[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 59 (Thursday, April 12, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2119-S2120]
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-191. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Washington urging the United States Congress to pass 
     and the President of the United States to sign legislation 
     reforming the harbor maintenance tax; to the Committee on 
     Finance.

                       Senate Joint Memorial 8008

       Whereas, The federal harbor maintenance tax is assessed on 
     the value of goods being shipped into United States ports; 
     and
       Whereas, The harbor maintenance tax is not collected on 
     transpacific cargo shipped to the United States via rail or 
     roads from ports in Mexico and Canada; and
       Whereas, The ability to move trans-pacific cargo through 
     Canadian ports and avoid paying the harbor maintenance tax is 
     an incentive to divert cargo away from United States ports; 
     and
       Whereas, The federal maritime commission inquiry into the 
     harbor maintenance tax found that up to half of United States 
     bound containers coming into Canada's west coast ports could 
     revert to using United States west coast ports if United 
     States importers were relieved from paying the tax; and
       Whereas, Current United States law does not require the 
     revenues raised through the harbor maintenance tax to be 
     fully spent on harbor maintenance related investments, 
     collections have far exceeded fund appropriation and surplus 
     collections will grow to over nine billion dollars this year; 
     and
       Whereas, Revenue raised through the harbor maintenance tax 
     pays for dredging and other maintenance costs, with 
     significant amounts being spent for dredging at east coast, 
     Gulf, and Columbia River ports; and
       Whereas, Certain deep water ports on the west coast that 
     require no or little dredging, including the new Northwest 
     Seaport Alliance consisting of the ports of Seattle and 
     Tacoma, receive just over a penny on every dollar of harbor 
     maintenance tax paid by shippers who use their ports; and
       Whereas, The Columbia river channel is critical to maintain 
     global trade and the port of Vancouver USA serves as the 
     largest wheat export gateway in the nation; and
       Whereas, With the recent widening of the Panama Canal and 
     potential addition of a canal in Nicaragua, Washington ports 
     face increasing competition for maritime goods bound for the 
     United States; and
       Whereas, Washington ports are ready to compete on a level 
     playing field to efficiently move goods to market: Now, 
     therefore, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that:
       (1) Congress pass and the president sign legislation 
     reforming the harbor maintenance tax; and
       (2) Such legislation ensures that United States tax policy 
     does not disadvantage United States ports and maritime cargo, 
     strives to have all navigation channels including the 
     Columbia River be fully maintained, and provides greater 
     equity for harbor maintenance tax donor ports through 
     expanded uses of the harbor maintenance revenues to meet all 
     Northwest port needs.
       Be it resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
     transmitted to the Honorable Donald Trump, President of the 
     United States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of 
     Congress from the State of Washington.
                                  ____

       POM-192. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urging the United States 
     Congress to amend the Gun Control Act of 1968 to protect the 
     constitutional rights of medical cannabis users; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

