[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 9, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4726-S4729]
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-102. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of California urging the United States Congress to 
     block the President's national emergency declaration by 
     overriding the President's veto of House Joint Resolution 46 
     and consider terminating the declaration of a national 
     emergency within six months or at the earliest possible time 
     pursuant to the National Emergencies Act; to the Committee on 
     Armed Services.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 2

       Whereas, On February 15, 2019, United States President 
     Donald J. Trump declared an undefined national emergency; and
       Whereas, The President intends to cut $7.5 billion in the 
     United States Department of Defense's funding targeted at the 
     general welfare of our military, supporting infrastructure 
     construction, defending national security threats, and 
     limiting the flow of illegal drugs into the United States; 
     and
       Whereas, Appropriating funds intended for military 
     construction projects and counterdrug activities will come at 
     the expense of troop readiness and departmentwide efforts to 
     address the military's aging infrastructure and
       Whereas, Funds would otherwise be used to improve potable 
     water distribution, update maintenance and storage facilities 
     for military vehicles, build new combat training facilities, 
     construct a shooting range complex, and build a close combat 
     training facility, located at the Navy SEAL Campus in 
     Coronado, California; and
       Whereas, Dollars would also otherwise be used for 
     renovating the Defense Distribution Depot located in Tracy, 
     California; and
       Whereas, The President is proposing to revert money already 
     appropriated for updating runways and landing pads, as well 
     as increased airfield security, at the Naval Air Station in 
     Lemoore, California; and
       WHEREAS, Funds would otherwise be used to construct a Navy 
     SEAL reserve training facility in San Diego, California; and
       Whereas, Money would otherwise be used for military family 
     housing projects to remove lead paint and update hazardous 
     living conditions in service members' homes; and
       Whereas, The funds would otherwise be used to fund a C-130 
     flight simulator facility at the Channel Islands Air National 
     Guard Station in Oxnard, California, which would train pilots 
     to fly planes outfitted with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting 
     Systems that are used to combat wildfires in California; and

[[Page S4727]]

       Whereas, The national emergency declaration diverts 
     attention from current emergencies that pose real dangers to 
     the health and welfare of California's environment at our 
     border, such as the continued pollution at the Tijuana River 
     Valley and the New River in Calexico; and


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

  
  On page S4727, July 9, 2019, at the top of the first column, the 
following appears: POM-102. Whereas, The national emergency 
declaration diverts attention from current emergencies that pose 
real dangers to the health and w3elfare of California's 
environment at our border, such as the continued pollution at the 
Tijuana River Valley and the New River in Calexico; and
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: POM-102. Whereas, 
The national emergency declaration diverts attention from current 
emergencies that pose real dangers to the health and welfare of 
California's environment at our border, such as the continued 
pollution at the Tijuana River Valley and the New River in 
Calexico; and


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

       Whereas, Dollars that would otherwise be used to update 
     hospitals that treat wounded soldiers will be misused, 
     placing even greater constraints on the moneys available for 
     this purpose; and
       Whereas, The President has also stated that he expects to 
     use this national emergency declaration to revert and 
     repurpose funds already approved by the United States 
     Congress to limit the flow of drugs into the United States; 
     and
       Whereas, These funds were earmarked to combat the drug 
     cartels in West Africa, Mexico, and Colombia, and nations 
     acting as drug cartels, such as North Korea; and
       Whereas, In recent years, a substantial amount of 
     counternarcotics funding has been used to stem the increasing 
     tide of fentanyl being imported from China; and
       Whereas, Controlled substances are more likely to be 
     smuggled through official ports of entry than between border 
     crossings; and
       Whereas, Cutting drug interdiction funding will not deter 
     the passage of controlled substances through the United 
     States border, but will hamper counterdrug efforts in areas 
     where the funds could make a meaningful impact; and
       Whereas, The United States Department of Defense has 
     roughly $1 billion earmarked for counternarcotic missions and 
     drug interdiction for the 2019 fiscal year, and yet the Trump 
     Administration has asked for $2.5 billion from the 
     counternarcotic fund; and
       Whereas, The Pentagon will have to divert money from 
     elsewhere beyond the appropriated funding to come up with the 
     extra $1.5 billion, negatively affecting our nation's ability 
     to effectively and efficiently combat the flow of drugs into 
     our borders; and
       Whereas, This nation needs to continue to repair and 
     strengthen our military and redirecting funds needed for this 
     purpose will undercut our accomplishments and underfund our 
     operations; and
       Whereas, Numerous news reports indicate that the President 
     is considering reallocating funds currently appropriated for 
     disaster relief and aid, including $2.4 billion appropriated 
     to the State of California, the diversion of which will 
     severely hurt communities already suffering as a result of 
     natural disasters; and
       Whereas, By the President's own admission in regard to the 
     national emergency declaration, he ``didn't need to do 
     this''; and
       Whereas, On February 26, 2019, the United States House of 
     Representatives passed House Joint Resolution 46 by a vote of 
     245--182, pursuant to the federal National Emergencies Act, 
     to overturn President Trump's emergency declaration and the 
     United States Senate passed that resolution by a 59-41 vote 
     on March 14, 2019. On the following day, the President vetoed 
     the resolution; and
       Whereas, Twenty states, including California, have filed 
     suit to block the President's national emergency declaration; 
     now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of 
     California, jointly, That the Legislature urges the houses of 
     the United States Congress to stand in unity and block the 
     President's national emergency declaration by overriding the 
     President's veto of House Joint Resolution 46 and, if not 
     possible, to consider terminating the declaration of national 
     emergency within six months or at the earliest possible time 
     pursuant to the National Emergencies Act; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature urges the President to 
     reconsider his motives and decision and allow military, 
     defense, and counterdrug funds to be used for the purposes 
     for which they are needed and for which they were made 
     available; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies 
     of this resolution to the President and the Vice President of 
     the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-103. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress 
     to support the initiative calling for accurate, third-party 
     application (app) ratings and intuitive parental controls to 
     better protect children from harmful online and mobile device 
     content; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 36

