[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 23, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5188-S5194]
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-144. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly 
     of the State of Tennessee

[[Page S5189]]

     applying to the United States Congress pursuant to Article V 
     of the United States Constitution to call a convention for 
     proposing amendments to set a limit on the number of terms to 
     which a person may be elected as a Member of the United 
     States House of Representatives and to set a limit on the 
     number of terms to which a person may be elected as a Member 
     of the United States Senate; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                      house Joint Resolution No. 5

       Whereas, Article V of the United States Constitution 
     requires the United States Congress to call a convention for 
     the purpose of proposing amendments to the United States 
     Constitution upon application of two-thirds of the 
     legislatures of the several states; now, therefore,
       Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the One 
     Hundred Thirteenth General Assembly of the State of 
     Tennessee, the Senate concurring, that the General Assembly 
     hereby makes an application to Congress, as provided by 
     Article V of the Constitution of the United States of 
     America, to call a convention limited to proposing an 
     amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America 
     to set a limit on the number of terms to which a person may 
     be elected as a member of the United States House of 
     Representatives and to set a limit on the number of terms to 
     which a person may be elected as a member of the United 
     States Senate. Be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this application be sent to the 
     President and the Secretary of the Senate of the United 
     States, and the Speaker and Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives of the United States; to the members of the 
     said Senate and House of Representatives from this State; and 
     to the presiding officers of each of the legIslative houses 
     in the several states, requesting their cooperation. Be it 
     further
       Resolved, That this application be considered as covering 
     the same subject matter as the applications from other states 
     to Congress to call a convention to set a limit on the number 
     of terms to which a person may be elected to the House of 
     Representatives of the United States and to the Senate of the 
     United States; and that this application be aggregated with 
     the same for the purpose of attaining the two-thirds of 
     states necessary to require Congress to call a limited 
     convention on this subject; and that this application will 
     not be aggregated with any other applications on any other 
     subject. Be it further
       Resolved, That this application constitutes a continuing 
     application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution 
     of the United States of America until the legislatures of at 
     least two-thirds of the several states have made applications 
     on the same subject.
                                  ____

       POM-145. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly 
     of the State of Maryland urging the federal government to 
     publish, without delay, the federal Equal Rights Amendment as 
     the Twenty-eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the 
     United States Congress to pass a joint resolution affirming 
     the Equal Rights Amendment as the Twenty-eighth Amendment; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 1

       Whereas, In 1972, the 92nd Congress of the United States, 
     at its second session, in both houses, by a constitutional 
     majority of two-thirds, adopted the following proposition to 
     amend the U.S. Constitution:
       ``Joint Resolution Resolved by the House of Representatives 
     and Senate of the United States of America in Congress 
     Assembled (Two-Thirds of Each House Concurring Therein), That 
     the following article is proposed as an amendment to the 
     Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to 
     all intents and purposes as a part of the Constitution when 
     ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 
     States within seven years from the date of its submission by 
     the Congress:


