[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11893-11902]
[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--138. A concurrent resolution adopted by the 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii relative to the temporary 
     visa waiver program; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 4

       Whereas, the United States Congress passed the Immigration 
     Control and Reform Act of 1986 that established a temporary 
     visa waiver program to pave the way toward better 
     international relations and increased visitor travel between 
     the United States and certain participating foreign 
     countries; and
       Whereas, the temporary visa waiver program expired in 
     September, 1996, and has since been extended on a year-to-
     year basis, with the current extension expiring in September, 
     1999; and
       Whereas, the visa waiver program allows persons with 
     waivers to enter the United States for a period of up to 
     ninety days without a visa; and
       Whereas, twenty-one countries were participating in the 
     visa waiver program with

[[Page 11894]]

     the United States as of 1996, with more being added since 
     then; and
       Whereas, the visa waiver program is critical to boosting 
     the number of international arrivals in Hawaii, with an 
     estimated eighty percent of all international visitors 
     arriving at Honolulu International Airport being under the 
     visa waiver program; and
       Whereas, the addition of Taiwan, South Korea, and China to 
     the visa waiver program by the United States would further 
     boost Hawaii's economy because of the huge numbers of 
     travelers to Hawaii from these countries; and
       Whereas, despite the success of the visa waiver program, 
     the United States Congress has not made the program 
     permanent, instead preferring to extend it on a year-to-year 
     basis; now, therefore,
       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 
     Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session 
     of 1999, the Senate concurring, that the United States 
     Congress is urged to:
       (1) Make the visa waiver program permanent; and
       (2) Add Taiwan, South Korea, and China to the visa waiver 
     program;
       and
       Be it Further Resolved that members of Hawaii's 
     congressional delegation are urged to exert efforts to make 
     the visa waiver program permanent and add Taiwan, South 
     Korea, and China to the program; and
       Be it Further Resolved that certified copies of this 
     Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Majority Leader 
     of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, and the members of Hawaii's 
     congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-139. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Idaho relative to the threat of terrorism; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 28

       Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
       Whereas, the threat of terrorism in the United States is a 
     real and complex phenomenon that can strike any community, 
     state or geographic region of our nation; and
       Whereas, threats incorporating the use of nuclear, 
     radiological, biological, chemical and cyber weapons or 
     combination thereof, may be used against critical 
     infrastructures and the nation's food supply, of which the 
     state of Idaho is a major producer; and
       Whereas, because terrorist incidents would occur in local 
     communities within the states, it is imperative that 
     planning, training, exercises, equipping and funding 
     strategies for state and local response forces be included in 
     any national strategy; and
       Whereas, the Legislature joins with the National Governors' 
     Association and the National Emergency Management Association 
     to affirm its commitment to ensuring a coordinated response 
     and recovery to major emergencies and disasters, including 
     incidents of terrorism and the use of weapons of mass 
     destruction; now, therefore,
       BE IT RESOLVED, by the members of the First Regular Session 
     of the Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that we 
     recommend the following actions be taken to improve the 
     nation's preparedness, and to more effectively prepare for, 
     respond to, and recover from consequences of terrorism at the 
     state and local level that:
       (1) The White House and the Congress should consult and 
     coordinate with the nation's governors and their states to 
     develop and implement a national strategy that initiates and 
     sustains activities for domestic preparedness at the state 
     and local level. One hundred percent federally funded state 
     and local assistance, previously granted to the states for 
     civil defense, should be provided to the states for 
     preparedness activities for crisis and consequence management 
     as the result of the increasing potential for acts of 
     terrorism and use of weapons of mass destruction.
       (2) The federal government recognizes that the short and 
     long-term consequences of domestic terrorism is among the 
     responsibilities of state and local government supplemented 
     by the resources of the federal government. Federal agencies 
     that are tasked with providing assistance to state and local 
     government must be required to recognize and use the state's 
     emergency management systems that have effectively responded 
     to state and local emergencies and disasters for over fifty 
     years.
       (3) The National Guard of each state and territory is a 
     critical state resource during emergencies and disasters. As 
     such, the role of the National Guard and the Department of 
     Defense must be better defined in preparing for acts of 
     terrorism. Furthermore, the National Guard must be funded, 
     trained, equipped and well exercised if it is to have a 
     viable role in the response and recovery to the use of 
     weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.
       (4) The nation's public health and medical system 
     capabilities must be significantly improved and fully 
     integrated into the evolving domestic preparedness program. 
     As a health matter, specific attention must be placed on the 
     nation's food supply, both that which has been harvested, and 
     that which is yet to be developed.
       (5) The government at all levels must ensure that the 
     protection of civil liberties and states' rights will remain 
     the highest priority within the context of national security 
     as the United States prepares for and addresses the 
     consequences of terrorism. The White House and the Congress 
     should specifically develop methods to eliminate unauthorized 
     activity in the name of expedience and national security.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state of Idaho recognizes 
     and supports the efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice to 
     accomplish the much needed program coordination through the 
     creation of the National Domestic Preparedness Office.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Resolution to the U.S. Department 
     of Justice, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of 
     the House of Representatives and the members of the Senate 
     and the House of Representatives representing the State of 
     Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-140. A concurrent resolution adopted by the General 
     Assembly of the State of Iowa relative to Health Care 
     Financing Administration rules; to the Committee on Finance.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 24

       Whereas, rules recently promulgated by the Health Care 
     Financing Administration (HCFA) of the United States 
     Department of Health and Human Services requiring Outcome and 
     Assessment Information Set (OASIS) assessment and follow-up 
     reports for all patients of Medicare-certified home health 
     agencies and health departments, whether or not the patient 
     is a recipient of Medicare; and
       Whereas, the OASIS system requires an 18-page initial 
     assessment which must be completed by a registered nurse, and 
     a 13-page follow-up assessment which is required to be 
     completed every sixty days; and
       Whereas, the requirement for computer software necessary 
     for preparation and transmission of the OASIS system 
     assessments and reports is essentially an unfunded federal 
     mandate; and
       Whereas, the HCFA requirement necessitates costly reporting 
     for patients who receive services not paid through Medicare 
     and the reporting is duplicative of existing assessment and 
     reporting requirements; and
       Whereas, in the small-scale home health care organization 
     environment in Iowa, it is not feasible to provide services 
     through separate organizations based upon whether the patient 
     is a recipient of Medicare; and
       Whereas, the HCFA rules would result in Medicare-certified 
     organizations only providing services to recipients of 
     Medicare, thereby reducing the availability of preventive 
     home services to older Iowans who are not recipients of 
     Medicare, increasing in-hospital admissions and Medicare 
     costs, and increasing nursing home admissions and Medicaid 
     costs; and
       Whereas, OASIS appears to be solely a research project of 
     HCFA, totally unfunded by federal sources, and accomplished 
     with loss of funds by reporting agencies and loss of services 
     to older Iowans; now; therefore,
       Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate 
     concurring, that the Congress of the United States is 
     encouraged to amend the OASIS system requirements to apply 
     them only to patients who are recipients of Medicare and not 
     to all patients of Medicare-certified home health agencies; 
     and
       Be It Further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House 
     is directed to provide a copy of this resolution to the 
     President of the United States, to the Secretary of the 
     United States Department of Health and Human Services, to the 
     President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, to the Minority 
     Leaders of the United States Senate and House of 
     Representatives, and to each member of Iowa's congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-141. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Kansas relative to Health Care Financing 
     Administration rules; to the Committee on Finance.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 5041

       Whereas, New rules made by HCFA require OASIS assessment 
     and follow-up reports for all patients of Medicare-certified 
     home health agencies and health departments whether or not 
     the personal or attendant care for such patients is paid from 
     Medicare, and
       Whereas, The new HCFA report requires an 18-page initial 
     assessment, which must be completed by a registered nurse, 
     with a 13 page follow-up assessment being required every 60 
     days; and
       Whereas, The requirement for computer software for the 
     preparation and transmission of such assessments and follow-
     up reports is another unfunded mandate of the federal 
     government; and
       Whereas, The HCFA requirement requires costly unfunded 
     reporting of those who receive services which are not paid by 
     Medicare--which reporting duplicates existing assessment and 
     reporting requirements of the Kansas Department on Aging; and
       Whereas, In the environment of the small, home health care 
     services existing in Kansas, it is not feasible to create 
     separate organizations to provide services for non-Medicare 
     customers. The end result of the HCFA

