[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15996-15997]
[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-607. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     Commonwealth of Guam relative to the Visa Waiver Pilot 
     Program; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                           Resolution No. 357

       Whereas, the Visa Waiver Pilot Program was initially 
     enacted into law by the United States Congress in 1986; and
       Whereas, as the Visa Waiver Pilot Program is considered 
     only a ``Pilot Program,'' Congress regularly extends the 
     expiration date and has done so throughout the Pilot Programs 
     existence; and
       Whereas, the current Visa Waiver Pilot Program expired on 
     the 30th day of April, 2000; and
       Whereas, the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the 
     United States Department of Justice on the 25th day of May, 
     2000, issued a circular notifying all carriers, who are 
     participating in the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, of an interim 
     plan to provide entry privileges to travelers who would have 
     applied for admission under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program; 
     and
       Whereas, under the interim plan, the Immigration and 
     Naturalization Service will parole for a period of ninety 
     (90) days all eligible Visa Waiver Pilot Program country 
     nationals who arrive for legitimate business or

[[Page 15997]]

     travel purposes, and who would have been admitted under the 
     Visa Waiver Pilot Program prior to its expiration; and
       Whereas, the circular further provides, that Nationals of 
     the Visa Waiver Pilot Program countries will still be 
     required to complete ``Form I-94W''; however, neither an 
     additional application nor an additional fee will be required 
     when arriving at an airport; and
       Whereas, the Immigration and Naturalization Service also 
     noted that this interim plan would change if Congress either 
     extends the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, or makes it permanent 
     before the 30th day of June, 2000; and
       Whereas, on the 1st day of March, 2000, Representative 
     Lamar Smith introduced H.R. 3767 in the United States House 
     of Representatives, that would amend the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act to make improvements to and permanently 
     authorize, the Visa Waiver Pilot Program under Sec. 217 of 
     the Act; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3767 was referred to the House Committee on 
     the Judiciary wherein, H.R. 3767 was placed before the 
     Committee for consideration and Mark-Up and was subsequently 
     reported out by the Committee and placed on the Union 
     Calendar, as Calendar Number 308; and
       Whereas, on the 11th day of April, 2000, H.R. 3767 was 
     presented to the House for adoption, wherein H.R. 3767 passed 
     as amended and agreed by a voice vote of the House; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3767 was transmitted by the House and 
     received by the Senate on the 12th day of April, 2000; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3767 was read twice in the Senate and placed 
     on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders, 
     designated, Calendar Number 524; and
       Whereas, as a result of the expiration of the Visa Waiver 
     Pilot Program, tourists arriving on Guam now endure long 
     lines and added transit time in order for the INS Office to 
     process their travel documents; and
       Whereas, this delay has caused an economic impact on tour 
     companies that have had to absorb additional costs because of 
     the delay in Immigration processing; and
       Whereas, tourism is our number one industry and has only 
     recently reflected positive signs of growth; however, with 
     the inordinate amount of time it now takes to go through the 
     immigration procedures, this could discourage potential 
     visitors to our Island; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3767 has received bipartisan support in the 
     House; unanimously passed by the Subcommittee on Immigration 
     and Claims and the Committee on the Judiciary; and has 
     received strong support from the tourism and travel industry; 
     and
       Whereas, the implementation of the Visa Waiver Pilot 
     Program has enabled Guam to promote its number one industry--
     Tourism; now therefore, be it
       Resolved, That I MinaBente Singko Na Liheslaturan Guahan 
     does hereby, on behalf of the people of Guam, respectfully 
     request that the United States Senate expeditiously act upon 
     H.R. 3767; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Speaker certify, and the Legislative 
     Secretary attests to, the adoption hereof and that copies of 
     the same be thereafter transmitted to the Honorable Albert 
     Gore, Jr., President of the United States Senate; to the 
     Honorable Trent Lott, Majority Leader of the United States 
     Senate; to the Honorable Thomas Daschle, Minority Leader of 
     the United States Senate; to the Honorable Lamar Smith, 
     Member of Congress, U.S. House of Representatives; to the 
     Honorable Robert A. Underwood, Member of Congress, U.S. House 
     of Representatives; and to the Honorable Carl T.C. Gutierrez, 
     I Magalahen Guahan.
                                  ____

       POM-608. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to a single statewide 
     reimbursement rate; to the Committee on Finance.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 60

       Whereas, the Health Care Financing Administration provides 
     health insurance for over 74 million senior Americans through 
     Medicare; and
       Whereas, providers of the Medicare managed care plans are 
     decreasing in Louisiana and other states; and
       Whereas, some providers of managed care plans have 
     withdrawn from certain parishes and withdrawn from the state 
     of Louisiana because of low reimbursement rates; and
       Whereas, Medicare reimbursement rates drastically vary 
     between urban and rural parishes; and
       Whereas, the reimbursement rates for rural parishes are 
     drastically lower than those rates for urban parishes; and
       Whereas, the cost to treat these enrollees does not 
     significantly differ from parish to parish. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana hereby 
     memorializes the Congress of the United States to mandate 
     that the Health Care Financing Administration revise the 
     Medicare managed care plan rates so that the reimbursement 
     rates do not vary significantly. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Health Care Financing Administration 
     institute a single statewide rate throughout the state to 
     promote equal access for all citizens of the state of 
     Louisiana. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives and to each member 
     of the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-609. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to providing funds under 
     the River and Harbor Act; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 40

       Whereas, for well over twenty years the Congress of the 
     United States has funded monies for the U.S. Army Corps of 
     Engineers' Aquatic Plant Control Program; and
       Whereas, the monies for this program have been used to 
     assist the various states in the control and eradication of 
     such evasive plant species as water hyacinth, hydrilla and 
     salvinia; and
       Whereas, beginning in 1997 the Clinton administration 
     terminated funding for the spraying aspect of the Aquatic 
     Plant Control Program, providing money only for research 
     purposes; and
       Whereas, the cessation of this funding has resulted in the 
     elimination of the spraying program so necessary to control 
     the spread of evasive plants such as water hyacinth, hydrilla 
     and salvinia, and
       Whereas, it has been estimated that salvinia alone will 
     infest over forty-five thousand acres in Louisiana in the 
     year 2000; and
       Whereas, it has been further estimated that two and one-
     half million dollars will be necessary to control the further 
     spread of salvinia alone; and
       Whereas, control and the eventual removal of these evasive 
     plants is absolutely necessary if Louisiana is to control and 
     maintain its waterways; and
       Whereas, without the assistance of federal funding it will 
     become extremely difficult, if not impossible, to continue 
     the spraying program so necessary for the control of these 
     plants. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to provide the 
     necessary funding under the River and Harbor Act for the U.S. 
     Army Corps of Engineers; Aquatic Plant Control Program. Be it 
     further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United 
     States Congress,
                                  ____

       POM-610. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas 
     relative to border communities; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                          ____________________