[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 152 (Thursday, September 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4988-S4993]
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-85. A resolution adopted by the House of
Representatives of the State of Ohio supporting Ohio's
proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration related to
the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing and Advanced Air
Mobility Integration Pilot Program; to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
House Resolution No. 304
Whereas, In Executive Order 14307, unleashing American
Drone Dominance, dated June 6, 2025, the President of the
United States declared that it is the policy of the United
States to accelerate the safe commercialization of unmanned
aerial system (UAS) technologies and fully integrate UAS into
the National Airspace System (NAS), as well as electric
Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) and other advanced
aircraft mobility (AAM) aircraft operations; and
Whereas, The President directed the Secretary of
Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and in coordination
with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy (OSTP), to establish an Integration Pilot Program
under which state governments can partner with private sector
organizations that have demonstrated experience with eVTOL or
AAM development, manufacturing, and operators, or with new
supporting technologies enabling eVTOL and AAM operations
integration into the NAS; and
Whereas, Ohio, working with leading partners across
industry, academia, and government is utilizing the
opportunity provided by the Executive Order to demonstrate
that Ohio can deliver successful outcomes pursuant to the FAA
solicitations and proposals to test and validate operational
concepts that can be scaled to national and international
applications under the safety oversight of the FAA; and
Whereas, Ohio has engaged end users, original equipment
manufacturers, airports, neighboring states, and operators to
develop high-impact AAM use cases that address specific
efficiency and operational needs in cargo logistics, medical
transport, and rural access applications; and
Whereas, Ohio has a robust history of aviation innovation,
is positioned as a national leader in AAM, and has invested
heavily in its thriving ecosystem of federal, state,
regional, and local agencies, industry, research, academia,
nonprofits, and partners that are mobilized to support the
state's VTOL and AAM efforts; and
Whereas, Ohio is home to seven universities that are listed
as R1 universities in the Carnegie Classification of
Institutions of Higher Education, the highest tier of
research activity, with each university spending at least $50
million annually on research, awarding at least 70 doctoral
degrees each year, attracting top researchers across numerous
fields or academia; and
Whereas, The Ohio Department of Transportation, in
collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory, has
developed SkyVision, a low-altitude airspace management
system that enables real-world Beyond Visual Line of Sight
operations, making it a testbed for airspace modernization;
Now therefore be it
Resolved, That we, the members of the House of
Representatives of the 136th General Assembly,
enthusiastically support the Ohio Department of
Transportation's proposal to the FAA to select Ohio as one of
the sites for the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing and
Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program; and be it
further
Resolved, That we, the members of the House of
Representatives of the 136th General Assembly, recognize the
opportunities that the Integration Pilot Program would afford
Ohio residents for economic growth, new research
opportunities, and educational benefits as Ohio continues to
lead the way in accelerating solutions for scaling eVTOL and
AAM across Ohio and the United States; and be further
Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the
President of the United States, Vice President of the United
States, United States Transportation Secretary, Federal
Aviation Administration Administrator, and the news media of
Ohio.
POM-86. A resolution adopted by the House of
Representatives of the State of Ohio supporting moving NASA
headquarters to Cleveland, Ohio; to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
House Resolution No. 60
Whereas, Ohio is the birthplace of aviation and has
produced some of our nation's greatest pioneers in space
exploration, including more astronauts than any other state;
and
Whereas, Ohio continues to lead the nation in aerospace
research and development and is home to world-class research
institutions such as NASA Glenn Research Center, NASA Neil
Armstrong Test Facility, and the Air Force Research
Laboratory; and
Whereas, Ohio's highly skilled workforce, robust
transportation infrastructure, and developed manufacturing
sector make Ohio a strategic location to support NASA's
operations; and
Whereas, Relocating NASA headquarters to Cleveland would
honor Ohio's contributions to aerospace and space exploration
and best position NASA for sustained success; therefore be it
Resolved, That we, the members of the House of
Representatives of the 136th General Assembly of Ohio,
strongly encourage President Trump, Vice President Vance, and
NASA Administrator Designate Isaacman to relocate NASA
headquarters to Cleveland, Ohio; and be it further
Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the
President of the United States, Vice President of the United
States, NASA Administrator Designate Jared Isaacman, and the
news media of Ohio.