       Whereas, millions of children use online and mobile devices 
     daily; and
       Whereas, parents rely on ratings to decide whether to allow 
     their children to have access to apps available online and on 
     mobile devices; and
       Whereas, app developers currently self-rate their apps and 
     display the ratings in app stores; and
       Whereas, this rating system can be misleading, 
     inconsistent, and does not appropriately warn parents of the 
     potential dangers found in applications; and
       Whereas, no third-party organization holds app developers 
     accountable to ensure ratings are accurate and adequately 
     explain the content and advertising available to children 
     therein: and
       Whereas, popular apps often do not include or have adequate 
     parental controls; and
       Whereas, apps can be hot spots for bullying, grooming, sex-
     trafficking, pornography, glamorized self-harm content, and 
     the buying and selling of illegal drugs; and
       Whereas, in order to protect children from such harm, 
     parents seek adequate parental controls as well as the 
     information necessary to determine if apps are appropriate 
     for their children; and
       Whereas, the #fixappratings initiative calls for the 
     creation of an independent app ratings board and rating 
     system that is clearly understood, enforced, trustworthy, and 
     exists to protect the innocence of minors; and
       Whereas, the #fixappratings initiative also calls for the 
     release of intuitive parental controls to ensure that parents 
     can effectively control their children's app activity;
       Whereas, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to support the 
     #fixappratings initiative calling for the establishment of a 
     third-party organization to assign app ratings and 
     descriptions and the development of user-friendly parental 
     controls; 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-104. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     New Jersey urging the United States Congress and the 
     President of the United States to pass legislation that would 
     amend the Code of the Internal Revenue Service which would 
     prevent the IRS from collecting taxes on any amount of 
     student loan forgiven for deceased veterans; to the Committee 
     on Finance.

                        Senate Resolution No. 75

       Whereas, Each member of the United States Armed Forces 
     serves our country to protect the citizens of the United 
     States and, in 2015, there were over one million active duty 
     members of the Armed Forces; and
       Whereas, If a service member sustains an injury or illness 
     while on active duty, they may be discharged and return home 
     to pursue higher educational opportunities; and
       Whereas, Many service members embrace the opportunity to 
     pursue higher education through the various tuition 
     assistance programs and college funds offered to service 
     members, which may be used in combination with federal and 
     private student loans to pay for the cost of college; and
       Whereas, If a service member loses his or her life as a 
     result of an injury or illness sustained while on active 
     duty, the federal education loans are forgiven under the 
     Higher Education Act and private loan companies can choose to 
     forgive the education loans; and
       Whereas, When an educational loan is forgiven the Internal 
     Revenue Code categorizes the amount of the loan as taxable 
     gross income for a cosigner on the loan, which can include 
     both family and friends of the deceased service member; and
       Whereas, Taxing loan forgiveness as income can be 
     burdensome to family members and friends especially during a 
     time when they are grieving the loss of their loved one; and
       Whereas, Families of veterans who lost their lives as a 
     result of an illness or injury sustained while serving on 
     active duty have already sacrificed so much for the United 
     States; and
       Whereas, [The federal bill H.R. 500, named the ``Andrew P. 
     Carpenter Tax Act,''] It is altogether fitting and proper for 
     Congress to enact legislation, similar to H.R. 500 of the 
     115th Congress, that would amend the Internal Revenue Code to 
     prevent the Internal Revenue Service from collecting taxes on 
     any amount of student loan forgiven; and
       Whereas, The [federal bill will] legislation would help to 
     ease the financial burden for individuals who are already 
     grieving for the loss of their loved one; Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
       1. This House respectfully urges the President and Congress 
     of the United States to enact [H.R. 500] legislation which 
     amend the Internal Revenue Code to prevent the Internal 
     Revenue Service from collecting taxes on any amount of 
     student loan forgiven for deceased veterans.
       2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary 
     of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate 
     to the President and Vice President of the United States, the 
     United States Secretary of Defense, the Majority and Minority 
     Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker and the 
     Minority Leader of the United States House of 
     Representatives, and every member of Congress from New 
     Jersey.
                                  ____