[[Page 11895]]

     rules is that Medicare-certified agencies will no longer be 
     able to provide in-home services to non-Medicare customers. 
     Consequently, with lower levels of preventive home services 
     being available to older Kansans there will be an increase in 
     hospital admissions, thus increasing Medicare costs, and an 
     increase in nursing home admissions, thus increasing Medicaid 
     costs; and
       Whereas, OASIS appears to be solely a research project of 
     HCFA, totally unfunded by federal sources, and accomplished 
     with loss of funds by reporting agencies and loss of services 
     for Kansas seniors: now; therefore,
       Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State 
     of Kansas, the Senate concurring therein: That we memorialize 
     the Congress of the United States to require the Health Care 
     Financing Administration OASIS reporting and data reporting 
     requirements to apply only to Medicare patients and not to 
     all patients of Medicare-certified home health agencies; and
       Be it further resolved: That the Secretary of State be 
     directed to provide an enrolled copy of this resolution to 
     the President of the United States, Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services, President of the United States Senate, 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, 
     minority leaders of the United States Senate and the United 
     States House of Representatives, and to each member of the 
     Kansas Congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-142. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Idaho relative to the estate and gift taxes; to 
     the Committee on Finance.
       We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the 
     Senate of the State of Idaho assembled in the First Regular 
     Session of the Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature, do hereby 
     respectfully represent that:
       Whereas, the estate and gift tax is the federal 
     government's least significant revenue source contributing 
     approximately 1.1% of total federal revenue and in 1998 just 
     1.66% of adult deaths in the United States are expected to 
     result in taxable estates; and
       Whereas, a rationale for the estate and gift tax is that 
     only the very wealthy pay it, but in 1995, 54% of all estate 
     tax revenue came from estates under five million dollars and 
     estate taxes that year fell for those with estates over 
     twenty million dollars; and
       Whereas, the reason for the preceding is that careful 
     estate planning can virtually eliminate the tax, however many 
     estate planning techniques are costly and require long lead-
     times to implement, making the burden of the estate tax often 
     falling on those with recently acquired modest wealth such as 
     farmers and small businesses; and
       Whereas, the tax can be devastating on small businesses and 
     agricultural operations and protecting these ventures from 
     estate taxes can be costly and drain resources that could be 
     better used by the owners to upgrade and expand their 
     operations; and
       Whereas, the estate and gift tax may be having unintended 
     environmental consequences as America's nonindustrial private 
     forest owners (who own 58% of America's forest land) face the 
     untimely timber harvest and disruption of established forest 
     management programs because of the federal estate tax and 
     this is counterproductive to society's goals of sustainable 
     forestry and environmental quality and the tax may also have 
     the unintended consequence of forcing a decedent's estate to 
     subdivide or sell all or portions of the family land, that 
     otherwise might be managed in a sustainable manner, in order 
     to meet the estate tax obligation; and
       Whereas, Canada, Australia and Israel have repealed their 
     estate taxes with three policy reasons given that more people 
     were becoming subject to the tax, the relative tiny portion 
     of revenue raised and arguments by economists that the tax is 
     counterproductive; and
       Whereas, the inheritance tax is applied to property and 
     goods that have already been taxed and some economists have 
     indicated that the gross domestic product over the next seven 
     years would be $80 billion higher if the estate and gift tax 
     were repealed; now; therefore,
       Be it resolved by the members of the First Regular Session 
     of the Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that we 
     respectfully request that members of Congress take a serious 
     look at repealing the estate and gift tax or, at the very 
     least, to increasing the exemption substantially.
       Be it further resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House 
     of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and 
     directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President 
     of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
     of Congress, and the congress delegation representing the 
     State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-143. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii relative to tobacco 
     settlement funds; to the Committee on Finance.

                         House Resolution No. 2

       Whereas, on November 23, 1998, representatives from forty-
     six states signed a settlement agreement with the five 
     largest tobacco manufacturers, which settled lawsuits seeking 
     to recoup the states' costs of treating smokers; and
       Whereas, the Attorneys General Master Tobacco Settlement 
     Agreement culminated legal action that began in 1994 when 
     states began filing lawsuits against the tobacco industry; 
     and
       Whereas, currently, the respective states are in the 
     process of finalizing the terms of the Master Tobacco 
     Settlement Agreement and are making initial fiscal 
     determinations relative to the most responsible ways and 
     means to utilize the settlement funds; and
       Whereas, under the terms of the agreement, tobacco 
     manufacturers will pay $206,000,000,000 over the next twenty-
     five years to the respective states in up-front and annual 
     payments; and
       Whereas, under the terms of the Master Tobacco Settlement 
     Agreement, Hawaii is projected to receive $1,179,165,923.07 
     through the year 2025; and
       Whereas, because many state lawsuits sought to recover 
     Medicaid funds spent to treat illnesses caused by tobacco 
     use, the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration contends 
     that it is authorized and obligated under the Social Security 
     Act, to collect its share of any tobacco settlement funds 
     that are attributable to Medicaid; and
       Whereas, the Master Tobacco Settlement Agreement does not 
     address the Medicaid recoupment issue, and thus, the Social 
     Security Act must be amended to resolve the recoupment issue 
     so that the moneys from the settlement remain with the 
     respective states; and
       Whereas, in addition to the recoupment issue, there is also 
     considerable interest in earmarking state tobacco settlement 
     fund expenditures at both the state and national levels; and
       Whereas, as the final approval of the Master Tobacco 
     Settlement Agreement nears, it is imperative that the states 
     retain their rightful full share of the tobacco settlement 
     funds; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Twentieth 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, 
     That the U.S. Congress is urged to enact legislation that 
     amends the Social Security Act to prohibit the federal 
     government from receiving any share of the funds awarded in 
     the tobacco settlement that was reached in 1998 between the 
     states and the tobacco industry; and be it further Resolved 
     that the respective state legislatures retain complete 
     autonomy over the appropriation and expenditure of their 
     respective tobacco settlement funds; and be it further 
     Resolved that the U.S. Congress oppose any efforts by the 
     federal government to earmark or impose any other 
     restrictions on the respective states' use of the state 
     tobacco settlement funds; and be it further Resolved that 
     certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the 
     President of the United States, the President of the U.S. 
     Senate, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and 
     the members of Hawaii's Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-144. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Rockwood, Michigan relative to imported trash; to the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works.
       POM-145. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Vermont relative to the United 
     Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of 
     Discrimination Against Women; to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations.
       Whereas, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
     Discrimination Against Women was adopted by the United 
     Nations General Assembly on December 15, 1979, and
       Whereas, it became an international treaty on September 3, 
     1981, and by October 1986, 154 countries had consented to be 
     bound by the Convention's provisions, and
       Whereas, the Convention provides a comprehensive framework 
     for challenging various forces that have created and 
     sustained gender-based discrimination against one-half of the 
     world's population, and
       Whereas, the Convention banning discrimination against 
     women guarantees women's rights across many fields, including 
     employment, education, voting, nationality, marriage and 
     divorce, health care and equality before the law, and
       Whereas, the state of Vermont shares the goals of the 
     Convention, namely affirming faith in fundamental human 
     rights, in the dignity and worth of all human beings and in 
     the equal rights of women, and
       Whereas, the state of Vermont has a history of supporting 
     efforts to end gender-based employment discrimination and, in 
     1972, ratified the Equal Rights Amendment to the United 
     States Constitution, and
       Whereas, although women have made major gains throughout 
     the 20th century in the struggle for equality in social, 
     business, political, legal, health, educational and other 
     fields, there remains much yet to be accomplished, and
       Whereas, the state of Vermont recognizes the fact that 
     other countries still engage in practices of gender 
     apartheid--many African countries practice female genital 
     mutilation; Afghanistan's Taliban militia does not permit 
     women to work, go to school or even leave the confines of 
     their homes unless accompanied by a close male relative, and 
     are

