[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 10, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S356-S357]
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 State of 
     Louisiana relative to memorializing Congress to adopt the 
     Constitution Restoration Act; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                        Senate Resolution No. 16

       Whereas, in 2005, the United States Supreme Court, in two 
     razor thin majorities of 5-4 in Van Orden v. Perry (Texas) 
     and ACLU v. McCreary County (Kentucky), concluded that it is 
     inconsistent with the First Amendment to display the Ten 
     Commandments in an outdoor public square in Texas, but not on 
     the courthouse walls of two counties in Kentucky; and
       Whereas, at the instance of the Indiana Civil Liberties 
     Union, a federal judge recently ordered the Indiana House of 
     Representatives to discontinue opening its sessions in prayer 
     in the name of Jesus Christ, ruling that the practice is now 
     ``unconstitutional''; and
       Whereas, despite the fact that America's Constitution ends 
     with an acknowledgment of Jesus Christ in Article VII, 
     providing in pertinent part ``Done . . . in the Year of our 
     Lord . . .,'' threats of federal court litigation over the 
     acknowledgment of God now have some Americans doubtful 
     whether it is even ``constitutional'' to extend greetings of 
     ``Merry Christmas'' or otherwise publicly acknowledge the 
     historical birth of Christ; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment of the United States 
     Constitution, which provides in part that ``Congress shall 
     make no law respecting an establishment of religion,'' is 
     specific and unequivocal instruction to only the United 
     States Congress and the United States Constitution makes no 
     restriction on the ability of states, municipalities, or 
     individuals to acknowledge God, the Supreme Ruler of the 
     Universe; and
       Whereas, the federal judiciary has overstepped its 
     constitutional boundaries and ruled against the 
     acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, 
     liberty, and government by local and state officers and other 
     state institutions, including state schools; and
       Whereas, a constant complaint from the federal courts is 
     that their caseloads are too heavy due in part to an 
     increasingly large proportion of cases consuming the docket 
     of federal courts which involve ``unconstitutional separation 
     between church and state'' claims involving litigants who 
     claim to be offended at the mention of Jesus Christ; and
       Whereas, one significant way dockets of federal courts 
     could be reduced would be the adoption of the Constitutional 
     Restoration Act by Congress which would remove the 
     jurisdiction of the federal courts over these types of claims 
     or controversies under the authority of Article III, Section 
     2, of the United States Constitution; and
       Whereas, the Senate of the Louisiana Legislature recognizes 
     that this is the season to give gifts and be charitable and 
     an integral part of the season is the inclusion and 
     acknowledgment of Jesus Christ: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana 
     memorializes the Congress of the United States to adopt the 
     Constitution Restoration Act, thereby reducing the caseload 
     of our federal courts by removing from their jurisdiction any 
     and all cases involving the acknowledgment of God as the 
     sovereign source of law, liberty, or government as authorized 
     by Article III, Section 2, of the United States Constitution. 
     Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United 
     States Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-2. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to memorializing Congress 
     to adopt the Constitution Restoration Act; to the Committee 
     on the Judiciary.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 23

