[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15550-15557]
[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-165. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Utah relative to issues relating to undocumented 
     individuals in the United States; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                          Joint Resolution 28

       Whereas, the Federal Immigration and Naturalization Service 
     has not addressed the issue of undocumented workers from 
     Mexico and Latin American nations;
       Whereas, this is an issue of great concern in the state of 
     Utah;
       Whereas, children born in the United States to undocumented 
     individuals are American-born citizens;
       Whereas, undocumented workers have been in the United 
     States for five years to 50

[[Page 15551]]

     years without being deported by the Federal Immigration and 
     Naturalization Service;
       Whereas, some American citizens have married undocumented 
     individuals, and some undocumented workers have joined the 
     United States Armed Services;
       Whereas, many undocumented individuals have paid taxes; and
       Whereas, issues related to undocumented individuals raise 
     complex questions that need to be resolved on the national 
     level:
       Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Legislature of the 
     state of Utah strongly urge the United States Congress to 
     review and consider whether to permit parents of American-
     born children to become American citizens; whether to permit 
     undocumented individuals who have married American citizens 
     to become American citizens, whether to permit undocumented 
     individuals that have been in the United States for more than 
     five years to be given the opportunity to become an American 
     citizen, and whether to permit undocumented individuals who 
     have joined the United States Armed Services to become 
     American citizens.
       Be it further Resolved, That the Legislature strongly urges 
     the United States Congress to review and determine the 
     appropriate disposition of family and financial affairs in 
     cases where an undocumented parent purchases a home and is 
     then deported.
       Be it further Resolved, That the Legislature urges Utah's 
     congressional delegation to work with Congress in resolving 
     these issues and to provide guidance and support in the 
     resolution of these issues.
       Be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be 
     sent to the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     Federal Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the 
     members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-166. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Utah relative to establishing a wolf management 
     plan, to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                          Joint Resolution 12

       Whereas, wolves have become well established in the 
     Northern Rocky Mountain states of Idaho, Montana, and 
     Wyoming, and dispersing young wolves from these expanding 
     populations are traveling into and attempting to recolonize 
     parts of Utah;
       Whereas, the biological status of wolves in the Northern 
     Rocky Mountain Recovery Area has recently exceeded criteria 
     for full recovery under the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf 
     Recovery Plan;
       Whereas, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has 
     stated that the presence of wolves in Utah is not necessary 
     for the recovery of wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain 
     Recovery Area;
       Whereas, Utah is not a participating state in the Northern 
     Rocky Mountain recovery effort for Gray Wolves;
       Whereas, the wolf is currently protected in Utah by state 
     statute as well as by the Federal Endangered Species Act;
       Whereas, the state of Utah has a legislated, public process 
     for the purpose of developing policy for the management of 
     protected wildlife, which includes the Regional Advisory 
     Councils and the Utah Wildlife Board;
       Whereas, the Utah Wildlife Board has been recognized by the 
     Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for its 
     ability to resolve complex, controversial wildlife management 
     issues;
       Whereas, the Utah Wildlife Board has approved a Policy on 
     Managing Predatory Wildlife Species that provides direction 
     to the Division of Wildlife Resources in managing predatory 
     populations;
       Whereas, recent biological assessments recognize that lands 
     within the original boundaries of the Uintah and Ouray 
     Reservation in the Uinta Basin of Utah contain suitable wolf 
     habitat;
       Whereas, the state of Utah and the Ute Indian Tribe are 
     party to a Cooperative Management Agreement which recognizes 
     the need for cooperation in the management of wildlife within 
     the original boundaries of the Reservation;
       Whereas, citizens and conservation organizations in Utah 
     have invested significant resources to restore populations of 
     wildlife in Utah; and
       Whereas, hunting, ranching, and livestock production 
     contribute significantly to the economy, heritage, and 
     quality of life in Utah:
       Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Legislature of the 
     state of Utah urges the United States Fish and Wildlife 
     Service to expedite the delisting process for wolves in the 
     Western Gray Wolf Distinct Population Segment, thereby 
     transferring authority to manage wolves to the states.
       Be it further, Resolved, That the Legislature urges the 
     United States Fish and Wildlife Service to reject requests to 
     establish additional recovery areas that would include the 
     state of Utah, leaving the entire state in the Western Gray 
     Wolf Distinct Population Segment.
       Be it further, Resolved, That the Legislature strongly 
     urges the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to draft a wolf 
     management plan for review, modification, and adoption by the 
     Utah Wildlife Board through the Regional Advisory Council 
     process.
       Be it further, Resolved, That the Legislature urges that 
     the objectives and strategies of the plan, to the extent 
     possible, be consistent with the wildlife management 
     objectives of the Ute Indian Tribe, prevent livestock 
     depredation, and protect the investments made in wildlife 
     management efforts while being consistent with United States 
     Fish and Wildlife Service regulations and other Utah species 
     management plans.
       Be it further, Resolved, That the Legislature strongly 
     urges the Division of Wildlife Resources to prepare a grant 
     proposal for consideration by the Department of Natural 
     Resources, within the department's species protection line 
     item, to fully compensate private landowners for losses not 
     covered by other mitigation sources and resulting from 
     depredation to livestock by wolves.
       Be it further, Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be 
     sent to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Region 
     Six, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the Utah 
     Wildlife Board, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and 
     the members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-167. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Utah relative to the space shuttle Columbia; 
     to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                         Concurrent Resolution