                           ARTICLE ----------

       Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be 
     denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on 
     account of sex.
       Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by 
     appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
       Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after 
     the date of ratification.''; and
       Whereas, Article V of the U.S. Constitution provides a two-
     step procedure for the adoption of an amendment; and
       Whereas, The first requirement for the adoption of an 
     amendment under Article V is the proposal of an amendment 
     either by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress, or by 
     a convention called by application of two-thirds of the 
     states; and
       Whereas, The second requirement for the adoption of an 
     amendment under Article V is ratification of an amendment by 
     three-fourths of the states; and
       Whereas, The U.S. Constitution does not limit the time for 
     states to ratify an amendment and does not grant Congress the 
     authority to unilaterally limit the time by which an 
     amendment may be ratified; and
       Whereas, A time limitation for the ratification of 
     amendments by the states would be a substantive change to the 
     U.S. Constitution; and
       Whereas, To have full force and effect, a substantive 
     change to the U.S. Constitution must be within the text of an 
     amendment so that it may be ratified by the states as part of 
     the requirements of Article V; and
       Whereas, The time limitation on state ratifications was in 
     the preamble section of the resolution by Congress and not 
     within the text of the amendment presented to states for 
     state approval; and
       Whereas, Because of the placement of the time limitation, 
     the states ratified the text of the Equal Rights Amendment 
     but did not ratify the time limit by Congress; and
       Whereas, A time limit was approved in the Equal Rights 
     Amendment by Congress in 1972, but has not been subsequently 
     approved by the states and thus is without force or effect; 
     and
       Whereas, In comparison, in 1978, Congress passed the 
     District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment, which included 
     a time limitation within the text of the Amendment offered to 
     the states for ratification; and
       Whereas, The time limitation for the District of Columbia 
     Voting Rights Amendment ended before ratification of the 
     amendment by three-fourths of the states; and
       Whereas, Because the time limit was within the text of the 
     District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment, the time limit 
     had full force and effect and the amendment expired in 1985; 
     and
       Whereas, In comparison, the Twenty-first Amendment and the 
     Twenty-second Amendment include time limitations within the 
     text of each amendment, and the timelines were ratified by 
     three-fourths of the states in accordance with the text of 
     the amendments; and
       Whereas, In 1789, the First Congress proposed, in 
     accordance with Article V, the Madison Amendment relating to 
     compensation of members of Congress; and
       Whereas, Over 202 years later, the Madison Amendment was 
     ratified by three-fourths of the states; and
       Whereas, In 1992, having finally met the requirements of 
     Article V, the Madison Amendment was published as the 27th 
     Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by the Archivist of the 
     United States during the Administration of President George 
     H.W. Bush; and
       Whereas, Following publication of the Madison Amendment by 
     the Archivist of the United States, Congress affirmed the 
     Madison Amendment as the Twenty-seventh Amendment to the U.S. 
     Constitution; and
       Whereas, As of January 27, 2020, three-fourths of the 
     states have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment; and
       Whereas, Unlike the District of Columbia Voting Rights 
     Amendment, the Equal Rights Amendment does not contain a time 
     limit in its text where it would be of full force and effect; 
     and
       Whereas, In contrast to the Madison Amendment, which took 
     203 years to ratify, the Equal Rights Amendment took only 48 
     years to ratify; and
       Whereas, The text of Article V of the U.S. Constitution 
     grants the states the power of ratification, not rescission; 
     and
       Whereas, Samuel Johnson's dictionary of 1755 defines 
     ``ratify'' as ``to confirm; to settle''; and
       Whereas, Bouvier's Law Dictionary of 1856, considered to be 
     the first American legal dictionary, states that a 
     ratification once done, ``cannot be revoked or recalled''; 
     and
       Whereas, James Madison wrote in a July 20, 1788, letter to 
     Alexander Hamilton that ratification is ``in toto and for 
     ever''; and
       Whereas, Various attempts to rescind ratifications of 
     provisions of the U.S. Constitution or its amendments, 
     including the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth 
     Amendments, have never been honored; and
       Whereas, The General Assembly of Maryland set a precedent 
     for this resolution in 1961 by passing House Joint Resolution 
     14 urging Congress to pass the Equal Rights Amendment; and
       Whereas, Maryland was one of the early states to ratify the 
     Equal Rights Amendment in May 1972, two months after Congress 
     proposed it for ratification; and
       Whereas, Maryland adopted the Maryland Equal Rights 
     Amendment to the Maryland Constitution in 1972; and
       Whereas, The Maryland Equal Rights Amendment is only 
     effective to the degree that it does not conflict with 
     federal law; and
       Whereas, The Maryland Attorney General filed an amicus 
     brief in 2022 in support of a lawsuit brought by three 
     ratifying states to require the Archivist of the United 
     States to certify and publish the Equal Rights Amendment as 
     an amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and
       Whereas, Over several decades, the General Assembly of 
     Maryland has passed laws and created protections attempting 
     to guarantee equal rights under the law for all Marylanders, 
     regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, 
     disability, creed, religion, or sex--which includes legal 
     equality and protection from discrimination on the basis of 
     sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, 
     pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and decisions regarding 
     reproductive healthcare or other aspects of an individual's 
     bodily autonomy; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That it is 
     the opinion of the General Assembly of Maryland that the 
     Equal Rights Amendment meets the requirements of Article V of 
     the U.S. Constitution and should be recognized as the 28th 
     Amendment; and be it further
       Resolved, That the General Assembly of Maryland urges the 
     Administration of President Joseph R. Biden to publish, 
     without delay, the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th 
     Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and be it further

[[Page S5190]]

       Resolved, That the General Assembly of Maryland urges the 
     Congress of the United States to pass a joint resolution 
     affirming the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to 
     the U.S. Constitution; and be it further
       Resolved, That the General Assembly of Maryland calls on 
     other states to join in this action by passing similar 
     resolutions; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by 
     the Department of Legislative Services to the Honorable 
     Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States of America, 
     1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20500; the 
     Honorable Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States, 
     President of the United States Senate, Senate Office 
     Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; the Honorable Colleen Joy 
     Shogan, Archivist of the United States, National Archives and 
     Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 
     Washington, D.C. 20408; the Maryland Congressional 
     Delegation; and the presiding officer of each House of the 
     legislature of each state of the United States, with the 
     request that it be circulated among leadership of the 
     legislative branch of the state governments.
                                  ____

       POM-146. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly 
     of the State of Tennessee urging the federal government to do 
     all within its power to secure the border and protect our 
     country; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                     House Joint Resolution No. 801

