[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 59 (Monday, April 18, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2125-S2127]
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-147. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Kansas urging the federal 
     government to require the use of sound science in evaluating 
     crop protection chemistries and nutrients; to the Committee 
     on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                       House Resolution No. 6045

       Whereas, Agriculture is crucial to the continued production 
     of food, feed, fiber and energy to meet both domestic and 
     global demand; and
       Whereas, In the United States, the agriculture and value-
     added industries and businesses utilize precision farming 
     equipment, crop protection chemistries, genetic engineering 
     or enhancement, agricultural nutrients and other modern 
     technologies. Such advanced practices protect the safety of 
     the public and reduce environmental and natural resource 
     impacts, while increasing yields, improving profitability and 
     ensuring an abundant, affordable and wholesome food supply; 
     and
       Whereas, Agricultural production systems and crop 
     protection are among the most studied and highly regulated of 
     all industries, at both the state and federal levels. The use 
     of sound science should be the bedrock of our nation's 
     regulatory scheme for the agriculture and food production 
     industries, as these industries are critical to the economic 
     vitality of Kansas and the United States: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, By the House of Representatives of the State of 
     Kansas: That we support the use of sound science to study and 
     regulate modern agricultural technologies such as crop 
     protection chemistries and genetically engineered or enhanced 
     traits and nutrients; and be it further
       Resolved, That we oppose legislative or regulatory action 
     at any level that may result in unnecessary restrictions on 
     the use of modern agricultural technologies.
                                  ____

       POM-148. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Kansas urging the President of the United 
     States to obey the United States Constitution and declare 
     that the detention facility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay 
     will remain; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 5024

       Whereas, The President of the United States, Barack Obama, 
     has threatened to move the terrorist detainees currently held 
     at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to Fort Leavenworth without 
     regard to the wishes or the safety of the people of Kansas; 
     and
       Whereas, The President has threatened to close the 
     detention facility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay; and
       Whereas, The threat of the transfer has been underscored by 
     visits to Fort Leavenworth by officials of his 
     Administration, preparing for the threatened transfer; and
       Whereas, Many detainees that have been released have 
     continued to fight against this country and its allies; and
       Whereas, This President and others have insisted that the 
     mere existence of the detention facility at Guantanamo has 
     inflamed terrorists around the world and aided in their 
     recruitments; and
       Whereas, Transferring the detainees to Fort Leavenworth 
     will only transfer the ire of terrorists worldwide from 
     Guantanamo to Fort Leavenworth; and
       Whereas, This President has a demonstrated willingness to 
     violate American law; and
       Whereas, This President has said that he will go around the 
     Congress to accomplish his agenda; and
       Whereas, Closing the Naval Station at Guantanamo has been 
     high on this President's agenda since before he was first 
     elected; and
       Whereas, The President has continually sought to weaken our 
     standing in the world; and
       Whereas, The terrorists have demonstrated an ability and 
     willingness to conduct attacks in America, in furtherance of 
     their savage war against America; and
       Whereas, Detonating large bombs in civilian communities in 
     the vicinity of Fort Leavenworth would be exactly the sort of 
     demonstration that the terrorists would try; and
       Whereas, Fort Leavenworth does not have the necessary 
     facilities to hold and care for the detainees and would, for 
     example, be forced to transport them through the city of 
     Leavenworth to access medical care, thereby presenting 
     additional soft, tempting targets for attacks; and
       Whereas, The surrounding community does not have the law 
     enforcement, emergency response resources or the physical 
     capability to harden potential civilian targets in the 
     surrounding area. Transferring detainees to Fort Leavenworth 
     represents a predictable, direct and unnecessarily high risk 
     to American citizens in the vicinity of Fort Leavenworth; and
       Whereas, The Naval Station at Guantanamo is a high security 
     facility designed to both house high risk detainees and be 
     secure from attack by external forces. This facility has not 
     been the object of an external terrorist attack and, if it 
     had been attacked, it would not have represented a threat to 
     American civilians or communities; and
       Whereas, The intentional placement of detainees on American 
     soil, physically within an American community, would 
     unnecessarily and intentionally put American citizens at much 
     greater risk. It follows that any move by the President or 
     other members of the Federal, State or local government to 
     move the detainees to Fort Leavenworth would mean 
     intentionally and knowingly placing American citizens at 
     greater risk, in violation of the government's sworn oath to 
     support and defend them against enemies, foreign or domestic; 
     and
       Whereas, Officers from over one hundred countries attend 
     classes at Fort Leavenworth; and
       Whereas, Many of these officers would not bring their 
     families nor be permitted by their countries to attend, if 
     the detainees were transferred to Fort Leavenworth, thereby 
     hurting the local economy; and
       Whereas, These officers and their families represent an 
     important bond and link among our nations. Their loss will 
     not just affect the local economy, but would potentially have 
     grave impacts on our future ability to effectively and 
     successfully find peaceful solutions to international 
     problems: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 
     Kansas, the Senate concurring therein, That the Legislature 
     of the State of Kansas urges the President of the United 
     States to obey the Constitution of the United States and the 
     laws of this country, the people of which have placed him in 
     a position of great trust and responsibility and depend upon 
     him to ensure that the laws be upheld and that their security 
     be maintained; and be it further
       Resolved, That the President must declare that the 
     detention facility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay will 
     remain, and that the detainees will continue to be held 
     there, until said detainees are given proper, lawful 
     disposition, in accordance with the Laws of War and the best 
     interests of the safety of the people of the United States 
     and their allies.
                                  ____