       Whereas, in 2005, the United States Supreme Court, in two 
     razor thin majorities of 5-4 in Van Orden v. Perry (Texas) 
     and ACLU v. McCreary County (Kentucky), concluded that it is 
     inconsistent with the First Amendment to display the Ten 
     Commandments in an outdoor public square in Texas, but not on 
     the courthouse walls of two counties in Kentucky; and
       Whereas, at the instance of the Indiana Civil Liberties 
     Union, a federal judge recently ordered the Indiana House of 
     Representatives to discontinue opening its sessions in prayer 
     in the name of Jesus Christ, ruling that the practice is now 
     ``unconstitutional''; and
       Whereas, despite the fact that America's Constitution ends 
     with an acknowledgment of Jesus Christ in Article VII, 
     providing in pertinent part ``Done . . . in the Year of our 
     Lord . . .,'' threats of federal court litigation over the 
     acknowledgment of God now have some Americans doubtful 
     whether it is even ``constitutional'' to extend greetings of 
     ``Merry Christmas'' or otherwise publicly acknowledge the 
     historical birth of Christ; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment of the United States 
     Constitution, which provides in part that ``Congress shall 
     make no law respecting an establishment of religion,'' is 
     specific and unequivocal instruction to only the United 
     States Congress and the United States Constitution makes no 
     restriction on the ability of states, municipalities, or 
     individuals to acknowledge God, the Supreme Ruler of the 
     Universe; and
       Whereas, the federal judiciary has overstepped its 
     constitutional boundaries and ruled against the 
     acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, 
     liberty, and government by local and state officers and other 
     state institutions, including state schools; and
       Whereas, a constant complaint from the federal courts is 
     that their caseloads are too heavy due in part to an 
     increasingly large proportion of cases consuming the docket 
     of federal courts which involve ``unconstitutional separation 
     between church and state'' claims involving litigants who 
     claim to be offended at the mention of Jesus Christ; and
       Whereas, one significant way dockets of federal courts 
     could be reduced would be the adoption of the Constitutional 
     Restoration Act by Congress which would remove the 
     jurisdiction of the federal courts over these types of claims 
     or controversies under the authority of Article III, Section 
     2, of the United States Constitution; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana Legislature recognizes that this is 
     the season to give gifts and be charitable and an integral 
     part of the season is the inclusion and acknowledgment of 
     Jesus Christ: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to adopt the Constitution 
     Restoration Act, thereby reducing the caseload of our federal 
     courts by removing from their jurisdiction any and all cases 
     involving the acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source 
     of law, liberty, or government as authorized by Article III, 
     Section 2, of the United States Constitution. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives and to each member 
     of the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-3. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to memorializing Congress 
     to take such actions as are necessary to create a federal 
     catastrophe fund; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
     Urban Affairs.

                         House Resolution No. 6

       Whereas, creation of a federal catastrophe fund is a 
     comprehensive, integrated approach to help better prepare and 
     protect the nation from natural catastrophes, such as 
     hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, snowstorms, and 
     earthquakes; and
       Whereas, the current system of response to catastrophes 
     leaves many people and businesses at risk of being unable to 
     replace what they lost, wastes tax dollars, raises insurance 
     premiums, and leads to shortages of insurance needed to 
     sustain our economy; and
       Whereas, creation of a federal catastrophe fund would help 
     stabilize insurance markets following a catastrophe and help 
     steady insurance costs for consumers while making it

[[Page S357]]

     possible for private insurers to offer more insurance in 
     catastrophe-prone areas; and
       Whereas, a portion of the premiums collected by insurance 
     companies could be deposited into such a fund which could be 
     administered by the United States Treasury and grow tax free; 
     and
       Whereas, the federal catastrophe fund would operate as a 
     ``backstop'' and could only be accessed when private insurers 
     and state catastrophe funds have paid losses in excess of a 
     defined threshold; and
       Whereas, utilizing the capacity of the federal government 
     would help smooth out fluctuations consumers currently 
     experience in insurance prices and availability because of 
     exposure to large catastrophic losses and would provide 
     better protection at a lower price; and
       Whereas, when there is a gap between the insurance 
     protection consumers buy and the damage caused by a major 
     catastrophe, taxpayers across the country pay much of the 
     difference, as congressional appropriations of billions of 
     dollars for after-the-fact disaster relief in the aftermath 
     of Hurricane Katrina demonstrated: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize the United 
     States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to 
     create a federal catastrophe fund; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-4. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to commending and 
     memorializing Congress for passing the Domenici-Landrieu Gulf 
     of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006; to the Committee on 
     Energy and Natural Resources.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 16