       Whereas, recent events in Texas have demonstrated the 
     federal government's disinclination to fulfill a duty imposed 
     by the United States Constitution and federal statutory law, 
     namely the protection of the several states from illegal 
     immigration; and
       Whereas, the security of our nation's borders and the 
     safety of our citizens are paramount to protecting the 
     American way of life; and
       Whereas, due to the present administration's abrogation of 
     its duty to secure the border, more than six million illegal 
     immigrants have crossed our southern border in the last three 
     years; and
       Whereas, Article 1, Sec. 10, Clause 3, of the United States 
     Constitution reserves to the states the right of self-
     defense, including the right to secure a state's border 
     against an invasion; and
       Whereas, the state of Texas has acted properly in declaring 
     an invasion pursuant to such constitutional provision and 
     invoking Texas's constitutional authority to defend and 
     protect its citizens and sovereign property; and
       Whereas, the Texas National Guard, Texas Department of 
     Public Safety officers, and other qualified Texas personnel 
     have been deployed to secure the Texas border; and
       Whereas, federal government officials and agencies have 
     since encroached upon Texas's constitutional right to protect 
     against threats to the public safety; and
       Whereas, the members of this General Assembly have 
     consistently taken steps to address illegal immigration in 
     Tennessee and support the state of Texas in doing likewise; 
     now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the One Hundred 
     Thirteenth General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the 
     Senate Concurring, That this General Assembly stands in 
     support of the state of Texas's efforts to secure its border 
     against illegal immigration and affirms the several states' 
     constitutional right to protect and defend their citizens and 
     property against any threat to public safety and security; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That this General Assembly commends Governor Lee 
     for previous support of securing the Texas border and urges 
     him to send continued support; and be it further
       Resolved, That this General Assembly urges the federal 
     government to do all within its power to secure the border 
     and protect our country; and be it further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this resolution be 
     transmitted to the President of the United States, the U.S. 
     Secretary of Homeland Security, the Governor of the State of 
     Tennessee, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States 
     House of Representatives, the President and the Secretary of 
     the United States Senate, each member of the Tennessee 
     Congressional delegation, and the Governor of Texas.
                                  ____

       POM-147. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging the United 
     States Congress to reform the Foreign Intelligence & 
     Surveillance Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance 
     Court and restore the rights of privacy and unreasonable 
     search and seizure that have been taken from the American 
     people by actions of Congress; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                        House Resolution No. 111

       Whereas, the United States Constitution was enacted as the 
     foundational law of the land in 1787; and
       Whereas, the first ten amendments of the United States 
     Constitution contain the inviolate and irrevocable set of 
     God-given and inalienable rights that all persons in the 
     United States of America maintain; and
       Whereas, foundational in these rights are speech, assembly, 
     search and seizure with a valid warrant, to face one's 
     accuser, religion, private property, and many others; and
       Whereas, there have been many moments in the nation's 
     history when the arms of government and tyrannical rules and 
     congress have tried to curtail and subvert these liberties 
     and withhold the rights of citizens to further governmental 
     objectives; and
       Whereas, the misdeeds of government include Woodrow 
     Wilson's Sedition Act, which imprisoned Americans for 
     speaking out against United States involvement in World War 
     I, the Palmer Raids which ushered in an era of kickdown 
     searches and harassment of political opponents, the 
     imprisonment of American citizens of Japanese ancestry during 
     World War II, repeated and incessant violation of the Fourth 
     Amendment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and 
     elements of the American intelligence community, and the 
     century long Jim Crow era, which saw tacit and active 
     governmental measures to repress the rights of Americans of 
     color; and
       Whereas, the Church Hearings of the mid 1970s brought to 
     light many misdeeds of the United States government and 
     precipitated badly needed reform of federal enforcement and 
     intelligence community activities; and
       Whereas, in 1978, the United States government took great 
     steps and established clear procedures for the physical and 
     electronic surveillance and collection of foreign 
     intelligence information and separated out protections for 
     United States citizens by the Foreign Intelligence and 
     Surveillance Act (FISA); and
       Whereas, the FISA law established the Foreign Intelligence 
     Surveillance Court (FISC) which is a court that holds 
     nonpublic sessions to consider issuing federal search 
     warrants; and
       Whereas, the FISC lacks many of the constitutionally 
     provided precautions afforded to litigants in other federal 
     courts of law, such as the right of a private party to be 
     present at the proceedings; further, the FISC has been called 
     out and cited as being the subject of misfeasance and 
     malfeasance by less than scrupulous intelligence and law 
     enforcement officers and agencies; and
       Whereas, Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald 
     Reagan each established needed restraints on the intelligence 
     community and law enforcement directed guardrails for 
     protection of private citizens, culminating with President 
     Reagan's Executive Order 12333; and
       Whereas, Executive Order 12333 underscored the needs and 
     requirements to provide timely and accurate information about 
     American enemies and underscored the protection of 
     constitutional rights of American citizens; and
       Whereas, for most of the decades of the 1980s and 1990s, 
     the intelligence community and FBI appeared to be behaving 
     and respecting the rights of citizens in the United States; 
     and
       Whereas, in 2001, after the attack on the United States by 
     foreign Islamic terrorists from Southwest Asia, the United 
     States Congress and the Bush Administration moved with 
     reckless haste by greatly empowering the American 
     intelligence community, FBI, and other federal entities by 
     broadly expanding surveillance powers under the broad guise 
     of ``protecting'' the American citizens; and
       Whereas, the outcome of the efforts to protect has resulted 
     in nearly all semblances of privacy being taken away by the 
     actions of the United States Congress. The outcome of the 
     family of law passed in the aftermath of what is known as 9/
     11 is that no phone is guaranteed to be private, no email 
     communication can be considered secure, and the emergence of 
     a leviathan of a police state capable of chilling suppression 
     of our God-given liberties; and
       Whereas, as a result of the USA Patriot Act, a citizen can 
     become the subject of a purported terror investigation and 
     directed by law not to tell anyone of an invasive search on 
     his home, under penalty of prison; and
       Whereas, Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act violates the 
     Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution by 
     ignoring the prohibition of warrantless searches against 
     United States citizens; and
       Whereas, Section 215 also violates the Fifth Amendment by 
     prohibiting ex post facto notice of warrantless searches and 
     thereby violating the basic tenets of due process guaranteed 
     to citizens of the United States; and
       Whereas, it is the American ethos to right wrongs and 
     correct governmental errors such as the eradication of 
     slavery, the end of the Jim Crow era, the awarding of voting 
     rights to women, and many others. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to fully repeal and 
     rewrite every word of the USA Patriot Act and does hereby 
     implore the Congress to turn its attention to the rights of 
     the free people of the United States of America; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives implores both 
     the governor of the state of Louisiana and the attorney 
     general to stand up for the citizens of our state and not 
     participate in any violations of any of our rights guaranteed 
     in our Bill of Rights, which are a product of the sacrifice 
     of our ancestors and have been maintained by two hundred 
     fifty years of commitment to the rule of law and the 
     supremacy of the individual over the government; 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 United States Congress and to each 
     member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.