       Whereas, at approximately 9:00 a.m. EST on February 1, 
     2003, the crew of space shuttle mission STS-107 aboard space 
     shuttle Columbia was lost during re-entry into Earth's 
     atmosphere;
       Whereas, the nation and the world mourns the loss of 
     Americans Colonel Rick D. Husband, Commander William C. 
     McCool, Lt. Colonel Michael P. Anderson, Dr. Kalpana Chawla, 
     Captain David M. Brown, Commander Laurel Blair Salton Clark, 
     and Israeli Colonel Ilan Ramon;
       Whereas, these astronauts were crew members on a space 
     shuttle with a unique and historic heritage;
       Whereas, the space shuttle Columbia's maiden voyage was 
     April 12-14, 1981;
       Whereas, the space shuttle Columbia has flown 28 flights 
     between 1981 and 2003;
       Whereas, the space shuttle Columbia was the first Space 
     Shuttle to fly into Earth's orbit in 1981 and the oldest 
     orbiter in the Shuttle fleet;
       Whereas, the space shuttle Columbia became the first 
     reusable spaceship;
       Whereas, the space shuttle Columbia was named after the 
     Boston, Massachusetts-based sloop captained by American 
     Robert Gray, who on May 11, 1792 maneuvered the Columbia past 
     the dangerous sandbar at the mouth of a river extending more 
     than 1,000 miles through what is today south-eastern British 
     Columbia, Canada, and the Washington-Oregon border, which 
     river now bears the ship's name;
       Whereas, this same 18th century sailing vessel became the 
     first American ship to circumnavigate the globe;
       Whereas, the first United States Navy Ship to circle the 
     globe also bore the name Columbia;
       Whereas, the command module of Apollo 11, the first lunar 
     landing mission, also bore the name Columbia;
       Whereas, the name ``Columbia'' is derived from the name of 
     the famous explorer, Christopher Columbus;
       Whereas, Commander Rick D. Husband, 45, was a colonel in 
     the U.S. Air Force, a test pilot and veteran of one 
     spaceflight, was selected by NASA in December 1994 to serve 
     as pilot of the STS-96 and had logged more than 235 hours in 
     space;
       Whereas, Pilot William C. McCool, 41, a commander in the 
     U.S. Navy and former test pilot, was selected by NASA in 
     April 1996 and was making his first spaceflight;
       Whereas, Payload Commander Michael P. Anderson, 43, a 
     lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, was a former 
     instructor pilot and tactical officer with over 211 hours in 
     space, having flown on STS-89;
       Whereas, Mission Specialist 1 David M. Brown, 46, a captain 
     in the U.S. Navy and a naval aviator and flight surgeon, was 
     selected by NASA in April 1996 and was making his first 
     spaceflight;
       Whereas, Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana Chawla, 41, an 
     aerospace engineer and an FAA Certified Flight Instructor, 
     was selected by NASA in December 1994 and had logged more 
     than 376 hours in space, having flown on STS-87;
       Whereas, Mission Specialist 4 Laurel Blair Salton Clark, 
     41, a commander (captain-select) in the U.S. Navy and a naval 
     flight surgeon, was selected by NASA in April 1996 and was 
     making her first spaceflight;
       Whereas, Payload Specialist 1 Ilan Ramon, 48, a colonel in 
     the Israeli Air Force and a fighter pilot, was the only 
     payload specialist on STS-107, was approved by NASA in 1998, 
     was making his first spaceflight, and was the first Israeli 
     in space;
       Whereas, these men and women knew the dangers and faced 
     them willingly;
       Whereas, their courage, daring, and idealism, in service to 
     all humanity, will make us miss them all the more;
       Whereas, the crew had eagerly prepared for many years to 
     explore the universe and expand the boundaries of knowledge, 
     establishing new frontiers in research and exploration;

[[Page 15552]]

       Whereas, these crew members will always be remembered as 
     heroes, pioneers, and valiant explorers on behalf of all;
       Whereas, the full impact of this tragedy is only borne by 
     the families of those seven;
       Whereas, the tragic loss of the Columbia crew is a painful 
     part of the process of exploration, discovery, and the 
     expanding of man's horizons, and a sobering reminder that the 
     future doesn't belong to the fainthearted, but to the brave;
       Whereas, not since that tragic loss of the crew of the 
     space shuttle Challenger, almost 17 years ago to the day, has 
     America's space program suffered such a great loss;
       Whereas, President George W. Bush stated that although the 
     crew did not return safely to Earth, we pray that all are 
     safely home;
       Whereas, the flight path of the space shuttle Columbia 
     crossed southern Utah for the intended destination of Kennedy 
     Space Center, Florida;
       Whereas, many Utahns witnessed the space shuttle Columbia 
     as it streaked over southern Utah on its eastwardly landing 
     approach; and
       Whereas, many Utah citizens have contributed to a wide 
     array of service to the success of the U.S. space program:
       Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Legislature of the 
     state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein, recognize the 
     tragic loss of the crew of the space shuttle Columbia.
       Be it further Resolved, That the Legislature and the 
     Governor express deep gratitude for the crew's courage and 
     willingness to serve all mankind.
       Be it further Resolved, That the Legislature and the 
     Governor express sincere condolences to the families of the 
     crew of the space shuttle Columbia, President Bush, Prime 
     Minister Sharon, and the entire U.S. space program family.
       Be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be 
     sent to the families of the space shuttle Columbia's crew, 
     NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, the President of the United 
     States, the Prime Minister of Israel, the Governor of Texas, 
     the Governor of Louisiana, the Governor of Florida, and to 
     the members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-168. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Utah relative to the modification of census 
     data collection procedures for the 2010 Census to account for 
     United States Citizens who are living out of the country on a 
     temporary basis; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.

