[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 148 (Wednesday, September 14, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4612-S4619]
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-207. 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 review and reform 
     the National Flood Insurance Program's pricing methodology 
     known as Risk Rating 2.0; to the Committee on Banking, 
     Housing, and Urban Affairs.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 84

       Whereas, various scientific studies have reported climate 
     change as having an impact on the current increase in the 
     frequency and severity of natural disasters; and
       Whereas, various scientific studies predict continued 
     increases in the frequency and severity of natural disasters; 
     and
       Whereas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has 
     reported that flooding is the most common and most expensive 
     type of natural disaster in the United States; and
       Whereas, FEMA has reported that one inch of water pooled in 
     a single-story, one thousand square foot home can cause 
     approximately eleven thousand dollars worth of damage; and
       Whereas, a home is the most valuable asset owned by many 
     families; and
       Whereas, flood insurance is a product designed to mitigate 
     the cost of repairs needed due to flood damage by offering 
     coverage at a rate based on certain risk factors; and
       Whereas, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers 
     a maximum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars of flood 
     insurance coverage for residential structures for families of 
     one to four; and
       Whereas, beginning October 1, 2021, new flood insurance 
     policies issued by NFIP are subject to the rating methodology 
     known as Risk Rating 2.0; and
       Whereas, all flood insurance policies issued by NFIP that 
     are renewed on or after April 1, 2022 are subject to Risk 
     Rating 2.0; and
       Whereas, the flood insurance rates for certain families are 
     increasing up to eighteen percent per year; and
       Whereas, citizens of the town of Jean Lafitte have elevated 
     their homes but will nevertheless pay higher flood insurance 
     rates under Risk Rating 2.0; and
       Whereas, the language used to explain Risk Rating 2.0 in 
     correspondence with policyholders is unclear to laypersons 
     and difficult to understand; and
       Whereas, policyholders should receive correspondence 
     explaining Risk Rating 2.0 that utilizes language a 
     policyholder can understand without the assistance of legal 
     counsel; and
       Whereas, increased residential flood insurance rates may 
     discourage people from purchasing homes in south Louisiana; 
     and
       Whereas, a decrease in demand, as a result of increased 
     flood insurance rates, may discourage individuals and 
     property developers from building new homes in south 
     Louisiana; and
       Whereas, increased flood insurance rates may result in 
     homeowners opting to not purchase flood insurance, which 
     would expose them to bearing the full expense of repairing 
     their home if it is damaged by a flood; and
       Whereas, many homeowners would be unable to afford to 
     repair their home if it were damaged by a flood and they did 
     not receive flood insurance proceeds; and
       Whereas, flood insurance should be affordable to all 
     citizens of Louisiana, including residents of coastal 
     communities in south Louisiana; and
       Whereas, congress has oversight authority over federal 
     administrative agencies, including FEMA and NFIP; and
       Whereas, the members of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation have an obligation

[[Page S4613]]

     to effectuate federal legislative changes for the benefit of 
     the citizens of Louisiana.
       Therefore, be it
       Resolved, that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to review and reform NFIP's pricing 
     methodology known as Risk Rating 2.0; 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-208. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging and requesting the President 
     of the United States, the Governor of Louisiana and the 
     Louisiana Congressional Delegation to do everything in their 
     power to halt federal actions resulting in the delay or 
     cancellation of offshore oil and natural gas lease sales and 
     strongly urge the U.S. Department of the Interior and the 
     Biden Administration to expedite actions necessary to comply 
     with the order by the U.S. District Court for the District of 
     Columbia to resolve Lease Sale 257 and finalize a new five-
     year plan for oil and gas leasing on the outer continental 
     shelf; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 43

       Whereas, the Gulf of Mexico produces approximately 
     seventeen percent of the U.S. crude oil and five percent of 
     U.S. natural gas while contributing five to eight billion 
     dollars to the federal treasury each year and sends hundreds 
     of millions of dollars to coastal states for coastal 
     restoration and hurricane protection projects; and
       Whereas, the oil and gas industry directly supports two 
     hundred forty-nine thousand eight hundred jobs in Louisiana 
     and the oil and gas industry activities represent twenty-six 
     percent of Louisiana's Gross Domestic Product, accounting for 
     nearly four and one half billion dollars in state and local 
     tax revenue in 2019 alone, with fourteen and one half percent 
     of total state taxes, licenses, and fees collected; and
       Whereas, according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 
     (BOEM) which regulates offshore lease sales, the Gulf of 
     Mexico continues to be the nation's primary offshore source 
     of oil and gas, generating about ninety-seven percent of all 
     U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS) oil and gas production; 
     and
       Whereas, since 2017, Gulf of Mexico lease sales have 
     generated more than one billion dollars from offshore 
     leasing; and
       Whereas, since 1953, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior has 
     been required by law to prepare a five-year plan to set a 
     schedule for oil and gas leases in U.S. offshore waters; and
       Whereas, it is a lengthy, multi-year regulatory process 
     with multiple stages for public comment, input, and 
     consultation; and
       Whereas, the Obama Administration issued a five-year-plan 
     for oil and gas leasing that expires on July 1, 2022; and
       Whereas, there are two remaining lease sales for the Gulf 
     of Mexico authorized under the current five-year plan, 
     including Lease Sale 259 and Lease Sale 261; and
       Whereas, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) missed 
     the deadline to issue a notice of sale for Gulf of Mexico 
     Lease Sale 259 in order to meet the expiration of the current 
     five-year plan; and
       Whereas, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008, 
     Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, on January 
     27, 2021, declaring a pause on leasing on federal lands and 
     waters, including the OCS of the Gulf of Mexico; and
       Whereas, the U.S. District Court ordered a preliminary 
     injunction on the leasing pause and ordered federal oil and 
     gas lease sales to proceed on June 15, 2021; and
       Whereas, the DOI held Lease Sale 257 on November 17, 2021; 
     however, on January 27, 2022, a ruling by the U.S. District 
     Court for the District of Columbia invalidated Gulf of Mexico 
     Lease Sale 257 requiring the DOI to reassess the 
     environmental impacts of Lease Sale 257; and
       Whereas, the DOI is not appealing the court ruling and 
     therefore there is no indication that leases will be awarded 
     to the offshore companies; and
       Whereas, there is no indication that the federal government 
     will hold another Gulf of Mexico offshore lease sale for the 
     duration of President Biden's term; and
       Whereas, there is no indication that the DOI is working on 
     the next OCS five year plan; and
       Whereas, since December 2019 crude output fell slightly, 
     with a drop of nearly thirteen and one half percent in 
     offshore Gulf of Mexico production; however, demand for oil 
     has climbed nine and eight-tenths percent in the same period; 
     and
       Whereas, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA), 
     which allows Gulf states to share in offshore revenue 
     generated from offshore oil activity including bonus bid 
     revenue, is the only reliable source of funding for 
     Louisiana's coastal programs; and
       Whereas, over the past five years Louisiana has received 
     between one hundred sixty million and four hundred seven 
     million dollars from bonus bids alone; and
       Whereas, it is estimated that the state of Louisiana lost 
     approximately twenty to forty million dollars in 2021 due to 
     the cancelled lease sales and lost bonus bid revenue; and
       Whereas, Louisiana depends on GOMESA revenues to fund a 
     fifty billion dollar coastal restoration plan; and
       Whereas, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior is required by 
     law to prepare a five-year plan to set a schedule for oil and 
     gas leases in federal offshore waters; and
       Whereas, delaying or canceling Gulf of Mexico leasing 
     negatively impacts federal and state revenue, as well as 
     Louisiana businesses and jobs; and
       Whereas, drilling contractors will see impacts dropping as 
     many as one quarter of the remaining Gulf of Mexico rigs over 
     the next several years; and
       Whereas, every drillship maintains an entire network of 
     staff, supply boats, and other vendors that support roughly 
     one thousand jobs per rig; and
       Whereas, the Gulf of Mexico is the safest and cleanest oil 
     produced anywhere in the world; and
       Whereas, halting domestic energy development in one of the 
     lowest carbon intensive energy producing regions in the world 
     will shift production and capital investment overseas and 
     undermine decades of environmental progress; and
       Whereas, a 2016 Obama Administration study conducted by 
     BOEM concluded that America's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 
     will be only slightly affected by leasing decisions on BOEM's 
     offshore leasing program and could result in an increase of 
     GHG emissions in the absence of new OCS leasing due to an 
     increase in importing foreign oil; and
       Whereas, the current administration is pursuing a policy 
     that places the U.S. at the mercy of the Organization of 
     Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia to meet our 
     domestic needs, harming our national and economic security; 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     urge and request the president of the United States, the 
     governor of Louisiana and the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation to do everything in their power to halt federal 
     actions resulting in the delay or cancellation of offshore 
     oil and natural gas lease sales and strongly urge the U.S. 
     Department of Interior and the Biden Administration to 
     expedite actions necessary to comply with the order of the 
     U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to resolve 
     Lease Sale 257 and finalize a new five-year plan for oil and 
     gas leasing on the outer continental shelf; and be it further
       Resolved, That all efforts should focus on mandated lease 
     sales in the Gulf of Mexico; and be it further
       Resolved, That the clerk of the House is hereby directed to 
     forward a copy of this Resolution to the president of the 
     United States, the secretary of the interior, the secretary 
     of energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the 
     White House national climate advisor, the speaker and clerk 
     of the United States House of Representatives, the president 
     pro tempore and secretary of the United States Senate, and 
     the members of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____