       POM-105. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Hawaii urging the United States Congress to embrace the goals 
     of the New York Declaration on Forests and the 2030 Agenda 
     and make sustainable development the centerpiece of national 
     social and sustainable policies; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.

                        Senate Resolution No. 98

       Whereas, Hawaii is recognized as a global partner and local 
     leader in sustainability, peace, climate change adaptation, 
     and human rights due to its adoption of global

[[Page S4728]]

     standards of social justice to improve the well-being of 
     Hawaii's islands and the world; and
       Whereas, in September 2015, the United Nations General 
     Assembly adopted the historic Transforming Our World: The 
     2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda), a 
     comprehensive, compassionate, creative, and courageous plan 
     of action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that 
     all people enjoy peace and prosperity; and
       Whereas, the 2030 Agenda includes seventeen Sustainable 
     Development Goals (SDGs), one hundred sixty-nine Targets, and 
     two hundred thirty Indicators upon which general agreement 
     has been reached to measure, monitor, and mobilize; and
       Whereas, the Hawaiian islands are home to forests that play 
     a pivotal role in Hawaii's natural environment, both 
     historically and for future generations, by providing 
     watershed, soil, and habitat protection; and
       Whereas, Hawaii's forests cover two million acres, 
     approximately half of the entire land mass of Hawaii, and 
     Hawaii has a strong commitment to planting, management, and 
     natural regeneration of its forests; and
       Whereas, Hawaii's forests are critically important to local 
     culture, the people, and perpetuation of pristine 
     environments and provide aesthetic value, enjoyment, water 
     conservation, and improved air quality; and
       Whereas, the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) 
     provides a proactive and participatory human rights based 
     approach to protect and restore forests that supports the 
     scope and significance of the United Nations SDGs; and
       Whereas, the NYDF was created and launched at the United 
     Nations Climate Summit at United Nations Headquarters in 
     September, 2014, receiving endorsements by two hundred 
     entities including governments, corporations, civil society, 
     and indigenous peoples; and
       Whereas, the NYDF outlines ten global targets related to 
     protecting and restoring forests, which, if realized, have 
     the potential to reduce annual carbon emission by 4.5 to 8.8 
     billion tons of CO2--the equivalent of the annual emissions 
     of the United States; and
       Whereas, the ten goals of the NYDF are:
       (1) Stop forest loss;
       (2) Eliminate deforestation from agricultural activities;
       (3) Reduce non-agricultural deforestation;
       (4) Support alternatives to deforestation for subsistence 
     farming, fuel, and other basic needs;
       (5) Restore forests;
       (6) Quantify forest conservation and restoration targets 
     for 2030 as part of the 2030 Agenda SDGs;
       (7) Reduce emissions from deforestation and forest 
     degradation in accordance with global climate agreements;
       (8) Provide financing for forest action;
       (9) Reward countries and jurisdictions that reduce forest 
     emissions; and
       (10) Strengthen governance, empower communities, and 
     recognize the rights of indigenous peoples; and
       Whereas, adopting the NYDF can accelerate progress with new 
     partnerships to achieve the United Nations Paris Agreement 
     and the United Nations 2030 Agenda; and
       Whereas, the ten goals of the NYDF coincide with the 
     seventeen SDGs and provide an agenda for grassroots and 
     global action but it is up to individuals, communities, and 
     states to generate the political will necessary to achieve 
     these goals; and
       Whereas, Hawaii is already participating in global efforts 
     to empower and engage everyone, everywhere to protect the 
     planet and end poverty, regularly attending sessions of the 
     United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the 
     United Nations Human Rights Council, and the United Nations 
     High Level Political Forum; and
       Whereas, in Hawaii, college, community, and capitol 
     discussions on the United Nations Framework Convention on 
     Climate Change Conference of Parties annual results and the 
     United Nations High Level Political Forum follow-up and 
     review of the SDGs continue to generate genuine insight into 
     how both sets of goals are being realized in the Hawaiian 
     Islands and what next steps are needed to continue Hawaii's 
     forward momentum; and
       Whereas, adopting the NYDF in Hawaii will allow for greater 
     coordination and communication between Hawaii and other NYDF 
     partners to share promising practices and support further 
     improvements for Hawaii's forests; and
       Whereas, adopting the NYDF will link Hawaii's forest 
     practitioners to a global network with relevant expertise and 
     capacity to support the implementation of the forest elements 
     of commitments under the Paris Agreement that; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the 
     State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, that this body 
     engages, endorses, accepts, and adopts the New York 
     Declaration on Forests; and, be it further
       Resolved that the Legislature urges federal leaders and the 
     nation to embrace the goals of the NYDF and the 2030 Agenda 
     and make sustainable development the centerpiece of national 
     social and sustainable policies; and be it further
       Resolved that certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the President of the United States, Vice 
     President of the United States, Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the United 
     States House of Representatives, Majority Leader of the 
     United States Senate, Minority Leader of the United States 
     Senate, members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, United 
     Nations Secretary General, United Nations General Assembly 
     President, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 
     NYDF Platform Secretariat, Executive Secretary of the United 
     Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, United 
     Nations High Level Political Forum, and mayors of each 
     county.
                                  ____

