[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 18 (Thursday, February 17, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1612-S1620]
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-1. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to the 
     Speciality Crop Competitiveness Act; to the Committee on 
     Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                       Senate Resolution No. 279

       Whereas, in 2001, Congress provided for speciality crop 
     block grant program to address difficult circumstances in 
     speciality crop segments of American agriculture. Through 
     this single-year program, states, including Michigan, 
     administered grants that helped specialty crop producers, 
     processors, and commodity organizations conduct research, 
     revamp marketing and promotion, and improve inspection 
     efforts; and
       Whereas, the specialty crop block grant program, which is 
     distinct from traditional farm assistance programs, was 
     successful, especially in Michigan, in fostering improvement 
     in the competitiveness of many crop areas through a focus on 
     specific projects. The program's impact on Michigan 
     agriculture was widespread; and
       Whereas, Congress has before it a measure that would 
     authorize a permanent specialty crop block grant program. The 
     Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act, H.R. 3242, would be a 
     most effective way to increase the competitiveness of 
     American agriculture in our fast-changing global economy. 
     With the great diversity of Michigan's farms, our state has a 
     major stake in this legislation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of 
     the United States to enact the Specialty Crop Competitiveness 
     Act; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of the 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-2. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to specialty crops; to the 
     Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 69

       Whereas, rapid conversion of California's farm and ranch 
     lands for nonfarm use has contributed to the state's 
     increased dependence upon imported food; and
       Whereas, according to the National Agricultural Statistical 
     Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, 3.7 
     million acres of farm land (more than 10 percent of total 
     farm land) was lost between 1990 and 2003; and
       Whereas, increased dependence upon imported foods has 
     created increased vulnerability to exotic pests and diseases, 
     evidenced by 63,527 shipments of prohibited commodities 
     intercepted and destroyed or shipped back out-of-state in 
     2002; and
       Whereas, according to the California Department of Food and 
     Agriculture's (hereafter CDFA) January 2004 report Protecting 
     California from Biological Pollution, interception of 
     quarantined pests at point-of-entry is the state's primary 
     defense against the introduction and spread of biological 
     pollution; and
       Whereas, every dollar spent on early intervention against 
     exotic and invasive species, on average prevents seventeen 
     dollars ($17) in later expenses, as seen by the following:
       (a) CDFA Plant Health Pest Prevention Services spent two 
     hundred fifty-eight million dollars ($258,000,000) to 
     eradicate Mediterranean fruit fly infestations between 1980 
     and 1996. Just four million four hundred thousand dollars 
     ($4,400,000) has been spent since the Medfly Exclusion 
     Program was launched in 1996.
       (b) CDFA Animal Health & Food Safety Services in 2002 
     reported that Exotic Newcastle Disease, the most fatal vital 
     disease known to birds, required more than 3.4 million birds 
     to be destroyed at a cost of more than three million six 
     hundred thousand dollars ($3,600,000) to California and one 
     hundred sixty-six million four hundred thousand dollars 
     ($166,400,000) to the federal government.
       Whereas, pest and disease prevention and exclusion is 
     critical to all states of this nation and to our populations, 
     in order to protect the health and welfare of the public and 
     the jobs within agriculture and its related industries; and
       Whereas, the California Legislature recognizes the 
     importance of the partnership between federal and state 
     governments to protect California's food and fiber from 
     exotic pests and diseases, and the importance of promoting 
     the role local agriculture has in supporting the daily living 
     needs of all Californians and United States citizens; and
       Whereas, the Legislature recognizes the farm worker's 
     importance to agriculture production and the dependence of 
     rural economies on agriculture; and
       Whereas, the California Legislature recognizes the role the 
     United States Congress played in delivering the 64 million 
     dollar grant from the United States Department of Agriculture 
     in 2001, which was the basis for the Buy California 
     Initiative promoting California Grown products; and
       Whereas, the California Legislature recognizes the value of 
     federal funds available to support important programming 
     including the Western Institute for Food Safety managed by 
     the University of California at Davis; the 5 A Day For Better 
     Health Nutrition Education Campaign managed by the state 
     Department of Health Services; and the Linking Education, 
     Activity and Food (LEAF) Program managed by the state 
     Department of Education; and
       Whereas, the California Legislature believes that there is 
     a need, but no state funding, to expand programs that 
     integrate food nutrition and schools, including, but not 
     limited to, local fresh fruits and vegetables in school lunch 
     programs, and educating school officials about on the seasons 
     of state grown specialty crops; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress currently is 
     considering HR 3242, the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act 
     of 2003; and
       Whereas, HR 3242 would continue the essential federal 
     funding that started in 2001 that helped to support 
     California's increasingly challenged food and fiber 
     production infrastructure with the tools necessary to support 
     food and fiber security, nutrition, and education: 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 Congress of the 
     United States of America support the passage of HR 3242, the 
     Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2003; 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, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-3. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives 
     of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
     relative to the Medal of Honor for Valor; to the Committee on 
     Armed Services.

                        House Resolution No. 848

       Whereas, during the invasion of the Philippine Islands, 
     Sgt. Harvey Possinger, a resident of Stroud Township, Monroe 
     County, went above and beyond the call of duty by rescuing 
     two of his fellow soldiers, Emil Angel and Paul Baehr, who 
     were under intense mortar fire at Belete Pass, despite being 
     seriously injured himself; and
       Whereas, in spite of his wounds, Sgt. Possinger selflessly 
     administered medical assistance to Emil Angel, inspiring his 
     unit, B company, which two days later secured the area with 
     the help of reinforcements and enabled the Allied campaign to 
     move forward; and
       Whereas, Sgt. Possinger is a highly decorated combat 
     veteran of World War II, receiving five Purple Hearts, a 
     Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star 
     for his three years of outstanding military service; and
       Whereas, Sgt. Possinger's commanding officer nominated him 
     for the Medal of Honor 60 years ago, but the nomination was 
     lost, destroyed or misfiled; and
       Whereas, the Congress has rendered no decision on the 
     matter: Therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the Congress to 
     award the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Harvey Possinger without 
     further delay; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each 
     member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-4. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to stabilizing 
     the steel market; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
     Urban Affairs.

                       Senate Resolution No. 241

       Whereas, for many years, manufacturers in our country and 
     throughout our state have wrestled with fluctuations in the 
     prices of steel. There are many contributing factors, 
     including the notable impact of other nations subsidizing raw 
     steel products and ``dumping'' them on the American market. 
     The cumulative impact of this instability has been damaging 
     to many key industries; and
       Whereas, a very significant and harmful development of late 
     is a steep rise in the cost of scrap steel. In only a few 
     months, major increases in purchases of scrap steel by other 
     countries, especially China and South Korea, have resulted in 
     skyrocketing costs of scrap steel, a key source of materials 
     used by manufacturers of many types of products, especially 
     within the automotive industry; and
       Whereas, dramatically escalating scrap steel costs are a 
     serious threat to numerous auto supply companies throughout 
     Michigan. These companies rely upon the availability of this 
     material at fair prices to fill their contracts with the 
     major automakers. This situation is a major factor 
     threatening Michigan jobs in many communities. The 
     seriousness of this threat to jobs and our nation's 
     manufacturing capacity requires swift action to bring 
     stability to this market: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the President 
     and the Congress of the United States to explore what steps 
     might be necessary to stabilize the steel market in this 
     country in order to ensure the availability of this raw 
     material for domestic

[[Page S1613]]

     market needs and help contain escalating prices; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the Office of 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 Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-5. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives 
     of the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to the 
     transportation of liquid petroleum; to the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                        House Resolution No. 320

       Whereas, regulations restricting hours of service of motor 
     transport workers contribute to public safety as goods are 
     handled and moved across the country. As technology and 
     equipment have changed, these regulations have also evolved. 
     The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets these 
     standards to respond to changes that occur and situations 
     where the regulations clearly need to be adjusted; and
       Whereas, the overall impact of hours of service regulations 
     can vary significantly from industry to industry. Currently, 
     for those hauling and delivering liquid petroleum products, 
     the regulations provide that a person doing so must take 10 
     consecutive hours off for every 14 hours worked. Companies 
     that transport liquid petroleum locally, however, are finding 
     that these restrictions are a hindrance to their ability to 
     operate effectively and efficiently; and
       Whereas, the most effective laws and regulations bring 
     balance to the situation or issue in question. The 
     regulations that determine the hours of service for a person 
     transporting liquid petroleum locally need to be modified to 
     reflect the vastly dissimilar nature of their jobs from 
     others transporting similar products: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States and the United 
     States Department of Transportation to exempt local liquid 
     petroleum distribution personnel from federal regulations 
     that require 10 hours of off duty for every 14 hours on duty; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the United States Department of Transportation, 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-6. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to the 
     confirmation of the United States Secretary of Commerce, to 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                       Senate Resolution No. 307