       POM-209. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Colorado concerning support for Ukraine against 
     Russian aggression; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                   Senate Joint Resolution No. 22-004

       Whereas, The post-war international security order, led by 
     the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), has relied 
     upon diplomacy, peace, and open communication over armed 
     conflict to ensure prosperity and stability for over one 
     billion people for more than 70 years; and
       Whereas, Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the 
     Ukrainian people voted overwhelmingly to form a nation 
     independent from Russia, building a democracy and a thriving 
     country grounded in the rule of law; and
       Whereas, In 2014, the pro-Western Euromaidan protest 
     movement in Ukraine led to the resignation of authoritarian 
     president Viktor Yanukovych, a brutal ally of Vladimir Putin, 
     ushering in democratically elected leaders who have sought 
     closer ties to the European Union and the United States; and
       Whereas, The Russian Federation, seeking to block the free 
     will of the Ukrainian people in their pursuit of security, 
     peace, and prosperity through closer ties to the European 
     Union and the United States, annexed territory from Ukraine 
     in 2014 and instigated, supported, and supplied a deadly 
     separatist war in Eastern Ukraine that has destabilized the 
     region and killed thousands of civilians; and
       Whereas, The Russian Federation deployed military assets to 
     support the separatist militias in the Donetsk and Luhansk 
     regions, resulting in the reckless missile attack that downed 
     Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and killed 298 innocent civilians 
     in 2014; and
       Whereas, Vladimir Putin intentionally lied to his own 
     people and to the global community to create a false pretext 
     to invade and occupy Ukraine based on lies that Ukraine posed 
     a threat to Russians and that falsely connected Ukraine and 
     its political leaders to Nazism; and
       Whereas, The Russian Federation violated international 
     peace and security agreements that sought a peaceful solution 
     in Eastern Ukraine and instead amassed hundreds of thousands 
     of troops on Ukraine's border; and
       Whereas, Vladimir Putin has now launched an unjust and 
     unwarranted invasion upon the peaceful nation of Ukraine; and

[[Page S4614]]

       Whereas, Russian soldiers are currently sweeping through 
     the country, inflicting violence and terror upon millions of 
     civilians and destroying homes, businesses, and properties; 
     and
       Whereas, Ukraine is a proud and honorable nation under 
     siege, and the brutality of this unnecessary and violent war 
     is an affront to both international law and common decency; 
     and
       Whereas, Ukraine has been a bulwark against Russian 
     military aggression in Europe, and Vladimir Putin has said 
     that his goal is to recreate the Soviet Union and may have 
     intentions to threaten NATO allies with military force; and
       Whereas, Vladimir Putin has sought to destabilize countries 
     across Europe and interfere in other countries' elections and 
     democracies, including the United States; and
       Whereas, The United States has galvanized the international 
     community and our allies to impose the strongest possible 
     sanctions on Russia and its financial institutions in 
     response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine; and
       Whereas, Colorado is home to thousands of Ukrainian 
     Americans and to millions who care deeply for and stand 
     strongly in support of the Ukrainian people; and
       Whereas, Ukraine deserves the support of every American and 
     the entire international community as it defends itself from 
     this unprovoked Russian invasion, the largest attack by one 
     state against another in Europe since World War II; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-third General 
     Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of 
     Representatives concurring herein: That we, the members of 
     the Colorado General Assembly:
       (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; and
       (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. Be 
     it further
       Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to 
     the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, 
     the Majority Leader of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the Minority Leader of the United States 
     House of Representatives, the President of the United States 
     Senate, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the 
     Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and all members 
     of Colorado's Congressional delegation.
                                  ____


       POM-210. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana encouraging the United States 
     Congress and the President of the United States to take 
     proactive measures to stand firmly against the totalitarian 
     efforts of the world Marxist/communist movement to protect 
     the citizens of our great state and this nation from the 
     leviathan and evil that is the Chinese Communist Party; to 
     the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 13