[[Page S5191]]

     
                                  ____
       POM-148. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Commonwealth of Kentucky urging the United States Congress to 
     fund the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority through 
     federal appropriation rather than fees charged to individual 
     states and racetracks; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
     and Transportation.

                       Senate Resolution No. 238

       Whereas, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority 
     (HISA) was created as an organization that regulates the 
     sport of Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States and 
     was empowered by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 
     2020; and
       Whereas, HISA submits to the regulatory authority of the 
     Federal Trade Commission (FTC), resulting from a challenge at 
     the United States Court of Appeals, and promulgates rules 
     subject to modification and approval by the FTC; and
       Whereas, HISA has jurisdiction over races that are involved 
     in interstate commerce, including those that are subject to 
     off-track betting and advance deposit wagering, and the 
     horses and horse people who participate in those races; and
       Whereas, HISA is responsible for developing and enforcing 
     rules for racetrack safety, regulating such matters as track 
     surface maintenance, veterinary oversight, injury data 
     reporting, jockey safety, horseshoe requirements, and use of 
     riding crops; and
       Whereas, HISA levies fines and suspensions from racing for 
     violations of the rules; and
       Whereas, HISA is also charged with developing anti-doping 
     and medication control rules to ensure fairness and protect 
     the health of equines and the jockeys who ride them; and
       Whereas, HISA must also cover its technology and 
     administration costs; and
       Whereas, HISA operates on revenues from fines related to 
     the racetrack safety and anti-doping and medication control 
     programs plus fee assessments on individual states and 
     racetracks, with the fee assessments calculated on a formula 
     totaling starts and purses; and
       Whereas, individual racing commissions can choose to cover 
     the assessed fee for the state, decline to cover these 
     financial assessments and pass the burden onto the racetracks 
     in the state, which can then pass the costs along to horse 
     people and customers, or state legislatures can appropriate 
     funding to pay the fee assessment; and
       Whereas, commissions that voluntarily enter into agreements 
     with HISA to have existing personnel conduct tasks like 
     sample collection, investigation, and violation adjudication, 
     receive a credit toward their state's total fee assessment, 
     reducing revenues received by HISA; and
       Whereas, HISA's revenues are further reduced by the 
     nonparticipation of states choosing to avoid the financial 
     burden of the assessment fees by not sending their 
     simulcasting signal out of state, thereby avoiding this 
     federal programs jurisdiction, obviously not an ideal 
     situation; and
       Whereas, HISA's budget inevitably exceeds the revenues it 
     receives to continue this mission and work; Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the 
     Commonwealth of Kentucky:
       Section 1. The members of the Senate hereby recognize the 
     importance of consistently robust and reliable safety 
     regulation of the Thoroughbred horseracing sport while 
     acknowledging participants and spectators value the same.
       Section 2. The Senate hereby urges the United States 
     Congress to fund the Horseracing Integrity and Safety 
     Authority through federal appropriation rather than the 
     assessment fees levied on states and racetracks.
       Section 3. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit 
     a copy of this Resolution to the President of the United 
     States Senate, the Majority Leader of the United States 
     Senate, and each member of the Kentucky Congressional 
     delegation.

       POM-149. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Hawaii urging the United States Congress to adopt the Social 
     Security 2100 Act; to the Committee on Finance.