       POM-149. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urging the United States 
     Congress to modernize the federal cap on the locally set 
     Passenger Facility Charges user fee by setting it at $8.50 
     and adjusting it periodically to offset the impacts of 
     inflation; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation.

                       Senate Resolution No. 261

       Whereas, In 2010, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's public 
     use airports supported approximately 304,000 jobs, generated 
     $9.2 billion in annual payroll and produced $23.6 billion in 
     annual economic activities; and
       Whereas, In 1990, the Congress of the United States 
     authorized Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs), local user fees 
     collected for every boarded passenger, to help airports of 
     all sizes meet their capital needs to finance Federal 
     Aviation Administration (FAA) approved projects such as 
     terminals, parking and multimodal projects that enhance 
     safety, security, capacity, noise reduction or increase air 
     carrier competition; and
       Whereas, PFCs are locally determined fees collected at the 
     point of sale, which do not affect Federal expenditures; and
       Whereas, The PFC cap was last raised in 2000 when Congress 
     set it at $4.50; and
       Whereas, Inflation has eroded the buying power of PFCs by 
     approximately one-half since then due to rising construction 
     costs; and
       Whereas, There is a growing recognition of the need for 
     infrastructure finance and funding to keep pace with 
     inflation and action for doing so such as the act of November 
     25, 2014 (P.L. 974, No. 89) in the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania; and
       Whereas, Modernizing the PFC cap to $8.50 now and indexing 
     it for inflation would restore its original purchasing power 
     and provide local communities with the ability to set their 
     individual PFC user fees based on locally determined needs 
     for ensuring the safety and security of their airports; and
       Whereas, Over the next five years, airports will require 
     more than $75 billion to improve infrastructure to prevent 
     passenger delays and congestion; and
       Whereas, Direct Federal funding through the FAA Airport 
     Improvement Program has declined 10% over the past six years 
     and covers only a fraction of the total infrastructure 
     projects required to upgrade and maintain the world-class 
     aviation system: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United States to 
     modernize the Federal cap on the locally set PFC user fee by 
     setting it at $8.50 and adjusting it periodically to offset 
     the impacts of inflation; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution to be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the presiding officers of 
     each house of

[[Page S2126]]

     Congress and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-150. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Idaho urging the United States Congress to ensure 
     the continued appropriation of watercraft inspection station 
     funding in the fiscal year 2017 budget to significantly 
     enhance aquatic invasive species prevention efforts and to 
     implement the intent of the Water Resources Reform and 
     Development Act; to the Committee on Environment and Public 
     Works.

