[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 17, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3007-S3008]
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-17. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Michigan memorializing the 
     United States Congress to repeal the standards set forth by 
     the United States Environmental Protection Agency on portable 
     fuel container design; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                        House Resolution No. 38

       Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency 
     (EPA) adopted rules to limit emissions from portable fuel 
     containers, such as gas cans, in 2007. The standard was meant 
     to force design changes in fuel containers to reduce 
     evaporation, permeation, and spillage and was part of a 
     larger package on reducing toxic air emissions from mobile 
     sources like passenger vehicles. Since 2009, all containers 
     manufactured now need to be designed to meet these standards; 
     and
       Whereas, Portable fuel containers are responsible for a 
     relatively small portion of toxic air emissions from mobile 
     sources. In 1999, these containers accounted for only 2 
     percent of these emissions. The EPA projects that the new 
     portable fuel container standard will account for 6 percent 
     of the reduction in toxic air emissions under the 2007 rule. 
     Passenger vehicles and gasoline regulations will account for 
     94 percent of projected reductions; and
       Whereas, Gas cans and other portable fuel containers 
     designed to meet the new standard do not work effectively and 
     are a continual source of frustration for consumers. To meet 
     the standard, containers are being designed without a vent, 
     resulting in slow, uneven flow out of the cans; and
       Whereas, The portable fuel container emissions standard is 
     not an effective way to limit toxic air emissions. Containers 
     that work improperly may result in more spills as users are 
     paying more attention to getting gas out of the container 
     than how much gas is in the tank. Frustrated users may resort 
     to modifying the container to create a vent, eliminating any 
     environmental benefit from the design, or using other 
     containers illegally; and
       Whereas, The portable fuel container standards are yet 
     another example of the EPA adopting regulations without 
     properly accounting for real life use and impact. These 
     regulations provide minimal environmental gain and make 
     something as simple as filling a lawn mower tank an exercise 
     in frustration; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to repeal the 
     standards set forth by the United States Environmental 
     Protection Agency on portable fuel container design; 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. Adopted by the House 
     of Representatives, May 4, 2017.
                                  ____

       POM-18. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of North Dakota requesting the United States 
     Congress and the President of the United States to enact 
     legislation to expand and extend the current federal tax 
     credit for carbon capture, utilization, and storage under 
     Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code; to provide 
     appropriations to the United States Department of Energy 
     Sufficient to achieve and sustain a robust carbon capture 
     research, development, demonstration, and deployment program; 
     to support the inclusion of economically and environmentally 
     beneficial carbon capture projects in any forthcoming federal 
     infrastructure initiative; to support policies to increase 
     the operational efficiency; and to support the preservation 
     of a fuel-diverse electric generation portfolio critical to 
     our domestic economic, energy, and national security; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 3037