                        Senate Resolution No. 91

       Whereas, the Social Security Act was originally passed in 
     1935 to provide essential benefits and financial security to 
     retired individuals, senior citizens, and persons with 
     disabilities; and
       Whereas, individuals receiving Retired Insurance Benefits 
     constitute the largest group of Social Security 
     beneficiaries, with over fifty-two million retired workers or 
     family members receiving monthly payments as of 2023; and
       Whereas, more than ten thousand individuals from the baby 
     boomer generation become eligible for Retirement Insurance 
     Benefits from Social Security every day; and
       Whereas, as a result of the retirement of the large baby 
     boomer generation, it is projected that under existing law, 
     the trust fund reserves for the Old-Age and Survivors 
     Insurance Trust Fund and Disability Insurance Trust Fund will 
     be depleted by 2034; and
       Whereas, it its projected that a depletion of the two 
     Social Security trust funds will result in only seventy-eight 
     percent of scheduled benefits being paid to beneficiaries on 
     a timely basis after 2034; and
       Whereas, in a response to this projected cut in benefits, 
     concerned congressional leaders introduced the Social 
     Security 2100 Act in 2023, which is intended to permanently 
     improve Social Security's long-term health by extending the 
     solvency of the two Social Security Trust Funds without 
     increasing taxes on the middle class; and
       Whereas, according to United States Representative John B. 
     Larson, co-introducer of the Social Security 2100 Act, the 
     Social Security 2100 Act increases benefits by two percent 
     across the board for all Social Security beneficiaries for 
     the first time in fifty-two years, improves the cost-of-
     living adjustment to reflect economic inflation experienced 
     by seniors, and increases benefits for lower income retirees; 
     and
       Whereas, the Social Security 2100 Act also restores student 
     benefits up to age twenty-six for dependent children of 
     disabled and deceased workers; increases access to benefits 
     for children living with grandparents or other relatives; 
     repeals the windfall elimination provision and government 
     pension offset that currently penalizes certain public 
     servants; ends the five-month waiting period to receive 
     disability benefits; and increases benefits by an additional 
     five percent for seniors who have been receiving benefits for 
     fifteen years or more; and
       Whereas, the Social Security 2100 Act would cut taxes for 
     twenty-three million middle-income beneficiaries while paying 
     for benefits by applying the Federal Insurance Contributions 
     Act to earnings over $400,000 and adding an additional 12.4 
     percent net investment income tax for taxpayers making over 
     $400,000; and
       Whereas, it is imperative that Social Security remains a 
     well-funded public entitlement without being privatized 
     through self-directed retirement accounts that would subject 
     beneficiaries, and particularly retiree savings accounts, to 
     considerable risk and redirect Social Security assets into 
     the coffers of Wall Street brokerages and investment banks; 
     and
       Whereas, the United States Congress must act urgently to 
     preserve Social Security benefits for current and future 
     retirees; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of 
     the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, that the United 
     States Congress is urged to adopt the Social Security 2100 
     Act; and be it further
       Resolved, That the United States Congress is strongly 
     encouraged to reject any legislation that would lead to the 
     privatization of Social Security benefits; and be it further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the President Pro Tempore of the United States 
     Senate, Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, and each member of Hawaii's congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-150. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress 
     to support H.R. 82 and S. 597 of the 118th Congress, the 
     Social Security Fairness Act, and all similar legislation and 
     to take such actions as are necessary to review and eliminate 
     all provisions of federal law which reduce Social Security 
     benefits for those receiving pension benefits from federal, 
     state, or local government retirement or pension systems, 
     plans, or funds; to the Committee on Finance.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 20

       Whereas, the Congress of the United States of America has 
     enacted both the Government Pension Offset (GPO), reducing 
     the spouse and survivor Social Security benefit and the 
     Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), reducing the earned 
     Social Security benefits payable to any person who also 
     receives a public pension benefit; and
       Whereas, the GPO negatively affects a spouse or survivor 
     receiving a federal, state, or local government retirement or 
     pension benefit who would also be entitled to a Social 
     Security benefit earned by a spouse; and
       Whereas, the GPO formula unfairly reduces the spouse or 
     survivor Social Security benefit by two-thirds of the amount 
     of federal, state, or local government retirement or pension 
     benefit received by the spouse or survivor, in many cases 
     completely eliminating the Social Security benefit even 
     though the spouse paid Social Security taxes for many years; 
     and
       Whereas, the GPO has a harsh effect on hundreds of 
     thousands of citizens and undermines the original purpose of 
     the Social Security dependent/survivor benefit; and
       Whereas, according to recent Social Security Administration 
     figures, more than half a million individuals nationally are 
     affected by the GPO; and
       Whereas, the WEP applies to those persons who have earned 
     federal, state, or local government retirement or pension 
     benefits, in addition to working in employment covered under 
     Social Security and paying into the Social Security system; 
     and
       Whereas, the WEP unfairly reduces the earned Social 
     Security benefit using an averaged indexed monthly earnings 
     formula and may reduce Social Security benefits for affected 
     persons by as much as one-half of the retirement benefit 
     earned as a public servant in employment not covered under 
     Social Security; and
       Whereas, the WEP causes hardworking individuals to lose a 
     significant portion of the Social Security benefits that they 
     earned themselves; and
       Whereas, according to recent Social Security Administration 
     figures, more than one and a half million individuals 
     nationally are affected by the WEP; and
       Whereas, in certain circumstances, both the WEP and GPO can 
     be applied to a qualifying survivor's benefit, each 
     independently reducing the available benefit and in 
     combination eliminating a large portion of the