       Whereas, the initial global Marxist/communist movement was 
     directed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) 
     and had as its declared objective, world control; and
       Whereas, world hegemony was to be accomplished through 
     aggression, force, violence, and tactics that included fraud, 
     espionage, sabotage, infiltration, subversion, propaganda, 
     terrorism, and treachery; and
       Whereas, since the 1991 collapse of the USSR and the Warsaw 
     Pac the hegemonic and totalitarian nation-state of China has 
     become the focal point for the spread of dangerous and 
     tyrannical Marxist, communist, and socialist influences 
     around the globe and has recently aligned with the Russian 
     Federation to act in concert against the West and the rest of 
     the free world, and together they champion tenets of the 
     former Marxist/communist movement; and
       Whereas, the direction and control of the world Marxist/
     communist movement is now vested in and exercised by the 
     People's Republic of China (PRC); and
       Whereas, the PRC, subject to the dictatorial authority of 
     the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is actively and 
     surreptitiously furthering the purposes of the world Marxist/
     communist movement; and
       Whereas, the CCP has established or caused the 
     establishment of various action organizations and ``front'' 
     companies, which are entities that are not free and 
     independent but components of the PRC's apparatus and that 
     are controlled and directed by and subject to the discipline 
     of the dictatorship in the CCP; and
       Whereas, the CCP conducts predatory trade practices and is 
     suspected of facilitating the shipment of pirated and stolen 
     goods and technologies, all of which harms Louisiana and 
     American businesses and workers; and
       Whereas, the state of Louisiana, as a sovereign political 
     entity under the Constitution of the United States and as a 
     functioning representative state government that is 
     responsible solely to the people of this state under the 
     constitutions of this state and nation, is a most probable 
     and obvious target for those who seek by force, violence, 
     subterfuge, and other unlawful means to overthrow 
     constitutional government, so Louisiana is in perpetual 
     danger of Marxist/communist espionage, infiltration, 
     subversion and sabotage, which would put at risk the state's 
     economy, the international waterway that is the Mississippi 
     River which runs through Louisiana, and these actions will 
     put at risk critical transshipment routes for oil, gas, 
     grain, coal, and chemicals that are all linchpins of the 
     state and nation's economy; and
       Whereas, Marxist/communist expansion and ultimately control 
     of a country is characterized by an absolute denial of the 
     right of self-government and by the abolition of those 
     personal liberties which are cherished and held sacred in the 
     state of Louisiana and in the United States of America; and
       Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana highlights the deaths 
     of over seventy million Chinese citizens at the hands of its 
     own state apparatus and dictators, the enslavement and on-
     going efforts to exterminate the Uyghur people and install 
     Gulag-comparable oppression in the Xinjiang region, the 
     maltreatment of minority citizens including peoples of color, 
     maltreatment of homosexuals, the lack of religious and press 
     freedoms, the persecution of people of faith, and draconian 
     population control measures as the heinous benchmarks of the 
     CCP that must be illuminated as actions the United States and 
     Louisiana will not allow to endanger our great nation and 
     state; and
       Whereas, communist action organizations and front 
     companies, as established and utilized in the United States, 
     act under control, direction, and discipline of the CCP and 
     endeavor to carry out the objectives of the world Marxist/
     communist movement under the guise of legitimate businesses 
     and academic and political entities; and
       Whereas, the world Marxist/communist movement, which, 
     emanating from the CCP and extending to all corners of the 
     globe, aims to bring about the destabilization and 
     subjugation of legitimate and free governments by any 
     available means, including force when called for, and to set 
     up totalitarian dictatorships that suppress liberty and 
     eradicate human rights; and
       Whereas, those who unwittingly and/or sophomorically aid 
     the advancement of these aims of the world Marxist/communist 
     movement and who participate in the subversive work of the 
     movement in effect aid in the growth, influence, and 
     detrimental presence of this cancer on liberty that extends 
     from the CCP and are themselves victims of the world Marxist/
     communist movement; and
       Whereas, by insidious and ruthless tactics such as 
     predatory economic actions, infiltration of institutions of 
     higher learning, sabotage, political party infiltration, 
     propaganda, and subversion, the agents of the world Marxist/
     communist movement are attempting to lay the groundwork for 
     the dissolution of the free society that is the United States 
     of America and the state of Louisiana; and
       Whereas, by dangerous experiments, including the possible 
     release of deadly pathogens, and the testing and employment 
     of balance-of-power changing weapons, the CCP puts the health 
     and stability of the entire earth at risk; and
       Whereas, the world Marxist/communist movement is not a 
     legitimate political effort but is in fact a tyrannical 
     criminal conspiracy with an end goal of the ruination of 
     western civilization and liberal democracy; and
       Whereas, because the world Marxist/communist movement 
     constitutes a clear and present danger to the citizens of the 
     state of Louisiana and is an unequivocal enemy of this state 
     and nation, the Congress of the United States and the 
     president of the United States, in order to protect the 
     people of the country and state, to preserve the sovereignty 
     of the state under the Constitutions of the United States and 
     the state of Louisiana, and to guarantee to the state a 
     republican form of government, should enact appropriate 
     legislation recognizing the existence of the Marxist/
     communist movement and preventing it from accomplishing its 
     purposes in the state of Louisiana and throughout these 
     United States; and
       Whereas, the guarantees of sovereignty and freedom enjoyed 
     by this state and its citizens are certain to vanish if the 
     United States and its constitution are minimized, degraded, 
     or destroyed by the Marxist/communist movement. Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     encourage the Congress of the United States and the president 
     of the United States to take proactive measures to stand 
     firmly against the totalitarian efforts of the world Marxist/
     communist movement and to protect the citizens of our great 
     state and this nation from the leviathan and evil that is the 
     Chinese Communist Party; 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-211. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana commending and honoring the 
     pregnancy care centers of Louisiana; encouraging the United 
     States Congress and federal and state

[[Page S4615]]

     government agencies to grant assistance to pregnancy care 
     centers for medical equipment and abstinence education in a 
     manner that does not compromise the centers' mission or 
     religious integrity; expressing the sense of the legislature 
     regarding actions of any national, state, or local groups 
     attempting to prevent pregnancy care centers from effectively 
     serving women and men facing unplanned pregnancies; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 93

