[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 88 (Monday, May 22, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3065-S3069]
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-21. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of West Virginia urging the United States 
     Congress and the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration to name the NASA IV and V Facility at Fairmont 
     for West Virginia mathematician Katherine Coleman Johnson; to 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                     House Concurrent Resolution 26

       Whereas, The NASA Independent Verification and Validation 
     Facility was established at Fairmont, West Virginia in 1993 
     as part of an agency-wide strategy to provide the highest 
     achievable levels of safety and cost effectiveness for 
     mission critical software; and
       Whereas, The NASA IV & V Facility was founded under the 
     NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) as a 
     direct result of recommendations made by the National 
     Research Council (NRC) and the Report of the Presidential 
     Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident; and
       Whereas, NASA IV & V Facility has 270 permanent employees 
     and high school and college interns during the summer months 
     and makes an important contribution to the Fairmont, Marion 
     County and West Virginia economies; and
       Whereas, NASA mathematician Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson 
     was born at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia in 1918 and 
     graduated from West Virginia State College summa cum laude in 
     1937 and was the first African American Woman to attend the 
     graduate school at West Virginia University in 1938; and
       Whereas, Katherine Johnson worked as a mathematician at the 
     Langley Flight Research Division from 1953 to 1958 where she 
     was an analyst for such topics as gust alleviation for 
     aircraft; and
       Whereas, Katherine Johnson worked as an aerospace 
     technologist at the Spacecraft Controls Branch from 1958 to 
     1986 and was involved in performing calculations for all the 
     important space missions during this period, including the 
     sub-orbital flight of Alan Shepard, the first orbital flight 
     by John Glenn and the 1969 Apollo 11 moon mission; and
       Whereas, Katherine Johnson is the subject of a recently 
     released motion picture ``Hidden Figures'' that highlights 
     her life and career. Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
       That the Legislature urges Congress and NASA to name the 
     NASA IV & V Facility at Fairmont for West Virginia 
     mathematician Katherine Coleman Johnson; and be it further,
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward 
     a copy of this resolution to the President and Secretary of 
     the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the House 
     of Representatives and to the members of West Virginia's 
     congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-22. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of West Virginia requesting the United States 
     Congress to fully support the National Park Service's 
     recommendations to extend the Lewis and Clark National 
     Historic Trail to include additional sites along the 
     Expeditions Eastern Legacy; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                     House Concurrent Resolution 15

       Whereas, The Lewis and Clark Expedition (``Expedition'') 
     and the Corps of Discovery are nationally significant for 
     their exploration of the Louisiana Territory and search for 
     an all water route to the Pacific Ocean. Under orders by 
     President Thomas Jefferson, the Expedition was responsible 
     for mapping the territory explored, as well as documenting 
     new species of plants and animals, and engaging with the 
     American Indian tribes they encountered. Although part of the 
     route was unmapped territory, the Lewis and Clark Expedition 
     was able to use maps provided to them by American Indians, 
     European explorers, and fur traders. Ultimately, the 
     Expedition was able to link routes and maps together to find 
     passage from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean, a feat which had 
     never before been accomplished; and
       Whereas, In order to recognize the historic significance of 
     the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the National Park Service 
     previously designated a trail which runs from Wood River, 
     Illinois to the West Coast in Oregon and Washington; and
       Whereas, Public Law 110-229, passed by the United States 
     Congress in 2008, authorized the Secretary of the Interior to 
     study additional sites associated with the preparation and 
     return phases of the Expedition, located in Virginia, the 
     District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West 
     Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Missouri and 
     Illinois. Those sites were to be considered for inclusion in 
     the ``Eastern Legacy'' of the Expedition; and
       Whereas, The National Park Service evaluated 25 distinct 
     route segments used by the Corps of Discovery for the 
     Expedition to determine if they met the criteria for national 
     significance established by the National Trails System Act; 
     and
       Whereas, In August 2016, the National Park Service 
     published its Draft Lewis and Clark National Trail Extension 
     Study, finding that three sections meet the criteria 
     established