[[Page S5192]]

     total Social Security benefit available to the survivor; and
       Whereas, because of the calculation characteristics of the 
     GPO and WEP, they have a disproportionately negative effect 
     on employees working in lower-wage government jobs, like 
     policemen, firefighters, teachers, and state employees; and
       Whereas, Louisiana is making every effort to improve the 
     quality of life of its citizens and to encourage them to live 
     here, yet the current GPO and WEP provisions compromise their 
     quality of life; and
       Whereas, the number of people affected by GPO and WEP is 
     growing everyday as more and more people reach retirement 
     age; and
       Whereas, individuals drastically affected by the GPO and 
     WEP may have no choice but to return to work after retirement 
     in order to make ends meet, but the earnings accumulated 
     during this return to work can further reduce the Social 
     Security benefits to which the individual is entitled; and
       Whereas, the GPO and WEP are established in federal law, 
     and repeal of the GPO and WEP can only be enacted by 
     congress; and
       Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana adopted House 
     Concurrent Resolution No. 11 of the 2022 Regular Session 
     memorializing congress to support H.R. 82 of the 117th 
     Congress and other state legislators to do the same in order 
     to reduce or eliminate the GPO and WEP. 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 the Government Pension Offset and 
     Windfall Elimination Provision Social Security benefit 
     reductions and to eliminate or reduce them by supporting H.R. 
     82 and S. 597 of the 118th Congress and all similar purposed 
     legislation; 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 and the president of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-151. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress 
     to support the nation of Israel in the wake of October 7, 
     2023, terror attacks and Israel's efforts to root out Hamas; 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 21

       Whereas, the United States Department of State has 
     designated Hamas as a terrorist organization; and
       Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a coordinated 
     series of terrorist attacks on Israel that resulted in the 
     slaughter of women, children, and the elderly totaling eight 
     hundred fifty-nine civilians, two hundred eighty-three 
     Israeli Defense Force soldiers, fifty-seven policemen, and 
     ten members of the Israeli Security Agency, Shin Bet; and
       Whereas, Hamas terrorists abducted two hundred forty-eight 
     people, including at least six Americans, to use as hostages 
     and human shields; and
       Whereas, the United Nations has issued a report stating 
     that it has grounds to believe Hamas has sexually assaulted 
     its hostages, including gang rape; and
       Whereas, Hamas has launched over four thousand rockets into 
     Israel; and
       Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists have 
     killed over nine hundred Israelis, at least eleven Americans, 
     and injured more than two thousand others; and
       Whereas, Hamas terrorists use Palestinian civilians as 
     human shields; and
       Whereas, Hamas terrorists hide and launch attacks from 
     civilian centers; and
       Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas is directly 
     responsible for the deaths of an indeterminable number of 
     Palestinian civilians; and
       Whereas, Hamas considers the death of Palestinian civilians 
     a good thing as the innocent collateral dead are ``martyrs'' 
     to the goals of Hamas; and
       Whereas, United States government assessments indicate 
     that, ``Iran provides up to $100 million annually in support 
     to Palestinian terrorist groups, including Hamas''; and
       Whereas, foreign support will sustain Hamas in its terror 
     campaign to destroy Israel; and
       Whereas, Israel is a major ally and strategic partner of 
     the United States; and
       Whereas, Israel holds paramount importance to direct 
     negotiations in achieving a permanent settlement with the 
     Palestinians, without preconditions; and
       Whereas, Israel stands firm in its rejection of unilateral 
     recognition of a Palestinian state, considering it a 
     detrimental reward to terrorism and an impediment to future 
     peace settlements; and
       Whereas, it is imperative to affirm Israel's commitment to 
     peaceful negotiations and reject any imposition of 
     international dicta that undermine the sovereity and security 
     of Israel; and
       Whereas, the state of Louisiana has not forgotten the 
     humanitarian aid provided by Israel to the people of 
     Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the 2016 
     flood; and
       Whereas, Louisiana and Israel share numerous economic and 
     educational ties that benefit many Louisiana businesses and 
     universities. Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby:
       (1) Stand with Israel as it defends itself against the 
     barbaric terror campaign launched by Hamas and its 
     supporters.
       (2) Reaffirm Israel's right to self-defense as a sovereign 
     nation.
       (3) Condemn Hamas' brutal terror campaign against Israel.
       (4) Call on Hamas to immediately cease all attacks and 
     safely release all living hostages and return the bodies of 
     deceased hostages to their families.
       (5) Mourn the nine hundred Israelis and eleven Americans 
     killed and over two thousand six hundred others wounded by 
     Hamas since its attack on October 7, 2023.
       (6) Mourn the loss of all innocent civilians who died and 
     recognize those injured and suffering due to the fighting in 
     the Middle East.
       (7) Support the United States' commitment to Israel's 
     security.
       (8) Urge full enforcement of the Taylor Force Act (title X 
     of division S of Public Law 115-141; 132 Stat. 1143) and 
     other restrictions in United States law to prevent United 
     States foreign assistance from benefitting terrorists, 
     directly or indirectly.
       (9) Urge full enforcement of United States sanctions 
     against Iran to prevent Iran's funding of terrorist groups 
     including Hamas. And be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     support Israel in its right to categorically reject any 
     international dicta concerning a permanent settlement with 
     the Palestinians that is not the product of direct 
     negotiations between the concerned parties devoid of any 
     preconditions. And be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     stand with Israel in its opposition to unilateral recognition 
     of a Palestinian state as such statehood, particularly in the 
     aftermath of the October 7th massacre, would serve as an 
     egregious and unprecedented reward to terrorism, thereby 
     obstructing prospects for future peace settlements. And be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to support the 
     nation of Israel in the wake of the October 7, 2023, terror 
     attacks, support Israel's ongoing efforts to root out Hamas, 
     reaffirm support for Israel's principled stance on 
     negotiations, and stand with Israel in opposition to any 
     unilateral impositions that will serve to undermine Israel's 
     right to defend its people and territory. And be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the Consul General of the State of Israel to the Southwest in 
     Houston, Texas, to the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. 
     for transmission to the proper authorities in the State of 
     Israel, and to the Louisiana Chapter of American Israel 
     Public Affairs Committee, and the Louisiana Chapter of 
     Christians United for Israel. And be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United 
     States Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-152. 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 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. 10