POM-87. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of
Ohio urging the President of the United States, the United
States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the United
[[Page S4989]]
States Congress to take prompt action to reduce the
processing time for veterans' disability benefit claims; to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Senate Resolution No. 22
Whereas, The service members of the United States armed
forces have bravely and selflessly served our country; and
Whereas, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
disability benefits program provides monetary support to
veterans whose military service has caused or aggravated a
disabling medical condition; and
Whereas, According to the National Center for Veterans
Analysis and Statistics, the total number of veterans with a
service-connected disability has increased every year since
1991 and was 4,944,275 in 2019; and
Whereas, According to the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, the Department took an average of 139.3 days to
complete disability-related claims in November 2024; and
Whereas, The U.S. Government Accountability Office made
several recommendations directed toward improving the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs' capacity to manage workload
risks, monitor and assess performance, and plan for further
development of information technology; and
Whereas, The ``Veterans Appeals Improvement and
Modernization Act of 2017.'' 38 U.S.C. 7113, made changes to
improve the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' appeals
process and also required the U.S. Government Accountability
Office to assess the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs'
original plan to improve the veterans benefits claim appeals
process; and
Whereas, The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has failed
to comply with the Veterans Appeals Improvement and
Modernization Act of 2017; now therefore be it
Resolved, That we, the members of the 136th General
Assembly of the State of Ohio, urge the President of the
United States, the United States Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, and the Congress of the United States to take prompt
action to reduce the processing time for veterans' disability
benefit claims; and be if further
Resolved, That we, the member of the 136th General Assembly
of the State of Ohio, urge the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs to adopt policies to ensure that, for each applicant,
the disability benefits program appeals process concludes not
later than three months following the date on which an
applicant receives an initial determination letter from the
Department; and be it further
Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly
authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of
the United States, the United States Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, the President Pro Tempore and Secretary of the
United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United
States House of Representatives, each member of the Ohio
Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio.
POM-88. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of
the State of Arizona urging the President of the United
States, the United States Congress, the Department of the
Interior and the Bureau of Land Management to streamline
access to minerals on federal land withdrawals; to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
House Concurrent Memorial 2009
Whereas, copper is one of the 5 C's of Arizona, as Arizona
has some of the largest copper reserves in the nation; and
Whereas, the United States Geological Survey and the United
States Department of the Interior have added copper to the
2025 List of Critical Minerals; and
Whereas, federal actions such as the Antiquities Act of
1906, the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976 and the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 have increased the
challenges of accessing the subsurface minerals and engaging
in critical mineral exploration in the West; and
Whereas, there are known and proven reserves of copper and
other critical minerals under the surface of several federal
land withdrawals in Arizona; and
Whereas, because of their location on federal land
withdrawals, these minerals are unavailable for our nation's
growing economy; and
Whereas, the recent Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni-Ancestral
Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, the
Ironwood Forest National Monument and the Petrified Forest
National Park have known resources like copper, uranium and
potash that are now off limits to development; and
Whereas, the State Land Department owns parcels of land
that feature subsurface mineral rights on various federal
land withdrawals in this state, but because the land is
withdrawn from use, the access to subsurface minerals if off
limits to the State Land Department and its beneficiaries;
and
Whereas, the federal government reserved minerals beneath
private lands patented under the Stock-Raising Homestead Act
and retained ownership of the surface above private minerals
claimed under the General Mining Act of 1872; and
Whereas, land swaps between the federal government and the
State Land Department that did not transfer the entire parcel
have resulted in split estates; and
Whereas, the mixture of federal, state and private land
ownership in the West occurs not only with the surface estate
but also with the subsurface estate, resulting in a
checkerboard pattern of split estate parcel ownership that
complicates access to and exploration of critical minerals;
and
Whereas, the most difficult challenge for individuals who
want to engage in mineral exploration is the federal review
for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), which is further complicated by the mixed surface and
subsurface estate ownership between the federal government,
state government and private owners; and
Whereas, the process for gaining access to the land for
mineral exploration and extraction is unnecessarily
complicated, as all that is needed is minor and temporary
access to the surface of the estate; and
Whereas, previous administrations have recognized the
certain categorical exclusions to compliance with NEPA for
these temporary and minor access scenarios, but in 2021 the
Council on Environmental Quality, under the Biden
administration, changed this policy by issuing a memorandum
on NEPA implementation that required stricter enforcement of
NEPA provisions and scrutiny of prior categorical exclusions;
and
Whereas, the provisions of 43 Code of Federal Regulations
part 3800, subpart 3809 that characterize patented nonmineral
surface estates, including surface estates originally
patented under the Stock-Raising Homestead Act and Taylor
Grazing Act, as public lands under the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act, are contrary to law and should be
rescinded; and
Whereas, the language of the 1993 amendments to the Stock-
Raising Homestead Act, including 43 United States Code
section 299(e), (f), (h), (k) and (1), shows that Congress
intended the United States Department of the Interior's
regulatory involvement during development of federally
reserved minerals underlying Stock-Raising Homestead Act-
patented surface estates to be limited to safeguarding the
property interests of the surface owners rather than the
broader suite of surface resource functions; and
Whereas, in 2025, the Trump administration took action to
repeal any Biden-era NEPA Implementation documents that had
burdensome effects on mineral exploration and access; and
Whereas, in 2026 and beyond, the Trump administration
should continue taking action to repeal and rescind policies
and rule that hinder private access to surface and subsurface
estates for mineral exploration and development.