[[Page 11896]]

     prohibited from going to most hospitals or seeking care from 
     male doctors, which leads to women and girls dying from 
     easily treatable diseases; and sex tourism (the trafficking 
     of women and girls) is practiced in Asia and is supported by 
     organizations in the United States, and
       Whereas, the state of Vermont recognizes the greatly 
     increased interdependence of the people of the world in this 
     age of the global village and global telecommunications, and
       Whereas, the state of Vermont enacted a joint resolution 
     urging the United States Congress to ratify the United 
     Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
     Discrimination Against Women, which has not been ratified to 
     date by the United States Congress, and
       Whereas, the United States is one of only 22 countries that 
     have not ratified the Convention, now therefore be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the Vermont 
     House of Representatives urges the United States Congress to 
     consider ratifying the United Nations Convention on the 
     Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the House be directed to send a 
     copy of this resolution to President Bill Clinton, Vice 
     President Al Gore, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine 
     Albright, U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, Chair of the Senate 
     Foreign Relations Committee and to each member of the Vermont 
     Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-146. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Idaho relative to a national veterans cemetery 
     in Idaho; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
       Whereas, Idaho is the only state in the nation without 
     either a national veterans cemetery or a state veterans 
     cemetery; and
       Whereas, the majority of the states without a national 
     cemetery are located in the Northwest; and
       Whereas, only one of the six states bordering Idaho has a 
     national cemetery; and
       Whereas, Idaho is centrally located for a regional cemetery 
     in the Northwest; and
       Whereas, it is fitting and proper that a grateful nation 
     should provide a burial site within a reasonable distance 
     from the homes of those Idahoans and others residing in the 
     northwestern states who honorably served their country in a 
     time of emergency.
       Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the members of the First 
     Regular Session of the Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the 
     House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, 
     That we respectfully and urgently request members of Idaho's 
     congressional delegation to support funding for a national 
     veterans cemetery in Idaho to serve veterans in the 
     northwestern states, and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
     Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the 
     State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-147. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Minnesota relative to the Superior National 
     Forest; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                         House Resolution No. 3

       Whereas, pursuant to the Organic, Enabling, and other acts 
     relating to the establishment of the state of Minnesota, land 
     commonly referred to as school trust land has been granted to 
     the state of Minnesota for public school and other purposes 
     and has been constitutionally accepted and dedicated by the 
     citizens of the state for such purposes by applying these 
     lands to the production of income for the state's permanent 
     school fund, all as described in detail in Minnesota 
     Statutes, section 1.0451, subdivision 2; and
       Whereas, pursuant to the federal Enabling Act authorizing 
     the establishment of the state of Minnesota, on an equal 
     footing with the original 13 states, and the Constitution of 
     Minnesota, by which the citizens of Minnesota accepted the 
     terms and conditions of the Enabling Act, the ownership of 
     navigable waters and their beds was transferred to the state 
     of Minnesota, all as described in detail in Minnesota 
     Statutes, section 1.0451, subdivision 1; and
       Whereas, approximately 100,000 acres of state-owned land 
     (mostly school grant land) and approximately 172,000 acres of 
     state-owned waters, or a total of over 272,000 state-owned 
     acres, make up one-quarter of the 1,078,000 acres that are 
     included within that portion of the Superior National Forest 
     that has been designated by Congress as the Boundary Waters 
     Canoe Area Wilderness; and
       Whereas, the extraordinary nature of the land and waters 
     located in this wilderness area has been described by the 8th 
     U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as follows in its decision in 
     State of Minnesota by Alexander v. Block, 449 F. Supp. 1223 
     (D. Minn. 1980), 660 F.2d 1240 (8th Cir. 1981), Cert. denied 
     431 U.S. 939 (1982):
       ``The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is the largest wilderness 
     area east of the Rocky Mountains and the second largest in 
     our wilderness system. It is our Nation's only lakeland canoe 
     wilderness--a network of more than 1,000 lakes linked by 
     hundreds of miles of streams and short portages which served 
     as the highway of fur traders who followed water routes 
     pioneered by Sioux and Chippewa Indians. Despite extensive 
     logging, the BWCA still contains 540,000 acres of virgin 
     forests, by far the largest such area in the eastern United 
     States.
       ``This last remnant of the old `northwoods' is remarkable 
     not only for its lakes and virgin forests, but also for its 
     wildlife. . . . [M]any western wilderness areas lack such 
     complete food chains. This natural ecosystem is a valuable 
     educational and scientific resource; it has been the focal 
     point of important research in wildlife behavior, forest 
     ecology, nutrient cycles, lake systems, and vegetation 
     history.''; and
       Whereas, within this wilderness that contains a network of 
     more than 1,000 lakes linked by hundreds of miles of streams 
     and short portages and a land surface that is crowned with a 
     forest which includes 540,000 acres of virgin or ``old 
     growth'' timber that hosts unique plant and animal ecosystems 
     such as that of the timber wolf, the state of Minnesota's 
     school grant and other lands are scattered in a checkerboard 
     fashion across the entire area, a consequence of the fact 
     that the lands were granted almost entirely in Sections 16 
     and 36 in most townships in what now is designated as a 
     federal wilderness; and
       Whereas, as a consequence of decisions by the federal 
     courts in the above cited case of State of Minnesota by 
     Alexander v. Block, where the state unsuccessfully challenged 
     the unilateral action by Congress of extending federal 
     jurisdiction from federally owned land to state-owned water, 
     the state's free exercise of authority over its state-owned 
     lands and waters was severely diminished; and
       Whereas, in the 18 years since the federal courts upheld 
     this congressional extension of federal authority over state 
     water, the only revenue earned on school and other state 
     grant lands from wilderness users has been derived from a 
     token campground reservation fee that is reappropriated for 
     necessary campground maintenance and therefore adds nothing 
     to the permanent school fund, the fund constitutionally 
     established to support public schools of the state out of 
     income derived from school and other grant land sale and 
     natural resource management revenues; and
       Whereas, continuance of state land ownership within the 
     Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness not only defeats the 
     purpose for which the state school grant lands were granted 
     and dedicated, it also unnecessarily handicaps federal 
     management duties relating to the wilderness area; and
       Whereas, the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, sections 8 
     and 10, provide that school and other grant lands may be sold 
     only at public auction or exchanged; and
       Whereas, consolidation of federal land ownership within the 
     Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness through an exchange of 
     Superior National Forest land that is located outside the 
     wilderness area for state land that is located within the 
     wilderness area will mutually benefit both the federal and 
     state governments by simplifying federal wilderness area 
     management activities through efficiencies arising from 
     single land ownership and by enabling the state to properly 
     manage its school trust lands for the purposes for which 
     these lands were granted and dedicated, as was first 
     contemplated for these lands by the Minnesota legislature in 
     the enactment of Laws 1917, chapter 448, which created the 
     Minnesota state forests in the counties of Cook, Lake, and 
     St. Louis, the first state forests established in Minnesota; 
     and
       Whereas, there appears, preliminarily, to be sufficient 
     acreage of federal land that is located within the exterior 
     boundaries of the Superior National Forest, exclusive of 
     lands in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, to 
     exchange for the high value state-owned school grant and 
     other land inholdings located within the wilderness area; 
     now, therefore, be it Resolved, By the Legislature of the 
     State of Minnesota that Congress is requested to speedily 
     enact laws that would expedite the exchange of federally 
     owned land located within the Superior National Forest that 
     lies outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for 
     land owned by the state of Minnesota located within the 
     Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and Be it Further 
     Resolved, That in its deliberations concerning this request, 
     Congress is requested to be especially cognizant that the 
     legal title of the state of Minnesota to its school and other 
     grant lands located within this wilderness area has been 
     preserved, relatively unaltered, since being separated by 
     grant from the federal public domain at statehood, and that 
     the state of Minnesota's checkerboard land ownership pattern 
     gives these lands a unique value because the lands are an 
     integral part of what the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals 
     recognized in State of Minnesota by Alexander v. Block as ``. 
     . . our Nation's only lakeland canoe wilderness--a network of 
     more than 1,000 lakes linked by hundreds of miles of streams 
     and short portages which served as the highway of fur traders 
     . . .'' and which ``. . . still contains 540,000 acres of 
     virgin [old growth] forests, by far the largest such area in 
     the eastern United States.'' And