       Whereas, President Bush has nominated Mr. Carlos Gutierrez, 
     the CEO of Kellogg Company, as the new Secretary of Commerce. 
     With the work Mr. Gutierrez has undertaken throughout his 
     long and distinguished career with one of Michigan's best 
     known international businesses and the record he has compiled 
     in community life in Battle Creek, the people of Michigan 
     harbor strong feelings of respect and admiration for this 
     talented and visionary gentleman; and
       Whereas, Carlos Gutierrez clearly embodies the American 
     Dream in the path his life has taken. He came to the United 
     States as a young boy with his brother and parents, refugees 
     form Cuba beginning their lives anew. He proudly became an 
     American citizen, and he has never lost sight of the 
     significance of the opportunities and the responsibilities 
     before all of us in this country. His rise from selling 
     cereal out of a van in Mexico City to becoming the head of 
     Kellogg is an amazing tale of hard work and personal 
     integrity; and
       Whereas, over the course of his career, Carlos Gutierrez 
     has gained invaluable understanding of the crucial issues of 
     manufacturing and trade in the international marketplace. He 
     has excelled in a wide range of posts, representing Kellogg 
     in Latin America, Canada, and the Asia-Pacific region. Since 
     becoming the CEO in 1999, Mr. Gutierrez has had to make 
     difficult decisions with strong impacts on the economy of 
     Battle Creek and Michigan. His leadership in the face of 
     challenging circumstances has brought significant strength to 
     the company over the past five years; and
       Whereas, as our country deals with the new realities of the 
     global economy, Mr. Gutierrez's experiences and insights are 
     just what our nation's businesses and working families need. 
     Our nation will be well served by his diligence, character, 
     and talent: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we offer our strong 
     endorsement of Carlos Gutierrez and urge the United States 
     Senate to confirm him as the United States Secretary of 
     Commerce; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate and Senators Levin 
     and Stabenow.
                                  ____

       POM-7. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to the United States Coast 
     Guard; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 5

       Whereas, the United States Coast Guard is a military, 
     multimission, maritime service that has answered the calls of 
     America continuously for over 210 years; and
       Whereas, over that history the Coast Guard's roles as 
     lifesavers and guardians of the sea have remained constant, 
     while their missions have evolved and expanded with a growing 
     nation; and
       Whereas, the Coast Guard mission is to protect the American 
     public's most basic need, our safety and security, the 
     environment, and our economy; and
       Whereas, the Coast Guard responds to more than 50,000 calls 
     for assistance and saves thousands of lives and billions of 
     dollars in property; and
       Whereas, the Coast Guard's five operating goals: safety; 
     protection of natural resources; mobility; maritime security; 
     and national defense, define the focus of the Coast Guard's 
     service and enable it to touch everyone in the United States; 
     and
       Whereas, the goal of safety is pursued primarily through 
     its search and rescue and marine safety missions; and
       Whereas, no other government agency or private organization 
     has the extensive inventory of assets and expertise to 
     conduct search and rescue of both recreational boaters as 
     well as commercial mariners, from the lakes, rivers, and 
     nearshore areas to the high seas; and
       Whereas, the Coast Guard provides the first line of defense 
     in protecting the maritime environment through the marine 
     safety program, ensuring the safe commercial transport of 
     passengers, cargo, and oil through our waters, and by 
     guarding our maritime borders from incursions from foreign 
     fishing vessels; and
       Whereas, the Coast Guard serves as a global model of 
     efficient military, multimission, maritime service for the 
     emerging coast guards of the world and helps friendly 
     countries become positive forces of peace and stability, 
     promoting democracy and the rule of law; and
       Whereas, Coast Guard men and women are a highly motivated 
     group of people who are committed to providing essential and 
     valuable service to the American public; and
       Whereas, the Coast Guard military structure, law 
     enforcement authority, and humanitarian functions make the 
     Coast Guard a unique arm of national security enabling it to 
     support broad national goals; and
       Whereas, the Coast Guard is well known for being the first 
     to reach the scene when maritime disaster strikes, and 
     continues to be tasked with protecting our waters from 
     pollution, our borders from drug smuggling, and our fisheries 
     from overharvest as well as additional assignments that 
     stretch its people and resources thin: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State 
     California urges the President and Congress of the United 
     States to fully fund the Coast Guard's operational readiness 
     and recapitalization requirements to ensure this humanitarian 
     arm of our National Security remains Semper Paratus through 
     the 21st century; 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 and all members of Congress of the 
     United States.
                                  ____

       POM-8. A joint resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to space exploration; to the 
     Committee on commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 86

       Whereas, the United States is a nation of explorers; and
       Whereas, exploration and discovery have been especially 
     important to the American experience, providing vision, hope, 
     and economic stimulus, from new world explorers and American 
     pioneers to the Apollo program; and
       Whereas, just as Lewis and Clark could not have predicted 
     the settlement of the American west within a hundred years of 
     the start of their famous 19th century expedition, the total 
     benefits of a single exploratory undertaking or discovery 
     cannot be predicted in advance; and
       Whereas, the desire to explore is part of our character, 
     and history has shown that space exploration benefits all 
     humankind through new technologies for everyday application, 
     new jobs across the entire economic enterprise, economic 
     contributions through new markets and commercial products, 
     education and inspiration, United States leadership, 
     increased security, and a legacy for future generations; and
       Whereas, new technologies and commercial spin-offs from the 
     advancements made through National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration (NASA) programs have provided economic 
     expansion and improved life quality to residents not only 
     within the United States, but worldwide, and some of these 
     technologies include the following:
       (a) Image processing used in CT scanners and MRI technology 
     came from technology developed to computer-enhance pictures 
     of the moon for the Apollo program
       (b) Kidney dialysis machines were developed as a result of 
     a NASA-developed chemical process, and insulin pumps were 
     based on technology used on the Mars Viking spacecraft.
       (c) Programmable heart pacemakers were first developed in 
     the 1970's using NASA satellite electrical systems.
       (d) Fetal heart monitors were developed from technology 
     originally used to measure airflow over aircraft wings.

[[Page S1614]]

       (e) Surgical probes used to treat brain tumors resulted 
     from special lighting technology developed for plant growth 
     experiments on space shuttle missions.
       (f) Infrared hand-held cameras used to observe atmospheric 
     gas plumes in space from the space shuttles have helped 
     firefighters point out hot spots in wild fires; and
       Whereas, this state has been a leader in the research, 
     design, exploration, and development of space enterprise 
     since the dawn of the space age; and
       Whereas, space is a $24.2 billion enterprise in this state 
     and generates 133,000 direct and indirect jobs scattered 
     throughout the entire state; and
       Whereas, our nation's new vision for space exploration 
     charts a new, building block strategy to explore destinations 
     across our solar system with robots and humans, allowing our 
     nation to remain competitive in the new industry of space 
     commerce; and
       Whereas, the research and development necessary to rely on 
     the initial robotics goal is uniquely suited for the three 
     NASA centers located in our state; and
       Whereas, the three NASA centers in this state--Ames 
     Research Center in Santa Clara County, Dryden Flight Research 
     Center in Antelope Valley, and the Jet Propulation Laboratory 
     in La Canada Flintridge jointly employ 7,250 people and 
     maintain a payroll in excess of $300 million; and
       Whereas, NASA's economic benefit to this state already tops 
     $3 billion annually, including over $175 million worth of 
     science and engineering grants to California's public and 
     independent universities, and the proposed vision for space 
     exploration is expected to strengthen this economic impact: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Congress and the President of 
     the United States is requested to enact and fully fund the 
     proposed budget for space exploration, as submitted to the 
     Congress in the federal 2005 fiscal year budget, to enable 
     the United States and California, in particular, to remain a 
     leader in the exploration and development of space; 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, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-9. A Senate Concurrent Resolution adopted by the 
     General Assembly of the State of Ohio relative to the funding 
     of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Vision 
     for Space Exploration Program; to the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 32