       Whereas, pregnancy care centers have a considerable and 
     growing impact on the women, men, children, and communities 
     they serve; and
       Whereas, pregnancy care centers serve women in Louisiana 
     and across the United States with integrity and passion; 
     there are more than two thousand five hundred pregnancy care 
     centers across the United States that provide comprehensive 
     care to women and men facing unplanned pregnancies by 
     providing resources that meet their physical, psychological, 
     emotional, and spiritual needs; and
       Whereas, pregnancy care centers offer women free, 
     confidential, and compassionate services including pregnancy 
     tests, peer counseling, twenty-four hour per day telephone 
     hotlines, childbirth and parenting classes, community health 
     care referrals, and other support services; and
       Whereas, many medical pregnancy care centers offer 
     ultrasounds and other medical services and provide 
     information on adoption and adoption referrals to pregnant 
     women; and
       Whereas, pregnancy care centers encourage women to make 
     positive life choices by equipping them with complete and 
     accurate information regarding their pregnancy options and 
     the development of their unborn children; and
       Whereas, pregnancy care centers provide women with 
     compassionate and confidential peer counseling in a 
     nonjudgmental manner regardless of their pregnancy outcomes; 
     they also provide important support and resources for women 
     who choose childbirth over abortion; and
       Whereas, pregnancy care centers ensure that women receive 
     prenatal information and services that lead to the birth of 
     healthy infants, and many centers provide grief assistance 
     for women and men who regret past choices; and
       Whereas, many pregnancy care centers also work to prevent 
     unplanned pregnancies by teaching effective abstinence 
     education in public schools; and
       Whereas, the federal government and state governments have 
     increasingly recognized the value of the services offered by 
     pregnancy care centers and have designated public funds for 
     such organizations; and
       Whereas, pregnancy care centers operate primarily through 
     reliance on the voluntary donations and time of individuals 
     who are committed to caring for the needs of women and 
     promoting and protecting life, and the centers operating in 
     Louisiana are most deserving of the highest recognition for 
     their efforts. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     commend and honor the pregnancy care centers of Louisiana and 
     does hereby strongly support the positive contributions 
     pregnancy care centers make to the lives of women, men, and 
     babies; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     commend the tens of thousands of volunteers and paid staff at 
     pregnancy care centers in Louisiana and across the United 
     States for their compassionate work; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana encourages 
     Congress and federal and state government agencies to grant 
     assistance to pregnancy care centers for medical equipment 
     and abstinence education in a manner that does not compromise 
     the mission or religious integrity of these organizations; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature disapproves of the actions 
     of any national, state, or local groups attempting to prevent 
     pregnancy care centers from effectively serving women and men 
     facing unplanned pregnancies; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the governor, the president of the United States, 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-212. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress 
     to support the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention 
     Act and to take such actions as are necessary to compel the 
     United States Food and Drug Administration to fulfill its 
     duties regarding inspection and testing of imported seafood; 
     to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 78

       Whereas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration, in 2019 the United States imported six 
     billion pounds of edible seafood products, including one and 
     one half billion pounds of shrimp, an increase of nearly six 
     and one half million pounds more than the shrimp imported in 
     2018; and
       Whereas, the 2019 shrimp imports alone, valued at six 
     billion dollars, accounted for twenty-seven percent of the 
     total value of imported seafood that year, which reached 
     twenty-two billion dollars; and
       Whereas, it is estimated that over half of the imported 
     seafood consumed in the United States is from aquaculture, or 
     seafood farming, rather than wild-caught; and
       Whereas, the United States Food and Drug Administration 
     (FDA) is responsible for the safety of all fish and fishery 
     products entering the Unite States and sold in Louisiana; and
       Whereas, the FDA's seafood safety program is governed by 
     its Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point regulations, which 
     address food safety management through the analysis and 
     control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from 
     raw material production, procurement and handling, to 
     manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of the finished 
     product; and
       Whereas, FDA regulations are supposed to measure compliance 
     for imported seafood with inspections of foreign processing 
     facilities, sampling of seafood offered for import into the 
     United States, domestic surveillance sampling of imported 
     products, inspections of seafood importers, foreign country 
     program assessments, and the use of information from foreign 
     partners and FDA overseas offices; and
       Whereas, in 2011 the FDA was only inspecting two percent of 
     the seafood imported into the United States; and
       Whereas, unfortunately 2011 is the last year for which data 
     regarding the percentage of imports inspected is available 
     due to a lack of transparency and inadequate assessment 
     measures; and
       Whereas, in 2011 the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
     noted that the FDA's assessments of foreign aquaculture 
     operations was limited by the FDA's lack of 1 procedures, 
     criteria, and standards; and ten years later, a 2021 GAO 
     report found that the agency was failing to monitor the 
     effectiveness of its own enforcement policies and procedures; 
     and
       Whereas, in contrast, the European Union regularly conducts 
     physical checks of approximately twenty percent of all 
     imported fish products that are fresh, frozen, dry, salted, 
     or hermetically sealed, and for certain fishery products, 
     physical checks are conducted on approximately fifty percent 
     of imports; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana State University School of Renewable 
     Natural Resources published a 2020 paper titled 
     ``Determination of Sulfite and Antimicrobial Residue in 
     Imported Shrimp to the USA'', which presented findings from a 
     study of shrimp imported from India, Thailand, Indonesia, 
     Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, and Ecuador and purchased from 
     retail stores in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and
       Whereas, a screening of these shrimp for sulfites and 
     residues from antimicrobial drugs found the following: (1) 
     five percent of the shrimp contained malachite green, (2) 
     seven percent contained oxytetracycline, (3) seventeen 
     percent contained fluoroquinolone, and (4) seventy percent 
     contained nitrofurantoin, all of which have been banned by 
     the FDA in domestic aquaculture operations; and
       Whereas, although the FDA requires that food products 
     exposed to sulfites must include a label with a statement 
     about the presence of sulfites, of the forty-three percent of 
     these locally purchased shrimp found to contain sulfites, not 
     one package complied with this labeling requirement; and
       Whereas, the drug and sulfite residues included in this 
     screening can be harmful to human health during both handling 
     and consumption and have been known to cause all of the 
     following: liver damage and tumors, reproductive 
     abnormalities, cardiac arrhythmia, renal failure, hemolysis, 
     asthma attacks, and allergic reactions; and
       Whereas, the results of this study confirm that existing 
     screening and enforcement measures for imported seafood are 
     insufficient; whatever the percentage of imports inspected 
     may be, seafood is currently being imported that contains 
     unsafe substances that put American consumers at risk; and
       Whereas, because imported seafood is not held to the same 
     standards as domestic seafood, domestic fishing industries 
     are put at a distinct and significant disadvantage 
     commercially; and
       Whereas, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife 
     and Fisheries, the average value of Louisiana shrimp fell 
     from three dollars and eighty cents per pound in 1980 to one 
     dollar fifty cents per pound in 2017; and
       Whereas, this unfair competition allows foreign competitors 
     to flood the United States market with seafood harvested 
     under intensive farming practices using antimicrobial drugs, 
     while devastating local industries and the coastal 
     communities built around them; and
       Whereas, proposed federal legislation cosponsored by 
     Representative Garret Graves of Louisiana titled the Illegal 
     Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act, originally filed as 
     H.R. 3075 and as incorporated into H.R. 4521 of the 117th 
     Congress, seeks to combat illegal, unreported, and 
     unregulated fishing practices in the international seafood 
     supply chain which contribute to the foregoing inadequacies; 
     and
       Whereas, the proposed legislation seeks to enhance 
     monitoring, inspection, data collection, labeling, and 
     transparency related to imported seafood; to improve the 
     ability of United States regulators to enforce these 
     measures; to increase outreach regarding seafood safety and 
     fraud; and to appropriate