       POM-106. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Hawaii urging the United States Congress to embrace the 
     Aarhus Convention and make protection of the environment and 
     decision-making on environmental policies the centerpiece of 
     national debate and practice; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.

                        Senate Resolution No. 99

       Whereas, Hawai`i is recognized as a global partner and 
     local leader in promoting human rights to create a culture of 
     democracy, rule of law, and protection of the planet through 
     its adoption of global and regional standards to guide 
     decisionmaking processes; and
       Whereas, Hawai`i is guided by traditional Hawaiian values 
     and emerging international human rights visions to generate 
     good governance and ensure participation in policymaking and 
     protection of our islands and the planet; and
       Whereas, in September 2015, the United Nations General 
     Assembly adopted the historic 2030 Development Agenda 
     entitled ``Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for 
     Sustainable Development'', a comprehensive, compassionate, 
     creative, and courageous plan of action to end poverty, 
     protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace 
     and prosperity; and
       Whereas, in December 2015, the United Nations Framework 
     Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties agreed to 
     the Paris Agreement, calling for the first time to limit 
     future increases in the global average temperature to 1.5 
     degrees Celsius; and
       Whereas, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 
     Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in 
     Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental 
     Matters (Aarhus Convention) is an important instrument for 
     achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 
     Agenda; and
       Whereas, the Aarhus Convention consists of numerous 
     articles covering ideas and coordinating implementation 
     including the following:
       (1) Access to Environmental Information;
       (2) Collection and Dissemination of Environmental 
     Information;
       (3) Public Participation in Decisions on Specific 
     Activities;
       (4) Public Participation Concerning Plans, Programmes and 
     Policies Relating to the Environment;
       (5) Public Participation During the Preparation of 
     Executive Regulations and/or Generally Applicable Legally 
     Binding Normative Instruments; and
       (6) Access to Justice; and
       Whereas, the parties to the Aarhus Convention:
       (1) Aimed to further accountability of and transparency in 
     decision-making and to strengthen public support for 
     decisions on the environment;
       (2) Recognized that that the public needs to be aware of 
     procedures for participation in environmental decision-
     making, have free access to the political process, and know 
     how to exercise that access;
       (3) Recognized the importance of respective roles for 
     individual citizens, non-governmental organizations, and the 
     private sector in environmental protection; and
       (4) Desired to promote environmental education to further 
     the understanding of the environment and sustainable 
     development and to encourage widespread public awareness of 
     and participation in decisions affecting the environment and 
     sustainable development; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the 
     State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, that this body 
     engages, endorses, accepts, and adopts the Aarhus Convention; 
     and be it further
       Resolved that the Congress of the United States is 
     requested to embrace the Aarhus Convention and make 
     protection of the environment and decision-making on 
     environmental policies the centerpiece of national debate and 
     practice; and be it further
       Resolved that certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the President of the United States, Vice 
     President of the United States, Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, President Pro Tempore of the United 
     States Senate, Majority Leader of the United States House of 
     Representatives, Minority Leader of the United States House 
     of Representatives, Majority Leader of the United States 
     Senate, Minority Leader of the United States Senate, 
     Hawai`i's congressional delegation, Governor, mayor of each 
     county, Secretary General of the United Nations, United 
     Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Chairs of 
     Hawai`i's Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation 
     Commission.
                                  ____