Wherefore, your memorialist, the House of Representatives
of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
1. That the Congress of the United States:
(a) Work to amend the Antiquities Act of 1906 and extend
the Wyoming exception to Arizona so that no new national
monuments can be designated in this state without the express
authorization of the United States Congress, the Legislature
of the State of Arizona and necessary local governments.
(b) Quantify the amount of state trust subsurface mineral
rights that are located under federal land withdrawals and
compensate states for the value of those subsurface minerals
that state land departments are prohibited from accessing due
to land withdrawals.
2. That the President of the United States take all
necessary policy steps to streamline the permitting process
for new mines in the West to increase the ease, speed and
ability of private parties to gain access to federal land for
critical mineral exploration.
3. That the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of
the Bureau of Land Management work with state legislatures,
state land departments, the private industry and private land
owners to develop a comprehensive plan to engage in a series
of strategic land swaps and subsurface mineral swaps to
eliminate the checkerboard patterns of both the surface and
subsurface estates and eliminate the split estate in as many
places as possible.
4. That the Secretary of the Interior direct the Bureau of
Land Management to perform a rulemaking that rescinds
paragraphs (d) and (e) of 43 Code of Federal Regulations
section 3809.31 and section 3809.2(a) and rescinds the clause
``including Stock-Raising Homestead lands as provided in
section 3809.31(d) and (e)'' because:
(a) Those rules are contrary to the definition of public
lands in section 103(a) of the federal Land Policy Management
Act of 1976, contrary to the language of the 1993 amendments
of the Stock-Raising Homestead Act and contrary to the
legislative history of the 1993 amendments during which
Congress explicitly considered and ultimately rejected the
application of 43 Code of Federal Regulations part 3800,
subpart 3809 to surface estates patented under that act.
(b) There is no statutory authority for the application of
43 Code of Federal Regulations part 3800, subpart 3809 to
surface estates patented under the Taylor Grazing Act.
5. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the
United States, the President of the United States Senate, the
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the
United States Secretary of the Interior, the Director of the
United States Bureau of Land Management and each Member of
Congress from the State of Arizona.
POM-89. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of
the State of Arizona urging the United States Congress and
the President of the United States to enact legislation to
include state-specific instructions on the federal voter
registration form, including proof of citizenship; to the
Committee on Rules and Administration.
House Concurrent Memorial 2015
Whereas, in 1993, the United States Congress passed the
National Voter Registration
[[Page S4990]]
Act (NVRA) to increase the number of eligible citizens who
register to vote, protect the integrity of the electoral
process and ensure that accurate and current voter
registration rolls are maintained; and
Whereas, the NVRA created a new federal voter registration
form that every state must ``accept and use''; and
Whereas, the federal form does not and has never included
state-specific instructions, including the requirement to
present documented proof of citizenship to register to vote;
and
Whereas, article I, section 2 and article I, section 3,
United States Constitution, as amended by the seventeenth
amendment, has granted states the power to set voter
qualifications by linking the qualification to vote for
representatives and senators to the qualifications that
states set for voting in elections for the most numerous
branch of the states' legislatures; and
Whereas, the United States Supreme Court has recognized
that ``the power to establish voting requirements is of
little value without the power to enforce those
requirements'' and ``it would raise serious constitutional
doubts if a federal statute precluded a state from obtaining
the information necessary to enforce its voter
qualifications'';
Whereas, the Election Assistance Commission has precluded
Arizona from ``obtaining the information necessary to enforce
its voter qualifications'' by refusing to include Arizona's
proof of citizenship requirement on the federal voter
registration form, thereby ``rais[ing] serious constitutional
doubts''; and
Whereas, Arizona has done all that it can to assert its
power to enforce its proof of citizenship requirements
consistent with Inter Tribal Council v. Arizona, but has
still been constrained from requiring proof of citizenship on
the federal form; and
Whereas, it is the position of this state that all of our
existing statutes requiring proof of citizenship to vote are
constitutional and consistent with the requirements of the
NVRA and Inter Tribal Council v. Arizona and
Whereas, it is the position of this state that the Inter
Tribal Council court erred in precluding Arizona from
outright requiring proof of citizenship from federal form
applicants; and
Whereas, article II, section 1 of the United States
Constitution grants states plenary authority to determine the
manner of appointing presidential electors; and
Whereas, article I, section 4 of the United States
Constitution empowers Congress to ``at any time by Law make
or alter'' the times , places and manner of holding elections
for senators and representatives and article II, section 1 of
the Constitution grants Congress only power to determine the
time of choosing electors for presidential elections, yet the
NVRA purports to supersede state statutes directing the
manner of appointing electors; and
Whereas, since adoption, the NVRA has required states like
Arizona to bifurcate our voter registration system to protect
our state, local and presidential elections from voters who
have not provided proof of citizenship from voting; and
Whereas, the consequence has been an unconstitutional
federal takeover of elections requiring states to register
voters without proof of citizenship. This has resulted in
nearly 50,000 individuals who have not provided proof of
citizenship being actively registered to vote in Arizona and
tens of thousands of them voting in each election.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of
the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
1. That the United States Congress immediately pass and the
President sign legislation that requires the Election
Assistance Commission to include state-specific instructions
on the federal voter registration form that encompass all
qualifications set by states, including documentary proof of
citizenship requirements, and recognize the plenary power of
the states over presidential elections, the qualifications to
vote and the manner of determining that those qualifications
have been met.