[[Page S3066]]

     for inclusion in the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. 
     Those segments include the Ohio River, from Pittsburgh, 
     Pennsylvania to Louisville, Kentucky, from Louisville, 
     Kentucky to the confluence with the Mississippi River, and 
     from the Mississippi River's confluence with the Ohio River 
     at Cairo, Illinois, to Wood River, Illinois; and
       Whereas, A portion of the proposed extension of the Lewis 
     and Clark National Historic Trail includes sites along the 
     Ohio River in West Virginia. The inclusion of this segment 
     along the Lewis and Clark National Trail is not only 
     historically significant and appropriate, but may have a 
     positive economic impact on those sites. Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
       That the Legislature requests Congress to adopt the 
     National Park Service's recommendations as to the additional 
     segments for inclusion in the Lewis and Clark National 
     Historic Trail; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the House is hereby directed to 
     forward a copy of this resolution to the President and 
     Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk 
     of the House of Representatives and to the members of West 
     Virginia's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-23. 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-24. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     California relative to Commemoration of the Anniversary of 
     the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                        Senate Resolution No. 29

       Whereas, Armenians have resided in Asia Minor and the 
     Caucasus for approximately four millennia, and have a long 
     and rich history in the region, including the establishment 
     of many kingdoms, and despite Armenians' historic presence, 
     stewardship, and autonomy in the region, Turkish rulers of 
     the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey subjected 
     Armenians to severe and unjust persecution and brutality, 
     including wholesale massacres beginning in the 1890s; and
       Whereas, The Armenian nation was subjected to a systematic 
     and premeditated genocide officially beginning on April 24, 
     1915, at the hands of the Young Turk Government of the 
     Ottoman Empire from 1915-1919 and continued at the hands of 
     the Kemalist Movement of Turkey from 1920-1923 whereby over 
     1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children were 
     slaughtered or marched to their deaths in an effort to 
     annihilate the Armenian nation in the first genocide of 
     modern times, while thousands of surviving Armenian women and 
     children were forcibly converted and Islamized, and hundreds 
     of thousands more were subjected to ethnic cleansing during 
     the period of the modern Republic of Turkey from 1924-1937; 
     and
       Whereas, During the genocides of the Christians living in 
     the Ottoman Empire and surrounding regions, which occurred 
     during the first one-half of the 20th century, 1.5 million 
     men, women, and children of Armenian descent, and hundreds of 
     thousands of Assyrians, Greeks, and other Christians, lost 
     their lives at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish Empire and 
     the Republic of Turkey, constituting one of the most 
     atrocious violations of human rights in the history of the 
     world; and
       Whereas, These crimes against humanity also had the 
     consequence of permanently removing all traces of the 
     Armenians and other targeted people from their historic 
     homelands of more than four millennia, and enriching the 
     perpetrators with the lands and other property of the victims 
     of these crimes, including the usurpation of several thousand 
     churches; and
       Whereas, In response to the genocide and at the behest of 
     President Woodrow Wilson and the United States State 
     Department, the Near East Relief organization was founded, 
     and became the first congressionally sanctioned American 
     philanthropic effort created exclusively to provide 
     humanitarian assistance and rescue to the Armenian nation and 
     other Christian minorities from annihilation, who went on to 
     survive and thrive outside of their ancestral homeland all 
     over the world and specifically in this state; and

[[Page S3067]]

