[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 60 (Monday, April 16, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4476-S4477]
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-55. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Montana supporting the ``25 x 25'' Initiative to 
     Increase Production of Renewable Energy by the Agricultural 
     Community; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
     Forestry.

                      House Joint Resolution No. 6

       Whereas, having an affordable, clean, reliable, and 
     plentiful energy supply is critical to Montana's economy, as 
     well as the national and international food supply; and
       Whereas, current and future risks to national energy 
     security are mounting while domestic and global energy 
     demands are growing exponentially; and
       Whereas, Montana and the United States have tremendous 
     renewable energy resources; and
       Whereas, the development of a broad spectrum of renewable 
     energy resources, including wind power, biofuels, biomass, 
     methane digesters, ethanol, and solar, benefit the 
     environment and will have a direct economic benefit to 
     agricultural landowners and rural communities; and
       Whereas, rural communities and agriculture will experience 
     multiple benefits, including establishing additional markets 
     for agricultural commodities, increasing farm income, 
     creating added-value uses for crops, livestock, and their 
     byproducts, encouraging more productive use of marginal 
     lands, resolving air, water, and soil quality problems that 
     may arise from agricultural operations, improving wildlife 
     habitat, and creating many new job opportunities; and
       Whereas, American agriculture is well positioned to play an 
     expanded role in the development and implementation of new 
     energy solutions and with appropriate technological 
     innovation, incentives, and investments, America's farms and 
     ranches can become the factories that produce a new 
     generation of fuels to help meet the nation's energy needs; 
     and
       Whereas, ``25 x 25'' is an agriculturally led initiative 
     that envisions America's farms and ranches producing 25% of 
     America's energy supply by the year 2025 while continuing to 
     produce abundant, safe, and affordable food and fiber; and
       Whereas, agriculture's role as an energy producer will have 
     a positive effect on national security and trade imbalances 
     and will serve as a catalyst for rural development in Montana 
     and the United States; and
       Whereas, Governor Brian Schweitzer (D-MT), Governor Dave 
     Heineman (R-NE), Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), Governor Mitch 
     Daniels (R-IN), Governor Ed Rendell (D-PA), former Governor 
     Jeb Bush (R-FL), Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS), former 
     Governor Tom Vilsack (D-IA), former Governor George Pataki 
     (R-NY), former Governor Robert Ehrlich (R-MD), Governor 
     Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), former Governor James Risch (R-ID), 
     Governor Jim Doyle (D-WI), Governor Jim Douglas (R-VT), 
     Governor Ernie Fletcher (R-KY), Governor John Lynch (D-NH), 
     former Governor Bob Taft (R-OH), Governor Tim Kaine (D-VA), 
     Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger (R-CA), and Governor Rod 
     Blagojevich (D-IL) have endorsed ``25 x 25''; and
       Whereas, state legislatures from Colorado, Nebraska, 
     Kansas, and Vermont have endorsed ``25 x 25'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       RESOLVED by the Senate and the House of Representatives of 
     the State of Montana, That the Montana Legislature endorses 
     the ``25 x 25'' vision of agriculture providing 25% of the 
     total energy consumed in the United States by the year 2025, 
     while continuing to produce abundant, safe, and affordable 
     food and fiber. Be it further
       RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent by the 
     Secretary of State to the Honorable George W. Bush, President 
     of the United States, the President of the United States 
     Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the 
     United States Senate and House of Representatives, and each 
     member of the Montana Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-56. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Kansas urging Congress to 
     allow interstate marketing of state inspected meat; to the 
     Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                 Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1604