                     Senate Joint Memorial No. 104

       Whereas, maintaining a healthy suite of economic, 
     environmental and social ecosystem services in aquatic 
     systems is integral to the quality of life in the State of 
     Idaho; and
       Whereas, healthy aquatic habitats provide clean drinking 
     water, flood control, transportation, recreation, 
     purification of human and industrial wastes, power 
     generation, habitat for native plants and animals, production 
     of fish and other foods, marketable goods and cultural 
     benefits; and
       Whereas, Dreissenid mussels, specifically quagga mussels 
     (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) and zebra mussels 
     (Dreissena polymorpha), are aquatic invasive species that 
     cause irreparable ecological damage to many waters in the 
     United States; and
       Whereas, Dreissenids have not yet been detected in the 
     Pacific Northwest. The estimated annual cost to address 
     established populations of Dreissenids in the Pacific 
     Northwest Economic Region is almost $0.5 billion annually; 
     and
       Whereas, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act was 
     signed in June 2014. Section 1039 of the act authorizes $20 
     million for Columbia River Basin watercraft inspection 
     stations to prevent introduction of Dreissenid mussels and 
     other aquatic invasive species through the Secretary of the 
     Army; and
       Whereas, the fiscal year 2016 budget for the United States 
     Army Corps of Engineers includes $4 million in funding for 
     watercraft inspection stations as authorized by the Water 
     Resources Reform and Development Act, and the State of Idaho 
     and Pacific Northwest Economic Region are grateful for the 
     Corps' recognition of the severity of the threat of aquatic 
     invasive species to the region and dedication to assist the 
     region in enhancing prevention efforts: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, By the members of the Second Regular Session of 
     the Sixty-third Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House 
     of Representatives concurring therein, that we respectfully 
     request that Congress ensure the continued appropriation of 
     these funds in the fiscal year 2017 budget to significantly 
     enhance aquatic invasive species prevention efforts and to 
     implement the intent of the Water Resources Reform and 
     Development Act; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be, and she is 
     hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this 
     Memorial to the President of the United States, the Secretary 
     of the Army, the Secretary of the Interior, the President of 
     the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
     Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the 
     State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-151. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Ohio encouraging the 
     President of the United States, the United States Congress, 
     and the United States Office of Management and Budget to 
     support plans to upgrade the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, 
     Michigan, and encourage the United States Army Corps of 
     Engineers to take expeditious action in preparing an Economic 
     Reevaluation Report; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                      House Resolution Number 263

       Whereas, The Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, are 
     of the utmost importance to Ohio and play a critical role in 
     the nation's economy and security. Each year, approximately 
     10,000 Great Lakes vessels, carrying 80 million tons of iron 
     ore, coal, grain, and other cargo, safely and efficiently 
     traverse the locks; and
       Whereas, Nearly 80% of all domestic iron ore, the primary 
     material used to manufacture steel, travels from mines in 
     Minnesota and Michigan's Upper Peninsula through the Soo 
     Locks to steel producers in Ohio; and
       Whereas, Only one of the four Soo Locks, the Poe Lock, is 
     large enough to accommodate the modem vessels that commonly 
     traverse the Great Lakes. 70% of cargo is carried on these 
     large ships that can only pass through the Poe Lock, and the 
     remaining cargo must pass through the smaller MacArthur Lock. 
     The 100-year-old Davis and Sabin Locks are rarely used as 
     they are the smallest locks and cannot accommodate large 
     modem vessels; and
       Whereas, The continued reliance on only the Poe Lock poses 
     a serious risk to national security and the economies of not 
     only the State of Ohio, but also the entire country. A long-
     term outage of the Poe Lock due to lock failure or a 
     terrorist attack could cripple the economy and disrupt steel 
     production in the United States. It is estimated that a 30-
     day outage of the Poe Lock would result in economic losses of 
     $160 million; and
       Whereas, Upgrades to the Soo Locks are needed to ensure 
     national security and unfettered commerce through the Great 
     Lakes. The United States Army Corps of Engineers acknowledges 
     that the Soo Locks are a single point of failure for the 
     Great Lakes Navigation System; and
       Whereas, The United States Congress has authorized the 
     construction of a second Poe-sized lock, but a study that 
     contains crucial errors is preventing the construction from 
     proceeding: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That we, the members of the House of 
     Representatives of the 131st General Assembly of the State of 
     Ohio, encourage the President and the Congress of the United 
     States and the United States Office of Management and Budget 
     to support plans to upgrade the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. 
     Marie, Michigan; and be it further
       Resolved, That we encourage the United States Army Corps of 
     Engineers to take expeditious action in acknowledging the 
     national security need for maintaining the Great Lakes 
     Navigation System in addition to properly accounting for the 
     limitation of transportation resources if a lock outage 
     occurs in the preparation of an Economic Reevaluation Report; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
     transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the 
     President of the United States, the President Pro Tempore and 
     Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk 
     of the United States House of Representatives, the members of 
     the Ohio congressional delegation, the Director of the United 
     States Office of Management and Budget, and the Assistant 
     Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
                                  ____

       POM-152. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Wyoming urging the United States Congress to 
     seek removal of the gray wolf and grizzly bear populations 
     from listing under the Endangered Species Act and to assist 
     in funding programs and services for gray wolf and grizzly 
     bear management; to the Committee on Environment and Public 
     Works.

