[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 353-354]
[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-1. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of Rockland 
     County, State on New York, relative to the Younger Americans 
     Act; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions.

                           Resolution No. 650

       Whereas, the United States Congress has introduced the 
     Younger Americans Act (H.R. 17 and S. 1005); and
       Whereas, the proposed legislation will provide assistance 
     to mobilize and support communities throughout the nation in 
     carrying out community-based youth development programs that 
     ensure that all youth have access to various programs and 
     services that build the competencies and character 
     development needed to fully prepare them to become adults and 
     effective citizens; and
       Whereas, the proposed legislation works to ensure that all 
     communities are able to provide programs that fulfill five 
     core needs that all young people between the ages of ten and 
     nineteen have, namely, ongoing relationships with caring 
     adults, safe places with structured activities, access to 
     services that promote healthy life styles, opportunities to 
     acquire marketable skills and competencies, and opportunities 
     for community service and civic participation; and
       Whereas, the Younger Americans Act creates a comprehensive 
     national youth policy, provides 5.75 billion dollars over the 
     course of five years to support existing and future youth 
     development programs, and gives our nation's youth a voice in 
     decision-making; and
       Whereas, the proposed legislation establishes in the 
     Executive Office of the President of the United States the 
     Office of National Youth Policy, a Director of that office, 
     and the Council on National Youth Policy within the office; 
     and
       Whereas, the proposed legislation does not specify specific 
     programs to be funded, rather, it allows communities to make 
     these decisions and to make various programs and services 
     available to all youth, including, community youth centers, 
     workforce preparation programs, youth-led programs, community 
     service programs, mentoring programs, cultural programs and 
     sports programs; and
       Whereas, while the Younger Americans Act focuses on all 
     young people, it includes a special focus on youth who have 
     greater needs and who reside in rural communities, high areas 
     of poverty or out-of-home facilities, as well as youth who 
     are subjected to abuse and neglect; and
       Whereas, it is the local communities, not the federal 
     government, who are in control of the funds designated 
     pursuant to this act; and
       Whereas, the Rockland County Legislature firmly believes 
     that passage of the Younger Americans Act (H.R. 17 and S. 
     1005) is necessary in order to assist America's youth and to 
     help guide them down the road to adulthood; and
       Whereas, the Multi-Services Committee has met, considered 
     and by a unanimous vote approved this resolution: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Rockland County hereby 
     requests the United States Congress to enact the Younger 
     Americans Act (H.R. 17 and S. 1005); and be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk to the Legislature be and is 
     hereby authorized and directed to send a certified copy of 
     this resolution to the Hon. George W. Bush, President of the 
     United States; Hon. Charles Schumer and Hon. Hillary Rodham 
     Clinton, United States Senators: Hon. Benjamin Gilman, Hon. 
     Eliot Engel, Hon. Nita Lowey and Hon. Sue Kelly; Members of 
     the United States Congress; the President Pro Tem of the 
     United States Senate; the Speaker of the United States House 
     of Representatives; the Majority and Minority Leaders of the 
     United States Senate and House of Representatives; and to 
     such other persons as the Clerk, in his discretion, may deem 
     proper in order to effectuate the purpose of this resolution.
                                  ____

       POM-2. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of Rockland 
     County, State of New York, relative to the United Nations 
     Convention on the Rights of the Child; to the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations.