2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the
United States, the President of the United States Senate, the
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and
each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
POM-90. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature
of the State of Arizona recognizing the importance of
Arizona's mineral and metal resources and encouraging
policies that promote mining and a domestic supply of these
resources; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
House Concurrent Resolution 2044
Whereas, Arizona is endowed with a rich abundance of metal
and mineral resources, such as copper, lithium, molybdenum
and uranium, that are essential to the economy and national
security of the United States. The large amount of available
natural resources has led to a large mining industry that has
been a cornerstone of this state's economy. Hard rock mining
alone in Arizona contributes approximately $21.2 billion to
the Arizona economy each year and provides just under 59,000
direct and indirect jobs within this state; and
Whereas, Arizona contains seven of the top ten open-pit
hard rock copper mines in the United States and produces over
74% of the nation's copper, earning the nickname the ``Copper
State''. In addition to copper, Arizona contains rich
deposits of other minerals and metals, like uranium, the are
essential to America's supply chain; and
Whereas, Northern Arizona contains some of the nation's
best uranium deposits. Known as breccia pipes, these uranium
deposits are high-grade, close to the surface and require
very little land area to mine, making them among the lowest-
cost and lowest-impact sources of uranium. These sites are
less that 20-acres in size and contain enough uranium to
supply the entire state with carbon-free energy for one to
two years; and
Whereas, green energy technologies, such as solar panels,
wind turbines, electric vehicles and nuclear power, all rely
heavily on metals and minerals that are abundant in this
state, especially copper, uranium, zinc, manganese and
silver; and
Whereas, in December 2024, China banned the export of
metals and minerals to the United States that are critical in
the production of computer chips, military technologies and
other parts of the economy of the United States, and
Whereas, BHP, a leading mining company, forecasts a 72%
increase in global copper demand. The National Mining
Association projects that copper demand will double by 2030
and surge even higher by 2050, causing the United States to
face a supply crisis that could stifle its economic growth;
and
Whereas, with a lack of foreign imports of critical
resources and a growing demand globally and domestically, the
United States must develop a robust domestic supply chain for
these minerals and metals to ensure the availability of these
resources for domestic industries, continual economic growth
and a sustainable energy future; and
Whereas, Arizona has the unique position, due to its
abundance of critical metals and minerals, to become a large
supplier of these key resource; therefore be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
Arizona, the senate concurring:
1. That the Members of the Legislature recognize and affirm
the critical importance of Arizona's mineral resources and
mining industry to the state, national and global economies.
2. That the Members of the Legislature support policies and
initiatives that promote domestic production, refining and
recycling of critical and strategic resource to reduce
reliance on foreign imports.
3. That the Members of the Legislature beseech federal,
state and local governments to streamline the mining
permitting process to expedite the responsible development of
Arizona's resources.
4. That the Members of the Legislature commit to fostering
a business-friendly environment that encourages mining sector
and to aiding in the establishment of a domestic supply chain
for resources that are critical to this nation's economy and
national security.
5. That the Members of the Legislature request that the
federal government develop a comprehensive and strategic
critical minerals policy that prioritizes national security,
economic stability and environmental sustainability.
6. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit a copy of this Resolution to the President of the
United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House
of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State
of Arizona.