                         Senate Resolution 253

       Whereas, In 1968, the Congress of the United States passed 
     the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Public Law 9009618, 82 
     Stat. 1213) to regulate the firearms industry and firearms 
     owners; and
       Whereas, In 1970, the Congress of the United States passed 
     the Controlled Substances Act (Public Law 9109513, 
     84 Stat. 1236), which designates cannabis in the most 
     restrictive category as a Schedule I drug; and
       Whereas, In 1993, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act 
     (Public Law 10309159, 107 Stat. 1536) amended the 
     Gun Control Act of 1968 by restricting individuals who use 
     controlled substances from owning firearms and ammunition; 
     and
       Whereas, The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms 
     and Explosives has issued guidance on restricting individuals 
     who use cannabis from owning firearms and ammunition; and
       Whereas, Section 102 of the act of April 17, 2016 (P.L. 84, 
     No. 16), known as the Medical Marijuana Act, states that 
     ``Scientific evidence suggests that medical marijuana is one 
     potential therapy that may mitigate suffering in some 
     patients and also enhance quality of life''; and
       Whereas, The Second Amendment of the Constitution of the 
     United States guarantees ``the right of the people to keep 
     and bear arms''; and
       Whereas, The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the 
     United States guarantees that no person shall ``be deprived 
     of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law''; 
     and
       Whereas, The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of the 
     United States provides: ``The powers not delegated to the 
     United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to 
     the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to 
     the people''; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United States to amend 
     the Gun Control Act of 1968 to protect the constitutional 
     rights of medical cannabis users; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the presiding officers of 
     each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from 
     Pennsylvania.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page S2119, April 12, 2018, at the bottom of the first 
column, the corresponding resolutions for POM 191 and POM 192 have 
been reversed. The following appears: POM-191. A joint memorial 
adopted by the Legislature of the State of Washington urging the 
United States Congress to pass andthe President of the United 
States to sign legislation reforming the harbor maintenance tax; 
to the Committee on Finance. SENATE RESOLUTION 253 Whereas, In 
1968, the Congress of the United States passed the Gun Control Act 
of 1968 (Public Law 90-618, 82 Stat. 1213) to regulate the 
firearms industry and firearms owners; and Whereas, In 1970, the 
Congress of the United States passed the Controlled Substances Act 
(Public Law 91-513, 84 Stat. 1236), which designates cannabis in 
the most restrictive category as a Schedule I drug; and Whereas, 
In 1993, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Public Law 
103-159, 107 Stat. 1536) amended the Gun Control Act of 1968 by 
restricting individuals who use controlled substances from owning 
firearms and ammunition; and Whereas, The Federal Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has issued guidance on 
restricting individuals who use cannabis from owning firearms and 
ammunition; and Whereas, Section 102 of the act of April 17, 2016 
(P.L. 84, No. 16), known as the Medical Marijuana Act, states that 
``Scientific evidence suggests that medical marijuana is one 
potential therapy that may mitigate suffering in some patients and 
also enhance quality of life''; and Whereas, The Second Amendment 
of the Constitution of the United States guarantees ``the right of 
the people to keep and bear arms''; and Whereas, The Fifth 
Amendment of the Constitution of the United States guarantees that 
no person shall ``be deprived of life, liberty, or property, 
without due process of law''; and Whereas, The Tenth Amendment of 
the Constitution of the United States provides: ``The powers not 
delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited 
by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or 
to the people''; therefore be it Resolved, That the Senate of the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United 
States to amend the Gun Control Act of 1968 to protect the 
constitutional rights of medical cannabis users; and be it further 
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the President 
of the United States, the presiding officers of each house of 
Congress and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania. POM-
192. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania urging the United States Congress to amend the Gun 
Control Act of 1968 to protect the constitutional rights of 
medical cannabis users; to the Committee on the Judiciary. SENATE 
JOINT MEMORIAL 8008 Whereas, The federal harbor maintenance tax is 
assessed on the value of goods being shipped into United States 
ports; and Whereas, The harbor maintenance tax is not collected on 
transpacific cargo shipped to the United States via rail or roads 
from ports in Mexico and Canada; and Whereas, The ability to move 
transpacific cargo through Canadian ports and avoid paying the 
harbor maintenance tax is an incentive to divert cargo away from 
United States ports; and Whereas, The federal maritime commission 
inquiry into the harbor maintenance tax found that up to half of 
United States bound containers coming into Canada's west coast 
ports could revert to using United States west coast ports if 
United States importers were relieved from paying the tax; and 
Whereas, Current United States law does not require the revenues 
raised through the harbor maintenance tax to be fully spent on 
harbor maintenance related investments, collections have far 
exceeded fund appropriation and surplus collections will grow to 
over nine billion dollars this year; and Whereas, Revenue raised 
through the harbor maintenance tax pays for dredging and other 
maintenance costs, with significant amounts being spent for 
dredging at east coast, Gulf, and Columbia River ports; and 
Whereas, Certain deep water ports on the west coast that require 
no or little dredging, including the new Northwest Seaport 
Alliance consisting of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, receive 
just over a penny on every dollar of harbor maintenance tax paid 
by shippers who use their ports; and Whereas, The Columbia river 
channel is critical to maintain global trade and the port of 
Vancouver USA serves as the largest wheat export gateway in the 
nation; and Whereas, With the recent widening of the Panama Canal 
and potential addition of a canal in Nicaragua, Washington ports 
face increasing competition for maritime goods bound for the 
United States; and Whereas, Washington ports are ready to compete 
on a level playing field to efficiently move goods to market: Now, 
therefore,Your Memorialists respectfully pray that: (1) Congress 
pass and the president sign legislation reforming the harbor 
maintenance tax; and (2) Such legislation ensures that United 
States tax policy does not disadvantage United States ports and 
maritime cargo, strives to have all navigation channels including 
the Columbia River be fully maintained, and provides greater 
equity for harbor maintenance tax donor ports through expanded 
uses of the harbor maintenance revenues to meet all Northwest port 
needs. Be it resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
transmitted to the Honorable Donald Trump, President of the United 
States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the 
State of Washington.
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: POM-191. A joint 
memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Washington 
urging the United States Congress to pass and the President of the 
United States to sign legislation reforming the harbor maintenance 
tax; to the Committee on Finance. SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8008 
Whereas, The federal harbor maintenance tax is assessed on the 
value of goods being shipped into United States ports; and 
Whereas, The harbor maintenance tax is not collected on 
transpacific cargo shipped to the United States via rail or roads 
from ports in Mexico and Canada; and Whereas, The ability to move 
transpacific cargo through Canadian ports and avoid paying the 
harbor maintenance tax is an incentive to divert cargo away from 
United States ports; and Whereas, The federal maritime commission 
inquiry into the harbor maintenance tax found that up to half of 
United States bound containers coming into Canada's west coast 
ports could revert to using United States west coast ports if 
United States importers were relieved from paying the tax; and 
Whereas, Current United States law does not require the revenues 
raised through the harbor maintenance tax to be fully spent on 
harbor maintenance related investments, collections have far 
exceeded fund appropriation and surplus collections will grow to 
over nine billion dollars this year; and Whereas, Revenue raised 
through the harbor maintenance tax pays for dredging and other 
maintenance costs, with significant amounts being spent for 
dredging at east coast, Gulf, and Columbia River ports; and 
Whereas, Certain deep water ports on the west coast that require 
no or little dredging, including the new Northwest Seaport 
Alliance consisting of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, receive 
just over a penny on every dollar of harbor maintenance tax paid 
by shippers who use their ports;and Whereas, The Columbia river 
channel is critical to maintain global trade and the port of 
Vancouver USA serves as the largest wheat export gateway in the 
nation; and Whereas, With the recent widening of the Panama Canal 
and potential addition of a canal in Nicaragua, Washington ports 
face increasing competition for maritime goods bound for the 
United States; and Whereas, Washington ports are ready to compete 
on a level playing field to efficiently move goods to market: Now, 
therefore,Your Memorialists respectfully pray that: (1) Congress 
pass and the president sign legislation reforming the harbor 
maintenance tax; and (2) Such legislation ensures that United 
States tax policy does not disadvantage United States ports and 
maritime cargo, strives to have all navigation channels including 
the Columbia River be fully maintained, and provides greater 
equity for harbor maintenance tax donor ports through expanded 
uses of the harbor maintenance revenues to meet all Northwest port 
needs. Be it resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
transmitted to the Honorable Donald Trump, President of the United 
States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the 
State of Washington. POM-192. A resolution adopted by the Senate 
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urging the United States 
Congress to amend the Gun Control Act of 1968 to protect the 
constitutional rights of medical cannabis users; to the Committee 
on the Judiciary. SENATE RESOLUTION 253 Whereas, In 1968, the 
Congress of the United States passed the Gun Control Act of 1968 
(Public Law 90-618, 82 Stat. 1213) to regulate the firearms 
industry and firearms owners; and Whereas, In 1970, the Congress 
of the United States passed the Controlled Substances Act (Public 
Law 91-513, 84 Stat. 1236), which designates cannabis in the most 
restrictive category as a Schedule I drug; and Whereas, In 1993, 
the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Public Law 103-159, 107 
Stat. 1536) amended the Gun Control Act of 1968 by restricting 
individuals who use controlled substances from owning firearms and 
ammunition; and Whereas, The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms and Explosives has issued guidance on restricting 
individuals who use cannabis from owning firearms and 
ammunition;and Whereas, Section 102 of the act of April 17, 2016 
(P.L. 84, No. 16), known as the Medical Marijuana Act, states that 
``Scientific evidence suggests that medical marijuana is one 
potential therapy that may mitigate suffering in some patients and 
also enhance quality of life''; and Whereas, The Second Amendment 
of the Constitution of the United States guarantees ``the right of 
the people to keep and bear arms''; and Whereas, The Fifth 
Amendment of the Constitution of the United States guarantees that 
no person shall ``be deprived of life, liberty, or property, 
without due process of law''; and Whereas, The Tenth Amendment of 
the Constitution of the United States provides: ``The powers not 
delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited 
by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or 
to the people''; therefore be it Resolved, That the Senate of the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United 
States to amend the Gun Control Act of 1968 to protect the 
constitutional rights of medical cannabis users; and be it further 
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the President 
of the United States, the presiding officers of each house of 
Congress and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