       Whereas, Near East Relief succeeded, with the active 
     participation of the citizens from this state, in delivering 
     $117 million in assistance, and saving more than one million 
     refugees, including 132,000 orphans, between 1915 and 1930, 
     by delivering food, clothing, and materials for shelter, 
     setting up refugee camps, clinics, hospitals, and orphanages; 
     and
       Whereas, The Armenian nation survived the genocide despite 
     the attempt by the Ottoman Empire to exterminate it; and
       Whereas, Adolf Hitler, in persuading his army commanders 
     that the merciless persecution and killing of Jews, Poles, 
     and other people would bring no retribution, declared, ``Who, 
     after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the 
     Armenians?''; and
       Whereas, On November 4, 1918, immediately after the 
     collapse of the Young Turk regime and before the founding of 
     the Republic of Turkey by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923, the 
     Ottoman Parliament considered a motion on the crimes 
     committed by the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) 
     stating: ``A population of one million people guilty of 
     nothing except belonging to the Armenian nation were 
     massacred and exterminated, including even women and 
     children.'' The Minister of Interior at the time, Fethi Bey, 
     responded by telling the Parliament: ``It is the intention of 
     the government to cure every single injustice done up until 
     now, as far as the means allow, to make possible the return 
     to their homes of those sent into exile, and to compensate 
     for their material loss as far as possible''; and
       Whereas, On August 1, 1926, in an interview published in 
     the Los Angeles Examiner, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk admitted: 
     ``These left-overs from the former Young Turk Party, who 
     should have been made to account for the lives of millions of 
     our Christian subjects who were ruthlessly driven en masse, 
     from their homes and massacred, have been restive under the 
     Republican rule. They have hitherto lived on plunder, robbery 
     and bribery and become inimical to any idea or suggestion to 
     enlist in useful labor and earn their living by the honest 
     sweat of their brow''; and
       Whereas, The Parliamentary Investigative Committee 
     proceeded to collect relevant documents describing the 
     actions of those responsible for the Armenian mass killings 
     and turned them over to the Turkish Military Tribunal. CUP's 
     leading figures were found guilty of massacring Armenians and 
     hanged or given lengthy prison sentences. The Turkish 
     Military Tribunal requested that Germany extradite to Turkey 
     the masterminds of the massacres who had fled the country. 
     After German refusal, they were tried in absentia and 
     sentenced to death; and
       Whereas, Unlike other people and governments that have 
     admitted and denounced the abuses and crimes of predecessor 
     regimes, and despite the Turkish government's earlier 
     admissions and the overwhelming proof of genocidal intent, 
     the Republic of Turkey inexplicably and adamantly has denied 
     the occurrence of the crimes against humanity committed by 
     the Ottoman and Young Turk rulers for many years, and 
     continues to do so a full century since the first crimes 
     constituting genocide occurred; and
       Whereas, Those denials compound the grief of the few 
     remaining survivors and deprive the surviving Armenian nation 
     of its individual and collective ancestral lands, property, 
     cultural heritage, financial assets, and population growth; 
     and
       Whereas, The Republic of Turkey has escalated its 
     international campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, 
     maintained its blockade of Armenia, and increased its 
     pressure on the small but growing movement in Turkey 
     acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and seeking justice for 
     this systematic campaign of destruction of millions of 
     Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and other Christians upon their 
     biblical-era homelands; and
       Whereas, Those citizens of Turkey, both Armenian and non-
     Armenian, who continue to speak the truth about the Armenian 
     Genocide, such as human rights activist and journalist Hrant 
     Dink, continue to be silenced by violent means; and
       Whereas, There is continued concern about the welfare of 
     Christians in the Republic of Turkey, their right to worship 
     and practice freely, and the legal status and condition of 
     thousands of ancient Armenian churches, monasteries, 
     cemeteries, and other historical and cultural structures, 
     sites, and antiquities in the Republic of Turkey; and
       Whereas, The United States is on record as having 
     officially recognized the Armenian Genocide in the United 
     States government's May 28, 1951, written statement to the 
     International Court of Justice regarding the Reservations to 
     the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime 
     of Genocide, through President Ronald Reagan's April 22, 
     1981, Proclamation No. 4838, and by congressional legislation 
     including House Joint Resolution 148 adopted on April 9, 
     1975, and House Joint Resolution 247 adopted on September 12, 
     1984; and
       Whereas, Prior to the Convention on the Prevention and 
     Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the United States had a 
     record of seeking just and constructive means to address the 
     consequences of the Ottoman Empire's intentional destruction 
     of the Armenian people, including through United States 
     Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 adopted on February 9, 1916, 
     United States Senate Resolution 359 adopted on May 11, 1920, 