                        House Joint Resolution 4

       Whereas, gray wolf and grizzly bear predation on livestock 
     and big game species is resulting in economic losses in the 
     state of Wyoming; and
       Whereas, the cost to manage gray wolves and grizzly bears 
     and to compensate individuals and entities for damage caused 
     by these species is significantly greater than can be 
     sustained through existing budgets of the responsible state 
     and federal agencies; and
       Whereas, gray wolf and grizzly bear populations are 
     recovered and these species should therefore be removed from 
     the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered 
     species or threatened species in Wyoming in order for the 
     state to effectively manage these species; and
       Whereas, federal funding is essential to assist the state 
     in compensating individuals and entities for losses caused by 
     gray wolves and grizzly bears now and after the date these 
     species are removed from the list of experimental 
     nonessential population, endangered species or threatened 
     species in Wyoming; and
       Whereas, such federal support in compensating individuals 
     and entities for losses will increase acceptance of these 
     wildlife species in Wyoming and continue the healthy and 
     self-sustaining populations of gray wolves and grizzly bears 
     in the state: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Members of the Legislature of the State of 
     Wyoming:
       Section 1. That the Wyoming legislature calls on Congress 
     and the United States Fish and Wildlife Services to speedily 
     seek removal of the gray wolf and grizzly bear populations 
     from the list of experimental nonessential population, 
     endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming, by all 
     means available.
       Section 2. That the Wyoming legislature calls on Congress 
     to immediately and fully fund all necessary programs and 
     services for gray wolf and grizzly bear management, 
     particularly programs and services to compensate individuals 
     and entities for losses caused by these wildlife species.
       Section 3. That the Wyoming legislature calls on Congress 
     to assist in funding the necessary programs and services 
     indicated in section 2 of this resolution after the date the 
     gray wolf and grizzly bear populations are removed from the 
     list of experimental nonessential population, endangered 
     species of threatened species in Wyoming.
       Section 4. That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President of the United 
     States, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the 
     House of Representatives of the United States Congress, to 
     the Wyoming Congressional Delegation and to the Director of 
     the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
                                  ____

       POM-153. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Michigan supporting the recommendations of the Chicago Area 
     Waterway System Advisory Committee to prevent Asian carp from 
     entering the Great Lakes; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                        Senate Resolution No. 12

       Whereas, The Chicago Area Waterway System serves as a 
     pathway for aquatic invasive species to move between the 
     Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. Zebra mussels and 
     other species spread from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi 
     River and its tributaries through this man-made connection. 
     Now, Asian carp are on the brink of using this same route to 
     invade the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River basin; and

[[Page S2127]]

       Whereas, Asian carp continue to migrate upstream and are 
     now within a day's swim of Lake Michigan. In the last year, 
     juvenile Asian carp have moved 66 miles closer to Lake 
     Michigan, leaving them only 76 miles from the Great Lakes. 
     While electrical barriers currently stand in their way, new 
     research indicates that those barriers may not be effective 
     at stopping small fish; and
       Whereas, The impacts of Asian carp to the ecosystems and 
     economies of the Great Lakes states and local communities 
     will be catastrophic. Invasive species established in the 
     Great Lakes already cost the region more than $100 million 
     per year. Asian carp could add dramatically to this cost if 
     they move through the Chicago area into the Great Lakes. 
     These carp are voracious filter feeders and could out-compete 
     the native fish of the Great Lakes, threatening a $7 billion 
     sport and commercial fishery. History has demonstrated that, 
     once established, aquatic invasive species like Asian carp 
     are nearly impossible to eradicate; and
       Whereas, The Chicago Area Waterway System Advisory 
     Committee was formed in May 2014 with the goal of reaching 
     consensus on a set of recommendations for elected and 
     appointed local, state, and federal officials and the public 
     on short- and long-term measures to prevent Asian carp and 
     other aquatic invasive species from moving between the Great 
     Lakes and Mississippi River basins through the Chicago Area 
     Waterway System; and
       Whereas. The diverse, 32-member advisory committee reached 
     consensus in a letter to the President of the United States 
     on a specific system of control points to prevent the two-way 
     interbasin transfer of aquatic invasive species. It also 
     reached consensus on supporting immediate actions at the 
     Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet, Illinois, to prevent the 
     risk of Asian carp from migrating upstream while the system 
     of control points is evaluated as a long-term solution for 
     all aquatic invasive species; and
       Whereas, The best long-term solution will prevent Asian 
     carp from entering the Great Lakes while preserving as much 
     as possible the current uses of the Chicago area waterways. 
     Options that would change shipping on these waterways should 
     only be pursued after all other options have been exhausted; 
     and
       Whereas, The costs of preventing Asian carp from entering 
     the Great Lakes are substantially lower than the costs to the 
     ecosystems and economies of the Great Lakes states if Asian 
     carp were to become established: now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we support the Chicago Area 
     Waterway System Advisory Committee recommendations to 
     implement immediate control technologies at Brandon Road Lock 
     and Dam in Joliet, Illinois, and to further investigate the 
     specific system of control points for long-term movement of 
     aquatic invasive species into and out of the Great Lakes; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, President of the United 
     States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional 
     delegation, and the Commanding General and Chief of Engineers 
     of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
                                  ____