       Whereas, the United States has a proud heritage of leading 
     the world in exploration and discovery on land, under the 
     seas, and in outer space. This heritage of expanding the 
     boundaries of our national experience has been paramount in 
     American priorities from the days of Lewis and Clark through 
     the exploration of the moon's surface by the Apollo 
     astronauts and of the surface of Mars using the Mars Rovers; 
     and
       Whereas, the expansion of America's exploration boundaries 
     from the original 13 states to the lunar surface in the 
     relatively short period of 200 years has led to immeasurable 
     benefits to all humankind through the development of new 
     technologies, the creation of jobs across the entire economic 
     spectrum, economic growth through the creation of new 
     commercial products and markets, the creation of advanced 
     educational opportunities, and the establishment of a legacy 
     for future generations; and
       Whereas, the potential of space exploration has ignited 
     American students' interests in science, technology, 
     engineering, and mathematics. In particular, the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research 
     Center's education programs are exemplary in inspiring the 
     next generation of explorers; and
       Whereas, the State of Ohio has long played a leading role 
     in America's exploration initiatives, especially in our 
     nation's aeronautics and space program. Ohio is the home of 
     Orville and Wilbur Wright, 24 past and present astronauts, 
     including former United States Senator and astronaut John 
     Glenn and former astronaut Neil Armstrong, and countless 
     other air and space pioneers at every level of research and 
     exploration; and
       Whereas, Ohio also is home to two federal laboratories, 
     NASA Glenn Research Center and Wright Patterson Air Force 
     Research Laboratory, both recognized by the United States 
     Department of Commerce for their outstanding innovative 
     activities contributing to economic development; and
       Whereas, the NASA Glenn Research Center is a world-renowned 
     center for the research and development of many cutting-edge 
     technologies, especially power, propulsion, communications, 
     and microgravity research. It also is a model of creating a 
     consortium of university, government, and private sector 
     entities to foster collaborative research and development. 
     Finally, the Center is the winner of 89 of the 141 R & D 100 
     Awards granted to NASA since 1966, including the first NASA R 
     & D 100 Award; and
       Whereas, the talent, technology, and infrastructure exist 
     in Ohio to provide resources that will be key to carrying out 
     NASA's future missions: Now therefore be it
       Resolved, That we, the members of the 125th General 
     Assembly of the State of Ohio, support the continuation of 
     research and development programs in space science missions 
     in order to take full advantage of the previous investments 
     made in the space stations and other NASA infrastructure, 
     support NASA's goal of returning to the moon as well as 
     conducting excursions to Mars and beyond and hereby encourage 
     the United States Congress to enact and fully fund the 
     proposed Vision for Space Exploration Program as submitted to 
     the Congress in the fiscal year 2005 budget in order to 
     enable the United States and Ohio in particular, to remain a 
     leader in the exploration and development of space; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit copies of 
     this resolution to the President of the United States, to the 
     Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the President Pro Tempore and the Secretary 
     of the United States Senate, the members of the Ohio 
     Congressional delegation, and to the news media of Ohio.
                                  ____

       POM-10. A Senate Concurrent Resolution adopted by the 
     General Assembly of the State of Ohio relative to mandatory, 
     national electric transmission reliability standards; to the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 26

       Whereas, on August 14, 2003, a massive failure of the 
     electric transmission grid caused a blackout affecting the 
     personal and economic lives of over 50 million citizens in 
     the Northeastern and Midwestern areas of the United States, 
     as well as in parts of Canada; and
       Whereas, cited as one reason for the August 14 electric 
     system collapse was inadequate reliability management that 
     affected the integrity of the system, created an imbalance 
     between supply and demand, and exposed poor protocol 
     practices and communication between overseers of the grid; 
     and
       Whereas, the result of these failures in grid management, 
     combined with other factors, was the cascading shutdown of 
     the electric grid, causing an electricity blackout of a 
     magnitude unequaled in the history of the United States; and
       Whereas, electricity is a necessity integral to our health, 
     safety, and economic well-being; and
       Whereas, the system reliability that is so crucial to our 
     lives currently is governed by voluntary, nonuniform, and 
     often conflicting standards, wholly inadequate to accommodate 
     the modern day electricity market and ever-growing demand in 
     electricity usage; and
       Whereas, with the increasing demand for more electricity 
     and market transaction use of the grid, the issues of 
     reliability and coordination in the delivery of electricity 
     become paramount; and
       Whereas, the electric grid originally was designed and 
     constructed to accommodate the transportation of generation 
     plant electrical output dedicated to utility service area 
     customers and interconnections with other utilities has 
     served as a means of ensuring greater electric supply 
     reliability; and
       Whereas, there is an ever-growing demand on the electric 
     transmission grid to be used for the long-distance 
     transportation of increasing amounts of electricity, in 
     patterns and manners far different than those contemplated in 
     the original design and construction of the grid; and
       Whereas, investments in our country's electric grid have 
     declined for decades, even as the demand for grid use has 
     increased; and
       Whereas, the declining trend in grid investment requires 
     federal and state regulatory certainty, to ensure grid 
     reliability and encourage investment that enhances and 
     expands the grid to accommodate present and future demands on 
     the national electric system; and
       Whereas, the United States Supreme Court recently 
     recognized that the transmission of electricity is inherently 
     interstate commerce: Therefore be it
       Resolved, That we, the members of the 125th Ohio General 
     Assembly, in adopting this resolution, request that the 
     United States Congress enact laws enabling a national entity 
     to establish and enforce national standards and protocols for 
     the reliability and efficient management of the national 
     electric grid, irrespective of region; and be it further
       Resolved, That the members of the Ohio General Assembly 
     also request Congress to enact laws that ensure that the 
     Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has oversight 
     regarding the national electric grid reliability entity; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That the members of the Ohio General Assembly 
     request that Congress enact laws that ensure FERC authority 
     to require electric transmission owners to participate in an 
     appropriate regional transmission organization, to advance 
     reliability goals in complement with similar mandates of the 
     State of Ohio and other states; and be it further
       Resolved, That the members of the Ohio General Assembly 
     request that Congress immediately take these actions to 
     protect and enhance the reliability of the national grid for 
     the health, safety, security, and economic viability of the 
     American people; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 
     authenticated copies of this resolution to the Speaker and 
     Clerk of the

[[Page S1615]]

     United States House of Representatives, to the President Pro 
     Tempore and Secretary of the United States Senate, to the 
     members of the Ohio Congressional delegation, and to the news 
     media of Ohio.
                                  ____

       POM-11. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to veterans' home loan programs; 
     to the Committee on Finance.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 17

       Whereas, the States of Alaska, California, Oregon, Texas, 
     and Wisconsin have established veterans' home loan programs; 
     and
       Whereas, the State of Alaska, California, Oregon, Texas, 
     and Wisconsin have authority in the Internal Revenue Code to 
     issue qualified veteran mortgage bonds to finance their 
     respective veteran home loan programs; and
       Whereas, veterans' eligibility under current federal tax 
     law restricts the eligibility to veterans who served on 
     active duty prior to January 1, 1997; and
       Whereas, the federal tax law devalues the service to our 
     country given by those men and women who have served in the 
     military of the United States since 1977 by denying them 
     access to a benefit that has been available to their 
     counterparts from other eras; and
       Whereas, service in uniform should be accorded the same 
     respect and stature irrespective of the moment in time during 
     which it was provided. The men and women who have served 
     since 1977 should have the same opportunity to take root in 
     the communities they have defended as was offered those who 
     ``made the world safe for democracy'' in World War II, or 
     were called upon to ``pay any price, bear any burden, support 
     any friend or oppose any foe to ensure the survival and 
     success of liberty . . .'' during the Vietnam and Cold War 
     eras; and
       Whereas, the Directors of Veterans Affairs of the States of 
     Alaska, California, Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin are desirous 
     of extending their respective veteran home loan programs to 
     include the men and women of the United States of America who 
     are dispatched to participate in any conflict that has 
     occurred or will occur on or after January 1, 1977; and
       Whereas, nearly 3 million veterans reside in California. Of 
     those, 1.05 million, began their active military service on 
     or after January 1, 1977, and over one-quarter million of 
     those served in Desert Storm; and
       Whereas, since 1922, California has operated, at no expense 
     to its General Fund, the Cal-Vet Farm and Home Loan Program. 
     Cal-Vet is a qualified veterans mortgage bond (OVMB) program 
     that has helped 408,000 California veterans become 
     homeowners; and
       Whereas, opening participation in this home loan benefit to 
     post-1976 veterans requires no direct budget expenditure by 
     Congress and the well-established benefits of home ownership 
     to local communities will be enhanced and expanded; and
       Whereas, veterans of all conflicts should receive benefits 
     consistent with the benefits available to veterans of 
     previous armed conflicts; and
       Whereas, those veterans have been qualified for eligibility 
     into congressionally chartered veterans' organizations by 
     prior acts of the Congress of the United States: 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 memorializes the Congress and the 
     President of the United States to urge the Congress of the 
     United States to amend paragraph (4) of Section 143(l) of the 
     Internal revenue Code of 1986 to read: ``(6) Qualified 
     veteran--For purposes of this subsection, the term `qualified 
     veteran' means any veteran--(A) who meets such requirements 
     as may be imposed by the State law pursuant to which 
     qualified veterans' mortgage bonds are issued''; 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, and to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the President of the Senate, and each Member 
     in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-12. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to border crossing deaths; to 
     the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 15

