[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 54 (Monday, March 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1801-S1803]
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-120. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly 
     of the State of Arkansas supporting requests for federal 
     grant funding for companies creating innovative technologies 
     that benefit Arkansas' agricultural value chain through 
     mitigating bio-security risks; to the Committee on 
     Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 1001

       Whereas, agriculture is Arkansas' largest industry 
     contributing nineteen billion four hundred million 
     (19,400,000,000) in value added dollars to the state economy 
     in 2019; and
       Whereas, Arkansas ranked eleventh in the nation in cash 
     receipts for animal and animal products, valued at five 
     billion one hundred million dollars ($5,100,000,000); and
       Whereas, in Arkansas, one (1) in every seven (7) value 
     added dollars totaling more than three hundred seventy-eight 
     million dollars ($378,000,000) is contributed by agriculture; 
     and
       Whereas, Arkansas is the third-highest ranked state for 
     food processing according to a report by Business Facilities 
     shared by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission; and
       Whereas, the Fort Smith-Fayetteville region is the number 
     two (2) area for food processing in the United States; and
       Whereas, Arkansas is the home of the world's largest food 
     retailer and the largest meat processor in the United States, 
     supplying sustenance to billions of people worldwide; and
       Whereas, in 2020, forty-two percent (42%) of all Arkansas 
     land was comprised of farms; and
       Whereas, agriculture provides two hundred fifty-four 
     thousand five hundred (254,500) jobs in Arkansas; and
       Whereas, ninety-seven percent (97%) of Arkansas' forty-nine 
     thousand three hundred forty-six (49,346) farms are small to 
     medium-sized family-owned farms and contribute significantly 
     to the state's economy; and
       Whereas, the impact of respiratory and hemorrhagic 
     pathogens tend to impact small and medium-sized farms more 
     heavily; and
       Whereas, wet protein rendering supply chains tend to be 
     optimum propagation channels for respiratory and hemorrhagic 
     pathogens; and
       Whereas, the University of Arkansas is an agricultural 
     industry leader in animal science education, innovation, 
     research, and development; and
       Whereas, in 2019, African swine fever (ASF) resulted in the 
     loss of millions of pigs in China, the world's largest 
     producer and consumer of pork, with a total economic impact 
     of seventy-eight hundredths percent (0.78%), equating to one 
     hundred eleven billion dollars ($111,000,000,000), of the 
     country's gross domestic product in 2019 and longitudinal 
     analyses estimating an impact upwards of two and seven-tenths 
     percent (2.7%), equating to three hundred eighty-five billion 
     dollars ($385,000,000,000), gross domestic product based on 
     the current trajectory; and
       Whereas, agricultural economists at Iowa State University 
     estimate that the economic impact of a potential African 
     swine fever (ASF) outbreak in the United States could result 
     in a loss of fifty billion dollars ($50,000,000,000) over ten 
     (10) years; and
       Whereas, the United States Department of Agriculture has 
     dedicated five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) in 
     Commodity Credit Corporation funds for prevention of and 
     preparation for African swine fever (ASF); and
       Whereas, a federal order suspending the interstate movement 
     of all live swine, swine germplasm, swine products, and swine 
     byproducts from Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin 
     Islands to the mainland United States has been implemented; 
     and
       Whereas, action by the General Assembly of the State of 
     Arkansas is necessary to prevent worldwide food value chain 
     disruptions and to increase food security for all Americans 
     in order to build a strong foundation for businesses, 
     consumers, and agricultural producers within the State of 
     Arkansas: now therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-
     Third General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, the Senate 
     Concurring Therein:
       That the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, 
     support requests for federal grant funding for companies 
     creating innovative technologies that benefit Arkansas' 
     agricultural value chain through mitigating bio-security 
     risks; and be it further
       Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution, an 
     appropriate copy be provided by the Chief Clerk of the House 
     of Representatives to each member of the Arkansas 
     congressional delegation, the United States Secretary of 
     Agriculture, the Secretary of the United States Senate, the 
     Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and 
     Governor Asa Hutchinson.
                                  ____


       POM-121. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Colorado requesting that the United States 
     Congress allow the Colorado Department of Transportation to 
     conduct an analysis of increasing the gross vehicle weight 
     limit for the Interstate Highway System in Colorado to 
     harmonize it with other state highways where 85,000 pounds is 
     the maximum weight; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                   House Joint Resolution No. 22-1002