[[Page 11897]]

     be it further Resolved, That Congress also be cognizant that 
     the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 10, relating 
     to the exchange of school grant and other state lands, 
     requires the state to reserve mineral and water power rights 
     in lands transferred by the state and, in addition, that 
     Minnesota has never leased any state-owned minerals located 
     on lands within the area that is federally designated as the 
     Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and further, that 
     since 1976, under Minnesota Statutes, section 84.523, state 
     law prohibits, except when needed in a national emergency 
     declared by Congress, the exploration and mining of state-
     owned minerals and the harvesting of state-owned peat, and Be 
     it further
       Resolved, That while the state of Minnesota is cognizant of 
     the fact that Congress may authorize the federal government 
     to acquire state-owned school grant and other lands by 
     eminent domain proceedings brought in federal courts, a 
     procedure which entails congressional appropriation of the 
     substantial amount of money necessary to pay Minnesota the 
     market value of these lands as approved by the federal 
     courts, the state hereby affirms that the mutual best 
     interests of both the federal and state governments are best 
     served by land exchange as a solution to the long-standing 
     problem of intermingled land ownership within the Superior 
     National Forest, and Be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State of the State of 
     Minnesota is directed to prepare copies of this memorial and 
     transmit them to the President of the United States, the 
     President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the chair of the Senate Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources, the chair of the House Committee on 
     Resources, and to each of Minnesota's Senators and 
     Representatives in Congress for the purpose of assisting 
     those members in the discharge of duties imposed by Minnesota 
     Statutes, section 1.0451, especially those duties set forth 
     in subdivision 3 relating to land exchange.
                                  ____

       POM-148. A petition from a citizen of the U.S. Virgin 
     Islands relative to a shoppers visa; to the Committee on 
     Energy and Natural Resources.
       POM-149. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Montana relative to full funding of payments in 
     lieu of taxes on federal land in Montana; to the Committee on 
     Energy and Natural Resources.

                            Joint Resolution

       Whereas, the stability of Montana's economy has 
     historically been dependent on use of our abundant natural 
     resources; and
       Whereas, the natural resource harvest has contributed 
     billions of dollars to Montana's economy by providing 
     employment opportunities to members of our communities and by 
     supporting our business communities; and
       Whereas, revenue from industries related to natural 
     resource harvest has produced taxes for the support of local 
     and state governments; and
       Whereas, the federal government has long recognized the 
     importance of supporting local governments in counties where 
     the United States controls management of public lands by 
     reimbursing state and local governments by payments in lieu 
     of taxes (PILT); and
       Whereas, a variety of federal legislation, such as the 
     Forest Reserve Act of 1890 sought to make equitable 
     distribution to counties and to the education system of 25% 
     of net proceeds derived by the sale of resources harvested on 
     federal land; and
       Whereas, the federal government is now reducing the volume 
     of timber cut in relation to the allowable sale quotas (ASQ), 
     redistributing funds historically contained in the 25% fund 
     (outfitter fees), reducing its commitment to full funding of 
     PILT, which was reduced from 100% in 1994 to 53% in 1998, and 
     redefining its commitment to states and counties (a 
     decoupling effort to overturn the 1890 Forest Reserve Act); 
     and
       Whereas, this effort has and will cause irreparable 
     financial harm to state and local governments, our natural 
     resource industries, and employment opportunities for 
     Montanans.
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     State of Montana: That the legislature of the State of 
     Montana petition the U.S. Congress to ensure a full 
     commitment by the federal government to full funding of PILT, 
     a commitment toward the proper harvest of the natural 
     resource base by way of already adopted ASQ, and a renewal of 
     its compact with states and local governments to contribute 
     the federal government's fair share in taxes on land present 
     in Montana but retained by the federal government, and
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State send copies of this 
     resolution to the President of the United States, the 
     Secretary of State of the United States, the President of the 
     United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House 
     of Representatives, the Western Governors' Association, and 
     the Montana Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-150. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Midland, Texas relative to incentives for the oil and gas 
     industry; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
       POM-151. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Midland, Texas relative to incentives for the oil and gas 
     industry; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
       POM-152. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Montana relative to water resource policies and 
     issues; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                            Joint Resolution

       Whereas, the western states of the United States are 
     critically dependent upon present and future water resources 
     for their quality of life and economic base; and
       Whereas, the western states are geographically, 
     hydrologically, and economically diverse and distinct from 
     each other and from the eastern states; and
       Whereas, the western states have developed a customized 
     system of water allocation under the prior appropriation 
     doctrine in response to the arid conditions of the region; 
     and
       Whereas, water resources in many of the major interstate 
     river basins in the West are apportioned and administered 
     through interstate and other compacts or court decrees 
     between two or more states; and
       Whereas, there has been a long-standing policy of federal 
     deference to the states in the areas of water resources 
     administration, management, allocation, and protection; and
       Whereas, the western states have extensive experience in 
     managing water resources, both surface and ground water 
     supplies, and recognize the importance of protecting their 
     water resources for present and future beneficial uses; and
       Whereas, all western states have a system of law for 
     allocation of water rights, and there is broad consensus 
     within the federal system that states should continue to have 
     the exclusive responsibility to create and administer water 
     rights; and
       Whereas, state water law provides for public participation 
     and is based upon the allocation, transfer, and protection of 
     water resources in the public interest; and
       Whereas, the number of federal agencies involved in some 
     aspect of water policy or management continues to increase, 
     adding duplication, confusion, and conflicting missions to 
     the historic state systems; and
       Whereas, the U.S. Congress often considers legislation 
     related to water resources management, some of which contains 
     elements that could increase the federal role in water 
     administration and conflict with the state's responsibility 
     for water programs; now
       Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of 
     the State of Montana, That Montana's Congressional Delegation 
     be respectfully requested to advocate to the appropriate 
     federal agencies that any new or revised federal legislation 
     or policy should:
       (1) Recognize that water resources administration, 
     management, allocation, and protection are primarily the 
     responsibility of the states and that federal policy should 
     be supportive of this role of the western states;
       (2) provides flexibility for states to continue to develop 
     and refine water resource programs appropriate for their own 
     circumstances, taking into consideration items such as 
     hydrology, existing water rights, potential development of 
     the area, interstate and other compact obligations, and the 
     public interest;
       (3) require all federal agencies to conduct their 
     activities in accordance with, and in support of, state water 
     resource programs and state water law; and
       (4) recognize and cooperate with the states' prerogative 
     and ability to manage, administer, and develop their water 
     resources; be it
       Further Resolved, That the Secretary of State send copies 
     of this resolution to the President of the United States, the 
     Vice President of the United States, the President Pro 
     Tempore of the Senate of the U.S. Congress, the Speaker of 
     the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress, and the 
     Montana Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-153. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Idaho relative to the Federal Land and Water 
     Conservation Fund; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.
       Whereas, the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund was 
     created in 1965 to provide matching funds to encourage and 
     assist local and state government in urban and rural areas to 
     develop parks and to ensure accessibility to local outdoor 
     recreation resources; and
       Whereas, the state of Idaho has invested more than $32 
     million in Federal Land and Water Conservation funds, which 
     were matched by local and state funds, donated labor and 
     materials, and community force accounts, to produce eighty 
     percent of Idaho's local recreation facilities and nearly all 
     of our state parks; and
       Whereas, the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund was 
     the primary source of funding for Idaho's greenbelts, 
     exercise trails, neighborhood parks, swimming facilities, 
     state parks, multipurpose sports fields, boating facilities, 
     golf courses, camping areas, equestrian arenas, fishing 
     accesses, zoo facilities, amphitheaters and scenic areas; and
       Whereas, since 1980, Idaho's allocation of Federal Land and 
     Water Conservation Funds

[[Page 11898]]

     for grants has diminished from $1.9 million to its total 
     elimination in 1995; and
       Whereas, the elimination of Federal Land and Water 
     Conservation Fund allocations has adversely affected Idaho's 
     outdoor recreation infrastructure, greatly reduced the 
     ability of Idaho's cities and counties to meet the needs of 
     our rapidly increasing populations, and created a backlog of 
     upgrades, renovations and repairs to outdoor recreation 
     facilities exceed $270 million; and
       Whereas, outdoor recreation provides important economic, 
     social, personal and resources benefits to the citizens of 
     Idaho; and
       Whereas, it has been determined that four out of every five 
     Americans utilize local and state government recreation and 
     park services; and
       Whereas, outdoor recreation reduces crime by providing 
     positive alternatives and experiences for Idaho's citizens; 
     and
       Whereas, the United States Congress is currently 
     considering various bills and amendments concerning stateside 
     funding for the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund 
     generated from Outer Continental Shelf oil royalties; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the First Regular Sessions of 
     the Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, That the 
     Congress of the United States is urged to pass legislation 
     reallocating funding to the states from the Federal Land and 
     Water Conservation Fund, be it
       Further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
     Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the 
     State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States and the 
     Honorable Dirk Kempthorne, Governor of the State of Idaho.
                                  ____

       POM-154. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Idaho relative to the stabilization of payments 
     of the United States Forest Service; to the Committee on 
     Energy and Natural Resources.