POM-91. A memorial adopted by the House of Representatives
of the State of Arizona urging the President of the United
States and the United States Congress to withdraw from the
United Nations; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
House Memorial 2001
Whereas, the United Nations (U.N.) was created in 1945 in
the aftermath of World War II as a means of establishing
greater cooperation among countries; and
Whereas, the United States provides approximately 22% of
the U.N.'s funding; and
Whereas, the U.N. often pursues an agenda that is
counteractive to the policy goals of the United States, such
as U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334 in 2016, which sided
with Palestine and condemned Israeli settlements in
Jerusalem; and
Whereas, other U.N. initiatives threaten the sovereignty of
the United States, such as the Law of the Sea Treaty, the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the
Arms Trade Treaty; and
Whereas, the U.N.'s decision-making imposes restrictions on
individual nations, stripping them of their autonomy, and
usurps the people's right to self-governance; and
Whereas, the U.N.'s actions are inconsistent with its goal,
of protecting and promoting peace, as in 2019 when Venezuela,
under the control of Nicholas Maduro's authoritarian,
socialist government, was added to the Human Rights Council;
and
Whereas, in 2011 the U.N. General Assembly held a minute of
silence for the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong II,
despite his record of atrocities; and
Whereas, the U.N. has a history of anti-Israel rhetoric and
actions, such as in 1975, when U.N. General Assembly
Resolution 3379 determined that Zionism is a form of racism
and racial discrimination and in 2016, when the U.N. adopted
a resolution at the annual meeting of the World Health
Organization that singled out Israel as the only violator of
mental, physical and environmental health; and
Whereas, while the United Nations Charter does not provide
for withdrawal procedures,
[[Page S4991]]
the principle of rebus sic stantibus, or things standing
thus, may allow the United States to withdraw due to a
fundamental, unforeseen change in circumstances; and
Whereas, the U.N.'s failure to promote peace serves as a
substantial change in circumstances; and
Whereas, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has extensive
links to Gaza and Islamist terrorist groups such as Hamas and
the Palestinian Islamic Jihad; and
Whereas, approxlmately 1,200 of UNRWA's 12,000 employees in
Gaza are believed to have connections to those terrorist
groups, and Israeli intelligence reports indicate that
approximately 190 UNRWA employees have doubled as Hamas or
Islamic Jihad militants during their employment; and
Whereas, Israeli intelligence reports that at least 12
UNRWA employees were directly involved in the Hamas October 7
attack on Israel in 2023, including several school teachers
who were implicated in various roles, including logistics,
weapon procurement, abduction and even direct participation
in the attacks.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of
the State of Arizona, prays:
1. That the President of the United States and the United
States Congress withdraw from the United Nations to better
serve this country's interests.
2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the
United States, the President of the United States Senate, the
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and
each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
POM-92. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of
the State of Arizona urging the President of the United
States and the United States Congress to designate the
Council on American-Islamic Relations as a terrorist
organization and pass H.R. 4097; to the Committee on Foreign
Relations.
House Concurrent Memorial 2002
Whereas, Congress has introduced H.R. 4097, the ``Designate
CAIR as a Terrorist Organizations Act'', to require a federal
review of whether the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) meets the criteria for designation as a foreign
terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act; and
Whereas, CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in
the 2007 Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing
prosecution, which was the largest successful case of its
kind in United States history; and
Whereas, the Federal Bureau of Investigation permanently
suspended outreach and liaison activities with CAIR after
evidence established CAIR's relationship with Hamas, a
designated foreign terrorist organization that is responsible
for the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks; and
Whereas, states such as Florida and Arizona have taken
actions warning public officials about CAIR's extremist
affiliations; and
Whereas, Hamas and Iranian leadership have openly called
for the extermination of Israelis, Americans, Jews and
Christians, and CAIR figures have echoed rhetoric that
minimizes or justifies these threats; and
Whereas, CAIR received early funding from the Holy Land
Foundation, which was later designated as a specially
designated global terrorist entity by the United States
Department of the Treasury; and
Whereas, numerous CAIR officials and affiliates have been
convicted of terrorism-related offenses, including Ghassan
Elashi, Abdurahman Alamoudi, Randall ``Ismail'' Royer, Bassem
Khafagi, Rabih Haddad and Mathannna al-Hanooti; and
Whereas, the United Arab Emirates formally designated CAIR
a terrorist organization in 2014 following its own national
security investigations; and
Whereas, CAIR has publicly honored Sami Al-Arian, who was
convicted of providing material support to Palestinian
Islamic Jihad; and
Whereas, senior CAIR officials have publicly promoted
antisemitic content, denied Israel's right to self-defense
and glorified elements of the October 7 attacks; and
Whereas, section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
authorizes the United States Secretary of State to designate
foreign terrorist organizations when statutory criteria are
met; and
Whereas, the State of Arizona has a compelling interest in
protecting its residents, communities and public institutions
from organizations with documented links to foreign terrorist
networks.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of
the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
1. That the President and the Congress of the United
States:
(a) In coordination with the United States Attorney General
and the United States Secretary of the Treasury, conduct a
full formal review to determine whether CAIR meets the
criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization.
(b) Pass H.R. 4097, the ``Designate the CAIR as a Terrorist
Organization Act'', or any substantially similar legislation
demanding federal review and accountability of CAIR's ties to
terrorist entities.