       Whereas, Trucking and truck drivers have been essential 
     during the COVID-19 pandemic in delivering critical goods, 
     such as food, fuel, medical supplies, and much more; and
       Whereas, Trucking is critical in the movement of goods and 
     products for agriculture, ranchers, manufacturers, grocers, 
     and fuel suppliers, with over 80% ofthe manufactured products 
     in Colorado being moved by truck; and
       Whereas, 79% of the communities in Colorado are served 
     solely by truck for their freight needs; and
       Whereas, The state's and nation's supply chains have been 
     greatly stressed due to a range of issues that include a 
     truck driver shortage, which is anticipated to continue into 
     the future, along with increasing freight demands from our 
     growing state that have led to shortages, delays, and higher 
     prices for the movement of goods within the state; and
       Whereas, For over 40 years, Colorado state law has 
     authorized a maximum gross vehicle weight of 85,000 pounds 
     for all state highways, with the only exception being the 
     Interstate Highway System; and
       Whereas, Federal law authorizes a maximum gross vehicle 
     weight of 80,000 pounds for the Interstate Highway System; 
     and
       Whereas, The different gross vehicle weight standards 
     between interstate and state highways causes routing issues 
     for the state's transportation system; and
       Whereas, The Interstate Highway System is constructed to a 
     higher design specification than most state highways and 
     should be more capable of handling higher weights than other 
     state highways; and
       Whereas, An interstate highway may be the most direct route 
     for many trips, but transporters instead travel on other 
     state highways to avoid the lower weight restriction; and
       Whereas, During the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Polis, with 
     the support of the United States Department of 
     Transportation, approved an emergency waiver that temporarily 
     raised the maximum weight of trucks allowed on Colorado 
     interstate highways from 80,000 to 85,000 pounds in order to

[[Page S1802]]

     move essential goods and supplies, and there was no 
     discernible increase in truck accidents on the Interstate 
     Highway System in Colorado; and
       Whereas, Increasing the gross vehicle weight for the 
     Interstate Highway System to match that of other state 
     highways may result in fewer trucks, less vehicle miles 
     traveled, and lower emissions of greenhouse gases, and this 
     helps the state to meet its greenhouse emission rules and 
     comply with emission standards of the United States 
     Environmental Protection Agency; and
       Whereas, Governor Polis, the Colorado General Assembly, the 
     Colorado Department of Transportation, and the Colorado State 
     Patrol may be best positioned to determine if it is in the 
     best interests of the state to harmonize the maximum gross 
     vehicle weight for the state's Interstate Highway System with 
     other state highways; and
       Whereas, A study performed by the Colorado Department of 
     Transportation considering safety, environmental, mobility, 
     and economic factors is the best way to assess the benefits 
     and costs of changing the maximum gross vehicle weight for 
     trucks on Colorado interstate highways; and
       Whereas, Such a study should engage a broad range of 
     stakeholders both from the public and private sectors to 
     ensure that all perspectives are considered; and
       Whereas, if approved by the United States Congress and if 
     the study finds that it is in the best interests of the state 
     to raise the maximum gross vehicle weight on the Interstate 
     Highway System to 85,000 pounds to harmonize it with other 
     state highways, the state of Colorado, with the approval of 
     the General Assembly and the Governor, would move forward 
     with a change to state statute: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-
     third General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate 
     concurring herein. That the Colorado General Assembly 
     requests:
       (1) That Congress allow the Colorado Department of 
     Transportation to conduct an analysis of increasing the gross 
     vehicle weight limit for the Interstate Highway System in 
     Colorado to harmonize it with other state highways where 
     85,000 pounds is the maximum weight; and
       (2) That if the completed study determines that it is in 
     the best interests of Colorado to harmonize the weights for 
     the Interstate Highway System and other state highways, the 
     Colorado General Assembly and the Governor be permitted by 
     state statute to increase the gross vehicle weight limit to 
     85,000 pounds for vehicles traveling on the Interstate 
     Highway System in Colorado, and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to 
     the President of the United States, the President Pro Tempore 
     of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, and each member of Colorado's 
     congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-122. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Hawaii condemning Russia's 
     attack on Ukraine and supporting swift and severe economic 
     sanctions imposed on Russia; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.

                        House Resolution No. 28

       Whereas, Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet 
     Union on August 24, 1991; and
       Whereas, in February and March of 2014, Russia invaded and 
     subsequently annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine; and
       Whereas, more than 14,000 people have been killed, tens of 
     thousands wounded, and more than a million displaced due to 
     Russian conflict since 2014; and
       Whereas, over the past three decades, the Russian 
     Federation has illegally seized Ukrainian land in Crimea, 
     armed Russian-backed separatists leading to thousands of 
     deaths, interfered in elections, used chemical weapons to 
     attempt assassinations, carried out cyberttacks and 
     disinformation campaigns abroad, and violated international 
     arms control agreements; and
       Whereas, from March to November 2021, the Russian 
     Federation deployed a massive troop and weapons buildup on 
     the border with Ukraine; and
       Whereas, on February 21, 2022, President Vladimir Putin 
     officially recognized the Luhansk and Donetsk People's 
     Republics, violating the Minsk Agreements, and ordered 
     Russia's military to deploy troops there on a mission; and
       Whereas, on February 24, 2022, without provocation, 
     justification, or necessity, the Russian military launched a 
     full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including sending troops into 
     the country and bombing seven major cities; and
       Whereas, Hawaii is home to a strong and vibrant Ukrainian 
     community; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-
     first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2022, That this body condemns the Russian Government under 
     the leadership of Vladimir Putin for their violent attacks on 
     the people of Ukraine and strongly-supports the swift and 
     severe economic sanctions that President Biden's 
     administration has imposed on Russia; and be it further
       Resolved, That this body calls for an immediate cease-fire 
     and the full withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian 
     territory; and be it further
       Resolved, That this body supports the right of the Russian 
     people to protest, including the current protests against 
     Putin's unprovoked war against Ukraine, and demands the 
     immediate release of all those who have been unjustly 
     detained in Russia for expressing their desire for peace; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That all state agencies are urged to cease any 
     business or government contracts with the Russian Government 
     or Belarussian Government, or contractors of either 
     government; and be it further
       Resolved, That all state officials and employees are urged 
     to suspend all work-related travel to Russia or Belarus; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That this body calls for the State of Hawaii and 
     cities in Hawaii to cut any sister-city or sister-state 
     relations with any Russian or Belarussian cities or 
     provinces; and be it further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, Majority Leader of the United States House 
     of Representatives, Minority Leader of the United States 
     House of Representatives, President of the United States 
     Senate, Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Minority 
     Leader of the United States Senate, all members of Hawaii's 
     Congressional delegation, Governor of Hawaii, Mayor of 
     Honolulu, Mayor of Maui, Mayor of Kauai, Mayor of Hawaii, and 
     members of the Honolulu City Council, Hawaii County Council, 
     Kauai County Council, and Maui County Council.
                                  ____