                       House Joint Memorial No. 4

       Whereas, under the provisions of the Forest Service law of 
     May 23, 1908, 35 Stat. 259, 260, 267 and as subsequently 
     amended by the National Forest Managemenbt Act and the 
     Federal Land Policy Management Act, the United States Forest 
     Service pays to counties through the state treasurer twenty-
     five percent of gross revenues from timber sales, grazing 
     permits and leases, recreation fees, power line rights-of-
     way, special use permits and other programs; and
       Whereas, the payments are made to states from each national 
     forest, then are apportioned to counties according to the 
     proportion of acreage of each national forest in each county; 
     and
       Whereas, counties have few sources of revenue and rely on 
     these payments to maintain their public roads and their 
     public schools; and
       Whereas, the Forest Service payments have become 
     unpredictable due to market fluctuations and the volatility 
     of the public debate on timber harvests on national forests, 
     and generally have declined because of reduced timber harvest 
     on national forests; and
       Whereas, demands on counties to provide good public roads 
     and public schools have increased due to increases in 
     resident population and tourism; and
       Whereas, stabilizing payments required by the 1908 Forest 
     Service law is essential for responsible fiscal planning by 
     the counties; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the 
     Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate concurring therein, That we strongly support 
     stabilization of payments of the United States Forest Service 
     to county governments through the state treasurer and urge 
     our congressional delegation representing the state of Idaho 
     in the Congress of the United States to support legislation 
     that will stabilize payments made by the United States Forest 
     Service to the counties of the state of Idaho; be it
       Further resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
     Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the 
     state of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-155. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Idaho relative to the stabilization of payments 
     of the United States Forest Service; to the Committee on 
     Energy and Natural Resources.

                       House Joint Memorial No. 5

       Whereas, under the provisions of the Forest Service law of 
     May 23, 1908, 35 Stat. 259, 260, 267 and as subsequently 
     amended by the National Forest Management Act and the Federal 
     Land Policy Management Act, the United States Forest Service 
     pays to counties through the State Treasurer twenty-five 
     percent of gross revenues from timber sales, grazing permits 
     and leases, recreation fees, power line rights-of-way, 
     special use permits and other programs; and
       Whereas, the payments are made to states from each national 
     forest, then are apportioned to counties according to the 
     proportion of acreage of each national forest in each county; 
     and
       Whereas, the law mandates that these funds be used for 
     public roads and public schools; and
       Whereas, counties with large amounts of federal lands have 
     few sources of revenue and rely on these payments to maintain 
     their public roads and their public schools; and
       Whereas, the Forest Service payments have become 
     unpredictable due to forest planning processes over the past 
     ten years that have reduced timber harvests on national 
     forests; and
       Whereas, demands on counties to provide necessary services 
     such as good public roads, public schools, sanitation 
     services, and search and rescue have increased; and
       Whereas, stabilizing payments required by the 1908 Forest 
     Service law is essential for responsible fiscal planning by 
     the counties; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the 
     Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate concurring therein, That we strongly support 
     stabilization of payments of the United States Forest Service 
     to county governments through the State Treasurer and urge 
     our congressional delegation representing the state of Idaho 
     in the Congress of the United States to support legislation 
     that will stabilize payments made by the United States Forest 
     Service to the counties of the state of Idaho by increasing 
     the annual timber harvest from federal lands within the state 
     of Idaho to the allowable sales quantity levels outlined in 
     the current forest plans and by increasing to fifty percent 
     the amount of federal funds returned to the counties from the 
     sale of federal timber under the provisions of the Forest 
     Service law of May 23, 1908, 35 Stat. 259, 260, 267 and as 
     subsequently amended by the National Forest Management Act 
     and the Federal Land Policy Management Act; be it
       Further resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     United States, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of 
     the House of Representatives of Congress, and the 
     congressional delegation representing the state of Idaho in 
     the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-156. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly 
     of the Commonwealth of Virginia relative to the Appalachian 
     Development Highway System; to the Committee on Environment 
     and Public Works.

                    Senate Joint Resolution No. 523

       Whereas, the construction of the Coalfields Expressway is 
     anticipated to begin in 1999; and
       Whereas, the estimated cost of completing the Coalfields 
     Expressway is $1.5 billion; and
       Whereas, through federal taxes on motor fuels and special 
     fuels, motorists in the Commonwealth of Virginia contribute 
     significantly to the federal Highway Trust Fund; and
       Whereas, the Appalachian Development Highway System was 
     created by the United States Congress for the purpose of 
     stimulating the economic development of the entire 
     Appalachian Region and is now funded directly through the 
     federal Highway Trust Fund; and
       Whereas, a recently completed study of the Appalachian 
     Development Highway System concluded that, upon its 
     completion, this system will provide the region through which 
     it passes with 42,000 new jobs, 84,000 new residents, $2.9 
     billion in new wages, and $6.9 billion in value added 
     business; and
       Whereas, the Coalfields Expressway, when completed, will 
     traverse a portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia 
     characterized by chronic unemployment and pockets of 
     intractable poverty; and
       Whereas, the Coalfields Expressway is not presently a 
     portion of the Appalachian Development Highway System, but 
     receives its federal funding through special congressional 
     appropriations made in unpredictable amounts at irregular 
     intervals; and
       Whereas, federal funding of the Coalfields Expressway to 
     date consists of only two appropriations: one of $50 million 
     in 1991 and another of $22.7 million in 1998; and
       Whereas, inclusion of the Coalfields Expressway into the 
     Appalachian Development Highway System would allow it to be 
     funded more fully and more reliably; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, 
     That the Congress of the United States be urged to include 
     the Coalfields Expressway in the Appalachian Development 
     Highway System; and, be it
       Resolved Further, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President of the United 
     States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, and the members of the Virginia 
     Congressional Delegation in order that they may be apprised 
     of the sense of the Virginia General Assembly in this matter.
                                  ____

       POM-157. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Inkster, Michigan relative to state and local land use zoning 
     authority; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

[[Page 11899]]

       POM-158. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada relative to the Illegal Immigration 
     Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 19

       Whereas, The economy of the State of Nevada is dependent 
     upon tourism; and
       Whereas, Canada and Mexico rank No. 1 and No. 7, 
     respectively, among Nevada's sources of international 
     tourism, sending more than 1.5 million Canadian visitors and 
     more than 104,000 Mexican visitors to this state per year; 
     and
       Whereas, Visitors from Canada and Mexico comprise a major 
     economic contribution to the State of Nevada; and
       Whereas, the United States has entered into international 
     trade agreements with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to 
     foster, encourage and stimulate the exchange of goods and 
     products for mutual economic gain; and
       Whereas, The United States does not currently require 
     departing tourists returning to Canada and Mexico to be 
     stopped and identified at border crossings; and
       Whereas, Section 100 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and 
     Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 requires that a new 
     entry-exit control system be implemented to track all foreign 
     visitors entering and leaving the United States but does not 
     provide any law enforcement benefits; and
       Whereas, The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant 
     Responsibility Act of 1996 would impose new border inspection 
     requirements for the gathering of data at entry and departure 
     points for vehicular traffic from Canada and Mexico where 
     none currently exist; and
       Whereas, The new border entry-exit system does not provide 
     for any enhancement of provisions for apprehending or 
     removing illegal immigrants, drug traffickers, terrorists or 
     other criminals and would not curtail illegal immigration at 
     the borders; and
       Whereas, No inspection stations or other facilities for 
     departing foreign travelers have been constructed; and
       Whereas, This system would be implemented at enormous 
     expense to the taxpayers of the United States with no 
     tangible benefits; and
       Whereas, Congress has held hearings at various sites along 
     the Canadian border to consider exempting that country from 
     the provisions of the Act, but no such hearings have been 
     held or are scheduled in the Mexican border states; and
       Whereas, Mexican and Canadian tourists who enter the United 
     States for business and recreational travel are not 
     immigrants; and
       Whereas, These nonimmigrant Mexican and Canadian business 
     and leisure travelers who will already be required to present 
     travel documents to enter the United States, would be 
     subjected to inspections and queries upon departure that 
     would cause travel delays and inconveniences to those 
     tourists; and
       Whereas, Such delays and inconveniences would discourage 
     tourism in the United States by Mexican and Canadian 
     citizens, delay commerce and create an economic downturn; and
       Whereas, The borders with Canada and Mexico should be kept 
     reasonably free of governmental over-involvement in order to 
     encourage tourism, trade and legitimate economic activity 
     that benefit all three countries; and
       Whereas, The National Governors' Association at its meeting 
     in Washington in February 1998 determined that the entry-exit 
     control system may have ``unintended negative consequences on 
     international trade, tourism and the economy''; and
       Whereas, The National Governors' Association urged 
     suspension of implementing the entry-exit control system 
     until Congress and the President can ensure that any such 
     system will not disrupt tourism, trade or other legitimate 
     traffic entering the United States; and
       Whereas, Congress passed legislation in October 1998 
     delaying imposition of the implementation of the provisions 
     of Section 110 until March 31, 2001, but allowing the exit 
     system to take effect at the airports of international entry 
     in the United States; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, 
     Jointly, That Congress is hereby urged permanently to 
     mitigate the consequences of the provisions of Section 110 of 
     the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility 
     Act of 1996; and be it further
       Resolved, That Congress is encouraged to keep the borders 
     between the United States and Canada and Mexico reasonably 
     free of governmental over-involvement and to impose no new 
     restrictions until infrastructure is available that can 
     collect data and detect illegal and unwanted immigration 
     without disrupting legitimate tourist travel; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of 
     the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives and each member of 
     the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
       Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage and approval.
                                  ____