       Whereas, since 1930 the coastal landscape of Louisiana has 
     lost over 1,900 square miles of land, eroding at a rate of 25 
     square miles every year. In addition, hurricanes Katrina and 
     Rita converted over 200 square miles of wetlands into open 
     water; and
       Whereas, the communities, economy, natural resources, and 
     cultural heritage of south Louisiana remain vulnerable to the 
     extremes of coastal flooding, hurricanes, and land loss; and
       Whereas, the protection and restoration of coastal 
     Louisiana will require a long term commitment of funding to 
     establish comprehensive, effective and sustainable coastal 
     protection projects and programs; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana congressional delegation has been 
     working for decades to secure a steady stream of revenue to 
     fund the critical work of coastal protection and restoration 
     in Louisiana; and
       Whereas, since the inception and development of federal 
     offshore oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico, the 
     state of Louisiana has provided essential onshore support for 
     such production; and
       Whereas, such support has included numerous components of 
     Louisiana's vital ``energy corridor'' that provide the nation 
     with a third of its domestic oil and gas supply, including 
     the pipeline systems that cross Louisiana's coastal wetlands; 
     and
       Whereas, the countless communities in south Louisiana that 
     form the backbone and labor force to facilitate the delivery 
     of these crucial energy resources to the rest of the nation 
     are critical factors in such support; and
       Whereas, the federal government collects over $6 billion 
     each year from the bonus bids, rents and royalties derived 
     from federal leases on the Outer Continental Shelf in the 
     Gulf of Mexico, and under current federal law nearly all of 
     these revenues are deposited into the General Treasury of the 
     United States; and
       Whereas, in recognition of the urgent crisis facing coastal 
     Louisiana and of the support provided by each of the Gulf 
     Coast states that produce oil and gas for the nation, and in 
     further acknowledgment of the significant amount of funding 
     available from oil and gas production on the Outer 
     Continental Shelf, the United States Congress passed the 
     Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 
     on December 9, 2006; and
       Whereas, this act authorizes oil and gas development in 
     about 8.3 million acres of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, 
     including 2.5 million acres within a section known as Lease 
     Area 181; and
       Whereas, beginning in the federal Fiscal Year 2007 and in 
     each fiscal year thereafter, this Act directs the secretary 
     of the United States Department of the Interior to share 37.5 
     percent of the revenues from these new areas with the states 
     of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for coastal 
     restoration, with such funds to be derived from bonus bids, 
     rents, and royalties on leases within the new areas; and
       Whereas, beginning in the federal Fiscal Year 2016 and in 
     each fiscal year thereafter, this Act further directs the 
     secretary of the United States Department of the Interior to 
     share 37.5 percent of the revenues with the states of Texas, 
     Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama from all new federal oil 
     and gas leases after the date of enactment in existing U.S. 
     Department of Interior, Mineral Management Service, planning 
     areas throughout the Gulf of Mexico; and
       Whereas, the enactment of this Act represents the most 
     significant change offshore oil and gas policy in over fifty 
     years; and
       Whereas, the dedication of these revenues constitute the 
     beginning of the steady stream of federal funding sought by 
     the Louisiana congressional delegation for decades; and
       Whereas, such steady stream of federal funding is a truly 
     significant step towards sustainable coastal protection and 
     restoration as an attainable goal for Louisiana: Therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana commends and 
     memorializes the United States Congress for passing the 
     Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, 
     which provides for sharing of federal offshore oil and gas 
     revenue with Louisiana for coastal protection and 
     restoration. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana congratulates 
     the members of the Louisiana congressional delegation for 
     their dedication, persistence, and vigilance in fighting for 
     a share of federal offshore oil and gas revenues to protect 
     and restore coastal Louisiana through the passage of the 
     Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. 
     Be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana requests and 
     urges President George W. Bush to immediately sign the 
     Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. 
     Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives, to 
     each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States 
     Congress, and to the office of the President of the United 
     States.
                                  ____

       POM-5. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to memorializing Congress 
     to authorize Louisiana to lease closed interstate rest areas 
     to private entities; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13

       Whereas, many rest areas located on Louisiana's interstate 
     highways have been closed in recent years; and
       Whereas, these closed rest areas have created a burden on 
     the state and an eyesore to interstate travelers; and
       Whereas, if the Congress authorized Louisiana to lease 
     closed interstate rest areas to private entities, certain 
     conveniences, such as gas stations, auto repair stations and 
     restaurants, could be offered to the traveling public in a 
     convenient manner; and
       Whereas, these conveniences would then be available in 
     areas where they are not currently available; and
       Whereas, such developments could provide a revenue stream 
     to Louisiana by making use of property in a desirable area 
     not currently being used in commerce: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to authorize Louisiana to 
     lease closed interstate rest areas to private entities in 
     order to provide services and products helpful or desirable 
     to interstate travelers. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United 
     States Congress.

                          ____________________