       POM-123. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Missouri recommending to the 
     President of the United States and the United States Congress 
     to reaffirm our country's unwavering support for Ukraine's 
     freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its 
     internationally recognized borders, extending to its 
     territorial waters; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                       House Resolution No. 3658

       Whereas, Ukraine is a sovereign and independent nation 
     located in Eastern Europe and an ally, under a bilateral 
     investment treaty of the United States; and
       Whereas, Russia, a transcontinental country spanning 
     Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, has launched an all-out 
     invasion of Ukraine by land, air, and sea; and
       Whereas, Russian forces have dramatically escalated their 
     offenses by deploying a forty-mile long convoy of tanks and 
     other military equipment advancing south to attack the people 
     of Ukraine, including the City of Kyiv; and
       Whereas, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the largest 
     invasion of a sovereign nation in Europe since World War II; 
     and
       Whereas, the combat is directly responsible for massive 
     civilian casualties, including a Russian mortar attack on a 
     children's hospital that inflicted devastating loss of life; 
     and
       Whereas, Russia's attack on Ukraine was unprovoked and 
     unjustified; and
       Whereas, as the attack intensifies, the humanitarian crisis 
     could reach unprecedented levels, with the United Nations 
     estimating that between one million and five million people 
     will be in need of urgent health care, safety, and security; 
     and
       Whereas, Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, declared 
     that Russia had ``embarked on a path of evil, but [Ukraine] 
     is defending itself and won't give up its freedom . . .'': 
     Now therefore be it
       Resolved, That we, the members of the House of 
     Representatives of the One Hundred First General Assembly, 
     Second Regular Session hereby:
       (1) Proudly stand alongside Ukraine, its people, and its 
     leaders during this horrific and unnecessary war and vow to 
     support Ukraine and hold Russia fully accountable for its 
     catastrophic decision to invade;
       (2) Condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Vladimir 
     Putin's violent attack on the people of Ukraine and strongly 
     endorse the swift and severe economic sanctions and stringent 
     export controls that President Biden's administration has 
     imposed on Russia;
       (3) Urge Russia to immediately cease its violent, illegal, 
     and immoral assault upon Ukraine, end the needless bloodshed, 
     and return to diplomacy and the rules-based international 
     order that has ensured peace and prosperity for so many; and
       (4) Recommend to the President of the United States and the 
     United States Congress to reaffirm our country's unwavering 
     support for Ukraine's freedom, sovereignty, and territorial 
     integrity within its internationally recognized borders, 
     extending to its territorial waters; and be it further
       Resolved, that the United States should take prudent and 
     responsible measures to ensure that the required force 
     posture is present in Europe to deter and, if necessary, 
     defeat Russian aggression against any NATO member; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the United States should immediately 
     strengthen additional sanctions on Russia by restricting the 
     Russian banking and financial sectors, cybersecurity, and 
     other key industrial sectors; and be it further
       Resolved, That the United States should immediately bolster 
     energy connectivity in Eastern Europe; and be it further
       Resolved, That the United States should expand the target 
     list of Russian officials under the Magnitsky Act, which 
     would implement a greater range of targeted sanctions aimed 
     directly at Russian officials responsible for violating 
     Ukrainian freedom

[[Page S1803]]

     and sovereignty, including the freezing of financial assets 
     and the imposition of visa bans; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of 
     Representatives be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed 
     copy of this resolution for the President and Secretary of 
     the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United 
     States House of Representatives, and each member of the 
     Missouri Congressional delegation.
       POM-124. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     Rockland County, New York, condemning Russia's invasion of 
     Ukraine and standing with the people of Ukraine; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

                          ____________________