     and President Woodrow Wilson's November 22, 1920, decision 
     titled, ``The Frontier between Armenia and Turkey,'' which 
     was issued as a binding arbitral award, yet has not been 
     enforced to this date despite its legally binding status; and
       Whereas, President Barack Obama entered office ``calling 
     for Turkey's acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide'' and on 
     April 24, 2013, and similarly on April 24, 2014, he further 
     stated, ``A full, frank, and just acknowledgment of the facts 
     is in all of our interests. Peoples and nations grow 
     stronger, and build a more just and tolerant future, by 
     acknowledging and reckoning with painful elements of the 
     past''; and
       Whereas, California is home to the largest Armenian 
     American population in the United States, and Armenians 
     living in California have enriched our state through their 
     leadership and contribution in business, agriculture, 
     academia, government, and the arts, many of whom have family 
     members who experienced firsthand the horror and evil of the 
     Armenian Genocide and its ongoing denial; and
       Whereas, Every person should be made aware and educated 
     about the Armenian Genocide and other crimes against 
     humanity; and
       Whereas, The State of California has been at the forefront 
     of encouraging and promoting a curriculum relating to human 
     rights and genocide in order to empower future generations to 
     prevent the recurrence of genocide; and
       Whereas, April 24, 1915, is globally observed and 
     recognized as the commencement of the Armenian Genocide; and
       Whereas, Armenians in the State of California and 
     throughout the world have not been provided with justice for 
     the crimes perpetrated against the Armenian nation despite 
     the fact that over a century has passed since the crimes were 
     first committed; and
       Whereas, The Armenian people in the State of California and 
     throughout the world remain resolved and their spirit 
     continues to thrive more than a century after their near 
     annihilation. Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the 
     Senate hereby designates the year of 2017 as ``State of 
     California Year or Commemoration of the Anniversary of the 
     Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923'' and in doing so, intends, 
     through the enactment of legislation, that the Armenian 
     Genocide is properly commemorated and taught to its citizens 
     and visitors through statewide educational and cultural 
     events; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate hereby designates the month of 
     April 2017 as ``State of California Month of Commemoration of 
     the 102nd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-
     1923''; and be it further
       Resolved, 'Mat the Senate commends its conscientious 
     educators who teach about human rights and genocide, and 
     intends for them, through the enactment of legislation, to 
     continue to enhance their efforts to educate students at all 
     levels about the experience of the Armenians and other crimes 
     against humanity; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate hereby commends the extraordinary 
     service which was delivered by Near East Relief to the 
     survivors of the Armenian Genocide and the Assyrian Genocide, 
     including thousands of direct beneficiaries of American 
     philanthropy who are the parents, grandparents, and great-
     grandparents of many Californian Armenians and Assyrians, and 
     pledges its intent, through the enactment of legislation, to 
     working with community groups, nonprofit organizations, 
     citizens, state personnel, and the community at large to host 
     statewide educational and cultural events; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate deplores the persistent, ongoing 
     efforts by any person, in this country or abroad, to deny the 
     historical fact of the Armenian Genocide; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate respectfully calls upon the 
     President and the Congress of the United States to formally 
     and consistently reaffirm the historical truth that the 
     atrocities committed against the Armenian people constituted 
     genocide; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate calls on the President of the 
     United States to work toward equitable, constructive, stable, 
     and durable Armenian-Turkish relations; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate calls on the President and the 
     Congress of the United States, in all official contacts with 
     Turkish and other world leaders and officials, to emphasize 
     that Turkey should:
       (1) End all forms of religious discrimination and 
     persecution.
       (2) Allow the rightful historical church and lay owners of 
     Christian and other church properties, without hindrance or 
     restriction, to organize and administer prayer services, 
     religious education, clerical training, appointments, and 
     succession, religious community gatherings, social services, 
     including ministry to the needs of the poor and infirm, and 
     other religious activities.
       (3) Return to their rightful owners all historical 
     Christian and other churches and other places of worship, 
     monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments, relics, holy 
     sites, and other religious properties, including movable 
     properties, such as artwork, manuscripts, vestments, vessels, 
     and other artifacts.
       (4) Allow the rightful Christian and other church and lay 
     owners of church properties, without hindrance or 
     restriction, to preserve, reconstruct, and repair, as they 
     see fit, all churches and other places of worship, 
     monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments,