                        Concurrent Resolution 1

       Whereas, in 2000, and every preceding ten years, the United 
     States Census Bureau collected data on the citizens of the 
     United States;
       Whereas, census data is used for many purposes, including 
     the apportionment of congressional districts among the states 
     based on population;
       Whereas, if 857 more individuals had been approved to be 
     included in the population data collected for Utah in the 
     2000 Census, the state would have been allocated an 
     additional congressional seat;
       Whereas, the United States Census Bureau's technical 
     documentation manual for the 2000 Census states that 
     Americans temporarily overseas are to be enumerated at their 
     usual residence in the United States;
       Whereas, U.S. military personnel and federal civilian 
     employees stationed outside the United States and their 
     dependents living with them, were included in the 2000 Census 
     apportionment count;
       Whereas, among the several groups and individual citizens 
     from Utah that lived out of the country at the time of the 
     2000 Census were 11,176 members of the Church of Jesus Christ 
     of Latter-day Saints, serving temporarily as missionaries as 
     evidenced by the Affidavit of Robert B. Swensen, Director of 
     the Missionary Department at the international headquarters 
     of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which 
     affidavit is attached as Appendix A;
       Whereas, members of the church from every state in the 
     union serve these mission;
       Whereas, although young females can serve 18-month missions 
     and elderly couples may also serve anywhere from six-month to 
     two-year missions for the church, the vast majority of 
     missionaries are young males ages 19-21 who serve two-year 
     missions;
       Whereas, as illustrated in Appendix B, data from Census 
     2000 Summary File 3 show that male representation in the Utah 
     population ranges from 50-53 percent from birth through 18 
     years of age;
       Whereas, the percentage of males in the Utah population who 
     are 19 years of age drops to just below 46 percent, reaches a 
     low of 42.4 percent at age 20, and increases to 47.7 percent 
     at age 21;
       Whereas, beginning at age 22, the male representation in 
     Utah returns to the 50-53 percent range, where it remains 
     through age 49;
       Whereas, using the Census 2000 Summary File 3 data, it is 
     estimated that over 17,000 young males ages 19 through 21 
     were not included in Utah's census count, some of whom were 
     counted in other states' census counts but the vast majority 
     of whom were not counted as they were out of the country 
     temporarily serving missions overseas;
       Whereas, the Census 2000 Summary File 3 data clearly 
     demonstrates the impact on the state's population of the many 
     young male members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
     day Saints from Utah who temporarily leave the country for 
     mission service and then return;
       Whereas, the present questionnaire does not provide for 
     those Americans temporarily living overseas to be enumerated 
     at their usual residence in the United States;
       Whereas, the impact of the temporary nature of this 
     missionary service is not being factored into the 
     determination of state population for purposes of allocating 
     congressional seats; and
       Whereas, the United States Census Bureau should reexamine 
     the census data collection procedures in order to collect 
     data that captures this portion of the state's population 
     whose absence from the state is only temporary and should not 
     be overlooked when determining the apportionment of 
     congressional seats:
       Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Legislature of the 
     state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein, strongly urge 
     the United States Census Bureau to review its census data 
     collection procedures and make corrections for the 2010 
     Census, including the census questionnaire, to allow for the 
     collection of data that recognizes the temporary nature of 
     missionary service and permits those individuals out of the 
     country for this purpose to be included in the calculation of 
     state population.
       Be it further Resolved, That this revised system be used in 
     future census years so that all the states, including Utah, 
     may be granted fair representation when future congressional 
     seats are allocated.
       Be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be 
     sent to Charles Louis Kincannon, Director, United States 
     Census Bureau; Cathy McCully, Chief, Redistricting Data 
     Office; Donald L. Evans, United States Secretary of Commerce; 
     the House and Senate Congressional Committees chaired by the 
     following: Dan Burton, Chairman, House Committee on 
     Government Reform, Dave Weldon, Chairman, Subcommittee on 
     Civil Service, Census, and Agency Organization, and Susan 
     Collins, Chairman, Senate Committee on Government Affairs; 
     and to the members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-169. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Utah relative to the compensation for the impact 
     of federal land ownership on the state's ability to fund 
     public education; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                          Joint Resolution 14