       Whereas, on May 24, 2001, following an extensive rescue 
     search by the United States Border Patrol, 25 migrants who 
     were abandoned by their smugglers were found in the Cabeza 
     Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Arizona; and
       Whereas, after being driven for one and one-half hours 
     through the wildlife refuge, the migrants were told by the 
     smugglers that it was only a short walk to a nearby highway; 
     and
       Whereas, in fact, in order to reach their destination the 
     migrant were required to travel across 70 miles of harsh 
     desert in an area known as ``The Devil's Path'' and endure 
     air temperatures in excess of 115 degrees and desert floor 
     temperatures of 130 degrees; and
       Whereas, fourteen of those victims died of exposure and 
     dehydration and 11 survivors were hospitalized in the 
     deadliest crossing of the border since 1987, when 18 Mexican 
     men died in a locked boxcar near Sierra Blanca, Texas; and
       Whereas, since 1994, border enforcement initiatives such as 
     ``Operation Gatekeeper'' on the California-Mexico borden have 
     increased patrols and constructed steel walls near urban 
     areas, forcing migrants to make more dangerous crossings in 
     rural, often open desert areas; and
       Whereas, most migrants are unaware and unprepared to make a 
     desert crossing, thereby leading to a substantial increase in 
     fatalities due to dehydration in the summer and hypothermia 
     in cold weather; and
       Whereas, deaths of migrants along the desert areas of the 
     border have increased exponentially since the implementation 
     of these initiatives, with reported deaths increasing from 25 
     in 1994 to 369 in 1999 and 491 in 2000, according to figures 
     released by the Mexican government, as well as an unknown 
     number of undiscovered and unreported deaths; and
       Whereas, as a result of the increase in border crossings 
     and deaths in these desert areas, concerns have been 
     expressed by humanitarian organizations, civil rights 
     organizations, churches, and the Mexican government that the 
     United States Border Patrol's current enforcement program 
     effectively is operating as a channeling operation, rather 
     than a general border interdiction program; and
       Whereas, immediately after this incident both the United 
     States and Mexican governments jointly announced that they 
     were launching an investigation of the incident, issued a 
     statement condemning the actions of smugglers, and reaffirmed 
     their commitment to combat the trafficking of migrants; and
       Whereas, both governments also recognized the need for the 
     two nations to continue to work together to reach agreements 
     on migration and border safety; and
       Whereas, President George W. Bush and President Vincente 
     Fox have established a high-level working group on migration 
     cochaired by Attorney general John Ashcroft and Secretary 
     Colin Powell of the United States and by Mexico's Foreign 
     Secretary and its Secretary of Government; and
       Whereas, this working group on migration and border safety 
     plans to continue to meet to discuss specific measures to 
     prevent future occurrences of these tragedies and to promote 
     safe and orderly migration; and
       Whereas, at a minimum, the potential solutions to this 
     tragic problem require a comprehensive examination of the 
     consequences of border initiatives, enhanced investigations 
     by the Mexican government of criminal gangs of smugglers, 
     providing the United States Border Patrol with increased 
     search and rescue resources such as lifesaving gear and 
     emergency medical training, and consensus on a long-term 
     agreement between the United States and Mexico on migration 
     and border security policies: 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 and the United States Border Patrol to proceed in a 
     cooperative effort with the Mexican government through the 
     working group on migrations and border safety to achieve a 
     comprehensive examination of border safety and migration 
     issues, an assessment of the impact of United States border 
     initiatives, enhanced investigations and prosecutions of 
     criminal gangs of smugglers, and increasing search and rescue 
     operations along the border; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President of the United 
     States, all members of the Congress of the United States, and 
     the Mexican Consulate in Washington, D.C.
                                  ____

       POM-13. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico relative to 
     the preferred approach through which to exercise self-
     determination concerning the status of Puerto Rico; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 107

       The right of the People to freely choose their system of 
     government and their political destiny in relation to the 
     other countries is an inalienable natural right: neither can 
     legislation contrary to this right be admitted nor can a 
     regime or legislation contrary to the full exercise of this 
     right be admitted. This is thus consigned in several 
     resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations 
     Organization applicable to Puerto Rico.
       The regime of the political relations between Puerto Rico 
     and the United States of America remained subject for future 
     deliberation since the conclusion of the deliberations of the 
     Constitutional Convention on the political status of the 
     People of Puerto Rico in 1952, which drafted the Constitution 
     of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. This by virtue of Public 
     Law 600 of the 81st Congress of the United States of 1950, 
     adopted in a referendum held in Puerto Rico, which limited 
     the deliberative and governmental framework of the 
     Constitutional Convention from 1951 to 1952.
       The Constitutional Convention of 1952 expressed through 
     Resolution No. 23 that: ``The People of Puerto Rico reserve 
     the right to propose and accept modifications in the terms of 
     its relations with the United States of America, in order 
     that these relations may at all times be the expression of an 
     agreement freely entered into between the People of Puerto 
     Rico and the United States

[[Page S1616]]

     of America.'' (Enacted February 4, 1952, and forwarded to the 
     President of the United States.)
       This expression, based on a natural and constitutional 
     right and of the highest democratic nature, was subsequently 
     incorporated by the General Assembly of the United Nations 
     Organization in its Resolution 748 (VIII) of November, 1953, 
     regarding the documents submitted by the United States 
     Government on the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto 
     Rico. It is thus stated in its ninth enabling paragraph where 
     it is expressed, ``its assurance that, in accordance with the 
     spirit of the present Resolution . . . due regard will be 
     paid to the will of both the Puerto Rican and American 
     peoples . . . in the eventuality that either of the parties 
     to the mutually agreed association may desire any change in 
     the terms of this association.''
       Since the effectiveness of the present status of political 
     relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States, 
     untiring efforts have been made to review the political 
     status issue of Puerto Rico and the scope of the relationship 
     with the United States of America. Specifically, in 1967, a 
     consultation process of the people was held in which the 
     majority of the participants reaffirmed their support to the 
     Commonwealth option, and subsequently, in 1993, a second 
     plebiscite was held, and once again the Commonwealth option 
     was favored. Finally, in 1998, a new plebiscite was held in 
     which the Legislature of Puerto Rico, and not the political 
     parties or the representative groups of specific ideologies, 
     defined the status options to be presented to the people. In 
     said plebiscite, the ``None of the Above'' option was 
     favored.
       Likewise, in the past fifty-two years several efforts have 
     been made to have the United States Congress enact 
     legislation that would allow further the discussion of this 
     issue. Specifically, we take notice of the efforts made 
     through the Status Commission during the decades of the 60s 
     and 70s; and from 1989 to 1991 by the U.S. Senate Resources 
     Committee, and in the mid 90s, by the U.S. House of 
     Representatives Resources Committee. None of these efforts 
     was able to produce legislation that would effectively attend 
     the discussion of status.
       Having repeatedly approached through decades diverse 
     methods, the Legislature of Puerto Rico, exercising the 
     powers and faculties pursuant to the Constitution of the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, proposes a consultation of the 
     people so that they may determine the procedural mechanism 
     they deem proper to deal with the issue of the political 
     status of Puerto Rico, and the scope of the relationship with 
     the United States of America. In this referendum a 
     constitutional assembly will be presented as an alternative.
       More than fifty years have elapsed since the establishment 
     of the present status, and considering the manifest 
     expressions of all representative sectors of the country on 
     the need to make changes to the present relationship, it is 
     proper for this Legislature to consult the people in order to 
     initiate the process to elect an adequate mechanism to deal 
     with the political status of Puerto Rico and its relationship 
     with the United States of America: Be it
       Resolved by the legislature of Puerto Rico:
       Section 1.--Statement of Public Policy.
       It is hereby declared that the People of Puerto Rico have 
     the inalienable natural right to self-determination and 
     political sovereignty. In accordance thereto, this 
     Legislature declares that, upon the failure of several 
     processes for the exercise of this right, it is imperative 
     for the people to exercise the same through a Constitutional 
     Assembly on the status of the relationship between Puerto 
     Rico and the United States of America.
       Section 2.--The Legislature acknowledges the Report 
     rendered on March 11, 2002, as directed by Senate Resolution 
     201 and House Resolution 3873, both recommending the 
     mechanism of an Assembly of the People to consider the status 
     issue.
       Section 3.--It is proper to study and draft the legislation 
     for the people to decide on the desirability of calling a 
     Constitutional Assembly on Status. The legislation shall 
     include the mechanisms to implement the election of delegates 
     and the organization of the Constitutional Assembly on 
     Status, if it is favored at the polls.
       Section 4.--The Committee on the Judiciary of both Bodies 
     shall prepare a study and report which shall contain projects 
     of law for holding a referendum on the calling of said 
     Constitutional Assembly, appropriation of funds, and every 
     other measure or process needed to implement this public 
     policy. The following shall be assured:
       a. The effective participation of the representatives of 
     the political parties and the civil society.
       b. That the proposals to be submitted to the consideration 
     of the people arise from the principle of sovereignty in the 
     future political relationships of Puerto Rico, and be as such 
     defined outside of the territorial clause of the Constitution 
     of the United States of America.
       c. That the Assembly shall enjoy deliberative and 
     negotiation attributes with the United States Government.
       d. That every determination of the Assembly shall be 
     subject to ratification by the people at a referendum.
       Section 5.--The Committee shall render its report before 
     December 31, 2004, and thereby be submitted for the 
     consideration of the next Regular Legislature.
       Section 6.--A copy of this Concurrent Resolution, together 
     with the results of the vote for its approval, shall be 
     certified by the Office of the Secretary and of the Clerk of 
     both Chambers, and remitted to the Special Decolonization 
     Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, to the 
     White House Interagency Committee on the Status of Puerto 
     Rico, and to the Congress of the United States of America.
       Section 7.--This Concurrent Resolution shall take effect 
     upon its approval and constitutes public policy until its 
     repeal or implemented.
                                  ____