[[Page S4616]]

     additional money for improved traceability; and
       Whereas, if enacted, the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor 
     Prevention Act could be an essential step towards improving 
     the safety of consumers and the market for domestic fishing 
     industries; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to support the Illegal 
     Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act and to take such 
     actions as are necessary to compel the United States Food and 
     Drug Administration to fulfill its duties regarding 
     inspection and testing of imported seafood; 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-213. 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 invest future 
     supplemental funding in the communities of Lafitte, 
     Barataria, and Crown Point located in Jefferson Parish aiding 
     in flood protection and preventing future losses and damages; 
     to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
     Affairs.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 20

       Whereas, the population in Jefferson Parish is 
     approximately 429,711; and
       Whereas, Jefferson Parish is the third largest parish in 
     Louisiana; and
       Whereas, there are approximately 100,179 properties in 
     Jefferson Parish that have a greater than twenty-six percent 
     chance of being severely affected by flooding; and
       Whereas, flood risks have increased in Jefferson Parish, 
     and there is an extreme risk of flooding over the next thirty 
     years; and
       Whereas, Jefferson Parish has greater overall flood risk 
     than ninety-nine percent of counties across the country; and
       Whereas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded a 
     grant to aid in flood mitigation in Jefferson Parish; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress and the president of 
     the United States did not include the communities of Lafitte, 
     Barataria, and Crown Point; however, the state of Louisiana 
     received supplemental funding for the parishes of Lafourche, 
     Terrebonne, Orleans, East Baton Rouge, Tangipahoa, and parts 
     of Jefferson; and
       Whereas, continued investments in flood mitigation are 
     needed to prevent future loss and damage resulting from 
     natural disasters in the communities of Lafitte, Barataria, 
     and Crown Point; and
       Whereas, the communities of Lafitte, Barataria, and Crown 
     Point have suffered the adverse effects of the West Closure 
     Complex drainage system and the one hundred-year levees three 
     miles north of the area; and
       Whereas, the communities of Lafitte, Barataria, and Crown 
     Point have suffered the adverse effects of the sediment 
     diversion on United States Highway 90 and will suffer from 
     the proposed mid-Barataria sediment diversion; and
       Whereas, the extreme risk of flooding in Jefferson Parish 
     has shown the urgent need to invest resources for the 
     communities of Lafitte, Barataria, and Crown Point as a means 
     to protect life and property in the future, as citizens are 
     continuously impacted by the flooding and rebuilding of their 
     homes and lives; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to invest more resources into the 
     communities of Lafitte, Barataria, and Crown Point to aid in 
     future flood damage mitigation; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to include the communities of Lafitte, 
     Barataria, and Crown Point in any future supplemental funding 
     and pre-mitigation funding to provide flood protection and to 
     prevent future losses and damages; 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-214. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Michigan urging the United States Congress to pass 
     legislation that would allow farmers, along with coalitions 
     and trade associations representing farmers, to petition the 
     U.S. International Trade Commission to temporarily waive 
     tariffs on imports of fertilizer and fertilizer ingredients 
     imported from Morocco; to the Committee on Finance.

                       Senate Resolution No. 139

       Whereas, Michigan's agricultural industry is vitally 
     important to the state economy. As our nation's second most 
     diverse agricultural system, it contributes more than $104.7 
     billion in economic activity annually to the state. More than 
     800,000 people work in Michigan's agricultural industry, and 
     care for nearly 10 million acres of land; and
       Whereas, Fertilizer is a critical agricultural input that 
     is utilized by farmers to provide nutrients to their land and 
     maximize the productivity of their farms. Michigan farmers 
     require access to fertilizers in order to nourish their land 
     and maintain production levels; and
       Whereas, The International Trade Commission (ITC) 
     determined that the import of foreign fertilizers injured 
     U.S. manufacturers. As a result, the ITC decided to impose a 
     nineteen percent tariff on imports of fertilizer and 
     fertilizer ingredients from Morocco. The tariffs, which were 
     implemented in early 2021, significantly increased fertilizer 
     prices; and
       Whereas, Fertilizer prices in the United States are now at 
     an all-time high. Fertilizer prices had already been 
     increasing due to factors such as rising costs of raw 
     materials and increased demand for inputs. With these tariffs 
     in effect, farmers who were already struggling to compete 
     with rising costs are now faced with an increased financial 
     burden and uncertain future; and
       Whereas, Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to rely on imported 
     fertilizer and fertilizer ingredients. For example, more than 
     95 percent of potash, one of the key components found in 
     fertilizer, is currently imported from outside the U.S.; and
       Whereas, Michigan contains the only commercial deposit of 
     natural potash in the U.S. and the highest quality natural 
     potash deposit in the world. The Michigan Legislature 
     recently provided an investment of $50 million to establish 
     potash extraction infrastructure in Michigan. Once completed, 
     this project will help increase domestic supply of this 
     critical mineral, thereby strengthening and securing the 
     supply of high-quality potash for Michigan farmers, in 
     addition to providing hundreds of full-time jobs and boosting 
     Michigan's economy. This will be crucial for the Michigan 
     agricultural industry, as significant supply shortages and 
     skyrocketing costs continue to burden Michigan farmers; and
       Whereas, Legislation has been introduced in Congress that 
     would allow a process for individual farmers, along with 
     coalitions and trade associations representing farmers, to 
     petition the ITC to temporarily waive tariffs on imports of 
     fertilizer and fertilizer ingredients. With the price of 
     fertilizer on the rise, this would help alleviate costs for 
     farmers, as Morocco is one of the top five exporters of 
     fertilizer to the United States; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we urge Congress to pass 
     legislation that would allow farmers, along with coalitions 
     and trade associations representing farmers, to petition the 
     ITC to temporarily waive tariffs on imports of fertilizer and 
     fertilizer ingredients imported from Morocco; 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.
                                  ____

       POM-215. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Arizona urging the United States Congress to 
     allow the participation of Romania in the Visa Waiver 
     Program; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                   House Concurrent Memorial No. 2008

       Whereas, Romania has been a stable and flourishing 
     multiparty democracy since the end of communism in 1989; and
       Whereas. Romania has a fast--growing, market--oriented 
     economy and is a major economic partner of the United States; 
     and
       Whereas, Romania is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO), meets its defense spending benchmarks 
     and is an active player in regional security; and
       Whereas, Romania is an important United States regional 
     security ally and is a close partner in the areas of 
     intelligence and joint security; and
       Whereas, Romania has been described as a ``stalwart NATO 
     ally'' by United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and 
     called a role model ally by senior defense officials; and
       Whereas, the Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of 
     approved countries to travel without a visa to the United 
     States for stays of up to 90 days; and
       Whereas. despite the close United States-Romanian 
     relationship, Romania remains one of only three European 
     Union countries that are not in the Visa Waiver Program; and
       Whereas, Romania's exclusion from the program hampers 
     closer economic, cultural, political and security ties 
     between our two countries. Wherefore your memorialist, the 
     House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate 
     concurring, prays:
       1. That the United States Congress make changes to the Visa 
     Waiver Program to allow Romania to become a participating 
     country.
       2. That the Secretary of the United States Department of 
     Homeland Security work closely with Romanian officials to 
     quickly bring Romania into the Visa Waiver Program.
       3. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona 
     transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the 
     United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House 
     of Representatives, each Member of Congress from the State of 
     Arizona and the Secretary of the United States Department of 
     Homeland Security.
                                  ____