       POM-159. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Michigan relative to prayer in public schools; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

                        Senate Resolution No. 55

       Whereas, The 48th Annual National Day of Prayer was 
     observed on May 6, 1999, and the United States of America was 
     founded by men and women with varied religious beliefs and 
     ideals; and
       Whereas, The First Amendment to the United States 
     Constitution states that ``Congress shall make no law 
     respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the 
     free exercise thereof . . .,'' which means that the 
     government is prohibited from establishing a state religion. 
     However, no barriers shall be erected against the practice of 
     any religion; and
       Whereas, The establishment clause of the First Amendment 
     was not drafted to protect Americans from religion, rather, 
     its purpose was clearly to protect Americans from 
     governmental mandates with respect to religion; and
       Whereas, The Michigan Legislature strongly believes that 
     reaffirming a right to voluntary, individual, unorganized, 
     and non-mandated prayer in public schools is an important 
     element of religious choice guaranteed by the Constitution, 
     and will reaffirm those religious rights and beliefs upon 
     which the nation was founded; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That the members of this 
     legislative body memorialize the Congress of the United 
     States to strongly support voluntary, individual, 
     unorganized, and non-mandatory prayer in the public schools 
     of this nation; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-160. A resolution adopted by the St. Francis Assisi 
     Parish of Houston, Texas relative to capital punishment; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.
       POM-161. A resolution adopted by the Episcopal Diocese of 
     Washington, D.C. relative to hate crimes; to the Committee on 
     the Judiciary.
       POM-162. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Washington relative to the Land and Water 
     Conservation Fund; to the Committee on Appropriations.

                       House Joint Memorial 4012

       To the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the 
     United States, and to the President of the Senate and the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to the Senate 
     and House of Representatives of the United States, in 
     Congress assembled:
       We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of 
     Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative 
     session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as 
     follows:
       Whereas, Washington state contains a rich diversity of 
     forests, rivers, seacoasts, grasslands, deserts, and other 
     habitats, and an equally diverse population of fish and 
     wildlife, all of which require by law some level of 
     protection and responsible management by federal, state, and 
     local agencies; and
       Whereas, Washington state also contains a large number and 
     variety of outstanding recreational facilities and 
     opportunities, including three national parks, a national 
     volcanic monument, one hundred twenty-five state parks, and 
     many local parks, trails, water access areas, swimming pools, 
     and sports fields; and
       Whereas, Outdoor recreation and wildlife enjoyment are 
     important elements of the Northwest way of life. A large 
     majority of Washington's residents and visitors actively 
     pursue and enjoy a range of outdoor recreation activities, 
     from active sports such as soccer, softball, swimming, and 
     bicycling, to outdoor and wildlife-related pursuits such as 
     hiking, camping, canoeing, and wildlife observation; and
       Whereas, Outdoor recreation and wildlife enjoyment are also 
     important elements of Washington's economy. For example, a 
     1996 survey conducted by the United States fish and wildlife 
     service showed that annual wildlife-related recreation 
     expenditures exceeded one hundred billion dollars, almost 
     three billion dollars spent in Washington state. Wildlife 
     viewing alone accounts for more than twenty-one thousand jobs 
     in Washington state; and
       Whereas, Washington's population is one of the fastest-
     growing in the United States, with an even faster-growing 
     public demand for wildlife conservation, wildlife-related 
     recreation, and outdoor recreation facilities; and
       Whereas, the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund 
     (LWCF) was created in 1965 to preserve, develop, and assure 
     that all Americans have access to quality outdoor recreation. 
     In the thirty years since its creation, LWCF has funded the 
     acquisition of almost seven million acres of parkland, water 
     resources, wildlife habitat open space, and the development 
     of more than thirty-seven thousand state, municipal, and 
     local parks and recreation projects. In recent years, LWCF 
     funding for federal projects has been reduced by more than 
     half and funding

[[Page 11900]]

     for state projects has been entirely eliminated; and
       Whereas, Washington and other states lack adequate, 
     dedicated funding for fish and wildlife protection and 
     management, especially for those species which are not hunted 
     and fished and which are not listed as threatened or 
     endangered. In 1980, Congress passed the Fish and Wildlife 
     Conservation Act (P.L. 96-366) which was intended to address 
     the protection and management of nonhunted wildlife species, 
     but the act was never funded, leaving the entire 
     responsibility to the states;
       Now, therefore, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that 
     Congress pass legislation to restore and revitalize federal 
     funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Lands shall 
     be open for public use and enjoyment. We pray that Congress 
     create a new dedicated fund for state-level fish and wildlife 
     management, which would be administered by the United States 
     fish and wildlife service; be it
       Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
     transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of 
     the United States, the President of the United States Senate, 
     the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member 
     of Congress from the State of Washington.
                                  ____

       POM-163. A resolution adopted by the Board of County 
     Commissioners of Cuyahoga County, Ohio relative to the Ryan 
     White Care Act; to the Committee on Appropriations.
       POM-164. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Hawaii relative to the Social Security Act; 
     to the Committee on Finance.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 219