       POM-14. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     relative to establishing the Northeast Detroit Community 
     Health Center as a Federally Qualified Health Care Center; to 
     the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 68

       Whereas, Michigan's largest city faces enormous challenges 
     related to the health of its citizens. Difficult economic 
     conditions, including high rates of poverty and uninsured 
     residents, have contributed to a host of serious problems. 
     The health of Detroit's residents is clearly a major concern 
     and a threat to the state's future; and
       Whereas, the northeastern region of the city is especially 
     underserved by medical professionals and facilities. The 
     eight-square mile area being targeted for the establishment 
     of a federally qualified health care center has an infant 
     mortality rate that is twice the state's, a lifespan of only 
     68.5 years, and a rate of uninsured residents over 45 
     percent; and
       Whereas, Advantage Health Centers has proposed to establish 
     the NorthEast Detroit Community Health Center, in partnership 
     with St. John Health, under the United States Health and 
     Human Services Section 330 federally qualified health care 
     center program. This initiative would represent a major step 
     in addressing the significant medical care needs of area 
     residents. The facility seeks to serve 10,450 clients through 
     26,100 patient encounters annually; and
       Whereas, the new community center would provide 
     preventative and primary health care services, including 
     mental health and substance abuse care, as well as access to 
     the full range of the resources of St. John Health. The 
     overall impact of a federally qualified health care center 
     such as this would be substantial not only to the daily lives 
     of the individuals served, but also to the well-being of the 
     metropolitan area: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That we memorialize the Congress of the United 
     States and the Department of Health and Human Services to 
     establish the NorthEast Detroit Community Health Center as a 
     federally qualified health care center; 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, the members of the 
     Michigan congressional delegation, and the United States 
     Department of Health and Human Services.
                                  ____

       POM-15. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to the Employee Free Choice Act; 
     to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 87

       Whereas, since 1935, workers have had the right under 
     federal law to form unions, but federal laws have eroded over 
     the years and are poorly enforced; and
       Whereas, each year, 20,000 American workers suffer loss of 
     pay due to illegal retaliation against them for exercising 
     their right to freedom of association, and thousands more 
     American workers are illegally threatened, coerced and 
     interrogated, spied on, and harassed because of their efforts 
     to form a union; and
       Whereas, 42 million workers in the United States say that 
     they would join a union now if they had the opportunity; and
       Whereas, in California only 17.5 percent of our workers are 
     unionized; and
       Whereas, union membership provides workers better wages and 
     benefits, and protection from discrimination and unsafe 
     working places, while benefiting whole communities by 
     strengthening tax bases, promoting equal treatment, and 
     enhancing civil participation; and
       Whereas, even though federal laws guarantee American 
     workers the right to choose for themselves whether to form a 
     union, employers across the nation routinely violate that 
     right; workers are harassed, intimidated, coerced, and even 
     fired, just for exercising, or attempting to exercise, this 
     fundamental freedom; and
       Whereas, the freedom to join a union is recognized as a 
     fundamental human right; and
       Whereas, when employers violate the right of workers to 
     form a union, everyone suffers--wages fall, race and gender 
     pay gaps widen, workplace discrimination increases, and job 
     safety standards disappear; and
       Whereas, most employer violations occur behind closed doors 
     and each year employers spend millions of dollars to defeat 
     unionization; and
       Whereas, a worker's fundamental right to choose a union is 
     a public issue that requires public policy solutions, 
     including legislative change; and
       Whereas, S. 1925 and H.R. 3619 have been introduced this 
     session in Congress, which introductions mark the first time 
     in two decades that Congress is considering legislation

[[Page S1617]]

     that aims to restore the freedom of workers to join a union; 
     and
       Whereas, the Employee Free Choice Act (S. 1925 and H.R. 
     3619) would, when a majority of employees in a unit 
     appropriate for bargaining voluntarily sign authorizations 
     (commonly known as ``card check'' recognition) designating an 
     individual or labor organization as their bargaining 
     representative, authorize the National Labor Relations Board 
     to certify that individual or labor organization as the 
     exclusive bargaining representative of those employees; and
       Whereas, the Employee Free Choice Act would also provide 
     for first contract mediation and arbitration, establish 
     meaningful penalties to be imposed on employers that violate 
     the right of workers to join a union, and include, for 
     workers, the same process for immediate relief from illegal 
     conduct that the law presently gives only to employers: Now, 
     therefore be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California hereby supports and urges the Congress of the 
     United States to pass the Employee Free Choice Act; 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 be 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-16. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico relative to 
     the Federal Assault Weapons Act of 1994 continues in effect; 
     to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                       Senate Resolution No. 4623

       A furor has recently boomed on our Island regarding the 
     possible repeal of the Federal Assault Weapons Act of 1994, 
     whose term of effectiveness expires on September 14, 2004. 
     This Act, which bans the use, purchase and sale of 19 large 
     caliber weapons, with the exception of the exclusive use 
     thereof by the U.S. Department of Defense, was established by 
     an amendment to the Federal Violent Crime Control and Law 
     Enforcement Act. Said banned weapons, as they are appear in 
     literal detail in Title 18, Chapter 44, Section 921 of the 
     United States Code, are the following:
       ``(A) any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the 
     firearms in any caliber, known as--
       (i) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat 
     Kalashnikovs (all models);
       (ii) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil;
       (iii) Beretta Ar70 (SC-70);
       (iv) Colt AR-15;
       (v) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC;
       (vi) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9, and M-12;
       (vii) Steyr AUG;
       (viii) INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22; and
       (ix) Revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) 
     the Street Sweeper and Striker 12;
       (B) a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a 
     detachable magazine and has at least 2 of--
       (i) a folding or telecoping stock;
       (ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the 
     action of the weapon;
       (ii) a bayonet mount;
       (iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to 
     accommodate a flash suppressor; and
       (v) a grenade launcher;
       (C) a semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a 
     detachable magazine and has at least 2 of--
       (i) an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol 
     outside of the pistol grip;
       (ii) a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel 
     extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip or silencer;
       (iii) a shroud that is attached to, or partially or 
     completely encircles the barrel and that permits the shooter 
     to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being 
     burned;
       (iv) a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the 
     pistol is unloaded; and
       (v) a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm; and
       (D) a semiautomatic shotgun that has at least 2 of--
       (i) a folding or telescoping stock;
       (ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the 
     action of the weapon;
       (iii) a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds; and
       (iv) an ability to accept a detachable magazine.''
       In view of this situation, the Police Departments and 
     Mayors of several cities have been lobbying in the Congress 
     and with the Hon. George Bush, President of the United States 
     of America for the approval of the extension of said law, and 
     thus the continuation of the assault weapons ban.
       The AWL, which bans the manufacture and sale of the above 
     specified military style weapons was passed 10 years ago, 
     however, it included a clause for its renewal this year and 
     for another ten year period until 2014. In order for this 
     clause to become effective it must have the support of the 
     Congress and be signed by the President of the United States.
       In spite of the ban on the sale of assault weapons, Mr. 
     Bill Bratton, Chief of the Los Angeles Police, has stated 
     that it is not unusual to find this type of weapon in the 
     hands of criminals or gangmembers in his city; however, he 
     reaffirmed that thanks to this measure, local violent 
     delinquency has dropped by 67%. Chief Bratton and the Mayor 
     of Los Angeles, James Hahn, made this call to the Congress 
     and to the President, while other authorities have done so in 
     several cities of the United States.
       It is proper to point out that these weapons are 
     manufactured for the Army and that they are being used, at 
     present, in the War against Iraq and in Afghanistan, and most 
     certainly are not to be used in the streets of our country. 
     It is imperative for the United States Congress to take 
     immediate action and that it protect us from this type of 
     weapon designed for mass destruction.
       Furthermore, it is necessary to clarify that in spite of 
     the existence of said measure for ten years, one out of every 
     five fallen agents of the Los Angeles Police Department have 
     been gunned down by this type of weapon in the streets of 
     said city, as it appears in their records and from statements 
     of the Chief of Police of said city.
       In the case of Puerto Rico, 16 year old Nicole Muniz was 
     gunned down accidentally through the indiscriminate and 
     illegal use of the weapons banned by the federal law. This 
     High Puerto Rican Legislative Body most certainly deems it 
     imperative to do all that is in its power to eliminate them 
     from the streets and the hands of criminals, who take lives 
     right and left, with no regard whatsoever for the innocent 
     people of our Island.
       Likewise, it also appears in the records of the Puerto Rico 
     Police that most of the weapons seized are designed for the 
     battlefields, many of which became of public use during the 
     Viet Nam conflict and belong to the group of weapons banned 
     in the federal legislation. However, at present many persons, 
     particularly drug dealers, manage to obtain them and use 
     their powerful weapons against the authorities. The design of 
     many of these weapons is altered, including modifications to 
     make them more potent and lethal. Furthermore, police 
     authorities are constantly risking their lives since some 
     of these weapons have the capacity to penetrate the 
     bulletproof vests used as a means of protection.
       In view of the above, several Island newspapers have 
     published articles on the fact that the majority of the 
     people of Puerto Rico are against allowing the possession, 
     sale and use of said assault weapons, and that the parents of 
     victims murdered with the banned weapons have also stated 
     that they favor the continuation of the effectiveness of the 
     federal law, supra. Therefore, after knowing of the 
     devastation that this type of military weapon can cause to 
     the civilian population in the hands of criminals, this High 
     Body has the moral imperative to make itself be heard, on 
     behalf of the people it represents, before the federal 
     authorities regarding the continuation of the effectiveness 
     of the Federal Assault Weapons Act, and that new and more 
     severe penalties be established for those who violate this 
     Law: Be it
       Resolved by the senate of Puerto Rico: 
       Section 1.--To state the most vehement support of the 
     Senate of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to the continuation 
     of the ban established in the Federal Assault Weapons Act of 
     1994, and for its effectiveness to continue as well as the 
     ban on the use of assault weapons (automatic rifles) by the 
     civilian population.
       Section 2.--A copy of the Resolution of this High Body, 
     translated into the English language, shall be remitted to 
     all the members of the United States Congress and to the Hon. 
     George Bush, President of the United States of America.
       Section 3.--Likewise, a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     delivered to the communications media for its corresponding 
     diffusion.
       Section 4.--This Resolution shall take effect immediately 
     after its approval.
                                  ____