[[Page S3068]]

     relics, holy sites, and other religious properties within 
     Turkey; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies 
     of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the 
     United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States, to the Governor of California, 
     to every member of the California State Legislature, and to 
     the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
                                  ____

       POM-25. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     California urging the President of the United States and the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security to reaffirm the principles and 
     content of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy 
     regarding enforcement actions at or focused on sensitive 
     locations; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                        Senate Resolution No. 22

       Whereas, Unfettered and secure public access to educational 
     institutions, health care facilities, government buildings, 
     community gatherings, courthouses, and places of worship is 
     integral to the basic rights and well-being of all 
     Californians; and
       Whereas, The mere possibility that immigration enforcement 
     activity is taking place at sensitive locations chills the 
     participation in society of immigrants, documented and 
     undocumented alike, as well as their family members, and all 
     who, regardless of their status, may be profiled as 
     immigrants; and
       Whereas, Despite repeated statements by President Trump 
     that his immigration enforcement efforts would focus on 
     dangerous criminals, he has directed his administration to 
     vastly expand the scope of those to be detained and deported 
     to include nearly all of the three million undocumented 
     immigrants living in California; and
       Whereas, A child cannot feel safe and secure going to 
     daycare, school, or university when immigration enforcement 
     may take place there at any time; and
       Whereas, The education of California's youth is of 
     paramount importance and impacts us all; and
       Whereas, A patient, individual feeling ill, or person 
     seeking testing or preventative care cannot feel safe and 
     secure accessing a hospital, clinic, dental office, or other 
     place of medical care when immigration enforcement may take 
     place there at any time; and
       Whereas, The health of every Californian is vitally 
     important and impacts us all; and
       Whereas, An attorney, litigant, or witness cannot feel safe 
     and secure entering a courthouse when immigration enforcement 
     may take place there at any time; and
       Whereas, Equal justice for all is of the utmost importance, 
     is constitutionally required, and impacts us all; and
       Whereas, A person of faith cannot feel safe and secure 
     entering a church, mosque, synagogue, temple, or other house 
     of worship when immigration enforcement may take place there 
     at any time; and
       Whereas, The free exercise of religion is deeply revered 
     and constitutionally required; and
       Whereas, An individual cannot feel safe and secure openly 
     protesting, speaking at a news conference, attending a rally, 
     going to a public hearing, or approaching a government 
     building when immigration enforcement may take place there at 
     any time; and
       Whereas, Freedom of expression, freedom of association, and 
     the right to petition the government for redress are 
     critically. important and constitutionally required for the 
     health of our democracy; and
       Whereas, On October 24, 2011, John Morton, then Director of 
     the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 
     within the United States Department of Homeland Security, 
     issued a policy memorandum directing ICE agents not to 
     conduct immigration enforcement actions at or focused on 
     sensitive locations, such as schools, hospitals,: 
     institutions of worship, funerals, weddings, public 
     demonstrations, marches, rallies, and parades, except as 
     authorized; and
       Whereas, Memoranda released on February 20, 2017, by John 
     Kelly, the current Secretary of Homeland Security, do not 
     contradict and therefore, by their own terms, do not repeal 
     the federal policy limiting immigration enforcement at 
     sensitive locations; and
       Whereas, Nonetheless, there have been numerous reports 
     since the beginning of President Trump's Administration of 
     ICE agents conducting immigration enforcement arrests in and 
     around those specific sensitive locations; and
       Whereas, On February 8, 2017, ICE agents arrested a group 
     of people emerging from a Virginia church basement that was 
     operating as a hypothermia shelter for the homeless; and
       Whereas, On February 9, 2017, security cameras captured 
     video of ICE agents entering a Texas family law courthouse 
     and detaining a domestic violence survivor who was there to 
     obtain a restraining order. In a sworn court statement, the 
     ICE agents indicated that they encountered the woman outside 
     the courthouse; and
       Whereas, On February 22, 2017, ICE agents entered a Texas 
     hospital and detained for a second time a 26-year-old mother 
     of two who had been diagnosed with a brain tumor just 11 days 
     prior, and tied her at the hands and feet; and
       Whereas, On March 1, 2017, ICE agents detained a 22-year-
     old woman who was previously registered with the Deferred 
     Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, moments after 
     she had publicly spoken about immigration policy at a press 
     conference outside the city hall located in Jackson, 
     Mississippi; and
       Whereas, The Trump administration has justified its vast 
     expansion of those targeted for deportation by falsely 
     portraying the United States as a country under siege by a 
     flood of undocumented immigrants who threaten public safety, 
     giving rise to anti-immigrant fervor and a nativist desire to 
     preserve our nation's historically dominant Euro-Christian 
     culture. Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the 
     Senate calls upon President Trump and Secretary Kelly to 
     publicly and explicitly reaffirm the principles and content 
     of the ICE policy memorandum dated October 24, 2011, 
     regarding enforcement actions at or focused on sensitive 
     locations; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate calls upon Secretary Kelly to 
     underscore to the public and to all United States Department 
     of Homeland Security personnel that the policy on sensitive 
     locations is not limited to enforcement at the sensitive 
     location, but also to enforcement focused on sensitive 
     locations, and that in other words, waiting across the street 
     from a church or school for people to emerge from the 
     sensitive location violates the policy as much as entering 
     the location itself, as does following someone away from a 
     press conference or other sensitive location so as to detain 
     them; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate calls upon Secretary Kelly to 
     take affirmative steps, including public commitment to the 
     sensitive locations policy, staff training, investigation or 
     reports of past and future violations of the policy, 
     including, but not limited to, investigating the incidents 
     detailed in this resolution, and pursuing disciplinary action 
     against personnel found to have violated the policy; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies 
     of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the 
     United States, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland 
     Security, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 
     Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Majority 
     Leader of the United States Senate, the Minority Leader of 
     the United States Senate, and to each Senator and 
     Representative from California in the Congress of the United 
     States.
                                  ____