       POM-216. 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 the 
     limited purpose of proposing an

[[Page S4617]]

     amendment to the United States Constitution to set a limit on 
     the number of terms that a person may be elected as a member 
     of the United States House of Representatives or as a member 
     of the United States Senate; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                    Enrolled Joint Resolution No. 18

       Whereas, the United States and its citizens would be best 
     served by limiting the terms of members of the United States 
     House of Representatives and United States Senate; and


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

  
  On page S4617, September 14, 2022, in the top of the left 
column, the following appears: Senate Joint Resolution No. 18 
Whereas, the United States and its citizens would be best served 
by limiting the terms of members of the United States House of 
Representatives and United States Senate; and.
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: Enrolled Joint 
Resolution No. 18 Whereas, the United States and its citizens 
would be best served by limiting the terms of members of the 
United States House of Representatives and United States Senate; 
and.


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


       Whereas, under Article V of the Constitution of the United 
     States, the Congress, on the application of the legislatures 
     of two-thirds of the several states, shall call a convention 
     for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United 
     States; and this application shall be aggregated with the 
     applications from other states to Congress to call a 
     convention to set a limit on the number of terms that a 
     person may be elected to the United States House of 
     Representatives and the United States Senate for the purpose 
     of attaining the two-thirds of states necessary to require 
     Congress to call a limited convention on this subject, but 
     shall not be aggregated with any other applications on any 
     other subject; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the senate, the assembly 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 the limited purpose of proposing an amendment 
     to the Constitution of the United States to set a limit on 
     the number of terms that a person may be elected as a member 
     of the United States House of Representatives or as a member 
     of the United States Senate; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the secretary of state of the State of 
     Wisconsin be, and is 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 an amendment 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-217. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     New Jersey urging the United States Congress to pass a 
     resolution condemning violence against historically Black 
     colleges and universities; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                        Senate Resolution No. 69

       Whereas, In January and February of 2022, at least 30 
     historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were the 
     targets of bomb threats; and
       Whereas, On February 7, 2022, House Concurrent Resolution 
     70 was introduced in the United States House of 
     Representatives condemning the violence and threats of 
     violence against HBCUs; and
       Whereas, HBCUs were established throughout the 19th and 
     20th centuries in response to discriminatory practices that 
     prevented Black Americans from pursuing higher education; and
       Whereas, Quality higher educational opportunities are 
     central to economic prosperity and social well-being in the 
     United States, and dedicated educational opportunities for 
     Black Americans are critical to the pursuit of economic and 
     social equality for Black Americans; and
       Whereas, HBCUs are a symbol of independence and resilience 
     for the Black community and provide important opportunities 
     to uplift Black Americans; and
       Whereas, in 2020, enrollment at HBCUs totaled more than 
     275,000 students, and HBCUs continuously produce a 
     significant share of the country's Black leaders, innovators 
     and artists, including Vice President Kamala Harris, W.E.B. 
     Du Bois, and Toni Morrison; and
       Whereas, Bombings were a common tactic during the Civil 
     Rights Movement to terrorize Black institutions and members 
     of the Black community; and
       Whereas, The bomb threats against HBCUs in the initial 
     months of 2022 have disrupted campus environments, obstructed 
     educational opportunities, increased anxiety, and instilled 
     fear in students, faculty, and staff; and
       Whereas, in 2019, among single-bias hate crime incidents in 
     the United States, 57.6 percent of victims were targeted due 
     to racial, ethnic, or ancestry bias, and among those victims, 
     48.5 percent were victims of crimes motivated by the 
     offenders' anti-Black or anti-African-American bias, 
     according to the FBI; and
       Whereas, The United States has a duty to protect citizens 
     targeted by race-related hate crimes and prevent the 
     continued perpetration of these crimes; and
       Whereas, It is altogether fitting and proper for the United 
     States Congress to pass House Concurrent Resolution 70 and 
     thereby vociferously condemn the threats of violence against 
     HBCUs; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
       1. This House supports, and respectfully urges the United 
     States Congress to pass, House Concurrent Resolution 70, 
     condemning the violence against historically Black colleges 
     and universities and reaffirming the commitment of the 
     federal government to combat violence against students, 
     faculty, and staff at historically Black colleges and 
     universities.
       2. Copies of this resolution. as filed with the Secretary 
     of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate 
     to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States 
     Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States 
     House of Representatives, and every member of the New Jersey 
     Congressional delegation.
                                  ____


       POM-218. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Colorado concerning the designation of March 8, 
     2022, as ``Colorado Aerospace Day''; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                   Senate Joint Resolution No. 22-005

       Whereas, Our nation and the world have significantly 
     benefited from technological and scientific advances 
     resulting from space exploration and aerospace activities; 
     and
       Whereas, Colorado ranks first in the nation for aerospace 
     employment concentration; and
       Whereas, There are over 34,000 Coloradans who are directly 
     employed in aerospace, with the aerospace cluster supporting 
     over 240,000 jobs; and
       Whereas, Colorado is home to the nation's top aerospace 
     companies, including Ball Aerospace, Boeing, L3Harris, 
     Lockheed Martin Space, Maxar Technologies, Northrop Grumman, 
     Raytheon, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and United Launch 
     Alliance, and close to 500 additional companies that support 
     the aerospace sector by providing services and developing 
     products, including spacecraft, launch vehicles, satellites, 
     command and control software, sensors, and navigation 
     operations; and
       Whereas, Colorado is a strategic location for national 
     space and cyber activity, with five key military commands--
     North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the United 
     States Northern Command, the United States Strategic 
     Command's Joint Functional Component Command for Space 
     Missile Warning Center, the United States Space Command, and 
     the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army 
     Forces Strategic Command--and three space-related United 
     States Space Force bases--Buckley, Peterson, and Schriever; 
     and
       Whereas, The United States Air Force Academy, along with 
     Colorado's colleges and universities, including the 
     University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado 
     Colorado Springs, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State 
     University, Metropolitan State University of Denver, 
     University of Denver, Colorado Mesa University, and Fort 
     Lewis College, provides access to world-class aerospace-
     related degrees and offers aerospace companies one of the 
     country's most educated workforces; and
       Whereas, Various organizations are key to Colorado's 
     prominence in aerospace, such as the Colorado Space 
     Coalition, a group of industry stakeholders working to grow 
     and promote Colorado as a center of excellence for aerospace; 
     the Colorado chapter of Citizens for Space Exploration, in 
     partnership with the Colorado Space Business Roundtable, 
     whose mission is to promote better understanding of aerospace 
     and its importance in our economy and daily lives, as well as 
     promoting the importance of human space exploration; and the 
     Colorado Space Business Roundtable, an organization that 
     works to convene stakeholders from industry, government, and 
     academia to advance aerospace business and workforce 
     opportunities throughout the state. Together they form the 
     Colorado chapter of the Aerospace States Association, a 
     nonpartisan organization of lieutenant governors and 
     associate members from aerospace organizations and academia 
     who represent states' interests in federal aerospace and 
     aviation policy development. Manufacturer's Edge is a 
     statewide manufacturing assistance center that encourages the 
     strength and competitiveness of Colorado manufacturers by 
     providing on-site technical assistance through coaching, 
     training, consulting, collaboration-focused industry 
     programs, and leveraging government, university, and economic 
     development partnerships; and
       Whereas, The Colorado Air and Space Port seeks to serve as 
     America's hub for commercial space transportation, research, 
     and development; this horizontal launch facility will have 
     the potential to become the foundation for a global 
     suborbital transportation network connecting Colorado 
     globally; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-third General 
     Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of 
     Representatives concurring herein: That we, the members of 
     the Colorado General Assembly:
       (1) Strongly urge and request the government of the United 
     States of America to take action to preserve and enhance 
     American leadership in space, spur innovation, and ensure our 
     continued national and economic security by increasing 
     funding for space exploration and activities, including 
     aggressively pursuing sending United States astronauts and 
     the first woman onto the Moon in the next few years under the 
     Artemis program, which will have its uncrewed test flight 
     this month, sending along with it the Callisto payload, which 
     uses Amazon Alexa and Webex by Cisco to test and demonstrate 
     commercial technology for deep space voice, video, and 
     whiteboarding communications. The Callisto technology 
     demonstration will be integrated

