[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S29-S30]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 1--INFORMING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THAT 
                  A QUORUM OF EACH HOUSE IS ASSEMBLED

  Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Reid) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 1

       Resolved, That a committee consisting of two Senators be 
     appointed to join such committee as may be appointed by the 
     House of Representatives to wait upon the President of the 
     United States and inform him that a quorum of each House is 
     assembled and that the Congress is ready to receive any 
     communication he may be pleased to make.
                                 ______
                                 

  SENATE RESOLUTION 2--INFORMING THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT A 
                   QUORUM OF THE SENATE IS ASSEMBLED

  Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Reid) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 2

       Resolved, That the Secretary inform the House of 
     Representatives that a quorum of the Senate is assembled and 
     that the Senate is ready to proceed to business.
                                 ______
                                 

  SENATE RESOLUTION 3--FIXING THE HOUR OF DAILY MEETING OF THE SENATE

  Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Reid) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 3

       Resolved, That the hour of daily meeting of the Senate be 
     12 o'clock meridian unless otherwise ordered.
                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE RESOLUTION 4--EXPRESSING THE SYMPATHY AND PLEDGING THE SUPPORT 
OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE 
VICTIMS OF THE POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE AND DEVASTATING TSUNAMI THAT STRUCK 
BANGLADESH, BURMA, INDIA, INDONESIA, KENYA, MALAYSIA, THE MALDIVES, THE 
SEYCHELLES, SOMALIA, SRI LANKA, TANZANIA, THAILAND, AND OTHER AREAS OF 
      SOUTH ASIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA, AND AFRICA, ON DECEMBER 26, 2004

  Mr. FRIST (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Biden, Mr. Akaka, 
Mr. Alexander, Mr. Allard, Mr. Allen, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Bayh, Mr. 
Bennett, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bond, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Brownback, Mr. 
Bunning, Mr. Burns, Mr. Burr, Mr. Byrd, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Carper, Mr. 
Chafee, Mr. Chambliss, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Cochran, Mr. 
Coleman, Ms. Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Corzine, Mr. Craig, 
Mr. Crapo, Mr. Dayton, Mr. DeMint, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Dodd, Mrs. Dole, Mr. 
Domenici, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Feingold, 
Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Hagel, Mr. 
Harkin, Mr. Hatch, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Isakson, 
Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Kyl, 
Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. 
Lincoln, Mr. Lott, Mr. Martinez, Mr. McCain, Mr. McConnell, Ms. 
Mikulski, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Nelson 
of Nebraska, Mr. Obama, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, Mr. 
Rockefeller, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Sessions, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Smith, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Specter, Ms. Stabenow, 
Mr. Stevens, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Talent, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thune, Mr. Vitter, 
Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 4

       Whereas on December 26, 2004, a tremendous earthquake, 
     registered at 9.0 on the Richter scale and centered 100 miles 
     off the coast of Northern Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered a 
     deadly tsunami that swept throughout the Indian Ocean and 
     beyond, devastating cities, towns, and communities, and 
     killing or injuring persons in Southeast Asia and South Asia, 
     through the island nations of the region, to Eastern Africa;
       Whereas, as a result of the earthquake and ensuing tsunami, 
     more than 140,000 people have lost their lives to date, tens 
     of thousands of people are injured or missing, and the final 
     death toll could climb into the hundreds of thousands;
       Whereas the victims also include thousands of nationals who 
     were visiting the region when the tsunami hit, including 
     significant numbers from Europe and North and South America;
       Whereas millions of people throughout Southeast Asia and 
     South Asia have been left without food, shelter, or clean 
     water, and now face deadly diseases such as cholera, dengue 
     fever, dysentery, malaria, and typhoid;
       Whereas thousands of children have been killed or injured 
     by this disaster;
       Whereas, as a result of this tragedy, thousands of children 
     have been separated from their families or orphaned and are 
     in need of re-unification or adoption;
       Whereas whole coastal communities and cities throughout the 
     region were obliterated;
       Whereas recovery, reconstruction, and clean-up of the 
     devastated areas likely will take years, billions of dollars, 
     and the concerted leadership of the United States working 
     together with the international community;
       Whereas the people of the United States immediately 
     responded and expressed their sympathy and concern by sending 
     financial aid and other assistance currently totaling more 
     than $100,000,000, through nongovernmental organizations and 
     other means, to the victims of this disaster, and by offering 
     to volunteer in the disaster rescue, recovery, and 
     rebuilding;
       Whereas soon after the earthquake and tsunami hit the 
     region, the United States Government expressed its 
     condolences and invoked six disaster declarations for the 
     nations hardest hit by this natural disaster, thus triggering 
     the release of emergency funding to these countries;
       Whereas less than 24 hours after these tragedies became 
     known, the United States announced an initial pledge of 
     $15,000,000 for emergency humanitarian assistance, which was 
     increased to $35,000,000 in the following days as the scope 
     of the tragedy unfolded;
       Whereas President George W. Bush also dispatched more than 
     20 United States military cargo and patrol aircraft, 
     redirected a Marine expeditionary unit and a carrier task 
     force, and deployed several hundred United States military 
     personnel to the region to assist with the disaster response, 
     recovery, and delivery of relief supplies;
       Whereas, in response to an early appeal by the 
     International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent 
     for $7,500,000, the United States provided $4,000,000 for the 
     distribution of emergency shelter materials and other relief 
     commodities, and provided more than 3,000 metric tons of rice 
     to the United Nations World Food Program for use in the 
     affected region;
       Whereas President George W. Bush has established a regional 
     core group with Australia, Canada, India, Japan, and the 
     Netherlands, with the United Nations, to help coordinate 
     relief efforts, and sent a senior delegation of experts, led 
     by Secretary of State Colin Powell and Florida Governor Jeb 
     Bush, to meet with regional leaders and international 
     organizations to assess what additional aid can be provided 
     by the United States;
       Whereas on December 31, 2004, President Bush increased the 
     United States pledge to $350,000,000 in aid and stated that 
     the United States' contributions to disaster relief and 
     recovery ``will continue to be revised as the