2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the
United States, the Speaker of the United States House of
Representatives, the President of the United States Senate,
the United States Secretary of State, the United States
Attorney General, the United States Secretary of the Treasury
and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
POM-93. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of
the State of Arizona urging the President of the United
States and the United States Congress to designate the Muslim
Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization; to the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
House Concurrent Memorial 2001
Whereas, the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928,
has a long-documented history of promoting Islamist extremism
and has inspired or spawned multiple terrorist organizations,
including Hamas, al-Qaeda and others, that are recognized by
the United States as foreign terrorist organizations; and
Whereas, Hamas is a Muslim Brotherhood branch according to
its charter, which describes Hamas as ``one of the wings of
the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine''; and
Whereas, the Counter Terrorism Guide published by the
National Counterterrorism Center states that Hamas' roots are
in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood; and
Whereas, Hamas has been designated as a foreign terrorist
organization by the Secretary of State of the United States
pursuant to section 219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act and as a specially designated global terrorist entity
pursuant to Executive Order 13224; and
Whereas, the Muslim Brotherhood's goals, according to their
founding charter, is to establish a global Islamic caliphate
that is governed by Sharia Law and to infiltrate and
overthrow secular democratic governments through ideological
subversion and armed jihad where necessary; and
Whereas, the Muslim Brotherhood functions as a global
organization and provides material support to Muslim
Brotherhood branches in other countries and territories by
providing political support, financial resources, training,
expert advice, communications assistance and other services;
and
Whereas, Muslim Brotherhood branches have sought to
destabilize and undermine the United States and its allies
throughout the Middle East, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Bahrain; and
Whereas, those countries have officially outlawed the
Muslim Brotherhood and have designated it as a terrorist
organization due to its active participation in inciting
violence and undermining national security; and
Whereas, in 2008 during the Holy Land Foundation Trial, the
largest terrorism financing case in United States history,
the United States Department of Justice introduced into
evidence internal Muslim Brotherhood documents detailing
their mission in America as ``a civilization-jihadist
process'' aiming to ``destroy the Western civilization from
within''; and
Whereas, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which
is widely considered a front group for the Muslim Brotherhood
by counterterrorism experts, was named an unindicted co-
conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation trial for its ties to
Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood infrastructure in the United
States; and
Whereas, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal
Revenue Service have investigated Muslim Brotherhood
affiliates for money laundering, unregistered foreign
lobbying, tax fraud and other offenses related to terrorism
support networks; and
Whereas, Congress has repeatedly introduced bills such as
the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, recognizing
that the Muslim Brotherhood meets the criteria under section
219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for designation
as a foreign terrorist organization; and
Whereas, Muslim Brotherhood affiliates and ideologies have
radicalized individuals worldwide through campus outreach,
religious networks and online platforms, contributing to
attacks in Egypt, Libya, France, Tunisia and within the
United States; and
Whereas, the State of Arizona has a solemn responsibility
to protect its residents and American constitutional values
from extremist ideologies, foreign influence and subversive
threats cloaked in religious or political disguise.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of
the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
1. That the President and Congress of the United States
immediately designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign
terrorist organization.
2. That the Attorney General of the State of Arizona and
all relevant law enforcement agencies direct their efforts to
identify, monitor and report any Muslim Brotherhood-linked
organizations operating within Arizona, including financial,
educational and advocacy groups.
3. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the
United States, the Speaker of the United States House of
Representatives, the President of the United States Senate,
each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona, the
Governor of the State of Arizona and the Attorney General of
the State of Arizona.
POM-94. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of
the State of Arizona
[[Page S4992]]
urging the United States Congress to enact legislation
divesting the United States of the San Carlos irrigation
project electric system; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Whereas, the San Carlos irrigation project (SCIP) electric
system is one of only two electric systems in the United
States that are operated by the United States Bureau of
Indian Affairs; and
Whereas, SCIP's primary energy source was intended to be
electric power from hydropower projects; and
Whereas, extended drought in SCIP's geographic region
continues to reduce hydropower generation, requiring SCIP to
seek power on the open market; and
Whereas, due to federal procedures and regulations and
oversight by the Bureau of Indian Affairs agency, SCIP faces
challenges in securing purchased power through long-term
contracts and is required to make most purchases on a cash
basis from short-term contracts and the day ahead market,
resulting in rate instability and unpredictable costs for
customers; and
Whereas, in order to raise funds for capital improvements,
SCIP recently had to significantly increase its rates up to
40%, which was an undue financial burden for its customers
and resulted in many having their SCIP service cut off due to
their inability to pay; and
Whereas, federal regulations limit the ability for SCIP to
invest in its system through improvements that are funded
outside of federal appropriations, therefore preventing SCIP
from raising funds from bonds as other federal utilities do;
and
Whereas, the large and rough geographic area of SCIP's
territory, which is located on both tribal and nontribal
lands, creates a service territory that is fragmented and
difficult to maintain and, as a result, requires significant
financial investment to upgrade and modernize; and
Whereas, the challenges with maintaining the system have
led to system degradation, which has caused repeated and
extended power outages impacting customers across the system
during both the summer and winter seasons when customers are
most reliant on electric service; and
Whereas, since the mid-1980s, problems have persisted with
the SCIP system, resulting in congressionally approved
legislation authorizing the Bureau of Indian Affairs to
divest the SCIP electric system, and
Whereas, stakeholders, including impacted customers, have
renewed efforts to improve the reliability and affordability
of electric service for SCIP customers; and
Whereas, neighboring nonprofit public power utilities, the
San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Gila River Indian Community
have engaged in discussions to service the entire SCIP
electric system and provide reliable, affordable and safe
service to all SCIP customers within their respective
community boundaries while supporting stable employment for
SCIP employees.
Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of
Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:
1. That the United States Congress pass legislation
divesting the United States and the Bureau of Indian Affairs
of the San Carlos irrigation project electric system.
2. That the United States Congress provide funding for a
necessary system study and desperately needed improvements
that will provide the reliable, affordable and safe power
that San Carlos irrigation projects customers deserve and are
entitled to as citizens of the United States and Arizona.
3. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit copies of the Memorial to the President of the
United States Senate, the Speakers of the United States House
of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State
of Arizona.
POM-95. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature
of the State of Arizona supporting the Palo Verde Generating
Station; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
House Concurrent Resolution 2022
Whereas, Arizona is home to the most productive nuclear
power plant in America, the Palo Verde Generating Station in
Tonopah, Arizona, which generates more than 32 million
megawatt hours of electricity annually. This is enough power
for more than 4 million homes and business; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station has been one of
the nation's largest power producers of any kind for nearly
30 years; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde Generation Station is the largest
source of clean energy in the West; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde Generation Station supplies nearly
70 percent of Arizona's carbon-free energy; and
Whereas, the costs of nuclear energy are lower than the
costs of solar power, but nuclear energy is superior to solar
power in that it can be produced at night and during cloudy
weather without sunlight; and
Whereas, nuclear energy facilities operating in 30 states
produce electricity for one out of every five homes and
businesses in the United States; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station is the only
nuclear power plant in the country that is not located on a
body of water and instead uses recycled water from
surrounding communities to cool the plant in an
environmentally sustainable way; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station is the largest
single commercial taxpayer in Arizona; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station provides a $2.3
billion economic impact annually to local economies; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station has
approximately 2,000 full-time employees and requires the
services of an additional 1,000 contractors during periods of
maintenance; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station purchases over
$123 million in products and services from more than 1,200
Arizona business; and
Whereas, the Palo Verde employees donate approximately $1
million each year to local charities; and
Whereas, energy consumers who are well informed regarding
the safety of modern nuclear energy production support the
continued production of nuclear energy as a noncarbon
producing energy source; and
Whereas, a nationwide survey conducted in May 2024 revealed
that 56% of Americans support nuclear power; and
Whereas, there are significant advancements in nuclear
energy technology with the development of nuclear reactors
that are more efficient, produce less waste and reduce
proliferation risk; and
Whereas, Arizona's economic competitiveness depends on
safe, affordable and reliable power.
Therefore be it Resolved by the House of Representatives of
the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:
1. That the Members of the Legislature support the Palo
Verde Generating Station and the safe and efficient use of
nuclear energy to supply the energy consumption needs of the
people of Arizona.
2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit copies of the Resolution to the President of the
United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House
of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State
of Arizona.
POM-96. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature
of the State of Arizona applying to the United States
Congress, pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the
United States, to call a convention of the states limited to
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 and to set a limit on the number of terms
that a person may be elected as a Member of the United States
Senate; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
House Concurrent Resolution 2043
Whereas, Article V of the Constitution of the United States
provides the states with the authority to call a convention
for the purpose of proposing an amendment to the Constitution
of the United States, to be ratified by the legislatures or
by conventions in three-fourths of the several states on
application by at least two-thirds of the states; and
Whereas, this power provides the States with the leverage
needed to force Congress to act when it otherwise does not
want to; and
Whereas, the citizens of the State of Arizona and twenty-
two other states, having passed statutes or state
constitutional amendments placing term limits on members of
Congress, were overruled by the United States Supreme Court;
and
Whereas, the Legislature of the State of Arizona hereby
joins with other states in instructing Congress to draft a
term limits amendment and send it to the States for
ratification, failing which the States will act on their own;
and
Whereas, the Arizona Legislature, a body of citizen
legislators, desires to restore rotation in office for
members serving in the Congress of the United States.
Therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
Arizona, the Senate concurring:
1. That, pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the
United States, the Legislature of the State of Arizona
formally applies to the Congress of the United States to call
a convention of the states limited to 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 and to set a
limit on the number of terms that a person may be elected as
a Member of the United States Senate.
2. That this application constitutes a continuing
application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution
of the United States until at least two-thirds of the
legislatures of the several states have made application on
the same subjects.