[[Page S4618]]

     into NASA's Orion spacecraft for the agency's Artemis I 
     uncrewed mission. Lockheed Martin Space, which designed and 
     built the Orion spacecraft for NASA in Colorado, is leading 
     the development and integration of the payload;
       (2) Recognize and appreciate Colorado's space and aerospace 
     companies and organizations, especially the growing 
     membership and activities of the Colorado chapter of Citizens 
     for Space Exploration, in partnership with the Colorado Space 
     Business Roundtable, whose activities to promote space 
     exploration are helping to increase public understanding and 
     enthusiasm for exploration funding;
       (3) Recognize and support our congressional delegation in 
     urging the Department of Defense to reestablish the United 
     States Space Command in Colorado;
       (4) Recognize and appreciate the contributions of 
     Colorado's universities, colleges, and national research 
     laboratories to the space and aerospace industries, including 
     their expertise in exploration of the planets and the 
     universe and their space-based Earth observation, like the 
     GOES-T weather satellite that launched this month;
       (5) Express our most sincere and deepest appreciation to 
     the men and women working in our military installations in 
     Colorado; and
       (6) Hereby declare March 8, 2022, to be ``Colorado 
     Aerospace Day''. Be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to 
     President Joseph Biden, Jr.; Vice President Kamala Harris; 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi; House 
     Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy; Senate Majority Leader 
     Charles Schumer; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell; 
     Senator John Hickenlooper; Senator Michael Bennet; 
     Congresswoman Diana DeGette; Congressman Joe Neguse; 
     Congresswoman Lauren Boebert; Congressman Ken Buck; 
     Congressman Doug Lamborn; Congressman Jason Crow; Congressman 
     Ed Perlmutter; Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator; Bradley Mims, 
     Deputy Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration; 
     Governor Jared Polis; Lieutenant Governor and Co-chair, 
     Colorado Space Coalition, Dianne Primavera; Brigadier General 
     Laura Clellan, The Adjutant General, Colorado National Guard; 
     General James Dickinson, Commander, U.S. Space Command, and 
     Commander, Air Force Space Command; Colonel Marcus Jackson, 
     Buckley Garrison Commander, Buckley Space Force Base; Dr. 
     Christopher Scolese, Director, National Reconnaissance 
     Office; Ross B. Garelick Bell, Executive Director, Aerospace 
     States Association; Thomas E. Zelibor, Chief Executive 
     Officer, Space Foundation; Dr. Ronald M. Sega, Co-chair, 
     Colorado Space Coalition; Michael Gass, Co-chair, Colorado 
     Space Coalition; Bob Cone, Chair, Colorado Space Business 
     Roundtable; Stacey DeFore, Chair, Colorado Citizens for Space 
     Exploration; Jeff Kloska, Director, Colorado Air and Space 
     Port; and Debbie Brown, President, Colorado Space Business 
     Roundtable.
                                  ____

       POM-219. 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 of the 
     States limited to proposing amendments to the United States 
     Constitution that impose fiscal restraints on the federal 
     government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal 
     government, and limit the terms of office for its officials 
     and for members of Congress; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                    Assembly Joint Resolution No. 9

       Whereas, the Founders of our Constitution empowered state 
     legislators to be guardians of liberty against future abuses 
     of power by the federal government; and
       Whereas, the federal government has created a crushing 
     national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and
       Whereas, the federal government has invaded the legitimate 
     roles of the States through the manipulative process of 
     federal mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great 
     extent; and
       Whereas, the federal government has ceased to live under a 
     proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United 
     States; and
       Whereas, it is the solemn duty of the States to protect the 
     liberty of our people--particularly for the generations to 
     come--by proposing amendments to the Constitution of the 
     United States through a Convention of the States under 
     Article V for the purpose of restraining these and related 
     abuses of power: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the 
     legislature of the State of Wisconsin hereby applies to 
     Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the 
     Constitution of the United States, for the calling of a 
     Convention of the States limited to proposing amendments to 
     the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal 
     restraints on the federal government, limit the power and 
     jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms 
     of office for its officials and for members of Congress; and, 
     be it further
       Resolved, That for purposes of this joint resolution, the 
     phrase ``limit the power and jurisdiction'' means to restrict 
     and constrain the power and jurisdiction of the federal 
     government, and that this joint resolution does not authorize 
     a convention for proposing any amendments that expand federal 
     power or jurisdiction, or that legitimize any current use of 
     federal power that is unauthorized by the original 
     Constitution; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the secretary of state is hereby directed to 
     transmit copies of this application to the president and 
     secretary of the United States Senate and to the Speaker and 
     clerk of the United States House of Representatives; to 
     transmit copies to the members of the said Senate and House 
     of Representatives from this state; and also to transmit 
     copies hereof to the presiding officers of each of the 
     legislative houses in the several States, requesting their 
     cooperation; and, be it further
       Resolved, That this application constitutes a continuing 
     application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution 
     of the United States until the legislatures of at least two-
     thirds of the several States have made applications on the 
     same subject.
                                  ____

       POM-220. A memorial adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Colorado urging the United States Congress to adopt 
     comprehensive voting rights legislation to protect the 
     integrity of American democracy and the sacred right to vote; 
     to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