       Whereas, for many years western states have grappled with 
     the challenge of providing the best education for their 
     citizens;
       Whereas, western states face unique challenges in achieving 
     this goal;
       Whereas, from 1979 to 1998 the percent change in 
     expenditures per pupil in 13 western states was 28%, compared 
     to 57% in the remaining states;
       Whereas, in 2000-01, the pupil per teacher ratio in 13 
     western states averaged 17.9% to one compared with 14.8% to 
     one in the remaining states;
       Whereas, the conditions in western states are exacerbated 
     by projections that enrollment will increase by an average of 
     7.1%, compared to an average decrease of 2.6% in the rest of 
     the nation;
       Whereas, despite the wide disparities in expenditures per 
     pupil and pupil per teacher ratio, western states tax a 
     comparable rate and allocate as much of their budgets to 
     public education as the rest of the nation;
       Whereas, the ability of western states to fund education is 
     directly related to federal ownership of lands;
       Whereas, the federal government owns an average of 51.9% of 
     the land in 13 western states, compared to 4.1% in the 
     remaining states;
       Whereas, the enabling acts of most western states promise 
     that 5% of the proceeds from the sale of federal lands will 
     go to the states for public education;
       Whereas, a federal policy change in 1976 ended these sales 
     resulting in an estimated $14 billion in lost public 
     education funding for western states;
       Whereas, the ability of western states to fund public 
     education is further impacted by the fact that state and 
     local property taxes, which public education relies heavily 
     upon to fund education, cannot be assessed on federal lands;
       Whereas, the estimated annual impact of this property tax 
     prohibition on western states is over $4 billion;
       Whereas, the federal government shares only half of its 
     royalty revenue with the states;
       Whereas, royalties are further reduced because federal 
     lands are less likely to be developed and federal laws often 
     place stipulations on the use of state royalty payments;
       Whereas, the estimated annual impact of royalty payment 
     policies on western states is over $1.86 billion;
       Whereas, much of the land that the federal government 
     transferred to states upon statehood as a trust for public 
     education is difficult to administer and to make productive 
     because it is surrounded by federal land;
       Whereas, federal land ownership greatly hinders the ability 
     of western states to fund public education;

[[Page 15553]]

       Whereas, the federal government should compensate western 
     states for the significant impact federal land ownership has 
     on the ability of western states to educate its citizens; and
       Whereas, just compensation will allow western states to be 
     on equal footing with the rest of the nation in their efforts 
     to provide education for their citizens:
       Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Legislature of the 
     state of Utah urges the United States Congress to appropriate 
     just compensation to the state of Utah for the impact of 
     federal land ownership on the state's ability to find public 
     education.
       Be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be 
     sent to the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     President of the United States, and the members of Utah's 
     congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-170. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada relative to wilderness areas and 
     wilderness study areas; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 3