       Whereas, fossil fuels including coal, natural gas, and oil 
     provide more than three-quarters of global and United States' 
     primary energy demand and, according to the International 
     Energy Agency, will continue to do so for the next quarter-
     century or more under current energy and environmental 
     policies; and
       Whereas, recognition of the value and enduring role of 
     fossil fuels as an essential source of energy around the 
     world and in the United States for decades to come has led 
     environmental advocates to support the accelerated 
     development and broad deployment of carbon capture 
     technologies for fossil fuels as part of a sustainable energy 
     future; and
       Whereas, recognition of the role carbon capture can play in 
     creating new opportunities for fossil fuels has led fossil 
     energy advocates to similarly support the development and 
     deployment of carbon capture technologies for fossil fuels; 
     and
       Whereas, the United States and North Dakota have abundant 
     supplies of fossil energy, the production and use of which 
     provide important economic, energy, and national security 
     benefits to our nation and our state; and
       Whereas, North Dakota is the nation's 6th largest producer 
     of fossil energy, 2nd largest producer of oil, 2nd largest 
     producer of lignite coal, 11th largest producer of natural 
     gas, the largest consumer of coal for industrial use, and the 
     10th largest consumer of coal for electricity generation; and
       Whereas, according to the Department of Energy, ``A diverse 
     portfolio of energy resources is critical to U.S. energy and 
     national policy . . . being more robust and resilient in 
     comparison to a system that is heavily dependent on a limited 
     set of energy resources . . . [and] helps insulate the 
     economy from certain risks, including price volatility and 
     risks from supply disruptions''; and
       Whereas, reliable and affordable electricity is vital to 
     economic growth and job creation in North Dakota and the 
     overall welfare of our citizens; and
       Whereas, 73 percent of the electricity generated in North 
     Dakota is produced from fossil fuels and the average 
     residential price of electricity in North Dakota is the 6th 
     lowest in the nation and is 18 percent below the national 
     average; and
       Whereas, continued research and development of carbon 
     reduction strategies for fossil fuels is an essential element 
     of a forward-looking sustainable energy strategy for North 
     Dakota, our nation, and the world which will simultaneously 
     maximize both environmental quality and economic opportunity; 
     and
       Whereas, the Energy and Environmental Research Center at 
     the University of North Dakota, the Great Plains Synfuels 
     Plant in Beulah, and the Lignite Energy Council are engaged 
     in efforts to address environmental, health, and economic 
     impacts of energy production and use through collaborations 
     on applied carbon dioxide research, practical applications, 
     workforce development, and public education; and
       Whereas, legislation was introduced in the 114th Congress 
     to enhance and extend federal tax incentives, under Section 
     45Q of the Internal Revenue Code, which serve to sustain and 
     promote such collaborations and to encourage private industry 
     in energy generation, manufacturing, and agriculture to adopt 
     and deploy existing and emerging technologies that increase 
     carbon capture, utilization, and storage; and
       Whereas, the coming together of environmental and energy 
     advocates in support of carbon capture is reflected in the 
     groundbreaking coalition of environmental advocacy groups, 
     labor unions, and energy producers from the coal, oil and 
     gas, ethanol, and algae-biomass industries working together 
     in support of federal legislation; and
       Whereas, similar legislation is now under consideration in 
     the 115th Congress, and Congress and the President also are 
     considering enactment of a large-scale federal infrastructure 
     initiative to strengthen our nation's transportation, public 
     works, and energy infrastructure that also could serve as a 
     vehicle for advancing ``jobs-ready'' carbon capture projects; 
     and
       Whereas, according to the Department of Energy, ``A 
     combination of tax incentives and research, development, 
     demonstration, and deployment will be critical to developing 
     transformational carbon capture technologies and to driving 
     down the costs of capture''; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of North Dakota, 
     the Senate concurring therein: That the Sixty-fifth 
     Legislative Assembly requests Congress and the President of 
     the United States to enact legislation to expand and extend 
     the current federal tax credit for carbon capture, 
     utilization, and storage under Section 45Q of the Internal 
     Revenue Code; to provide appropriations to the United States 
     Department of Energy sufficient to achieve and sustain a 
     robust carbon capture research, development, demonstration, 
     and deployment program; to support the inclusion of 
     economically and environmentally beneficial carbon capture 
     projects in any forthcoming federal infrastructure 
     initiative; to support policies to increase the operational 
     efficiency, and thereby the environmental performance, of 
     existing electric-generating units in the United States; and 
     to support the preservation of a fuel-diverse electric 
     generation portfolio critical to our domestic economic, 
     energy, and national security; and be it further
       Resolved, that the Secretary of State forward copies of 
     this resolution by certified mail, return receipt requested, 
     to the President of the United States, the President and 
     Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk 
     of the United States House of Representatives, the Secretary 
     of the United States Department of Energy, and to each member 
     of the North Dakota Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-19. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Florida condemning the Boycott; Divestment and Sanctions 
     movement and the increasing incidence of acts of anti-
     Semitism; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                       Senate Resolution No. 1184

       Whereas, Floridians have, as a matter of public policy, 
     long opposed bigotry, oppression, discrimination, and 
     injustice, and

[[Page S3008]]