                           Resolution No. 651

       Whereas, on November 20, 1989, the governments represented 
     at the United Nations General Assembly agreed to adopt the 
     Convention on the Rights of the Child into international law; 
     and
       Whereas, the Convention on the Rights of the Child is an 
     international treaty that recognizes the human rights of 
     children and establishes in international law that nations 
     throughout the world must take steps to ensure that all 
     children have access to services such as education and health 
     care and can grow up in a caring, loving and nurturing 
     environment; and
       Whereas, the Convention on the Rights of the Child sets 
     forth the rights to which every child is entitled, 
     irrespective of gender, religion or social origin; and
       Whereas, the Convention on the Rights of the Child 
     highlights the critical role that the family plays in the 
     development and growth of our youth; and
       Whereas, the Convention on the Rights of the Child attempts 
     to reinforce the idea that children have a right to express 
     their views and to have their opinions given the importance 
     that they deserve; and
       Whereas, the Convention on the Rights of the Child is the 
     most widely accepted and rapidly accepted human rights treaty 
     in history; and
       Whereas, to date, one-hundred and ninety-one nations have 
     ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while 
     only two nations, the United States and Somalia, have not yet 
     ratified the Convention; and
       Whereas, the Rockland County Legislature is a strong 
     advocate for the rights of all children and commends the 
     nations throughout the world that have decided to abide by 
     the principles set forth in this important treaty; and
       Whereas, the Multi-Services Committee has met, considered 
     and by a vote of three ayes to one nay approved this 
     resolution: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Rockland County Legislature hereby 
     requests the United States Congress to support ratification 
     of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk to the Legislature be and is 
     hereby authorized and directed to send a copy of this 
     resolution to the Hon. George W. Bush, President of the 
     United States; Hon. Charles Schumer and Hon. Hillary Rodham 
     Clinton, United States Senators; Hon. Benjamin Gilman, Hon. 
     Eliot Engel, Hon. Nita Lowey and Hon. Sue Kelly, Members of 
     the United States Congress; the President Pro Tem of the 
     United States Senate; the Speaker of the United States House 
     of Representatives; the Majority and Minority Leaders of the 
     United States Senate and House of Representatives; Kofi 
     Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations; and to such 
     other persons as the Clerk, in his discretion, may deem 
     proper in order to effectuate the purpose of this resolution.
                                  ____

       POM-3. A resolution adopted by the New Jersey State Senate 
     relative to allocation of additional resources to address 
     resident Canada goose population in New Jersey; to the 
     Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                        Senate Resolution No. 36

       Whereas, Canada geese are migratory game birds afforded 
     protection by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 16 
     U.S.C. 703 et seq.; and
       Whereas, The United States Department of Agriculture 
     currently provides assistance to the State's agricultural 
     community and municipalities in identifying non-lethal, or 
     harassment, techniques available to manage the Canada goose 
     population; and
       Whereas, The Canada goose population residing year-round in 
     New Jersey has grown significantly over the past two decades; 
     and
       Whereas, This large Canada goose population causes a 
     significant amount of damage to agricultural crops every 
     year, contributes to nonpoint pollution, and generally causes 
     significant lawn maintenance, sanitation, and nuisance 
     problems for public parks, playgrounds, golf courses, 
     schoolyards, and corporate parks; and
       Whereas, Given the economic damage, pollution, health and 
     aesthetic concerns and problems attributable to the resident 
     Canada goose population, the federal government should direct 
     more resources to this State to assist in controlling this 
     population: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
       1. This House urges the United States Department of 
     Agriculture to allocate additional resources to address 
     problems associated with the resident Canada goose population 
     in New Jersey. The House urges the United States Department 
     of Agriculture to dedicate an additional wildlife biologist 
     to the department's New Jersey office to assist the State's 
     agricultural community and municipalities in identifying non-
     lethal harassment techniques and to facilitate applications 
     to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for additional 
     management options

[[Page 354]]

     when the harassment techniques are unsuccessful.
       2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by 
     the President of the Senate attested by the Secretary 
     thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the United 
     States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the 
     United States Senate and the United States House of 
     Representatives, each member of Congress elected from this 
     State, the Secretary of the United States Department of 
     Agriculture, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of 
     Environmental Protection, and the Secretary of the New Jersey 
     Department of Agriculture.
                                  ____

       POM-4. A communication from the Senate of the State of 
     Pennsylvania relative to Human Rights violations in Nigeria; 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                       Senate Resolution No. 297