       POM-107. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress 
     to take such actions as are necessary to recognize the 
     historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day to the 
     United States and observe Juneteenth nationally as a holiday; 
     to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 66

       Whereas, news of the end of slavery did not reach frontier 
     areas of the United States,

[[Page S4729]]

     and in particular the southwestern states, for more than two 
     and a half years after President Lincoln's Emancipation 
     Proclamation, which was issued on January 1, 1863, and months 
     after the conclusion of the Civil War; and
       Whereas, Juneteenth is an annual observance and celebration 
     of the date Union soldiers enforced the Emancipation 
     Proclamation freeing all remaining slaves in Galveston, 
     Texas, on June 19, 1865; and
       Whereas, since 1865, the day has been celebrated as the day 
     African-Americans received the news of the signing of the 
     Emancipation Proclamation; and
       Whereas, Juneteenth commemorates the strength and resolve 
     of African-Americans throughout our history, and is an 
     opportunity to highlight the value of African-American 
     culture, art, history, and achievement; and
       Whereas, the celebration of the end of slavery is an 
     important and enriching part of the history and heritage of 
     the United States; and
       Whereas, for more than one hundred fifty years, Juneteenth 
     Independence Day celebrations have been held to honor 
     African-American freedom while encouraging self-development 
     and respect for all cultures; and
       Whereas, forty-six states and the District of Columbia have 
     designated Juneteenth Independence Day as a special day of 
     observance in recognition of the emancipation of all slaves 
     in the United States; and
       Whereas, in 1997, the 105th United States Congress 
     officially recognized Juneteenth as the observance of 
     Independence Day of Americans of African descent; and
       Whereas, Juneteenth reflects our belief in liberty and 
     equality for every citizen, as everyone can benefit from a 
     greater understanding and appreciation of the experiences of 
     others; Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to recognize the historical significance of 
     Juneteenth Independence Day to the United States and observe 
     Juneteenth nationally as a holiday; and be it further
       Resolved, that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-108. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress 
     to take such actions as are necessary to authorize the 
     garnishment of veterans' disability benefits to fulfill child 
     support obligations; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 7

       Whereas, Civil Code Article 224 provides that parents are 
     obligated to support, maintain, and educate their child, and 
     the obligation to educate a child continues after minority as 
     provided by law; and
       Whereas, 5 CFR Part 581, Subpart A provides which moneys 
     received by a civilian employee for services rendered to a 
     governmental entity are subject to garnishment for the 
     purpose of enforcing the legal obligations of obligors to 
     provide child support; and
       Whereas, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 659, the United States 
     consents to the withholding and garnishing of income of an 
     individual for the enforcement of the individual's child 
     support and alimony obligations; and
       Whereas, 42 U.S.C. 659 further provides that the federal 
     government will allow under certain circumstances the 
     garnishment of service-connected disability compensation paid 
     by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to former members of the 
     armed forces for the purpose of enforcing child support and 
     alimony obligations; and
       Whereas, in Rose v. Rose, 481 US 619 (1987), the Supreme 
     Court held that not only could a state consider the amount of 
     disability benefits received by a veteran in setting the 
     amount of child support, but also, once a child support 
     obligation had been created, the veteran's disability 
     benefits could be used to satisfy that obligation; and
       Whereas, in the same case, Justice Marshall, quoting the 
     legislative record, describes the purpose of veterans' 
     disability benefits as compensation for impaired earning 
     capacity and ``to provide reasonable and adequate 
     compensation for disabled veterans and their families''; and
       Whereas, as of February 2019, the current total for child 
     support arrears in Louisiana is $1,923,958,949.00 and less 
     than one percent of that amount has been collected; and
       Whereas, adequate child support is vital to the well-being 
     of children and families in our state; Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to authorize the garnishment of veterans' 
     disability benefits to fulfill child support obligations; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-109. A resolution adopted by the Mayor and Council of 
     the City of Cincinnati, Ohio, expressing its support for H.R. 
     5, known as the Equality Act, which will ensure that federal 
     civil rights laws are fully inclusive of protections for all 
     persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity; 
     to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                          ____________________