       POM-26. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana memorializing the United States 
     Congress to create a reliable, predictable stream of 
     resources to address deferred maintenance needs in the 
     National Park System and to designate April 15, 2017, through 
     April 23, 2017, as ``National Park Week'' in Louisiana; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 30

       Whereas, on August 25, 1916, Congress established the 
     National Park Service with the mission to preserve unimpaired 
     natural and cultural resources and values of the National 
     Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of 
     current and future generations; and
       Whereas, in 2017, the National Park Service began its 
     second century of stewardship of the National Park System 
     after the 2016 National Park Service Centennial, which 
     celebrated one hundred years of the work of the National Park 
     Service to protect and manage majestic landscapes such as 
     Barataria Preserve, hallowed battlefields such as Chalmette 
     Battlefield, and iconic cultural and historical sites of the 
     United States such as Poverty Point and the Cane River 
     National Heritage Area; and
       Whereas, the National Park Service's employees, volunteers, 
     and park supporters continue to dedicate themselves to 
     serving the parks' national and international visitors and to 
     maintaining and improving the national parks for all to 
     enjoy; and
       Whereas, the national parks of the United States attracted 
     record-breaking visitation during the National Park Service 
     Centennial, with three hundred thirty-one million 
     recreational visits in 2016; and
       Whereas, in 2015, National Park Service estimates indicate 
     that park visitors spent more than sixteen billion nine 
     hundred million dollars at the sites and in the states and 
     local communities adjacent to national parks; and
       Whereas, in 2015, National Park Service estimates indicate 
     that park visitors spent more than twenty-eight million 
     dollars at the sites in and local communities adjacent to 
     Louisiana's national parks; and
       Whereas, in 2016, the National Park Service estimated a 
     deferred maintenance backlog of nearly twelve billion 
     dollars, which includes repairs to aging historical 
     structures, trails, sewers, drainage, thousands of miles of 
     roads, bridges, tunnels, and other vital infrastructure 
     needs; and
       Whereas, in 2016, the National Park Service estimated a 
     deferred maintenance backlog of over fifteen million dollars 
     in Louisiana's national parks, which includes repairs to 
     aging historical structures, trails, sewers, drainage, 
     thousands of miles of roads, bridges, tunnels, and other 
     vital infrastructure needs; and
       Whereas, it has been found that every public dollar 
     invested in the National Park Service returns ten dollars 
     because of visitor spending that works through local, state, 
     and national economies; and
       Whereas, the people of the United States have inherited the 
     remarkable legacy of the

[[Page S3069]]

     National Park System and are entrusted with its preservation 
     as the United States marks the beginning of the second 
     century of the National Park System. Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to create a 
     reliable, predictable stream of resources to address deferred 
     maintenance needs in America's National Park System; and be 
     it further
       Resolved that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     designate April 15, 2017, through April 23, 2017, as 
     ``National Park Week'' in Louisiana and encourages the people 
     of the United States and the world to visit and experience 
     the treasured national parks of the state of Louisiana; and 
     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-27. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Louisiana recognizing Wednesday, April 26, 2017, as the fifth 
     annual Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Day at the state capitol 
     and express support of the Louisiana Energy Export 
     Association, LNG exports, and the streamlining and expedition 
     of permit approval for pending export facilities; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