       Whereas, The provisions of 16 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 1131 et 
     seq., commonly referred to as the Wilderness Act, establish 
     the National Wilderness Preservation System, which consists 
     of areas of federal public land that are designated by 
     Congress as wilderness areas; and
       Whereas, Congress has designated approximately 2 million 
     acres of certain federal public lands in Nevada as wilderness 
     areas; and
       Whereas, If an area of federal public land is designated as 
     a wilderness area, it must be managed in a manner that 
     preserves the wilderness character of the area and ensures 
     that the area remains unimpaired for future use and enjoyment 
     as a wilderness area; and
       Whereas, A reasonable amount of wilderness area in this 
     state provides for a diverse spectrum of recreational 
     opportunities in Nevada, promotes tourism and provides a 
     place for Nevadans to escape the pressures of urban growth; 
     and
       Whereas, In conjunction with the provisions of the 
     Wilderness Act, the Bureau of Land Management of the 
     Department of the Interior in the late 1970s conducted an 
     initial inventory of approximately 49 million acres of 
     federal public lands in Nevada to determine the suitability 
     of such lands for designation as wilderness areas or 
     identification as wilderness study areas and, in 1980, 
     recommended that approximately 5.1 million acres of those 
     lands be identified as wilderness study areas; and
       Whereas, Until a wilderness study area is designated by 
     Congress as a wilderness area or released for multiple use, 
     the wilderness study area must be managed in a manner that 
     does not impair its suitability or preservation as a 
     wilderness area; and
       Whereas, In 1991, the Bureau of Land Management recommended 
     that Congress designate as wilderness areas approximately 1.9 
     million acres of the 5.1 million acres of wilderness study 
     areas in Nevada and release the remainder of the wilderness 
     study areas for multiple use; and
       Whereas, Although Congress recently enacted the Clark 
     County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act 
     of 2002, Public Law 107-282 (2002), which released 
     approximately 224,000 acres in Clark County from its current 
     status as wilderness study areas, the recommendations made by 
     the Bureau of Land Management in 1991 have largely not been 
     acted upon by Congress, and the Bureau continues to manage 
     approximately 3.86 million acres of federal public lands in 
     Nevada identified as wilderness study areas; and
       Whereas, It is important that decisions concerning whether 
     to designate wilderness study areas as wilderness areas or 
     release those areas for multiple use are made in a timely 
     manner without any unnecessary delays as the identification 
     of federal public lands as wilderness study areas is believed 
     to impose significant restrictions on the management and use 
     of those lands; and
       Whereas, It is also important to protect the ecological 
     health and existing and potential economic and recreational 
     benefits of wilderness areas and wilderness study areas in 
     this state by using reasonable and effective methods of fire 
     suppression in those areas; and
       Whereas, Because approximately 2 million acres of federal 
     public land in Nevada have been designated as wilderness 
     areas and approximately 8.6 percent of the federal public 
     land in Nevada that is managed by the Bureau of Land 
     Management has been identified as wilderness study areas and 
     because such designation or identification is believed to 
     impose significant restrictions concerning the management and 
     use of such land, including land used for mining, ranching 
     and recreation, the Legislative Commission appointed in 2001 
     to conduct an interim study of wilderness areas and 
     wilderness study areas in this state; and
       Whereas, During the 2001-2002 legislative interim, the 
     subcommittee met several times throughout this state and 
     facilitated important and wide-ranging discussions among many 
     agencies, organizations and persons with diverse interests, 
     perspectives and expertise concerning wilderness areas and 
     wilderness study areas; and
       Whereas, The subcommittee received a great deal of valuable 
     input from those agencies, organizations and persons, 
     including many valuable recommendations for Congress to 
     consider in addressing the issues concerning wilderness areas 
     and wilderness study areas in a responsible, reasonable and 
     fair manner; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, 
     jointly, That the members of the Nevada Legislature urge 
     Congress to:
       1. Support efforts to ensure that adequate access to 
     wilderness areas and wilderness study areas is afforded to 
     the appropriate agencies and persons so that those agencies 
     and persons may effectively combat fires in wilderness areas 
     and wilderness study areas;
       2. Support the use of all reasonable and effective fire 
     suppression efforts in wilderness areas and wilderness study 
     areas without strictly confining such efforts only to the 
     tools determined by the federal agencies which manage federal 
     public lands to be the minimum tools necessary;
       3. Accept the recommendation of the Bureau of Land 
     Management to designate 1.9 million acres of certain 
     wilderness study areas in Nevada as wilderness areas while 
     also incorporating in the designation process flexibility to 
     consider relevant information such as growth to ensure the 
     establishment of appropriate boundaries for those areas and 
     recognizing that such consideration may result in a 
     reasonable adjustment of those boundaries;
       4. Oppose any efforts to conduct another inventory of the 
     federal public lands in Nevada for purposes of creating 
     wilderness areas or wilderness study areas without first 
     releasing wilderness study areas determined to be unsuitable 
     for designation as wilderness areas;
       5. Ensure that more current information is considered 
     before acting on the recommendations of the Bureau of Land 
     Management concerning the designation of wilderness areas in 
     Nevada as the surveys of the Bureau were performed with 
     limited time, resources and technology; and
       6. Avoid any unnecessary delays in releasing wilderness 
     study areas for multiple use by establishing a plan for 
     addressing the release of wilderness study areas in a timely 
     manner that includes a schedule or plan for the timely 
     consideration of important issues concerning wilderness study 
     areas; 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.
                                  ____

       POM-171. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada relative to wilderness areas and 
     wilderness study areas; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                       Senate Joint Resolution 4

       Whereas, The provisions of 16 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 1131 et 
     seq., commonly referred to as the Wilderness Act, established 
     the National Wilderness Preservation System, which consists 
     of areas of federal public land that are designated by 
     Congress as wilderness areas; and
       Whereas, Congress has designated approximately 2 million 
     acres of certain federal public lands in Nevada as wilderness 
     areas; and
       Whereas, If an area of federal public land is designated as 
     a wilderness area, it must be managed in a manner that 
     preserves the wilderness character of the area and ensures 
     that the area remains unimpaired for future use and enjoyment 
     as a wilderness area; and
       Whereas, A reasonable amount of wilderness area in this 
     state provides for a diverse spectrum of recreational 
     opportunities in Nevada, promotes tourism and provides a 
     place for Nevadans to escape the pressures of urban growth; 
     and
       Whereas, In conjunction with the provisions of the 
     Wilderness Act, the Bureau of Land Management of the 
     Department of the Interior manages approximately 3.86 million 
     acres of federal public lands in Nevada identified as 
     wilderness study areas; and
       Whereas, Until a wilderness study area is designated by 
     Congress as a wilderness area or released, the wilderness 
     study area must be managed in a manner that does not impair 
     its suitability for preservation as a wilderness area; and
       Whereas, Because approximately 2 million acres of federal 
     public land in Nevada have been designated as wilderness 
     areas and approximately 8.6 percent of the federal public 
     land in Nevada that is managed by the Bureau of Land 
     Management has been identified as wilderness study areas and 
     because such designation or identification is believed to 
     impose significant restrictions concerning the management and 
     use of such land, including land used for mining, ranching 
     and recreation, the Legislative Commission appointed a 
     subcommittee in 2001 to conduct an interim study of 
     wilderness areas and wilderness study areas in this state; 
     and
       Whereas, During the 2001-2002 legislative interim, the 
     subcommittee met several times throughout this state and 
     facilitated important and wide-ranging discussions among many 
     agencies, organizations and