       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 FDA is responsible for the safety of all fish 
     and fishery products entering the United 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 and procurement and handling to 
     manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of the finished 
     product; and
       Whereas, FDA regulations are supposed to measure the 
     compliance of 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 assessment of foreign aquaculture 
     operations

[[Page S5193]]

     was limited by the FDA's lack of 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, shrimp consumption is on the rise in the United 
     States, yet domestic shrimp profits have decreased in recent 
     years, particularly for shrimp sourced in the Gulf of Mexico 
     and South Atlantic regions; and
       Whereas, Senator John Kennedy has previously introduced 
     legislation to bolster Louisiana's shrimp, red snapper, and 
     seafood industry and protect American consumers from illegal 
     exports; and
       Whereas, this legislation would increase funding to the 
     Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) and would allow SIMP 
     to conduct audits on seafood under its purview to prevent 
     foreign seafood imports that misrepresent themselves from 
     entering U.S. markets; and
       Whereas, proposed legislation such as this is a necessary 
     step that Congress must take to protect American consumers 
     and bolster the Louisiana seafood industry. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress 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. 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-153. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of 
     the State of New Jersey condemning the United States Senate 
     Republicans' blocking of legislation codifying access to in 
     vitro fertilization, and reaffirming New Jersey citizens' 
     freedom to access reproductive health care and family 
     planning services; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
     Labor, and Pensions.

