[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16140]
[From the U.S. 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-249. A petition from the New York State Legislative 
     Commission on Water Resource Needs of New York and Long 
     Island relative to Methyl tertiary Butyl Ether (MtBE); to the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works.
       POM-250. A resolution adopted by the House of the General 
     Assembly of the State of North Carolina relative to the 
     United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
     Discrimination Against Women; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.

                          House Resolution 388

       Whereas, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination 
     of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was adopted by 
     the United Nations General Assembly on December 18, 1979, 
     became an international treaty on September 3, 1981; and
       Whereas, as of March 1999, 162 countries had ratified the 
     Conventions and six states had endorsed the United States 
     ratification in their state legislatures; and
       Whereas, the Convention provides a comprehensive framework 
     for challenging the various forces that have created and 
     sustained discrimination based on sex against half the 
     world's population, and the nations in support of the present 
     Convention have agreed to follow Convention prescriptions; 
     and
       Whereas, the State of North Carolina shares the goals of 
     the Convention, namely, affirming faith in fundamental human 
     rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in 
     the equal rights of women; and
       Whereas, although women have made major gains in the 
     struggle for equality in social, business, political, legal, 
     educational, and other fields in this century, there is much 
     yet to be accomplished; and
       Whereas, the State of North Carolina recognizes the greatly 
     increased interdependence of the people of the world; and
       Whereas, it is fitting and appropriate to support 
     ratification of the most important international agreement 
     affecting the lives of women throughout the world; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives:
       Section 1. The House of Representatives urges the citizens 
     of North Carolina to recognize that we are citizens of the 
     world with responsibilities extending beyond the boundaries 
     of our city, State, and nation. The House of Representatives 
     further urges the United States Senate to ratify the United 
     Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
     Discrimination Against Women and to support the Convention's 
     continuing goals.
       Section 2. The Principal Clerk shall transmit certified 
     copies of this resolution to the Secretary of the Senate and 
     to each member of North Carolina's Congressional Delegation.
       Section 3. This resolution is effective upon adoption.

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