[[Page 15554]]

     persons with diverse interests, perspectives and expertise 
     concerning wilderness areas and wilderness study areas; and
       Whereas, The subcommittee received a great deal of valuable 
     input from those agencies, organizations and persons, 
     including many valuable recommendations for the Nevada 
     Congressional Delegation and Congress to consider in 
     addressing the issues concerning wilderness areas and 
     wilderness study areas in a responsible, reasonable and fair 
     manner; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, 
     jointly, That the members of the Nevada Legislature urge the 
     Nevada Congressional Delegation to work with all interested 
     Nevadans, land managers, affected parties, local governments, 
     special interest organizations and members of the American 
     public in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect to 
     address issues concerning the designation of wilderness areas 
     in Nevada; and be it further
       Resolved, That the members of the Nevada Legislature urge 
     Congress to:
       1. Encourage education at all levels of government and of 
     all affected parties to ensure that facts are accurately 
     presented when wilderness issues are debated and that the 
     applicable laws are properly interpreted when officials carry 
     out legislation concerning wilderness areas and wilderness 
     study areas;
       2. Require the development of accurate, consensus-vased 
     maps for boundaries of wilderness areas and wilderness study 
     areas using technologies such as Geographic Information 
     Systems;
       3. Oppose the creation of buffer zones around wilderness 
     areas and instead support the requirement of clear and 
     concise boundaries based on recognizable features on the 
     ground, including, without limitation, roads and established 
     drainage routes;
       4. Support efforts to ensure that existing roads are not 
     closed to create wilderness areas;
       5. Support the implementation of appropriate measures, 
     including, without limitation, the use of roads, to ensure 
     that persons who are elderly or have a disability have 
     continued access to wilderness areas;
       6. Support the preservation of roads that do not appear on 
     a map and may not have been documented but that have 
     historically been used to allow persons access to private 
     property;
       7. For the purpose of allowing ranchers access to water 
     diversions located near wilderness areas or wilderness study 
     areas, support the use of ``cherry-stem'' roads, which are 
     dead-end roads that would geographically extend into 
     wilderness areas but are excluded from designation as parts 
     of wilderness areas because the boundaries of the wilderness 
     areas are drawn around and just beyond the edges of such 
     roads;
       8. Specifically outline and guarantee all preexisting 
     rights of ranchers concerning grazing permits, water permits 
     and access to land and water necessary for ranching via 
     ``cherry-stem'' roads in any legislation concerning 
     wilderness areas and wilderness study areas;
       9. Support the use of appropriately managed techniques for 
     managing vegetation, including, without limitation, grazing, 
     and the use of appropriately managed logging as integral 
     tools for reducing potential fire danger in wilderness areas 
     and wilderness study areas;
       10. Consider future population growth and urban expansion 
     when designating wilderness areas in Nevada, as Nevada has 
     been the state with the highest percentage population growth 
     in recent years and public lands in Nevada are increasingly 
     impacted by human activity and development;
       11. Support the designation of the area of approximately 
     1,800 acres of land known as Marble Canyon, which is adjacent 
     to the Mt. Moriah Wilderness Area and which appears to have 
     been inadvertently excluded from the Nevada Wilderness 
     Protection Act of 1989, Public Law 101-195, as a wilderness 
     area;
       12. Support national and state legislation which explicitly 
     requires that when a decision is made in the public land use 
     planning process which will affect economic activity on 
     public land, consideration must be given as to the effects of 
     the decision on communities that are dependent on natural 
     resources;
       13. Hold extensive hearings in Washington, DC., and in 
     Nevada before making any changes to the designation of 
     wilderness areas in Nevada or the identification of 
     wilderness study areas in Nevada or any other changes 
     concerning public lands in Nevada;
       14. Use a collaborative process when designating a 
     wilderness study area as a wilderness area; and
       15. Support precise specification of the activities that 
     are authorized within wilderness areas and wilderness study 
     areas; 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.
                                  ____

       POM-172. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Hawaii relative to migration issues and 
     citizens of the Freely Associated States who reside in the 
     State of Hawaii; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
     Labor, and Pensions.