                                  ____

       POM-193. A report from the Housing Authority of the City of 
     High Point, North Carolina entitled ``Housing Authority of 
     the City of High Point 2017 Annual Report''; to the Committee 
     on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
       POM-194. A resolution adopted by the Township Council of 
     Berkeley, New Jersey, memorializing their opposition to 
     offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling activities that 
     would affect the coast of New Jersey, and calling upon the 
     Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to withdraw New Jersey and 
     the entire Atlantic Ocean from consideration for the offshore 
     oil and gas exploration, development, or drilling; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
       POM-195. A resolution adopted by the Mayor and City 
     Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida, memorializing 
     their opposition to the proposal to dramatically expand 
     domestic oil and gas production by increasing offshore 
     drilling leases off Florida's Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as 
     well as along both the east and west coasts of the 
     continental United States; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.
       POM-196. A resolution adopted by the Mayor and City 
     Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida, memorializing 
     their opposition to the Administration's decision to end 
     temporary protected status for Salvadoran immigrants in the 
     United States; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-197. A resolution adopted by the Common Council of East 
     Chicago, Indiana memorializing its opposition to the 
     President of the United States' rescission of

[[Page S2120]]

     DACA and calling upon the United States Congress to take 
     affirmative steps to develop a bipartisan pathway to 
     citizenship for DREAMERS; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-198. A resolution adopted by the City Council of New 
     Orleans, Louisiana, memorializing its opposition to H.R. 38, 
     the ``Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017,'' S. 446, the 
     ``Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017,'' 
     and any other attempts to undermine Louisiana state laws; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.

                          ____________________