       Whereas, In March 2002, a Sharia court in the state of 
     Katsina in northern Nigeria sentenced 30-year-old Amina Lawal 
     to death for having engaged in sexual intercourse outside 
     marriage; and
       Whereas, The government used Amina Lawal's pregnancy as 
     evidence of her having committee adultery; and
       Whereas, On August 19, 2002, the judgment of the lower 
     court that sentenced Amina Lawal to death by stoning was 
     upheld on appeal; and
       Whereas, Over the past year, some northern Nigerian states 
     have increasingly applied Sharia law to criminal cases, 
     principal among them sexual intercourse outside marriage by 
     women; and
       Whereas, As a consequence, Nigerian Sharia courts have 
     ordered public flogging, long-term imprisonment and death by 
     stoning for cases involving sexual intercourse outside 
     marriage; and
       Whereas, The Nigerian constitution guarantees the right to 
     life and to freedom from torture and cruel and inhuman and 
     degrading punishments and the right to fair trial; and
       Whereas, Nigeria is also a state party to the Convention 
     Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading 
     Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on 
     Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); and
       Whereas, The ICCPR protects the right to life, and, in 
     countries which have not abolished the death penalty, assures 
     that sentences of death may be imposed only for the most 
     serious crimes; and
                                  ____

       POM-5. A joint resolution adopted by the Alaska State 
     Legislature Relative to federal land grants; to the Committee 
     on Energy and Natural Resources.

                     House Joint Resolution No. 48

       Whereas vast tracts of lands managed by federal agencies of 
     the United States have been withdrawn from public entry; and
       Whereas, in many instances, the original purpose for the 
     withdrawal has been accomplished or lapsed; and
       Whereas, in the State of Alaska, many of these withdrawn 
     lands have been selected by the state under the Alaska 
     Statehood Act for transfer to become state-owned lands; and
       Whereas the withdrawn lands in the state have been selected 
     because of their value for recreation, mineral resources, and 
     access corridors; and
       Whereas the withdrawn lands cannot be transferred to the 
     State of Alaska until and unless the federal withdrawals are 
     removed; and
       Whereas the land managing agencies of the United States are 
     neither empowered nor motivated to terminate these so-called 
     ``temporary'' withdrawals; and
                                  ____

       POM-6. A resolution adopted by the New Jersey State Senate 
     relative to construction of a memorial at Gateway National 
     Recreation Area; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                        Senate Resolution No. 77

       Whereas, On September 11, 2001, terrorists injured or 
     killed thousands of innocent victims in the United States by 
     hijacking and crashing four commercial airliners; and
       Whereas, Two of the commercial airliners were crashed into 
     the World Trade Center towers in New York City, one 
     commercial airliner was crashed into the Pentagon while 
     another crashed in Pennsylvania; and
       Whereas, A significant percentage of the victims in these 
     attacks were residents of the State of New Jersey, and the 
     toll on the State of New Jersey and its residents has been 
     severe; and
       Whereas, Legislation currently pending in the United States 
     House of Representatives as House Resolution Number 4726 
     would allow a permanent memorial to the victims of the 
     September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United 
     States to be constructed on Sandy Hook in the Gateway 
     National Recreation Area; and
       Whereas, The Sandy Hook peninsula is included in the 
     Gateway National Recreation Area administered by the National 
     Park Service within the United States Department of the 
     Interior; and
       Whereas, The State of New Jersey recognizes the need to 
     remember and honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 
     attacks: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
       1. This House urges the Congress of the United States to 
     support legislation currently pending in the United States 
     House of Representatives as House Resolution Number 4726, 
     which would allow a permanent memorial to the victims of the 
     September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United 
     States to be constructed on Sandy Hook in the Gateway 
     National Recreation Area.
       2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by 
     the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary 
     thereof, shall be transmitted to the President and Vice-
     President of the United States, the Speaker of the United 
     States House of Representatives, the majority and minority 
     leaders of the United States Senate and the United States 
     House of Representatives, each member of the United States 
     Congress elected from this State, the Secretary of the United 
     States Department of the Interior, and the Director of the 
     National Park Service.

                          ____________________