       Whereas, the State of Alaska received an increase in its 
     Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) from 50 percent 
     to 59.8 percent in consideration of the high cost of living 
     in Alaska by an amendment to the Social Security Act; and
       Whereas, United States Senator Daniel K. Akaka, United 
     States Senator Daniel K. Inouye, United States Representative 
     Neil Abercrombie, and United States Representative Patsy T. 
     Mink have recently introduced federal legislation to amend 
     the Social Security Act to increase Hawaii's FMAP in 
     consideration of Hawaii's high cost of living; and
       Whereas, federal financial participation for the medicaid 
     program is based on the FMAP which is calculated according to 
     a formula based on per capita income in the individual state 
     in relation to the per capita income of the United States; 
     and
       Whereas, the FMAP is calculated as the quotient of the per 
     capita income of the United States, times a multiplier, the 
     state income is determined as a designated portion of the 
     national income as determined at the United States Department 
     of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the per 
     capita income of Hawaii is an amount that is derived at the 
     BEA as a portion of national income statistics; and
       Whereas, because of its island location and other factors, 
     the cost of living in Hawaii greatly exceeds the cost of 
     living in the mainland states, so that per capita income is a 
     poor measure of its relative ability to bear the cost of 
     medical services; and
       Whereas, a study conducted by the Taubman Center for State 
     and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy 
     School of Government and the Office of United States Senator 
     Daniel Patrick Moynihan, established that if per capita 
     income is measured in real terms, considering cost of living 
     factors, Hawaii ranked 47th at $19,755 compared to the 
     national average $24,231 and Alaska is ranked 34th with a 
     real per capita income level of $21,592; and
       Whereas, the Harvard/Moynihan study cites Hawaii with one 
     of the highest poverty rates in the nation--Hawaii ranks 
     eighth in the country with a poverty rate of 16.9 percent as 
     compared to the national average of 14.7 percent--and on a 
     per capita basis state revenues and expenditures are far 
     higher in Hawaii, as well as Alaska, than in the other 48 
     mainland states, but Alaska's 10.6 percent poverty rate is 
     lower than the national average, placing it 39th in the 
     country; and
       Whereas, Hawaii has not participated in the economic 
     rebound that has benefited most of the rest of the nation in 
     the past several years, in part because of its heavy 
     dependence on international tourism and trade, and Hawaii 
     continues to suffer from the drop in value in the Japanese 
     yen, its unemployment rate is above the national average, and 
     its tax revenues have fallen short of estimates; and
       Whereas, based on Hawaii's current medicaid spending level 
     of approximately $700 million, each percentage point increase 
     in its FMAP rate would provide approximately $7 million 
     annually in additional federal funds; and
       Whereas, the State of Hawaii is seeking to have its 
     medicaid program funded in dollars equal to its tax 
     contributions based on its higher per capita income and one 
     that recognizes its true costs, as was done for Alaska; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Twentieth 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999 
     (the Senate concurring), That this body hereby urges the 
     United States Congress, the President of the United States, 
     and the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     to support United States Senator Daniel K. Akaka, United 
     States Senator Daniel K. Inouye, United States Representative 
     Neil Abercrombie, and United States Representative Patsy T. 
     Mink's federal legislation to amend the Social Security Act 
     to increase Hawaii's FMAP in consideration of our high cost 
     of living; and be it further
       Resolved That certified copies of the Concurrent Resolution 
     be transmitted to the members of the United States Congress, 
     the President of the United States, and the Secretary of the 
     United States Department of Health and Human Services.
                                  ____

       POM-165. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Vermont relative to Social Security; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                       Joint House Resolution 113

       Whereas, the purpose of Social Security is to provide a 
     strong, simple and efficient form of basic insurance against 
     the adversities of old age, disability and dependency, and
       Whereas, for 60 years Social Security has provided a stable 
     platform of retirement, disability and survivor annuity 
     benefits to protect working Americans and their dependents, 
     and
       Whereas, the costs to administer Social Security are less 
     than one percent of the benefits delivered, and
       Whereas, the American and world economies continue to 
     encounter periods of high uncertainty and volatility that 
     make it as important as ever to preserve a basic and 
     continuing safety net of protections guaranteed by our 
     society's largest guarantor of risk, the federal government, 
     and
       Whereas, Social Security affords protections to rich and 
     poor alike and no citizen, no matter how well-off today, can 
     foretell tomorrow's adversities, and
       Whereas, average life expectancies are increasing and 
     people are commonly living into their 80's and 90's, making 
     it more important than ever that each of us be fully 
     protected by defined retirement benefits, and
       Whereas, medical scientists are continually developing new 
     ways to maintain and enhance the lives of people with severe 
     disabilities, thus making it more important that each of us 
     to be protected against the risk of dependency, 
     institutionalization and impoverishment, and
       Whereas, the lives of wage earners and their spouses are 
     seldom coterminous; one often outlives the other by decades, 
     making it crucial to preserve a secure base of protection for 
     children and other family members dependent on a wage earner 
     who may die or become disabled, and
       Whereas, Social Security, in current form, reinforces 
     family cohesiveness and enhances the value of work in our 
     society, and
       Whereas, Congress currently has proposals to shift a 
     portion of Social Security contributions from insurance to 
     personal investment accounts for each wage earner, and
       Whereas, Social Security, our largest and most fundamental 
     insurance system, cannot fulfill its protective function if 
     it is splintered into individualized stock accounts and must 
     create and manage millions of small risk-bearing investments 
     out of a stream of contributions intended as insurance, and
       Whereas, private accounts cannot be substituted for Social 
     Security without eroding basic protections for working 
     families, since such protections, to be strong, must be 
     insulated from economic uncertainty and be backed by the 
     entity best capable of spreading risk, the federal 
     government, and
       Whereas, the diversion of contributions to private 
     investment accounts would dramatically increase financial 
     shortfalls to the Social Security trust fund and require 
     major reductions in the defined benefits upon which millions 
     of Americans depend, and
       Whereas, to administer 150 million separate investment 
     accounts would require a larger bureaucracy, and the 
     resulting expense and the cost of converting each account to 
     an annuity upon retirement would consume much of the profit 
     or exacerbate the loss realized by each participant, and
       Whereas, the question of whether part of the Social 
     Security Trust Fund should be diversified into investments 
     other than government bonds so that, while still invested 
     collectively at low expense, returns may be increased, thus 
     enhancing the capacity of the fund to meet its obligations to 
     pay benefits while spreading the risk across the entire 
     spectrum of Social Security participants, is entirely 
     different from that of splintering its millions of accounts, 
     and
       Whereas, creating an array of winners and losers would be 
     contrary to the basic principles of insurance and risk 
     distribution, thus defeating the purpose of this part of our 
     retirement system, and
       Whereas, Congress amended the Internal Revenue Code to 
     provide a full menu of provisions that enables working 
     Americans and their employers to voluntarily contribute to 
     tax-sheltered accounts that are open to the opportunities and 
     exposed to the risks of investment markets, diverting Social 
     Security contributions to private accounts duplicates 
     existing programs, and

[[Page 11901]]

       Whereas, such recently created systems now cover half of 
     American families, now therefore be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives, That 
     the General Assembly respectfully and strongly urges Congress 
     not to enact laws that might tend to diminish or undermine a 
     unified and stable Social Security system, and be it further
       Resolved, That laws to encourage workers and their 
     employers to save or invest for retirement should supplement 
     and not substitute for the basic benefits of Social Security 
     insurance that are vital to American working families, and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to send a 
     copy of this resolution to the President of the United States 
     Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     United States and each member of the Vermont Congressional 
     Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-166. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Oak Ridge, Tennessee relative to the reindustrialization of 
     the East Tennessee Technology Park; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.
       POM-167. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Cleveland Heights, Ohio relative to the United Nations 
     Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination 
     Against Women; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
       POM-168. A joint resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of Nevada relative to surface mining regulations; to 
     the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                   Assembly Joint Resolution No. 19--

       Whereas, Mining is of critical importance to Nevada and its 
     rural communities as a significant contributor to this 
     state's economy; and
       Whereas, The ``Nevada model'' of regulating the mineral 
     industry is known and respected industrywide because it 
     balances the global needs for natural resources with related 
     environmental concerns and the economic needs of private 
     business, thereby resulting in an environmentally healthy 
     state with a viable and responsible mineral industry that 
     uses state-of-the-art technology; and
       Whereas, Surface mining regulations governing hardrock 
     mining operations and mineral exploration activities on 
     public lands are codified in Part 3809 of Title 43 of the 
     Code of Federal Regulations and are commonly referred to as 
     ``3809 Regulations''; and
       Whereas, The Bureau of Land Management initiated the 
     revision of these regulations in January 1997; and
       Whereas, In response to concerns raised by the Western 
     Governor's Association and a group of 15 United States 
     Senators, including Nevada Senators Harry Reid and Richard H. 
     Bryan, Congress included language in the Omnibus 
     Appropriations Act of 1998 to require a detailed, 
     comprehensive study by the National Academy of Science of the 
     environmental and reclamation requirements for mining on 
     federal lands and the adequacy of those requirements to 
     prevent undue degradation, and prohibited final revision to 
     the 3809 Regulations before September 30, 1999; and
       Whereas, Contrary to the requirements of the Omnibus 
     Appropriations Act, the Secretary of the Interior is moving 
     forward with revisions to the 3809 Regulations and to the 
     Environmental Impact Statement; and
       Whereas, Under the Bureau of Land Management's most recent 
     revisions, every western state, including Nevada, may be 
     faced with the choice of either expending substantial 
     resources to revise its regulations to conform with the new 
     requirements of the Bureau of Land Management or having the 
     successful programs of the State of Nevada, which have been 
     carefully tested and enforced over the years, simply cease to 
     be operative on public lands, thereby imposing significantly 
     detrimental impacts on the mineral industry and the State of 
     Nevada; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Assembly and Senate of the State of 
     Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the 70th session of the 
     Nevada Legislature do hereby urge the Secretary of the 
     Interior to comply with the intent of Congress as stated in 
     the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1998 which requires a study 
     of the issue by the National Academy of Sciences and 
     prohibits final revision of 43 C.F.R. Part 3809, the 3809 
     Regulations, before September 30, 1999; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Nevada Legislature strongly supports 
     Alternative 1, the ``No Action'' alternative, as described in 
     the draft Environmental Impact Statement on Surface 
     Management Regulations and Locatable Mineral Operations, to 
     maintain the existing 3809 Regulations without revision or 
     modification; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of 
     the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the 
     Interior and each member of the Nevada Congressional 
     Delegation; and be it further
       Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage and approval.
                                  ____

       POM-169. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Nebraska relative to the use of phosphide gas in 
     grain storage; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
     and Forestry.