       Whereas, the Federal Wholesale Meat Act of 1967 allows 
     states to have state meat inspection programs which are 
     required to meet or exceed federal inspection standards of 
     the United States Department of Agriculture for 
     wholesomeness, cleanliness and food safety; and
       Whereas, Kansas is in the majority of states which have 
     elected to operate equivalent meat inspection programs 
     allowing state-licensed and state-inspected meat processing 
     facilities to engage in intrastate commerce. Other states are 
     pursuing implementation of state inspection of their meat 
     processing facilities; and
       Whereas, State meat inspection programs are flexible and 
     can efficiently and safely adapt their activities to small, 
     local meat processors that cannot be duplicated by the 
     federal inspection program because of its size and 
     complexity; and
       Whereas, State-inspected meat and poultry products are 
     currently barred from interstate commerce under federal law, 
     including neighboring local markets in other states, despite 
     current meat safety and quality assurances, affecting long-
     range rural development and economic growth strategies within 
     the meat processing industry; and
       Whereas, such limitation on marketing of state inspected 
     meat inhibits economic development and value-added 
     agricultural activities in this nation's agricultural sector; 
     and
       Whereas, current policy of the National Association of 
     State Departments or Agriculture supports the interstate 
     shipment of state-inspected meat products: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of Kansas, the House of 
     Representatives concurring therein, That we urge the United 
     States Congress to enact revisions to the Federal Meat 
     Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to 
     allow the interstate shipment and marketing of meat products 
     by state inspected meat processing facilities; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to send 
     an enrolled copy of this resolution to the President of the 
     United States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture and 
     each member of the Kansas Congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-57. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     memorializing Congress to invest in Head Start and Quality 
     Child Care; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions.

                        House Resolution No. 40

       Whereas, Head Start and high-quality child care prepare 
     children for school and life success by narrowing the 
     educational achievement gap between lower- and upper-income 
     kids, increasing high school graduation rates, and reducing 
     crime.
       Whereas, studies show that at-risk children who attend Head 
     Start and high-quality child care are better prepared for 
     school. For example, Head Start narrows the literacy skills 
     gap by nearly half between children in poverty and all 
     children. The research is clear that quality early childhood 
     education programs work to prevent crime. In Ypsilanti, 
     Michigan, three- and four-year-olds from low-income families 
     who were randomly assigned to a group that did not receive 
     preschool preparation were five times more likely to have 
     become chronic lawbreakers by age 27 than those who were 
     assigned to the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation's 
     Perry Preschool program; and

[[Page S4477]]

       Whereas, currently, only about half of eligible low-income 
     children can attend Head Start due to state and federal 
     funding limitations, and even fewer infants and toddlers. 
     Less than five percent of eligible children three years old 
     and younger are able to participate in Early Head Start. 
     Moreover, only one in seven eligible children in working, 
     low-income families receives help paying for quality child 
     care through the Child Care and Development Block Grant. The 
     combination of state and federal money for preschool has 
     helped Michigan reach two of three at-risk four-year-olds and 
     one of five at-risk three-year-olds; and
       Whereas, Real dollar funding levels for Head Start and 
     child care have been cut for the last several years, falling 
     far behind the rising costs that programs face. Instead of 
     reaching more eligible kids with comprehensive health, 
     nutrition, and early education services, Head Start programs 
     have been forced to shorten program hours, cut back staff, 
     reduce parent coaching, and reduce transportation and other 
     services that help families participate: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to increase 
     discretionary funding in the federal budget for 2008 by $750 
     million in additional funding over current levels for Head 
     Start and $720 million in additional funding over current 
     levels for the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
     (CCDBG). This request does not address the unmet need in Head 
     Start and CCDBG, but simply restores services to children to 
     the Fiscal Year 2002 level. This is a crucial first step 
     toward meeting the need to provide quality early childhood 
     education and care for at-risk children. Investing in Head 
     Start and quality child care now will improve education 
     outcomes for our nation's at-risk children and will save 
     lives and money down the road: 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, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-58. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of North Dakota encouraging a recommitment to 
     the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in all states 
     and final passage in Congress; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 3032