                     House Concurrent Resolution 62

       Whereas, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic 
     of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau 
     (collectively, Freely Associated States), formerly part of 
     the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands under the United 
     Nations Charter, entered into an agreement with the 
     government of the United States known as the Compact of Free 
     Association (Compact); and
       Whereas, the Compact was entered into with these nations in 
     part to terminate the trusteeship, recognize their 
     independence, provide them with critical economic development 
     aid, and allow their people to immigrate freely to the United 
     States; and
       Whereas, under the Compact, the United States provides 
     direct economic assistance, federal services, and military 
     protection to these nations, in exchange for defense rights; 
     and
       Whereas, the Compact, codified as Title II of Public Law 
     99-239, was established in 1986 between the United States and 
     the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States 
     of Micronesia, and in 1994 with the Republic of Palau, 
     codified as Title II of Public Law 99-658; and
       Whereas, section 104(e)(1) of Title I, Public Law 99-239, 
     regarding the interpretation of and United State policy 
     regarding the Compact, states that in approving the Compact, 
     ``it is not the intent of the Congress to cause any adverse 
     consequences for . . . the States of Hawaii''; and
       Whereas, section 104(e)(4) of Title I, Public Law 99-239, 
     provides that ``if any adverse consequences to . . . the 
     State of Hawaii result from implementation of the Compact of 
     Free Association, the Congress will act sympathetically and 
     expeditiously to redress those adverse consequences''; and
       Whereas, section 104(e)(5) of Title I, Public Law 99-239, 
     appropriated funds beginning after September 30, 1985, to 
     cover the costs, if any, incurred by Hawaii ``resulting from 
     any increased demands placed on educational and social 
     services by immigrants from the Marshall Islands and the 
     Federated States of Micronesia''; and
       Whereas, section 104(e)(2) of Title I, Public Law 99-239, 
     requires the President of the United States to report 
     annually to the Congress on the impact of the Compact on the 
     State of Hawaii, identifying any adverse consequences 
     resulting from the Compact and making recommendations for 
     corrective action, focusing on such areas as trade, taxation, 
     immigration, labor, and environmental regulations; and
       Whereas, section 104(e)(3) of Title I, Public Law 99-239, 
     further provides that in preparing these reports to Congress, 
     the President shall request the views of the government of 
     the State of Hawaii and transmit the full text of those views 
     to Congress as part of those reports; and
       Whereas, the interpretation of and United States policy 
     regarding the Compact as set forth in section 104 of Title I, 
     Public Law 99-239, with respect to the Federated States of 
     Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, also 
     applies to the Republic of Palau, pursuant to section 102(a) 
     of Title I, Public Law 99-658, thereby making the State of 
     Hawaii eligible for additional funds resulting from increased 
     demands placed on the educational and social services of the 
     State of Hawaii by immigrants from the Freely Associated 
     States; and
       Whereas, payments from the United States to the Republic of 
     the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia 
     under the Compact of Free Association will end on October 1, 
     2003, and Compact re-negotiation talks have been continuing; 
     and
       Whereas, instead of mitigating the incentive for Freely 
     Associated States citizens to migrate by improving the 
     overall quality of life in the Freely Associated States 
     through increased economic aid, the United States has 
     proposed giving additional funds to regions affected by 
     ``Compact impacts,'' while creating ``various mechanisms'' to 
     ensure that migrants from Freely Associated States are 
     eligible for admission; and
       Whereas, although the renegotiated Compacts with the 
     Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of 
     Micronesia will most likely continue to provide islanders 
     with visa-free entry to the United States, the United States 
     Congress should review the migration issue and increase the 
     amount of aid available for the Compact's educational and 
     social impact on Hawaii; and
       Whereas, many residents of the Freely Associated States are 
     attracted to the State of Hawaii due to the State's increased 
     employment and educational opportunities, as well as similar 
     Pacific Island culture and lifestyle; and
       Whereas, drawn by the promise of better medical care and a 
     better education for their children, over six thousand Freely 
     Associated States citizens have migrated to and are currently 
     residing in Hawaii; and
       Whereas, Freely Associated States citizens that enter the 
     United States may have contagious diseases, criminal records, 
     or chronic health problems--conditions that are normally 
     grounds for inadmissibility into the United States; and

[[Page 15555]]