       POM-17. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the 
     State of New Jersey relative to making the Republic of Poland 
     eligible for the United States Department of State's Visa 
     Waiver Program; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                      Assembly Resolution No. 122

       Whereas, the Republic of Poland is a free, democratic and 
     independent nation; and
       Whereas, in 1999, the United States and the Republic of 
     Poland became formal allies when Poland was granted 
     membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and
       Whereas, the Republic of Poland has proven to be an 
     indispensable ally in the global campaign against terrorism; 
     and
       Whereas, the Republic of Poland has actively participated 
     in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Iraqi reconstruction, 
     shedding blood along with American soldiers; and
       Whereas, the President of the United States and other high 
     ranking officials have described Poland as ``one of our 
     closest friends;'' and
       Whereas, on April 15, 1991, the Republic of Poland 
     unilaterally repealed the visa obligation to United States 
     citizens traveling to Poland; and
       Whereas, the United States Department of State's Visa 
     Waiver Program currently allows approximately 23 million 
     citizens from 27 countries to travel to the United States for 
     tourism or business for up to 90 days without having first to 
     obtain visas for entry; and
       Whereas, the countries that currently participate in the 
     Visa Waiver Program include Andorra, Australia, Austria, 
     Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, 
     Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the 
     Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San

[[Page S1618]]

     Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and 
     the United Kingdom; and
       Whereas, it is appropriate that the Republic of Poland be 
     made eligible for the United States Department of State's 
     Visa Waiver Program: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New 
     Jersey:
       1. The General Assembly of the State of New Jersey 
     respectfully urges the President of the United States and the 
     Congress of the United States to make the Republic of Poland 
     eligible for the United States Department of State's Visa 
     Waiver Program.
       2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by 
     the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested to by the 
     Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the 
     United States, the presiding officers of the United States 
     Senate and House of Representatives, every member of the New 
     Jersey Congressional delegation, and Przemyslaw Grudzinski, 
     the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United 
     States.
       This resolution urges the President and the Congress of the 
     United States to make the Republic of Poland eligible for the 
     United States Department of State's Visa Waiver Program. The 
     Visa Waiver Program currently allows approximately 23 million 
     citizens from 27 countries to travel to the United States for 
     tourism or business for up to 90 days without having first to 
     obtain visas for entry.
       The Republic of Poland is a member of the North Atlantic 
     Treaty Organization, an ally of the United States and in the 
     global campaign against terrorism, and an active participant 
     in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Iraqi reconstruction. It 
     provides visa-free travel for citizens of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-18. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to psychotropic drugs and youth; 
     to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 41

       Whereas, Federal legislation, known as the Pediatric 
     Research Equity Act of 2003 (S. 650), was introduced in the 
     Senate of the United States on March 18, 2003, passed by 
     Congress in July, 2003, and signed by the President on 
     December 3, 2003; and
       Whereas, the purpose of the Pediatric Research Equity Act 
     of 2003 is to provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 
     with clear authority to require pediatric studies of drugs to 
     ensure their safe and effective use for children and the act 
     applies to all medications whose intended use in pediatrics 
     is the same as adults, thus ensuring complete information 
     about the effects of the drug on children; and
       Whereas, the Pediatric Research Equity Act is landmark 
     legislation that gives the FDA the full authority to require 
     drug manufacturers to test new medicines in children and the 
     full power to order testing of older drugs, including 
     psychiatric medications, that are widely prescribed in 
     children if companies do not conduct studies voluntarily; and
       Whereas, the Pediatric Research Equity Act will provide 
     child and adolescent psychiatrists with safety and efficacy 
     information about medications they prescribe for children and 
     adolescents with mental illnesses; and
       Whereas, there are an estimated six million children in the 
     United States between the ages of six and 18 years of age 
     taking psychotropic drugs, including stimulants such as 
     Ritalin, antidepressants such as Paxil, Prozac, or Zoloft, 
     and amphetamines such as Dexedrine; and
       Whereas, the Pediatric Research Equity Act is timely 
     legislation, especially in light of a recent study published 
     in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine that 
     identified a rapid increase in the proportion of children 
     and adolescents in the United States taking all types of 
     psychiatric medications from the mid-1980s to the mid-
     1990s and that spotlighted the relative lack of knowledge 
     about the unknown long-term effects of these medications 
     on the pediatric and adolescent population; and
       Whereas, the Pediatric Research Equity Act will prompt the 
     development of a solid body of long term research and testing 
     that is needed to determine the long-term safety of 
     psychiatric medications in light of earlier ages of 
     initiation and longer duration of treatment and that is 
     needed to examine drug concentrations in body fluids and 
     tissues over time in children and adolescents to determine 
     the appropriate dosage and frequency for youth of different 
     ages and body sizes; and
       Whereas, prior to the enactment of the Pediatric Research 
     Equity Act and, as cited in the landmark 2000 Report of the 
     U.S. Surgeon General on Mental Health, physicians, 
     specifically child and adolescent psychiatrists, relied on 
     data from studies in adults, any clinical or anecdotal 
     reports of use in child and adolescent patients, studies 
     conducted outside the United States, and the experience of 
     colleagues when making decisions to prescribe drugs, 
     including psychotropic medications, to the pediatric and 
     adolescent population; and
       Whereas, when prescribed appropriately by a psychiatrist, 
     preferably a child and adolescent psychiatrist, taken as 
     prescribed, and used in conjunction with a comprehensive 
     treatment plan that includes psychotherapy, medication may 
     reduce or eliminate symptoms and improve the daily 
     functioning of children and adolescents diagnosed with 
     psychiatric disorders, and
       Whereas, the Pediatric Research Equity Act is important 
     legislation that will raise awareness that, because children 
     and adults react to drugs in different ways, trying to 
     calculate dosages on the basis of what is appropriate for 
     adults risks over- and under- medicating children; and
       Whereas, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 
     only approximately 25 percent of all drugs on the market 
     today have been tested or labeled for safe and effective use 
     in children; and
       Whereas, according to the FDA, pediatric testing has been 
     done on 91 medications, which is far less than the 400 drugs 
     for which the agency has requested studies in children; and
       Whereas, as a result of the Pediatric Research Equity Act, 
     increased testing and research on drugs prescribed for 
     children will help guide sound treatment planning, increase 
     access to more effective treatment options for children and 
     adolescents living with physical and mental illnesses, and 
     destigmatize child and adolescent mental illnesses; and
       Whereas, children are a unique population with special 
     medical needs and access to drugs that have been properly 
     tested for pediatric use will ensure that they are safe and 
     will work to ease children's pain and suffering or make them 
     healthy: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California commends the Congress and the President of the 
     United States for enacting the landmark Pediatric Research 
     Equity Act of 2003 and thereby recognizing the importance of 
     testing the safety and effectiveness of drugs for pediatric 
     use, a victory for children's health and well-being; 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 Commissioner of the Food and 
     Drug Administration, to the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, and to each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-19. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to veterans benefits; to the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 36

