[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S5818]
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-25. A petition from a citizen of California relative to 
     amending the Constitution; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-26. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Washington relative to passing H.R. 5698, the 
     Restoring Partnership for County Health Care Costs Act of 
     2008; to the Committee on Finance.

                     House Joint Memorial No. 4000

       Whereas, our system of system of justice presumes that a 
     person accused of committing a crime is innocent until proven 
     guilty; and
       Whereas, under current federal law, persons awaiting trial 
     or other disposition of their cases in county jails or 
     juvenile detention facilities are ineligible to receive 
     medicare, medicaid, supplementary security income, or state 
     children's health insurance program benefits, even though 
     their culpability in a criminal case has not been proven; and
       Whereas, counties must bear the financial burden of 
     providing medical care to persons who are held in county 
     jails; and
       Whereas, Many persons in custody who are affected by mental 
     illness suffer further and are at higher risk of reoffending 
     after they are released because of a delay in the 
     reinstatement of their federal benefits; Now, therefore, Your 
     Memorialists respectfully pray that the United States 
     Congress pass HR 5698, the Restoring Partnership for County 
     Health Care Costs Act of 2008.
       Be it Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
     transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the 
     United States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of 
     Congress from the State of Washington.

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