3. That this application shall be considered as covering
the same subject matter as the application 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 State's
House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and
this application shall be aggregated with same 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.
4. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit a copy of this Resolution to the President and
Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker, Clerk and
Judiciary Committee Chairman of the United States House of
Representatives, each Member of Congress from the State of
Arizona and the presiding officers of each house of the
several state legislatures, requesting their cooperation.
[[Page S4993]]
POM-97. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of
the State of Arizona urging the President of the United
States and the United States Congress to eliminate the Vision
Zero approach to transportation planning and instead
prioritize sound engineering and safe outcomes; to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Senate Concurrent Memorial 1002
Whereas, Vision Zero and the safe systems approach
originated in Sweden in the 1990s and have since been adopted
internationally, including in the United States since 2016;
and
Whereas, Vision Zero is promoted as a framework for
eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries through a
safe systems approach, but its implementation in cities in
the United States has not cured traffic fatalities but rather
has increased serious injuries and fatalities and caused
delays in emergency response vehicles; and
Whereas, the Vision Zero safe systems approach diverts from
sound transportation engineering methodologies and instead
employs a one-size-fits-all approach that requires the
adoption in all circumstances of lower speed limits, fewer
and narrower roads and draconian traffic enforcement
measures; and
Whereas, Vision Zero prioritizes a uniform roadway design,
regardless of local geography, traffic patterns or historical
crash data, compromising tailored context-specific
engineering solutions; and
Whereas, Vision Zero's design philosophy integrates
multiple transportation modes in ways that create conflicts
between motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians rather than
separating these uses for improved safety; and
Whereas, Vision Zero policies subordinate the needs of
drivers, which is the majority mode of transportation in the
United States, to walking, biking and public transit, often
reducing roadway speeds and capacity. This diminishes
efficiency and accessibility for the majority of travelers;
and.
Whereas, Vision Zero emphasizes equity and ideological
goals over traditional engineering-based safety approaches,
shifting the focus of transportation planning away from
pragmatic, data-driven solutions; and
Whereas, major cities in the United States have implemented
Vision Zero in recent years with the goal of eliminating
traffic fatalities, but suffered the opposite effect. New
York City experienced the highest traffic fatalities in a
decade, Los Angeles sustained a 22-year record high in
fatalities in 2023 and Seattle has been subject to a steady
increase in fatalities; and
Whereas, after adopting Vision Zero, Denver, Colorado's
traffic fatalities increased by 33% in the next five years
compared to the previous five years, with motorcyclists,
pedestrians and cyclists experiencing the highest fatality
rates; and
Whereas, Portland, Oregon's 2024 city auditor report
attributed a doubling of fatalities to Vision Zero policies,
despite reduced speed limits, stricter enforcement,
intersection reconfigurations and improved lighting, raising
concerns about its real-world safety outcomes; and
Whereas, Vision Zero's traffic calming measures and design
changes can impede emergency response times for public safety
vehicles, potentially endangering lives; and
Whereas, Vision Zero has been supported and funded by
organizations motivated by anti-car and anti-sprawl
ideologies, diverging from established engineering standards;
and
Whereas, the safe systems approach begins with the premise
that America's transportation infrastructure has systemic
inequities that must be corrected, an assertion that may not
align with practical safety objectives; and
Whereas, the free movement of goods and people is essential
to the American economy and way of life, particularly for the
commercial trucking industry, which relies on efficient and
reliable roadways; and
Whereas, the Vision Zero safe systems approach mandates
lower speed limits that conflict with roadway design and
natural operating speeds, leading to increased speed
variation, reduced safety and a higher incidence of speed
violations; and
Whereas, a core element of the Vision Zero strategy is to
reduce single-occupancy vehicle miles traveled, restricting
individual freedom, disrupting personal travel flexibility,
increasing commute times and limiting access to jobs,
essential errands and daily activities; and
Whereas, safety improvements can and should be achieved
without sacrificing freedom of movement or imposing a rigid
framework that limits alternative solutions; and
Whereas, Vision Zero proponents acknowledge that achieving
zero fatalities may ultimately require eliminating or
controlling private vehicle use; and
Whereas, Vision Zero's underlying philosophy assumes that
driving culture and human behavior must be reshaped, which is
impractical; and
Whereas, this state and its cities are compelled to
implement the deeply flawed Vision Zero program as a
condition of receiving federal grant funding tied to
transportation projects, leading to wasteful removal of
existing road infrastructure that is still serviceable and
functional.
Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of
Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:
1. That the President and Congress of the United States
eliminate Vision Zero and the safe systems approach to
transportation planning and funding, and instead promote
transportation solutions that prioritize sound engineering
methods, reliable safety outcomes, flexibility and
engineering innovation without compromising individual
freedoms or economic efficiency.
2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona
transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the
United States, the President of the United States Senate, the
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and
each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
____________________