       Whereas, Florida and Israel have enjoyed a long history of 
     friendship and are great allies, each supporting the best 
     interests of the other, and
       Whereas, the State of Israel, the only democracy in the 
     Middle East, is the greatest friend and ally of the United 
     States in the region, and
       Whereas, the elected representatives of the state recognize 
     the importance of expressing Florida's unwavering support for 
     the Jewish people and the State of Israel's right to exist 
     and right to self-defense, and
       Whereas, the incidence of acts of anti-Semitism is 
     increasing throughout the world, including in the United 
     States and in Florida, and is reflected in official hate 
     crime statistics, and
       Whereas, the international Boycott, Divestment and 
     Sanctions (BDS) movement is one of the main vehicles for 
     spreading anti-Semitic perspectives and advocating the 
     elimination of the Jewish State, and
       Whereas, the level of activities promoting BDS against 
     Israel has increased in this state, in communities and on 
     college campuses, and contributes to the promotion of anti-
     Semitic and anti-Zionist propaganda, and
       Whereas, the increase in BDS campaign activities on college 
     campuses nationwide has resulted in an increase in 
     confrontations with, intimidation of, and discrimination 
     against Jewish students, and
       Whereas, leaders of the BDS movement express that their 
     goal is to eliminate Israel as the national home of the 
     Jewish people, and
       Whereas, the BDS campaign's call for academic and cultural 
     boycotts has been condemned by many of our nation's largest 
     academic associations, more than 250 university presidents, 
     and many other leading scholars as a violation of the bedrock 
     principle of academic freedom, Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: That the 
     Florida Senate condemns the international Boycott, Divestment 
     and Sanctions movement against the State of Israel and calls 
     upon the governmental institutions of this state to denounce 
     hatred and discrimination whenever they appear and be it 
     further
       Resolved that the Florida Senate urges the President of the 
     United States to order withdrawal of the United States 
     Customs and Border Protection statement dated January 23, 
     2016, entitled ``West Bank Country of Origin Marking 
     Requirements,'' so that goods made in the West Bank can 
     continue to be properly labeled ``Made in Israel.'' and be it 
     further
       Resolved that copies of this resolution be presented to the 
     President of the United States, the President and Secretary 
     of the United States Senate, and the Speaker and Clerk of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and to the Embassy of 
     Israel in Washington, D.C., for transmission to the proper 
     authorities of the State of Israel as a tangible token of the 
     sentiments expressed herein.
                                  ____

       POM-20. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Florida opposing United Nations Security Council Resolution 
     2334 and requesting its repeal or fundamental alteration; to 
     the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                       Senate Resolution No. 574