       Whereas, in addition to the benefits provided by the United 
     States Department of Veterans Affairs, various states have 
     recognized and rewarded the tremendous sacrifices made by our 
     nation's veterans; and
       Whereas, the State of California acknowledges the failure 
     to fully recognize and support the sacrifices made by our 
     military veterans, most notably after the Vietnam War; and
       Whereas, the California Department of Veterans Affairs is 
     committed to conferring and administering veterans benefits 
     provided by a grateful State of California to its deserving 
     veterans and their dependents; and
       Whereas, in the past decade, the California Department of 
     Veterans Affairs actively lobbied federal legislators to 
     enact changes in current federal legislation that would 
     extend home ownership opportunities for Vietnam War veterans; 
     and
       Whereas, home ownership is viewed by many as a cherished 
     component of the American dream; and
       Whereas, enabling veterans to achieve home ownership at a 
     lower cost is but a small reward for their faithful service 
     in the United States Armed Forces; and
       Whereas, in appreciation of this service on behalf of our 
     state and nation, the States of California, Wisconsin, Texas, 
     Oregon, and Alaska have offered low interest rates on home 
     loan mortgages to eligible veterans for many decades; and
       Whereas, these programs have assisted over a million 
     veterans in obtaining affordable housing and in making a 
     better life for themselves and their dependents; and
       Whereas, these states utilize tax-exempt bonds known as 
     Qualified Veterans Mortgage Bonds (QVMBs) to fund almost all 
     of the home purchase and home improvement loans made to 
     veterans; and
       Whereas, current federal law governing the use of tax-
     exempt bonds used to fund these loans, as contained in 
     Section 143(l)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, unfairly 
     limits these programs to only those veterans who served prior 
     to January 1, 1977; and
       Whereas, this restriction unfairly prevents all veterans 
     serving active duty post-1976 from using QVMBs, including 
     over 500,000 men and women who served in Operation Desert 
     Shield and Operation Desert Storm and over 380,000 members 
     serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 
     Freedom; and
       Whereas, these courageous men and women, many serving in 
     harm's way even today, deserve the same benefits offered to 
     their earlier comrades in arms, yet the states in which they 
     and their families reside are being denied the opportunity to 
     use QVMBs; and
       Whereas, Congress has failed to remedy this discriminatory 
     federal provision on behalf of these deserving men and women, 
     despite the fact that it will not increase federal 
     discretionary spending: 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 support legislative action to immediately 
     remove the discriminatory portion of

[[Page S1619]]

     Section 143(l)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code so that 
     today's veterans and their families might enjoy the same 
     benefits as their earlier counterparts; 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, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States, and to the Secretary of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs.
                                  ____

       POM-20. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to prescription drugs; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 62

       Whereas, rapidly increasing health care costs are placing a 
     growing burden on employers, workers, and publicly funded 
     health programs; and
       Whereas, recent federal statistics show that health care 
     spending increased 9.3 percent in 2002, which is a rate five 
     times greater than the overall rate of inflation and the 
     largest increase in 11 years; and
       Whereas, employer health premium costs in the United States 
     rose 14.7 percent in 2003 and are projected to increase by 
     another 12.6 percent in 2004; and
       Whereas, one of health care's major cost drivers has been 
     prescription drugs; and
       Whereas, prescription drug spending increased 15.3 percent 
     in 2002 after increasing an average 17.3 percent in 2000 and 
     2001; and
       Whereas, prescription drug costs for the taxpayer financed 
     Medi-Cal fee-for-service program reached $2.9 billion in the 
     2002-03 fiscal year and are projected to rise to $3.8 billion 
     in the 2004-05 fiscal year; and
       Whereas, private health plans and the California Public 
     Employees' Retirement System, which is the state employees' 
     health program, report annual double-digit increases in 
     prescription drug spending, despite benefit changes such as 
     increased copayments and multitiered copayments that increase 
     the burden on subscribers; and
       Whereas, seniors who require more medications on average 
     have been especially hard hit by rising prescription drug 
     costs and copayments; and
       Whereas, even seniors with drug coverage find the cost of 
     prescription drugs often far exceeds their coverage limits 
     and must choose between food, rent, and needed medications; 
     and
       Whereas, Americans are paying more for prescription drugs 
     than people in other countries; and
       Whereas, one drug can cost five to 10 times more in the 
     United States than in Canada or Europe; and
       Whereas, one in five adults cannot afford to buy some or 
     all of his or her prescribed medicines; and
       Whereas, unaffordable prescription drugs and budget 
     deficits have forced American cities, states, and individuals 
     to turn to Canada for affordable drugs; and
       Whereas, negotiating price reductions has been shown to 
     lower drug prices in various state adopted programs, 
     including the Medi-Cal program; and
       Whereas, the Veterans' Administration aggressively 
     negotiates lower drug prices through its nationwide pharmacy 
     benefits program, which provides drugs for veterans at deep 
     discounts; and
       Whereas, last year, the Veterans' Administration filled 108 
     billion prescriptions at a cost of $2.8 billion, with savings 
     to the federal government from negotiated drug prices that 
     are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars; 
     and
       Whereas, the Veterans' Administration purchasing system 
     could be adopted to save billions of dollars for the Medicare 
     program and its beneficiaries, as well as state and local 
     government programs; and
       Whereas, the federal Medicare Prescription Drug, 
     Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 does nothing to 
     control the high cost of drugs and in fact, explicitly 
     prohibits the federal government from using its volume 
     purchasing power to lower drug prices that will be paid by 
     the government as part of the new Medicare drug benefit: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of 
     California calls upon the California delegation of the United 
     States Senate and House of Representatives to sponsor and 
     support legislation to repeal any Medicare provisions that 
     would prohibit the federal government from negotiating fair 
     drug prices, specifically as found in Section 1860D of the 
     federal Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
     Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173); 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, to the Majority leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-21. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to State Highway Route 99; to 
     the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 63

       Whereas, the State Highway Route 99 corridor has the 
     largest urban area not in the interstate highway system and 
     Fresno is the largest city in the United States not served by 
     an interstate highway; and
       Whereas, studies have long shown that economic development 
     is enhanced in areas that are close to interstate highways; 
     and
       Whereas, the Central Valley of California has the highest 
     concentration of unemployment in the United States, and 
     unemployment has been a persistent problem that needs to have 
     extraordinary efforts applied to it; and
       Whereas, the interstate highway system was designed to help 
     all regions of the nation and promote interstate commerce and 
     international trade; and
       Whereas the omission of highways in the urban areas of the 
     Central Valley from the interstate highway system cannot be 
     justified and should be remedied; and
       Whereas, Interstate Highway 5 has been designated the NAFTA 
     corridor, even though most of the trucks engaged in 
     international trade and commerce travel on State Highway 
     Route 99; and
       Whereas, truck cargo volumes on State Highway Route 99 
     exceed those on Interstate Highway 5 and are among the 
     highest in the entire nation, and this is the only segment of 
     the federal highway system with this level of traffic not in 
     the interstate highway system; and
       Whereas, any effort to reduce truck congestion and other 
     traffic congestion contributes to the reduction of air 
     pollution, which is critically needed in the Central Valley; 
     and
       Whereas, tourists to national parks adjacent to the Central 
     Valley generally travel State Highway Route 99 although 
     families prefer to travel to their designations along 
     interstate highways that are known to be twice as safe as 
     other highways, and tourism would be enhanced if State 
     Highway Route 99 is upgraded to an interstate highway; and
       Whereas, the Central Valley is the most rapidly growing 
     part of California, and one of the most rapidly growing areas 
     of the nation, and future demand will make all of the 
     arguments for upgrading State Highway Route 99 even more 
     urgent: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, that the Legislature of the State of 
     California hereby respectfully memorializes the President and 
     the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to 
     include State Highway Route 99 in the interstate highway 
     system only when the following actions take place:
       (a) The President or Congress requests and is granted an 
     exemption for State Highway Route 99 from all federal 
     interstate requirements or that the state be exempted from 
     financing any costs to upgrade the highway pursuant to those 
     requirements.
       (b) The current $16.1 million from the Traffic Congestion 
     Relief Program designated for State Highway Route 99, which 
     is currently contingent upon proceeds that would result from 
     the Governor reaching pacts with tribal gaming interests, are 
     expended on State Highway Route 99.
       (c) State Highway Route 99 is granted a historic 
     designation of ``Historic Route 99''; 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 Minority Leader of the House of 
     Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, the 
     Minority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and 
     Representative from California in the Congress of the United 
     States.
                                  ____

       POM-22. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to Equal Pay Day; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 66