       Whereas, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment provides 
     ``equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or 
     abridged by the United States or by any State on account of 
     sex'' and Congress sent the Equal Rights Amendment to the 
     states for ratification on March 22, 1972; and
       Whereas, on February 11, 1975, North Dakota became the 34th 
     state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, due to the 
     efforts of a broad spectrum of supporters, including the 
     Coordinating Council for the Equal Rights Amendment, the 44th 
     Legislative Assembly, and Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 
     4007 sponsors Senators Redlin and Lips and Representatives 
     Homuth and Pyle; and
       Whereas, many women worked all of their lives for a 
     constitutional amendment affirming that women had equal 
     rights and protections under the United States Constitution, 
     including Alice Paul, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. 
     Anthony; and
       Whereas, 35 of the needed 38 states ratified the Equal 
     Rights Amendment and without ratification the United States 
     Constitution fails to guarantee female citizens equal rights 
     and equal justice: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of North Dakota, 
     The Senate Concurring Therein, That the Sixtieth Legislative 
     Assembly acknowledges the actions of the 44th Legislative 
     Assembly of North Dakota and the sponsors of Senate 
     Concurrent Resolution No. 4007 affirming the equal 
     application of the United States Constitution to all citizens 
     through the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Sixtieth Legislative Assembly declares 
     Friday, March 9, 2007, North Dakota Equal Rights Amendment 
     Recognition Day; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Sixtieth Legislative Assembly encourages 
     a recommitment to the ratification of the Equal Rights 
     Amendment in all states and final passage in Congress; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State forward copies of 
     this resolution to the Governor, the President of the Senate 
     and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     Congress of the United States, and to each member of the 
     North Dakota Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-59. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of New Mexico memorializing Congress to fully fund 
     medical care and aid and attendant care services for Honey 
     Sue Newby and the other Level Three Spina Bifida children of 
     parents who served in Vietnam and who are totally disabled; 
     to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
       Whereas, the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs 
     acknowledges that one thousand two hundred children of 
     Vietnam War veterans have some degree of disability resulting 
     from their birth parents' exposure to Agent Orange during 
     military service in the Vietnam War; and
       Whereas, approximately two hundred of these children of war 
     veterans are designated as level three spina bifida children, 
     who are considered to be totally disabled; and
       Whereas, these children, designated as totally disabled as 
     a result of their birth parents' exposure to Agent Orange 
     during military service in Vietnam, are in a situation that 
     is indistinguishable from that of any one hundred percent 
     service-connected disabled veteran who is totally disabled as 
     the result of military service; and
       Whereas, these two hundred level three spina bifida 
     children of Vietnam War veterans are not treated equally with 
     the disabled military veterans as regards compensatory 
     medical care and aid and attendant care; and
       Whereas, the financial cost for families of these children 
     can be crippling, and many proud American military veterans 
     and their families must depend on welfare or charity to 
     provide the vital medical care and attendant care their 
     children need; and
       Whereas, at least one of these children, Honey Sue Newby, 
     whose birth father served three tours as a Marine Infantryman 
     in Vietnam, resides in New Mexico; and
       Whereas, the Legislature seeks to honor and encourage fair 
     treatment of all persons who have made personal sacrifices in 
     the military defense of our nation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Legislature of the State of New Mexico, 
     That it urge the United States Congress to provide full 
     medical care and attendant care to Honey Sue Newby and the 
     other level three spina bifida children who are totally 
     disabled as a result of their birth parents' military service 
     in Vietnam; and be it further
       Resolved, That the New Mexico Congressional Delegation be 
     requested to work vigorously for adequate funding to provide 
     full medical care and aid and attendant care to all level 
     three spina bifida children who are totally disabled because 
     of the effects of Agent Orange used in Vietnam; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That copies of this memorial be transmitted to 
     each member of the Congressional Delegation, the Chief Clerks 
     of the United States House of Representatives and the United 
     States Senate and the United States Department of Veterans 
     Affairs.
                                  ____

       POM-60. A resolution adopted by the Miami-Dade County Board 
     of County Commissioners directing the County Manager to study 
     the creation of a voluntary ``Miami-Dade Trans Fat Free 
     Program'' and a program to provide education and guidance to 
     restaurants, bakeries and the public regarding the negative 
     health effects of trans fats; to the Committee on 
     Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
       POM-61. A resolution adopted by the Board of Commissioners 
     of the County of Armstrong of the State of Pennsylvania 
     urging Congress to place a moratorium on new free trade 
     agreements, and to investigate and review current free trade 
     agreements and policies of the United States; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                          ____________________