                      Assembly Resolution No. 148

       Whereas, In the United States, one in six people of 
     childbearing age struggle with fertility and require some 
     type of medial assistance in order to conceive a child; and
       Whereas, Fortunately, 90 percent of infertility cases are 
     treatable with medical therapies including drug treatment, 
     surgery, and in vitro fertilization (IVF); and
       Whereas, IVF is a process whereby an egg is removed from a 
     person's body and combined with sperm inside a laboratory for 
     fertilization; and the fertilized egg, called an embryo, is 
     then transferred into the uterus; and
       Whereas, In a recent decision, LePage v. Mobile Infirmary 
     Clinic, P.C., the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos 
     are ``extrauterine children; add that the state's ``Wrongful 
     Death of a Minor Act, applies on its face to all unborn 
     children without limitation;'' and
       Whereas, Following the LePage holding, Governor Kay Ellen 
     Ivey of Alabama signed into law S.B. 159 to ensure criminal 
     and civil immunity for those administering or receiving IVF 
     services; and
       Whereas, Notwithstanding this new enactment, the LePage 
     ruling constitutes to threaten the rights of Alabamians who 
     are planning to have children, and endangers the overall 
     future of family planning in the state; and
       Whereas, following the LePage decision, a number of 
     congressional Republican senators joined Democrats in 
     criticizing the ruling, and expressed their support for in 
     vitro federalization (IVF); and
       Whereas, Tammy Duckworth, a Democratic Senator from 
     Illinois who utilized IVF to conceive her two children, 
     introduced Senate Bill 3612 (SB3612), part of a four-bill 
     package of legislation known as the ``Right to IVF Act,'' in 
     order to protect the rights of individuals to seek 
     reproductive assistance, such as IVF, and protect the 
     physicians who provide these services, without the fear of 
     prosecution; and
       Whereas, Specifically, SB3612, known as the ``Access to 
     Family Building Act,'' would bar the limitation of access to 
     assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF; and
       Whereas, SB3612 grants the individual rights to: (1) access 
     assisted reproductive technology; (2) continue or complete 
     ongoing assisted reproductive technology treatment or 
     procedure, and (3) retain all rights regarding the use or 
     disposition of genetic materials; and
       Whereas, Consistent with the longstanding precedent in New 
     Jersey of support for reproductive freedoms, New Jersey 
     Senator Cory
       Booker expressed support of SB3612 by co-sponsoring the 
     bill; and
       Whereas, Senator Duckworth urged her Republican colleagues, 
     as many initially denounced the LePage ruling for the harmful 
     precedent that the decision has set regarding reproductive 
     assistance services, to join the Democrats' effort to protect 
     access to IVF by unanimously passing SB3612; and
       Whereas, Instead of supporting the passage of SB3612, a 
     measure affirmatively supporting IVF, Republican senators 
     proposed an alternative measure, the ``IVF Protection Act,'' 
     which would discourage states from enacting burdensome 
     restrictions on reproductive assistance but nonetheless allow 
     such enactments by states; and
       Whereas, SB3612 failed in a procedural vote, by a tally of 
     48-47, to advance, with 60 votes being needed to invoke 
     cloture to move the bill to a final vote; and
       Whereas, All of the Republican senators, with the exception 
     of two members, voted to reject the move to advance the bill; 
     and
       Whereas, Two Republican senators, Alaska Senator Lisa 
     Murkowski and Maine Senator Susan Collins, voted with the 
     Senate Democratic majority and independents to advance the 
     measure; and
       Whereas, Following the failure to support the passage of 
     SB3612, Senate Republicans issued a statement of support for 
     the use of IVF technology; and
       Whereas, It is disingenuous for the Republican lawmakers in 
     the United States Senate to sign on to a statement giving 
     support for IVF, while failing to support the passage of the 
     measure which would create a federal statutory right to 
     assisted reproductive technology; and
       Whereas, New Jersey has long been a state that supports, 
     and provides protections for, the reproductive freedom of its 
     citizens, including the right to make the deeply personal 
     choice of whether to start or expand a family through IVF; 
     now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the General Assembly of the State of New 
     Jersey:
       1. a. This resolution condemns the action of the Republican 
     members of the United States Congress in failing to support 
     the passage of SB3612.
       b. This resolution further condemns the contradictory move 
     on the part of the Republican senators of the United States 
     Congress in publishing a statement in support of IVF 
     technology, notwithstanding their rejection of SB3612.
       c. This resolution affirms the New Jersey Legislature's 
     commitment to protecting its citizens' right to family 
     plan, reproductive freedom, and full access to 
     reproductive health care, including IVF.
       2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary 
     of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General 
     Assembly to each member of Congress elected from this State, 
     the President, the Vice-President, and the Governor of the 
     State of New Jersey.
                                  ____

       POM-154. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urging the President of the 
     United States to secure our border and provide the needed 
     policies and resources to protect American citizens and 
     communities throughout this country from the effects of 
     illegal immigration; to the Committee on Homeland Security 
     and Governmental Affairs.

                       Senate Resolution No. 234

       Whereas, On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a 
     proclamation on the termination of emergency with respect to 
     the

[[Page S5194]]

     southern border of the United States and redirection of funds 
     diverted to border wall construction; and
       Whereas, On January 21, 2021, the United States Department 
     of Homeland Security paused deportation for certain 
     noncitizens in the United States for 100 days and suspended 
     new enrollments in Migrant Protection Protocols policy, also 
     known as the ``remain in Mexico'' program; and
       Whereas, Upon those actions, the number of migrants who 
     have unlawfully crossed the southern border into Texas has 
     increased at a very alarming rate; and
       Whereas, The negative impacts of illegal immigration and 
     this border crisis are evident in communities throughout the 
     United States and the Biden Administration has put our 
     national security at risk; and
       Whereas, State and local officials nationwide have sounded 
     the alarm regarding the straining of their resources, the 
     scourge of fentanyl deaths, the tragedy of human trafficking, 
     including children smuggled across the border, and the flow 
     of illegal firearms and dangerous gang members; and
       Whereas, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is clearly exercising 
     his Constitutional authority to defend his state against the 
     consequences of the Biden Administration's inexcusable 
     indifference toward the suffering its policies are inflicting 
     upon borders communities and across this country; and
       Whereas, In this Commonwealth, our duty is to uphold our 
     oath to support, obey and defend the Constitution of the 
     United States and ensure the safety of its citizens, 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania urge the President of the United States to 
     secure our border and provide the needed policies and 
     resources to protect American citizens and communities 
     throughout this country from the effects of illegal 
     immigration; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania encourage Governor Josh Shapiro to joint with 
     dozens of governors from across the country in support of 
     Texas Governor Greg Abbott's actions to protect our citizens; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the following:
       (1) The President of the United States.
       (2) The Vice President of the United States.
       (3) The United States Secretary of Homeland Security.
       (4) The President pro tempore of the United States Senate.
       (5) The Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives.
       (6) The chairperson of the Committee on Homeland Security 
     and Governmental Affairs of the United States Senate.
       (7) The chairperson of the Committee on Homeland Security 
     of the United States House of Representatives.
       (8) Each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
       (9) The Governor of the State of Texas.
       (10) The Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-155. A resolution adopted by the Lancaster City 
     Council, Pennsylvania, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing 
     Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza; to the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations.

                          ____________________