                       Legislative Resolution 43

       Whereas, Nebraska's agricultural heritage and economy is 
     dependent upon the harvest, storage, and transportation of 
     grain; and
       Whereas, there are 357 grain elevators with 663 million 
     bushels of storage and 55,000 farms with 1.02 billion bushels 
     of storage in Nebraska; and
       Whereas, Nebraska grain elevators are valued neighbors to 
     and located in close proximity to homes, schools, farms, and 
     businesses in most of all Nebraska's communities; and
       Whereas, Nebraska grain elevators, feed mills, processors, 
     and growers are committed to protecting the health and safety 
     of applicators and workers and to the well-being of the 
     public; and
       Whereas, grain elevators are located in Nebraska 
     communities near railroads and highways to facilitate the 
     transportation of grain; and
       Whereas, Nebraska is a leader in the nation and in the 
     world in grain production; and
       Whereas, Nebraska grain elevators, feed mills, processors, 
     and growers are committed to producing an adequate, safe, and 
     high quality food supply for domestic and world consumers; 
     and
       Whereas, treaties and established trade relations may 
     require pest-controlled grain before grain can be exported; 
     and
       Whereas, insect pests in grain without fumigation treatment 
     could create health risks and reduce the quality of the grain 
     marketed from Nebraska; and
       Whereas, aluminum and magnesium phosphide gas are cost-
     effective fumigants used both by commercial elevators and 
     farmers in the storage of grains in Nebraska; and
       Whereas, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
     acknowledges few, if any, viable alternatives to the use of 
     aluminum and magnesium phosphide gas exist for fumigation to 
     control pests in stored grain; and
       Whereas, the current label restrictions for aluminum and 
     magnesium phosphide gas provide for the safe and effective 
     use of the product; and
       Whereas, the State of Nebraska practices rigorous 
     enforcement of the label restrictions on fumigants, ensures 
     adequate training of certified applicators, and conducts a 
     fumigation and grain storage project to inspect the use of 
     fumigants; and
       Whereas, restrictions in the use of fumigants in grain 
     storage and transport should be based only on sound 
     scientific reasoning, available technology, and analysis of 
     risk level and avoid raising undue public alarm over 
     unsubstantiated or inconsequential risk: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the members of the ninety-sixty legislature of 
     Nebraska, first session, That the Congress of the United 
     States direct the federal Environmental Protection Agency to 
     curtail implementation of new restrictions from its 
     Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) on phosphide gas 
     that would require a 500-foot buffer zone and other 
     restrictions that effectively preclude the use of aluminum or 
     magnesium phosphide in most of Nebraska's grain storage 
     facilities and grain transportation; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Congress of the United States direct the 
     Federal Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that risk 
     mitigation allowances for aluminum or magnesium phosphide are 
     clearly demonstrated as necessary to protect human health, 
     are based upon sound science and reliable information, are 
     economically and operationally reasonable, and will permit 
     the use of these products in accordance with the label.
                                  ____

       POM-170. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Colorado relative to a pay increase for Members 
     of Congress; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                      Senate Joint Memorial 99-005

       Whereas, The twenty-seventh amendment to the constitution 
     of the United States, also known as ``The Madison 
     Amendment'', provides that ``No law, varying the compensation 
     for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall 
     take effect until an election of Representatives shall have 
     intervened.''; and
       Whereas, The twenty-seventh amendment requires that an 
     intervening election be held between the enactment of any 
     congressional pay increase and its subsequent application to 
     any member of Congress; and
       Whereas, The twenty-seventh amendment's requirement for an 
     intervening election is intended to allow voters in each 
     state and congressional district to obtain direct information 
     regarding salary increases prior to the reelection of 
     incumbents or the election of others in their stead; and
       Whereas, Salary increases for members of Congress currently 
     are regulated by ``The Government Ethics Reform Act of 
     1989,'' (``The Act'') pursuant to 2 U.S.C. sec. 31; and
       Whereas, The Act gives members of Congress an immediate 
     one-time salary increase and, in subsequent years, an annual 
     cost of living adjustment increase to salaries or pensions; 
     and
       Whereas, Such annual cost of living adjustment is 
     established in accordance with federal law and incorporated 
     in an executive

[[Page 11902]]

     order of the President in December of each year to establish 
     salary increases that are put into effect on January 1 of the 
     next year; and
       Whereas, Through the automatic operation of the cost of 
     living adjustment provisions, congressional salaries have 
     been increased on the first day of January for several years; 
     and
       Whereas, Without the action of legislation, each Congress 
     effectively and automatically enacts for itself a cost of 
     living adjustment salary increase in violation of the twenty-
     seventh amendment; and
       Whereas, When each year's cost of living adjustment 
     increase is paid on the following January 1 to members of 
     Congress, former members, or spouses of deceased members 
     without the process of an intervening election, the twenty-
     seventh amendment is violated; now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-second General Assembly 
     of the State of Colorado, (the House of Representatives 
     concurring herein), That the General Assembly hereby 
     expresses its opposition to automatic annual cost of living 
     adjustment salary increases for members of Congress of the 
     United States as violative of the twenty-seventh amendment to 
     the United States Constitution and hereby memorializes the 
     Congress to refrain from enacting any pay increase for 
     members of Congress without an affirmative vote or that takes 
     effect before the following Congress has been elected and 
     fully sworn into office; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the President of the Senate 
     and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     Congress of the United States, and to each member of the 
     Congressional delegation representing the state of Colorado.
                                  ____

       POM-171. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Washington relative to immigration laws, 
     policies and practices; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                       House Joint Memorial 4015

       To the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the 
     United States, and to the President of the Senate and the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to the Senate 
     and House of Representatives of the United States, in 
     Congress assembled:
       We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of 
     Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative 
     session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as 
     follows:
       Whereas, The Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act 
     of 1996 (AEDPA) and the Illegal Immigration Reform and 
     Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) represent the 
     most dramatic changes in immigration law in more than 30 
     years; and
       Whereas, These acts mandate that the Immigration and 
     Naturalization Service (INS) arrest, detain, and deport large 
     segments of the United States immigrant population and the 
     implementation of these laws has had far-reaching effects, 
     including unnecessary financial burdens on the state's legal, 
     social, and welfare systems; and
       Whereas, The United States has long been known as a nation 
     of immigrants, as a champion of human rights for all peoples, 
     and as a country that holds justice and equality under the 
     law among its highest ideals, especially equal justice under 
     law; and
       Whereas, Immigrant detainees may have been legal permanent 
     residents who have lived almost their entire lives in the 
     United States, served in the United States military, have a 
     United States citizen spouse, or have United States citizen 
     children; and
       Whereas, Detainees, including women and children, are 
     frequently in INS custody for periods longer than seventy-two 
     hours and are especially vulnerable within the INS system; 
     and
       Whereas, Families consisting of both legal and illegal 
     family members are often divided causing not only emotional 
     and psychological hardship when mothers are separated from 
     their children, but also financial difficulties resulting in 
     increased welfare rolls when primary wage earners are removed 
     from their jobs;
       Now, therefore, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that 
     the President, the Congress, and the appropriate agencies 
     continue to look closely at current immigration law and INS 
     policies and practices, and that necessary changes be made so 
     that problems surrounding immigration may be resolved as soon 
     as possible; and be it
       Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
     transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of 
     the United States, the President of the United States Senate, 
     the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each member of 
     Congress from the State of Washington, Doris Meissner, 
     Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 
     and Gary Locke, the Governor of the State of Washington.

                          ____________________