provides a system for ensuring good 
     governance of the Commission's conservation activities;
       (C) initiate and support efforts to ensure that all 
     activities conducted under reservations to the Commission's 
     moratorium or sanctuaries are ceased;
       (D) oppose the unnecessary lethal taking of whales for 
     scientific purposes, seek support for expanding the use of 
     non-lethal research methods, and seek to end the sale of 
     whale meat and blubber from whales killed for unnecessary 
     lethal scientific research;
       (E) seek the Commission's support for specific efforts by 
     member nations to end trade in whale meat;
       (F) support the permanent protection of whale populations 
     through the establishment of whale sanctuaries in which 
     commercial whaling is prohibited; and
       (G) support efforts to expand data collection on whale 
     populations, monitor and reduce whale bycatch and other 
     incidental impacts, and otherwise expand whale conservation 
     efforts; and
       (2) the United States should make full use of all 
     appropriate diplomatic mechanisms, relevant international 
     laws and agreements, and other appropriate mechanisms to 
     implement the goals set forth in paragraph (1).

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.

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