                       Senate Memorial No. 22-001

       Whereas, Every January we honor the memory of Dr. Martin 
     Luther King, Jr., and his heroic efforts to advance voting 
     rights and we aspire to follow in his footsteps; and
       Whereas, No one did more to promote the right to vote for 
     disenfranchised Americans than the civil rights leaders of 
     the 1960s, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Congressman 
     John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Ella Baker; and
       Whereas, Until the United States Congress passed the 
     federal ``Voting Rights Act of 1965'', people of color in the 
     United States were frequently subject to poll taxes, literacy 
     tests, and fraud and intimidation, preventing them from 
     exercising their right to cast a ballot; and
       Whereas, The United States Senate is considering critical 
     federal elections reform and long overdue updates to the 
     federal ``Voting Rights Act of 1965'' to preserve voting 
     rights for generations to come, in honor of the legacy of the 
     late Congressman John Lewis; and
       Whereas, Colorado's electoral system serves as an example 
     to the rest of the nation, and in fact the world, of how to 
     expand voter access while protecting electoral integrity 
     through safeguards including risk-limiting audits and 
     signature verification; and
       Whereas, In the 2020 election, Colorado had the second 
     highest voter turnout of any state in the nation, and 
     Colorado's largest voting bloc--young people ages 18 to 34--
     turned out in record numbers; and
       Whereas, Efforts to suppress the vote and disenfranchise 
     Americans who historically have had the least access to the 
     ballot have been on the rise across the country in recent 
     years; and
       Whereas, Last year, more than 440 bills with provisions 
     that restrict voting access were introduced in 49 states, 
     including here in Colorado, where legislation was introduced 
     to restrict voters' access to Colorado's vote by mail system, 
     a national model of excellence for election access, security, 
     and integrity; and
       Whereas, Last year, 19 states passed 34 laws restricting 
     access to voting, including Georgia's Senate Bill 202 and 
     Texas' Senate Bill No. 1, both of which made it more 
     difficult for voters to exercise their fundamental right to 
     vote enshrined in the United States Constitution and the 
     federal ``Voting Rights Act of 1965''; and
       Whereas, Falsehoods and conspiracies regarding the 
     integrity of the 2020 election have run rampant in our media 
     and public discourse; and
       Whereas, The months-long, coordinated attempt to interfere 
     with the democratic process following the November 2020 
     election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power by 
     overturning the legitimate results of the presidential 
     election, which culminated at the United States Capitol on 
     January 6, 2021, serves as a violent reminder of the 
     fragility of our democracy; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-third General 
     Assembly of the State of Colorado: That we, the members of 
     the Colorado Senate:
       (1) Reassert the validity of the 2020 presidential election 
     results as legitimate and verified;
       (2) Offer Colorado's premier electoral system as a model 
     for states across the country to adopt in order to increase 
     voter participation while ensuring electoral integrity; and
       (3) Call on the United States Congress, and specifically 
     members of the United States Senate, to pass comprehensive 
     voting rights legislation to protect the fundamental right to 
     vote, which has been the cornerstone of our democracy since 
     the founding of our republic. Be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be sent to the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     Majority Leader of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the Minority Leader of the United States 
     House of Representatives, the President of the United States 
     Senate, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the 
     Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and all members 
     of the Colorado Congressional delegation.
                                  ____


       POM-221. 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 reject the 
     recommendation to close the Alexandria Veterans Affairs 
     Medical Center located in Pineville, Louisiana, as 
     recommended by the

[[Page S4619]]

     United States Department of Veterans Affairs' report to the 
     Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission; to the Committee 
     on Veterans' Affairs.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 27

       Whereas, the Alexandria Veterans Affairs Medical Center 
     provides inpatient medical and surgical, inpatient mental 
     health, community living centers, and outpatient services to 
     veterans in the surrounding area; and
       Whereas, the Alexandria Veterans Affairs Medical Center 
     serves thousands of veterans a year, including a potential 
     population of more than one hundred thousand veterans and an 
     active patient roster of more than thirty-seven thousand 
     veterans; and
       Whereas, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs 
     recommends closing the Alexandria Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center facility and relocating services to community 
     providers; and
       Whereas, the closing of the Alexandria Veterans Affairs 
     Medical Center will leave veterans with fewer care options; 
     and
       Whereas, Alexandria and Central Louisiana have a long 
     history of support for the military and serve as an ideal 
     location for veterans in surrounding communities to receive 
     treatment; and
       Whereas, the Alexandria Veterans Affairs Medical Center is 
     a critical institution that should remain operable to better 
     serve the veterans of Louisiana: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to reject the report recommendations by the 
     United States Department of Veterans Affairs and support the 
     continued operation of the Alexandria Veterans Affairs 
     Medical Center; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____


       POM-222. A resolution adopted by the Council of the County 
     of Maui, urging the United States Navy to permanently remove 
     and relocate the Bulk Fuel Storage Facility underground 
     storage tanks located at Kapukaki (Red Hill, Oahu); to the 
     Committee on Armed Services.
       POM-223. A resolution adopted by the Alpena County Board of 
     Commissioners, Alpena, Michigan, supporting the Line 5 
     tunnel; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
       POM-224. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas opposing any 
     government's actions related to nuclear testing, storage, and 
     waste disposal in the Pacific, and reaffirming everyone's 
     fundamental right to a safe and healthy living environment; 
     to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
       POM-225. A resolution adopted by the City Commission of the 
     City of Kalamazoo, Michigan, supporting the Medicare for All 
     Act of 2021; to the Committee on Finance.
       POM-226. A resolution adopted by the Lauderdale Lakes City 
     Commission, Lauderdale Lakes, Florida encouraging the United 
     States Congress to enact the Energy Innovation and Carbon 
     Dividend Act of 2019; providing for the adoption of recitals; 
     providing for instructions to the City Clerk; providing an 
     effective date; to the Committee on Finance.
       POM-227. A resolution adopted by the City of Oshkosh Common 
     Council, Wisconsin, urging the United States Congress to 
     enact the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act; to the 
     Committee on Finance.
       POM-228. A resolution adopted by the Council of the Village 
     of Yellow Springs, Ohio, supporting a prompt and meaningful 
     shift away from fossil fuels in the United States as a 
     necessary cornerstone to any meaningful response to climate 
     change; and further supporting the proposed Energy Innovation 
     and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 2307); to the Committee on 
     Finance.
       POM-229. A resolution adopted by the City Commission of 
     Miami, Florida, declaring Vladimir Putin and all his allies, 
     oligarchs, and supporters war criminals and personas non 
     grata in the City of Miami; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.
       POM-230. A resolution adopted by the Council of the County 
     of Maui, Hawaii, condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and 
     supporting peace; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
       POM-231. A resolution adopted by the Council of the County 
     of Maui, Hawaii, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 
     Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act; to 
     the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
       POM-232. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas 
     relative to amending federal laws regarding ``hate crime'' 
     statutes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-233. A resolution adopted by the Council of the County 
     of Maui, Hawaii, urging the United States Secretary of 
     Homeland Security to temporarily waive Jones Act requirements 
     for oil imported to Hawaii; to the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation.

                          ____________________