[[Page S30]]

     full effects of this terrible tragedy become clearer'';
       Whereas pledges of assistance from all international 
     organizations, multilateral development banks, and 
     governments, including the United States, now exceed 
     $2,000,000,000; and
       Whereas, on January 3, 2005, the President appointed former 
     Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton to lead a 
     nationwide charitable fund-raising effort to elicit greater 
     relief and assistance to the victims of the powerful 
     earthquake and devastating tsunami: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses its heartfelt sympathy for the victims of the 
     powerful earthquake and devastating tsunami that struck 
     cities, towns, and communities throughout Southeast Asia, 
     South Asia, Eastern Africa, and the region on December 26, 
     2004;
       (2) conveys its most sincere condolences to the families, 
     communities, and governments of the more than 140,000 people 
     that lost their lives in this terrible natural disaster;
       (3) expresses its gratitude and respect for the courageous 
     and committed work of all aid and relief personnel, including 
     United States military personnel, who are saving lives and 
     providing relief assistance in the devastated areas of the 
     region;
       (4) supports President George W. Bush's pledge of 
     $350,000,000 in direct financial assistance, and tens of 
     millions of dollars in additional indirect assistance through 
     the dispatch of United States military aircraft, naval 
     vessels, and personnel, and through the United States 
     Government's substantial voluntary and annual contributions 
     to international organizations and bodies;
       (5) commends the ongoing international relief effort that 
     includes the work of individual countries, numerous 
     international organizations, and various relief and other 
     nongovernmental entities;
       (6) reaffirms that the United States Government is 
     committed to providing relief and assistance in the most 
     effective and efficient means possible, and will continue to 
     assess, anticipate, and provide further assistance as needed 
     in the weeks and months ahead;
       (7) recognizes that the support of the United States 
     Government will be greatly supplemented by private donations 
     and assistance from thousands of United States citizens, 
     charitable organizations, religious groups, and corporations 
     that routinely provide generous and significant amounts of 
     aid, support, and volunteers; and
       (8) fully supports the long-term commitment and engagement 
     of the United States to provide financial aid and other forms 
     of direct and indirect assistance to the countries and 
     peoples of the region impacted by the powerful earthquake and 
     the devastating tsunami.
                                 ______
                                 

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1--TO PROVIDE FOR THE COUNTING ON JANUARY 
6, 2005, OF THE ELECTORAL VOTES FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE 
                             UNITED STATES

  Mr. FRIST (for himself, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Lott) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                             S. Con. Res. 1

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the two Houses of Congress shall meet in 
     the Hall of the House of Representatives on Thursday, the 
     sixth day of January 2005, at 1 o'clock post meridian, 
     pursuant to the requirements of the Constitution and laws 
     relating to the election of President and Vice President of 
     the United States, and the President of the Senate shall be 
     their Presiding Officer; that two tellers shall be previously 
     appointed by the President of the Senate on the part of the 
     Senate and two by the Speaker on the part of the House of 
     Representatives, to whom shall be handed, as they are opened 
     by the President of the Senate, all the certificates and 
     papers purporting to be certificates of the electoral votes, 
     which certificates and papers shall be opened, presented, and 
     acted upon in the alphabetical order of the States, beginning 
     with the letter ``A''; and said tellers, having then read the 
     same in the presence and hearing of the two Houses, shall 
     make a list of the votes as they shall appear from the said 
     certificates; and the votes having been ascertained and 
     counted in the manner and according to the rules by law 
     provided, the result of the same shall be delivered to the 
     President of the Senate, who shall thereupon announce the 
     state of the vote, which announcement shall be deemed a 
     sufficient declaration of the persons, if any, elected 
     President and Vice President of the United States, and, 
     together with a list of the votes, be entered on the Journals 
     of the two Houses.
                                 ______
                                 

    SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 2--TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE JOINT 
 CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON INAUGURAL CEREMONIES AND THE PROVISIONS OF 
 S. CON. RES. 93 AND S. CON. RES. 94 OF THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS

  Mr. FRIST (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. Lott, and Mr. Dodd) submitted 
the following concurrent resolution; which was considered and agreed 
to:

                             S. Con. Res. 2

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That effective from January 3, 2005, the joint 
     committee created by Senate Concurrent Resolution 94 (108th 
     Congress), to make the necessary arrangements for the 
     inauguration, is hereby continued with the same power and 
     authority provided for in that resolution.
       Sec. 2. Effective from January 4, 2005, the provisions of 
     Senate Concurrent Resolution 93 (108th Congress), to 
     authorize the rotunda of the United States Capitol to be used 
     in connection with the proceedings and ceremonies for the 
     inauguration of the President-elect and the Vice President-
     elect of the United States, are continued with the same power 
     and authority provided for in that resolution.

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