                        Senate Resolution No. 44

       Whereas, plentiful natural gas supplies and unprecedented 
     advances in technology have provided a historic opportunity 
     for the United States to achieve energy self-sufficiency 
     while creating jobs and wealth for our economy; and
       Whereas, pioneering exploration and extraction methods have 
     opened such vast natural gas resources to development in 
     areas, such as the Haynesville Shale, that demand on United 
     States natural gas markets can grow with little impact on 
     domestic prices; and
       Whereas, the Department of Energy estimates domestic 
     natural gas production levels will increase by over 50% by 
     2050; and
       Whereas, global demand for liquefied natural gas is 
     expected to grow significantly over the next two decades, 
     with Louisiana poised to play a major role in meeting such 
     demand; and
       Whereas, expanding markets for United States natural gas is 
     consistent with national trade and security policy, because 
     failure to expand liquefied natural gas exports would force 
     our allies to continue to rely on regimes that are hostile to 
     United States interests for their energy needs; and
       Whereas, over 100 cargoes of LNG have already departed for 
     international markets from Louisiana facilities; and
       Whereas, continued growth in liquefied natural gas exports 
     will create tens of thousands of construction and operations 
     jobs in Louisiana; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana Energy Export Association was formed 
     in 2017 as a nonprofit grassroots organization to serve as a 
     unifying voice for Louisiana's LNG exporters with the mission 
     of supporting the exports of natural gas and educating public 
     and policy leaders of the economic benefits LNG exports will 
     bring to the United States; and
       Whereas, Louisiana Energy Export Association member 
     companies plan to invest over $60 billion in Louisiana over 
     the next decade, creating over 20,000 jobs, economic 
     opportunity, and expanding the Louisiana tax base; and
       Whereas, liquefied natural gas exports would provide 
     incentives for new infrastructure investments worth billions 
     of dollars and generate royalties and local tax revenues 
     directly in communities across the state; and
       Whereas, a diverse coalition of Louisiana LNG producers, 
     energy and petroleum companies, business groups, service 
     companies, and others have expressed their support for LNG 
     exports. Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana 
     does hereby recognize Wednesday, April 26, 2017, as the fifth 
     annual Liquefied Natural Gas Day at the state capitol and 
     express support of the Louisiana Energy Export Association, 
     LNG exports, and the streamlining and expedition of permit 
     approval for pending export facilities so that the economic 
     benefits of LNG exports can be magnified throughout the state 
     of Louisiana, as well as the United States; and 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-28. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Michigan urging the United 
     States Congress to eliminate the ``widows' tax'' on the 
     surviving spouses of retired U.S. military service members; 
     to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                        House Resolution No. 50

       Whereas, Retired military service members may participate 
     in the Survivor Benefit Program. The Survivor Benefit Program 
     is an optional annuity designed to provide a lifetime monthly 
     benefit to the surviving spouse of a service member. The 
     annuity payments offset pan of the retirement income lost as 
     a result of the service member's death. The annuity's premium 
     is paid by the retired service member through a deduction 
     from their monthly retirement benefit check; and
       Whereas, The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides a 
     tax-free monthly benefit to the surviving spouses of eligible 
     military service members who died as a result of service-
     related injuries or diseases. The Dependency and Indemnity 
     Compensation program's earned benefit expresses a measure of 
     thanks from a grateful nation to a fallen soldier's family. 
     Benefits start with a standard monthly allowance for the 
     surviving spouse and additional benefits are provided under 
     certain circumstances; and
       Whereas, Under federal law, a surviving spouse is punished 
     for having both a paid annuity and earned indemnity benefits. 
     When a surviving spouse of a military retiree is eligible to 
     receive a monthly annuity payment through the Survivor 
     Benefit Program and has been awarded a monthly benefit 
     through the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation program, 
     the retirement annuity is offset dollar-for-dollar by the 
     amount of benefits received because of their service-related 
     death. This offset is commonly referred to throughout the 
     veterans' community as the ``widows' tax'' and can cause 
     $14,580 a year or more in reduced payments to beneficiaries; 
     and
       Whereas, The indemnity compensation should be in addition 
     to the retirement annuity rather than in place of it. The 
     rationale and qualifications for these two programs are 
     wholly different. The Survivor Benefit Program is a personal 
     financial decision made by a military retiree to provide some 
     degree of financial security to their surviving spouse while 
     the Veterans Affairs indemnity program is an earned benefit 
     awarded following a service-connected death. The Survivor 
     Benefit Program's mandated premium payments set it apart from 
     the indemnity program's survivor benefits, and the government 
     should not be taking the annuity benefits bought by service 
     members for their families. Congress should ensure that the 
     families who have given so much in the service of their 
     country receive all of their military survivor benefits and 
     retirement annuities. Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the 
     Congress of the United States to eliminate the ``widows' 
     tax'' on the surviving spouses of retired U.S. military 
     service members; 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.

                          ____________________