       Whereas, the United States has long supported a negotiated 
     settlement leading to a sustainable two-state solution with 
     the democratic, Jewish state of Israel and a demilitarized, 
     democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and 
     security, and
       Whereas, since 1993, the United States has facilitated 
     direct, bilateral negotiations between both parties toward 
     achieving a two-state solution and ending all outstanding 
     claims, and
       Whereas, it is the long-standing policy of the United 
     States that a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian 
     conflict will only come through direct, bilateral 
     negotiations between the two parties, and
       Whereas, it was the long-standing position of the United 
     States to oppose and, if necessary, veto United Nations 
     Security Council resolutions dictating additional binding 
     parameters on the peace process, and
       Whereas, it was also the long-standing position of the 
     United States to oppose and, if necessary, veto one-sided or 
     anti-Israel United Nations Security Council resolutions, and
       Whereas, the United States has stood in the minority 
     internationally over successive administrations in defending 
     Israel in international forums, including vetoing one-sided 
     resolutions in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 
     2011 before the United Nations Security Council, and
       Whereas, the United States recently signed a new memorandum 
     of understanding with the Israeli government regarding 
     security assistance, consistent with long-standing support 
     for Israel among successive administrations and Congresses 
     and representing an important United States commitment toward 
     Israel's qualitative military edge, and
       Whereas, on November 29, 2016, the United States House of 
     Representatives unanimously passed House Concurrent 
     Resolution 165, expressing and reaffirming long-standing 
     United States policy in support of a direct, bilaterally 
     negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and 
     in opposition to United Nations Security Council resolutions 
     that impose a solution to the conflict, and
       Whereas, on December 23, 2016, the United States Permanent 
     Representative to the United Nations disregarded House 
     Concurrent Resolution 165 and departed from long-standing 
     United States policy by abstaining and permitting United 
     Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to be adopted under 
     Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter, and
       Whereas, the United States' abstention on United Nations 
     Security Council Resolution 2334 contradicts the Oslo Accords 
     and its associated process that is predicated on resolving 
     the Israeli-Palestinian conflict between the parties through 
     direct, bilateral negotiations, and
       Whereas, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 
     claims that ``the establishment by Israel of settlements in 
     the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East 
     Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant 
     violation under international law and a major obstacle to the 
     achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and 
     comprehensive peace,'' and
       Whereas, by referring to the ``4 June 1967 lines'' as the 
     basis for negotiations, United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 2334 effectively states that the Jewish Quarter of 
     the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall, Judaism's 
     holiest site, are ``occupied territory,'' thereby equating 
     these sites with outposts in the West Bank which the Israeli 
     government has deemed illegal, and
       Whereas, passage of United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 2334 effectively legitimizes efforts by the 
     Palestinian Authority to impose its own solution through 
     international organizations and unjustified boycotts or 
     divestment campaigns against Israel by calling ``upon all 
     States, bearing in mind paragraph 1 of this resolution, to 
     distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the 
     territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied 
     since 1967,'' and will require the United States and Israel 
     to take effective action to counteract the resolution's 
     potential harmful impacts, and
       Whereas, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 
     did not directly call upon Palestinian leadership to fulfill 
     their obligations toward negotiations or mention that part of 
     the eventual Palestinian state is currently controlled by 
     Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, and
       Whereas, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 
     sought to impose or unduly influence solutions to final-
     status issues and is biased against Israel, Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: That the 
     Florida Senate finds that:
       (1) The passage of United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 2334 undermined the long-standing position of the 
     United States to oppose and veto United Nations Security 
     Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final-
     status issues or are one-sided and anti-Israel, reversing 
     decades of bipartisan agreement.
       (2) The passage of United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 2334 undermines the prospect of Israelis and 
     Palestinians resuming productive, direct, bilateral 
     negotiations.
       (3) The passage of United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 2334 contributes to the politically motivated acts 
     of boycotting, divesting from, and sanctioning Israel and 
     represents a concerted effort to extract concessions from 
     Israel outside of direct, bilateral negotiations between the 
     Israelis and Palestinians, which must be actively rejected.
       (4) Any future measures taken by any organization, 
     including the United Nations Security Council, to impose an 
     agreement or parameters for an agreement will set back the 
     peace process, harm the security of Israel, contradict the 
     enduring bipartisan consensus on strengthening the United 
     States-Israel relationship, and weaken support for such 
     organizations.
       (5) A durable and sustainable peace agreement between 
     Israel and the Palestinians is only possible with direct, 
     bilateral negotiations between the parties resulting in a 
     Jewish, democratic state living next to a demilitarized 
     Palestinian state in peace and security.
       (6) The United States government should work to facilitate 
     serious, direct, unconditional negotiations between the 
     parties toward a sustainable peace agreement.
       (7) The United States government should oppose and veto 
     future one-sided, anti-Israel United Nations Security Council 
     resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final-status 
     issues. And be it further
       Resolved that the Florida Senate opposes and requests the 
     repeal of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 or 
     the fundamental alteration of the resolution so that it:
       (1) Is no longer one-sided and anti-Israel.
       (2) Authorizes all final-status issues toward a two-state 
     solution to be resolved through direct, bilateral 
     `negotiations between the parties involved. And be it further
       Resolved that copies of this resolution be presented to the 
     President of the United States, the President and Secretary 
     of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the Israeli 
     Embassy in Washington, D.C., for transmission to the proper 
     authorities of the State of Israel as a tangible token of the 
     sentiments expressed herein.

                          ____________________