       POM-154. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Michigan memorializing the 
     United States Congress to take actions necessary to help 
     families enduring mental health crisis; to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                        House Resolution No. 169

       Whereas, According to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, mental illness is defined as ``health conditions 
     that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or 
     behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with 
     distress and/or impaired function.'' The National Institute 
     of Mental Health states, ``while mental disorders are common 
     in the United States, the burden of illness is particularly 
     concentrated among those who experience disability due to 
     serious mental illness (SMI)''; and
       Whereas, Laws, regulations, and misinterpretations 
     frequently shut out families attempting to get effective and 
     appropriate treatment for their loved ones in a mental health 
     crisis. In a given year, approximately ten million Americans 
     endure serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, major 
     depression, or bipolar disorder. Approximately four million 
     Americans battle with serious mental illness do not receive 
     treatment in a given year; and
       Whereas, Families struggling with mental illness must also 
     grapple with the likelihood that their loved one will end up 
     in jail or prison where there is virtually no mental health 
     treatment. There are ten times more individuals with serious 
     mental illness in jails and prisons than in state psychiatric 
     hospitals. Moreover, federal laws and billing policies 
     restrict the ability of persons on Medicaid to receive high-
     quality inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment; and
       Whereas, Current spending needs to be more focused on the 
     most effective services and most severe mental illnesses. 
     Passage of federal legislation like the Helping Families in 
     Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015 (H.R. 2646), sponsored by 
     United States Congressman Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, would 
     be a positive first step. The bill would create a new 
     Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use 
     Disorders to coordinate funding between agencies, collect 
     increased data on treatment outcomes, and drive evidence-
     based care: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to take actions 
     necessary to help families enduring mental health crisis; 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-155. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Idaho urging the United States Congress to 
     restructure the United States Postal Service in a way that 
     would reopen shuttered mail processing plants throughout the 
     nation and provide acceptable delivery times; to the 
     Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

                     Senate Joint Memorial No. 105

       Whereas, the mail processing function of the post office in 
     Pocatello, Idaho, was closed on or about April 19, 2015; and
       Whereas, Brian Sperry, the regional spokesman for the 
     United States Postal Service (USPS) stated that the impacts 
     would be that stamped ``First-Class Mail'' would take between 
     two and three days to reach its destination; and
       Whereas, mail delivery in eastern Idaho is now 
     significantly delayed, with delays ranging from a few days up 
     to a few weeks; and
       Whereas, USPS has already closed or suspended services in 
     many locations nationwide, including in Twin Falls, Idaho, 
     and is considering closing more; and
       Whereas, USPS can provide better delivery times while still 
     cutting substantive costs by restructuring its pre-funding 
     for retirement benefits: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, By the members of the Second Regular Session of 
     the Sixty-third Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House 
     of Representatives concurring therein, that Congress should 
     pass legislation that would direct USPS to restructure their 
     budget priorities, rethink their administrative model, make 
     appropriate budget cuts if necessary, focus on customer 
     service and acceptable delivery times, and reopen shuttered 
     mail processing plants throughout the United States; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be, and she is 
     hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this 
     Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of 
     the House of Representatives of this Congress, and the 
     congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in 
     the Congress of the United States.

                          ____________________