[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 9, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S108-S110]
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-151. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Texas urging the United States Congress to 
     encourage the United States Department of Agriculture to 
     revise existing policies that promote the waste of water 
     after an irrigated crop has been declared a failure; to the 
     Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 31

       Whereas, among the most urgent and costly issues facing 
     Texas is drought, which recently has caused a number of crop 
     failures on irrigated land; those occurrences have 
     highlighted the necessity for policies that promote 
     responsible water usage and water conservation; and
       Whereas, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, managed by 
     the Risk Management Agency of the United States Department of 
     Agriculture, supports the economic stability of agriculture 
     through its crop insurance program, which assists American 
     farmers and agricultural entities in managing risk and the 
     threat of natural disasters; in the event of a crop failure, 
     however, current FCIC policy requires farmers to demonstrate 
     good faith practices, which include watering the failed crop, 
     in order to qualify for insurance benefits; and
       Whereas, the USDA could further help sustain the 
     agricultural industry and our precious water resources by 
     developing provisions that encourage water conservation when 
     crop failures occur; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas 
     hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to 
     encourage the U.S. Department of Agriculture to revise 
     existing policies that promote the waste of water after an 
     irrigated crop has been declared a failure; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward 
     official copies of this resolution to the president of the 
     United States, to the secretary of agriculture, to the 
     president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States, to the 
     chair of the House Committee on Agriculture and the chair of 
     the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 
     and to all members of the Texas delegation to Congress with 
     the request that this resolution be officially entered in the 
     Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the 
     United States of America.
                                  ____

       POM-152. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Texas urging the United States Congress to 
     bestow on

[[Page S109]]

     Doris ``Dorie'' Miller the Congressional Medal of Honor; to 
     the Committee on Armed Services.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 45

       Whereas, During the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 
     1941, Petty Officer Doris Miller of the U.S. Navy 
     demonstrated valor above and beyond the call of duty, and he 
     is long past due for full recognition of his extraordinary 
     courage and initiative on that day; and
       Whereas, A native of Texas, Doris ``Dorie'' Miller was born 
     in Waco on October 12, 1919, to Henrietta and Conery Miller; 
     he was a fullback on the football team at Moore High School 
     in Waco, and he went on to work on his father's farm; and
       Whereas, In September 1939, Mr. Miller enlisted in the U.S. 
     Navy as a way to see the world and earn money for his family; 
     at that time, African Americans were only permitted to 
     perform menial tasks in the Navy, so Mr. Miller was trained 
     as a mess attendant at the Naval Training Station in Norfolk, 
     Virginia; after a brief assignment on the ammunition ship USS 
     Pyro, he was transferred in January 1940 to the battleship 
     USS West Virginia, where he won distinction among the crew as 
     the ship's heavyweight boxing champion; his rank at the time 
     was mess attendant, second class; and
       Whereas, Mr. Miller rose at 6 a.m. on the morning of 
     December 7, 1941, and he was collecting laundry when the 
     Japanese attack began and the alarm for general quarters was 
     sounded; even mess attendants had a battle station, but Mr. 
     Miller's, an antiaircraft battery magazine, had already been 
     destroyed by a torpedo, so he went up on deck where, as the 
     ship began to sink, he hauled wounded shipmates through oil 
     and water to safety on the quarterdeck; he was then ordered 
     to the bridge, where he picked up the ship's mortally wounded 
     captain and carried him to an aid station; and
       Whereas, Mr. Miller then returned to the bridge, and on his 
     own initiative, he began firing a .50-caliber Browning 
     antiaircraft machine gun at the attacking Japanese planes; he 
     had never trained on the weapon, but, as he reported later, 
     ``It wasn't hard, I just pulled the trigger and she worked 
     fine''; with no concern for his own safety, he continued 
     firing until the gun's ammunition ran out, possibly bringing 
     down one of the enemy aircraft; in the meantime, the West 
     Virginia had been hit by five enemy torpedoes, and Mr. Miller 
     was finally forced to abandon ship with his surviving 
     crewmates; and
       Whereas, In the aftermath of the attack, Mr. Miller was 
     commended by Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, and on May 27, 
     1942, he became the first African American to receive the 
     Navy Cross, the service's second-highest honor, which was 
     personally presented to him by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the 
     commander of the Pacific Fleet; he went on to serve on the 
     USS Indianapolis and then the USS Liscome Bay; that ship was 
     sunk by a Japanese submarine on November 24, 1943, and though 
     his body was never recovered, Mr. Miller was eventually 
     listed among the 646 sailors who died that day; at the time 
     of his death, his rank was cook, third class; and
       Whereas, In the years since, Mr. Miller's actions have 
     become an important part of the legacy of Pearl Harbor; 
     during the war, a poster from the U.S. Office of War 
     Information featured his image and urged African Americans to 
     join the war effort, and in 1973, a Knox-class frigate was 
     christened the USS Miller in his honor; in 1991, Alpha Kappa 
     Alpha sorority dedicated a bronze plaque to him at the U.S. 
     Naval Base in Pearl Harbor, and in 2001, he was portrayed by 
     the actor Cuba Gooding Jr. in the blockbuster film, Pearl 
     Harbor; more recently, his story has been featured 
     prominently in the National Museum of African American 
     History and Culture in Washington, D.C.; in addition to the 
     Navy Cross, he was also entitled to the Purple Heart, the 
     American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, the Asiatic-
     Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal; 
     and
       Whereas, In 1939, when the clouds of world war were 
     gathering in Europe and Asia, Dorie Miller chose to enlist in 
     a Navy that did not trust black men to serve in combat, and 
     at a moment of direst need, he picked up a weapon he had 
     never used before and fought back against a savage enemy, 
     performing brilliantly and courageously under fire in defense 
     of his ship, his crewmates, and his nation; his valiant 
     service on that day, and afterwards, warrants the highest 
     honor that can be bestowed upon a member of the armed forces 
     of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas 
     hereby urge the United States Congress to bestow on Doris 
     ``Dorie'' Miller the Congressional Medal of Honor; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the secretary of state forward official 
     copies of this resolution to the president of the United 
     States, to the secretary of the Navy, to the speaker of the 
     House of Representatives and the president of the Senate of 
     the United States Congress, and to all the members of the 
     Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this 
     resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record 
     as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of 
     America.
                                  ____