       Whereas, forty-one years after the passage of the Federal 
     Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act 
     of 1964, American women continue to suffer disparities in 
     wages that cannot be accounted for by age, education, or work 
     experience; and
       Whereas, according to the United States Census Bureau, in 
     2002, American women working full-time year-round earned on 
     average 76.6 cents for every dollar earned by full-time 
     working American men; and
       Whereas, a General Accounting Office report on women's 
     earnings show that there exists an inexplicable wage gap of 
     approximately 20 percent, even after taking into account work 
     experience, education, occupation, industry of current 
     employment, and other demographic and job characteristics; 
     and
       Whereas, in the 41 years since the Equal Pay Act, the gap 
     has narrowed by less than half, from 41 cents per dollar to 
     22 cents, and research by the Institute for Women's Policy 
     Research finds that recent change is due large in part to 
     men's real wages falling, not women's wages rising; and
       Whereas, California ranks fifth among all states in equal 
     pay, yet it ranks 39th among all states in progress in 
     closing the hourly wage gap, and at the current rate of 
     change California working women will not have equal pay for 
     another 40 years; and
       Whereas, the consequences of the wage gap reach beyond 
     working women and extend to their families and the economy, 
     to the extent that, in 1999, even after accounting for 
     differences in education, age, location, and the number of 
     hours worked, America's working families lost $200 billion of 
     annual income to the wage gap, with an average of $4,000 per 
     family; and

[[Page S1620]]

       Whereas, women play a crucial role in maintaining the 
     financial well-being of their families by providing a 
     significant percentage of their household incomes and, in 
     many cases, women head their own households; and
       Whereas, pay inequity results in a higher poverty rate for 
     women, particularly in women-headed households, as evidenced 
     by figures from the McAuley Institute which indicate that for 
     families that are headed by a woman and have children under 
     the age of five years, the poverty rate is an astonishing 
     46.4 percent; and
       Whereas, women currently account for 47 percent of the 
     labor force, and by 2005 are expected to comprise 48 percent 
     of the labor force; and
       Whereas, educated women are not exempt from pay disparity; 
     and
       Whereas, in 2001 the median weekly earnings of female full-
     time workers with a college degree was 72.5 percent of their 
     male counterparts; and
       Whereas, according to the United States Census Bureau March 
     2002 Current Population Survey, women with a master's degree 
     on average earn less than men with a bachelor's degree; and
       Whereas, the wage gap is even wider for women of color, as 
     evidenced by a 2001 statistic that reported that African-
     American women earned 69 percent and Hispanic women earned 56 
     percent of average white male earnings; and
       Whereas, the wage gap is also prevalent within minority 
     communities, as shown by a 2002 report that African-American 
     women earned 91 percent of what African-American men earned, 
     and Hispanic women earned 88 percent of what Hispanic men 
     earned; and
       Whereas, even in professions in which women comprise a 
     majority of workers, such as nursing and teaching, men earn 
     an average of 20 percent more than women working in these 
     same occupations; and
       Whereas, according to the data analysis of over 300 jobs 
     classifications provided by the United States Department of 
     Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, women are paid less in 
     every occupational classification for which sufficient 
     information is available; and
       Whereas, the wage gap continues to affect women in their 
     senior years as lower wages result in lower pensions and 
     incomes after retirement, and affect a women's ability to 
     save, thereby contributing to a higher poverty rate for 
     elderly women; and
       Whereas, the average 25-year-old woman who works full-time, 
     year-round, is projected to earn $523,000 less over the 
     course of her career than the average 25-year-old man who 
     works full-time year-round; and
       Whereas, if women were paid the same as men who work the 
     same number of hours, have the same education and same union 
     status, are the same age, and live in the same region of the 
     country, then the annual family income of each of these women 
     would rise by $4,000, and the number of families who live 
     below the poverty line would be reduced by half: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature hereby declares 
     April 20, 2004, to be ``Equal Pay Day'' in California and 
     urges California citizens to recognize the full value and 
     worth of women and their contributions to the California 
     workforce; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature respectfully urges the 
     Congress of the United States to protect the fundamental 
     right of all American women to receive equal pay for equal 
     work, and to continue to provide more effective remedies to 
     victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the 
     basis of sex; 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, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-23. A Joint Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of California relative to hybrid electric vehicles; to 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 74

       Whereas, the price for gasoline has reached record levels 
     in California, climbing to an all-time high in Los Angeles 
     and the bay area, and potentially rising even higher during 
     the summer; and
       Whereas, increasing gasoline prices can have a negative 
     impact on California's economy because rising oil prices 
     drive up the average cost of production of goods and services 
     throughout the economy and reduce the real income of 
     consumers through higher fuel prices; and
       Whereas, California is susceptible to chronic price spikes 
     in gasoline due to tight supplies of refined gasoline and a 
     lack of competition among the companies that produce and sell 
     gasoline; and
       Whereas, California's demand for petroleum transportation 
     fuels will continue to grow, and is expected to increase by 
     50 percent in the next 20 years, as the number of registered 
     vehicles in California increases to 31.5 million by the year 
     2020; and
       Whereas, California's refining capacity has not been able 
     to keep up with the growing demand for transportation fuels 
     and is increasingly dependent on the importation of foreign 
     crude oil, much of which comes from politically unstable 
     regions of the world; and
       Whereas, this growing dependence on oil from unstable 
     regions makes the state's economy more vulnerable to external 
     disruptions and volatile fuel prices; and
       Whereas, increasing use of petroleum fuels results in 
     additional climate change emissions including carbon dioxide, 
     and global climate change is projected to cause environmental 
     and economic damage to California; and
       Whereas, increasing use of gasoline causes a decline in air 
     quality, thereby adversely affecting public health; and
       Whereas, the world supply of petroleum is expected to fall 
     short of demand after the year 2020, causing the price of 
     petroleum products to increase significantly; and
       Whereas, on-road fuel economy of cars and light-duty trucks 
     has remained relatively constant since 1985, and has actually 
     decreased in years as consumers purchase greater percentages 
     of sport utility vehicles; and
       Whereas, most technological improvements to engines and 
     vehicles have been used to increase performance and overcome 
     gains in weight, rather than to improve fuel economy; and
       Whereas, Californians would consume 30 percent less 
     gasoline by 2020 if fuel efficiency in new model light-duty 
     vehicles were doubled to at least 40 miles per gallon, and 
     that reduction in gasoline consumption would result in 
     increased air quality throughout the state as well as a 
     reduction in the state's dependency on foreign sources of 
     petroleum; and
       Whereas, hybrid electric drive train technology can 
     significantly increase vehicle fuel efficiency and, 
     simultaneously, greatly reduce a vehicle's smog-forming 
     emissions; and
       Whereas, several vehicle models, using hybrid electric 
     drive train technology that achieves at least 45 miles per 
     gallon and as much as 70 miles per gallon fuel efficiency 
     ratings, are readily available to consumers in California; 
     and
       Whereas, Californians would greatly reduce their gasoline 
     dependence, improve their own economic condition, and 
     significantly better the environment and public health if 
     they were to embrace the use of hybrid electric vehicles that 
     achieve at least 45 miles per gallon ratings; and
       Whereas, the primary purpose of High Occupancy Vehicle 
     (HOV) lanes is to relieve traffic congestion by offering 
     persons who carpool an easier commute; and
       Whereas, in many instances, California's HOV lanes have 
     excess capacity that could allow them to accommodate single-
     occupant hybrid electric vehicles temporarily, without 
     degrading the HOV lanes' traffic flow or diminishing their 
     attractiveness to carpools: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the President and the Congress of 
     the United States of America are urged to take legislative 
     action to allow single-occupant hybrid electric vehicles that 
     achieve a fuel economy highway rating of at least 45 miles 
     per gallon, and conform to any additional emissions category 
     of the federal Environmental Protection Agency or the 
     California Air Resources Board, or meet any other 
     requirements identified by the responsible agency, to travel 
     in California's High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes; 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, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-24. A resolution adopted by the Mayor and City Council 
     of Atlanta, Georgia relative to the denunciation of the 
     actions of the Janjaweed in Sudan and urging the Sudanese 
     government to cut its ties to the Militia responsible and 
     demand that they disarm immediately; and for other purposes; 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
       POM-25. A resolution adopted by the Board of Commissioners 
     of Ferry County, State of Washington, relative to supporting 
     county custom, culture, and heritage in decision making on 
     federal lands in Ferry County, State of Washington; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
       POM-26. A resolution adopted by the Fleet Reserve 
     Association, Latte Stone Branch 73, Young Men's League of 
     Guam relative to Petitions from the People of Guam in Support 
     of the Findings and Recommendations of the War Claims Review 
     Commission; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
       POM-27. A resolution adopted by the Mayor and City Council 
     of Atlanta, Georgia relative to supporting the District of 
     Columbia's right to have its elected Representative have full 
     voting rights in the United States House of Representatives 
     and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.

                          ____________________