       POM-153. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Texas expressing support for the development 
     and construction of a coastal barrier to protect the Gulf 
     Coast region of Texas from storm surges, to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 106

       Whereas, Texas has been the nation's top exporting state 
     for the last 14 consecutive years, with an estimated $650 
     billion in trade in 2015 alone; exports support some 1.6 
     million jobs and contribute over $200 billion to the gross 
     state product; and
       Whereas, the Gulf Coast region of Texas plays a crucial 
     role in the prosperity of the state, as it is home not only 
     to the largest concentration of petrochemical manufacturing 
     and refining facilities in the United States but also to the 
     federal Strategic Petroleum Reserve and a vital supply of 
     aviation jet fuel for military and commercial use; in 
     addition, Texas ports along the Gulf Coast are integral to 
     the chemical manufacturing industry and to both the state and 
     national economies; and
       Whereas, this Gulf Coast region, however, is vulnerable to 
     major weather events, including intense hurricanes, which in 
     the recent past have devastated area cities by causing 
     significant loss of life, destroying residential and 
     commercial property, damaging sensitive ecosystems, and 
     weakening local economies; and
       Whereas, in response to the havoc wreaked by Hurricanes Ike 
     and Rita, researchers at the Center for Texas Beaches and 
     Shores at Texas A&M University at Galveston designed the 
     Coastal Spine; plans for implementing the structure have 
     included consideration of scientific research, historical 
     storm data, and existing systems; moreover, the environmental 
     impact such an apparatus would have on the surrounding area 
     and waterway is being vigorously evaluated, and the study is 
     expected to be completed in the summer of 2017; and
       Whereas, the Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery 
     District, composed of Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Harris, 
     Galveston, and Brazoria Counties, was created by Governor 
     Rick Perry in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike; its board, 
     which represents more than 6.5 million residents who live in 
     the upper Gulf Coast area, has determined that the Coastal 
     Spine is the best method for protecting against storm surges 
     along the Texas coast; the concept has also gained widespread 
     support from residents, businesses, and elected officials 
     throughout the coastal region; and
       Whereas, the General Land Office of the State of Texas is 
     committed to partnering with the United States Army Corps of 
     Engineers to implement the construction of the Coastal Spine; 
     and
       Whereas, the Texas Legislature is committed to the creation 
     of a special purpose district within the Gulf Coast Region in 
     order to fund the ongoing operations and maintenance of any 
     structures and facilities related to the Coastal Spine; and
       Whereas, the potential benefits of the Coastal Spine are 
     manifold, ranging from preserving life and property to 
     spurring economic growth and cutting state expenses for 
     disaster assistance, and it is necessary for the U.S. 
     government to provide aid and support for further research, 
     design, and construction of the coastal barrier; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas 
     hereby express its support for the development and 
     construction of a coastal barrier to protect the Gulf Coast 
     region of Texas from storm surges; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Texas Legislature hereby urge the United 
     States Congress to provide sufficient federal funding for the 
     construction of the project; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Texas Legislature hereby urge the U.S. 
     Congress to expedite the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers design 
     and construction process; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward 
     official 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, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to 
     Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in 
     the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the 
     United States of America.
                                  ____

       POM-154. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Wisconsin applying to the United States 
     Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the United 
     States Constitution, for the calling of a convention for 
     proposing amendments, for the limited purpose of requiring 
     the federal government to operate under a balanced budget, to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 21

       Whereas, previous presidential administrations and Congress 
     have allowed an unprecedented amount of federal debt to 
     accumulate, which currently exceeds $20 trillion; and
       Whereas, a report by President Obama's National Commission 
     on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform issued a warning on the 
     debt levels, stating: ``If the U.S. does not put its house in 
     order, the reckoning will be sure and the devastation 
     severe''; and
       Whereas, the Constitution of the United States does not 
     currently require the federal government to operate under a 
     balanced budget; and
       Whereas, members of both political parties and both houses 
     of Congress have called for a balanced budget amendment to 
     the Constitution of the United States to no avail; and
       Whereas, Article V of the Constitution of the United States 
     authorizes the legislatures

[[Page S110]]

     of the states to convene a convention for proposing 
     amendments upon the passage of 34 state resolutions; and
       Whereas, 49 states, by constitution or statute, require a 
     balanced budget; and
       Whereas, the legislature of the State of Wisconsin supports 
     the federal government operating under a balanced budget; 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the 
     legislature of the State of Wisconsin herewith respectfully 
     applies to Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the 
     Constitution of the United States, for the calling of a 
     convention for proposing amendments, for the limited purpose 
     of requiring the federal government to operate under a 
     balanced budget; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the senate chief clerk and the assembly 
     chief clerk, jointly, are hereby directed to forward a proper 
     authenticated copy of this resolution to the President of the 
     Senate of the United States, and to the Speaker of the House 
     of Representatives of the United States; and, be it further
       Resolved, That this resolution constitutes a continuing 
     application for a convention for proposing amendments in 
     accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the United 
     States until such a convention is convened on the same 
     subject or until the legislature of the State of Wisconsin 
     rescinds this resolution.
                                  ____

       POM-155. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas 
     relative to immigration; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                          ____________________