       Whereas, the 1996 federal Welfare Reform Act cut off access 
     to federal welfare and medical assistance programs, forcing 
     citizens of the Freely Associated States residing in Hawaii 
     to rely on state aid; and
       Whereas, the cost of supporting Freely Associated States 
     citizens residing in Hawaii, largely in healthcare and 
     education, totaled more than $101,000,000 between 1998 and 
     2002; and
       Whereas, Freely Associated States students have higher 
     costs than other students due to poor language and other 
     skills, and because such students enter and leave school a 
     few times each year, their integration into the school system 
     has been difficult; and
       Whereas, since the Compact went into effect in 1986 until 
     2001, Hawaii has spent over $64,000,000 to educate Freely 
     Associated States citizens and their children in public 
     schools, $10,000,000 in 2000 alone; and
       Whereas, last year, the number of Freely Associated States 
     students in primary and secondary public schools in Hawaii 
     increased by twenty-eight percent, resulting in costs to the 
     State of over $13,000,000 for school year 2001-2002, and 
     bringing the total costs for education, since 1988, to about 
     $78,000,000; and
       Whereas, during the academic school year 2001-2002, the 
     University of Hawaii lost over $1,200,000 in tuition revenue 
     systemwide, as a result of students from the Federated States 
     of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the 
     Republic of Palau paying resident rather than non-resident 
     tuition; and
       Whereas, inadequate and delayed federal compensation to 
     Hawaii's education system results in a cost to Hawaii's own 
     children and contributes to Hawaii being substantially below 
     many other states in per pupil expenditures for public school 
     children in kindergarten through grade twelve; and
       Whereas, state medical assistance payments for Freely 
     Associated States citizens from 1998 to 2002 totaled 
     $14,961,427, and financial assistance payments during the 
     same period totaled $13,378,692, with costs borne solely by 
     the State of Hawaii; and
       Whereas, the financial stability and viability of private 
     hospitals and medical providers is threatened by staggering 
     debts and write-offs for medical services provided to Freely 
     Associated States citizens residing in Hawaii, in spite of 
     state Medicaid reimbursements; and
       Whereas, between 1998 and 2002, $10.1 million in operating 
     losses attributable to healthcare for Freely Associated 
     States citizens residing in Hawaii were incurred at three 
     Honolulu hospitals (the Queen's Medical Center, Straub Clinic 
     and Hospital, and Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and 
     Children), and these types of losses were also incurred at 
     the twenty other hospitals in the State; and
       Whereas, community health centers estimate an annual cost 
     of $420,000 for services to Freely Associated States citizens 
     residing in Hawaii; and
       Whereas, the Department of Health has also been 
     significantly impacted by the cost of public health services 
     to Freely Associated States citizens residing in Hawaii, with 
     $967,000 spent on screening vaccination and treatment of 
     communicable diseases and $190,000 spent for immunization and 
     outreach by public health nurses; and
       Whereas, inadequate and delayed federal compensation 
     threaten to overwhelm Hawaii's health care systems, leading 
     to potential cutbacks in services and personnel that would 
     impact all of Hawaii's citizens; and
       Whereas, it is imperative that Hawaii be granted immediate 
     and substantial federal assistance to meet these mounting 
     costs; and
       Whereas, the fact that Micronesians should qualify for 
     federal benefits, while residing in Hawaii and the rest of 
     the United States, can best be summed up by the resolution 
     which was adopted September 9, 2001, in Washington, D.C., by 
     Grassroots Organizing for Welfare Leadership, supporting the 
     insertion of language in all federal welfare, food, and 
     housing legislation, because Micronesians are eligible for 
     these and other benefits as ``qualified non-immigrants'' 
     residing in the United States; and
       Whereas, the United States government is not owning up to 
     its responsibility for what the United States did to the 
     Micronesian people by refusing them food stamps and other 
     federal benefits when they came to Hawaii and the rest of the 
     United States seeking help; and
       Whereas, the excuse by the United States government to deny 
     any aid to the Micronesians in the United States is the word 
     ``nonimmigrant'' used in the Compact of Free Association to 
     describe Micronesians who move to Hawaii and the United 
     States; and
       Whereas, Micronesians have also developed high rates of 
     diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity as a result of 
     American dietary colonialism; and
       Whereas, it is the intent of this Resolution to encourage 
     the responsible entities to implement the provisions of the 
     Compact of Freely Associated States, which authorizes compact 
     impact funds to be made available to states that welcome and 
     provide services to the people of the Federated States of 
     Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of 
     Palau, because most of the Freely Associated States citizens 
     who migrate to Hawaii do so for medical problems related to 
     the United States' military testing of nuclear bombs; now, 
     therefore,
       Be it Resolved by the Senate of the Twenty-Second 
     Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, 
     the House of Representatives concurring, That the Bush 
     Administration and the United States Congress are requested 
     to appropriate adequate financial impact assistance for 
     health, education, and other social services for Hawaii's 
     Freely Associated States citizens; and
       Be it further Resolved, That the Bush Administration and 
     the United States Congress are requested to insert language 
     in all federal welfare, food, and housing legislation which 
     says that Micronesians are eligible for federal food stamps, 
     welfare, public housing, and other federal benefits as 
     ``qualified nonimmigrants'' residing in the United States; 
     and
       Be it further Resolved, That the Bush Administration and 
     the United States Congress are requested to restore Freely 
     Associated States citizens' eligibility for federal public 
     benefits, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and food stamps; and
       Be it further Resolved, That Hawaii's congressional 
     delegation is requested to introduce legislation in the 
     United States Congress calling for further review of the 
     migration issue and for increased aid for the educational and 
     social impact of the Compact of Free Association, and any 
     newly renegotiated Compact, on the State of Hawaii; and
       Be it further Resolved, That Hawaii's congressional 
     delegates are requested to assure financial reimbursements, 
     through the establishment of a trust, escrow, or set-aside 
     account, to the State of Hawaii for educational, medical, and 
     social services and to Hawaii's private medical providers who 
     have provided services to Freely Associated States citizens; 
     and
       Be it further Resolved, That certified copies of this 
     Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the 
     United States; U.S. Secretary of State; President of the U.S. 
     Senate; Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; members 
     of Hawaii's congressional delegation, the Presidents of the 
     Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall 
     Islands, and the Republic of Palau, and their respective 
     Honolulu Offices; the national negotiating teams of the 
     Compact of Free Association; the Governor; State Attorney 
     General; Directors of Health and Human Services; President of 
     the University of Hawaii; Superintendent of Education; Chair 
     of the Board of Agriculture; Grassroots Organizing for 
     Welfare Leadership; Micronesians United; the United Church of 
     Christ; Hawaii Conference of Churches; and the United 
     Methodist Church of Honolulu.
                                  ____

       POM-173. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Utah relative to the establishment of 
     requirements that clinical study sponsors perform subgroup 
     analysis of their studies to ensure that the health concerns 
     of women are addressed in clinical trial results; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                        Concurrent Resolution 2

       Whereas, there is a pressing need to collect and assess 
     more accurate data regarding the health of women;
       Whereas, subgroup analysis, a statistical procedure, takes 
     data from a general group of study subjects and looks for 
     differences within a subset of those subjects that share a 
     specific characteristic, such as sex, age, or state of 
     disease;
       Whereas, studies have shown that, to improve the quality 
     and appropriateness of health services, the gender of those 
     participating in clinical trials must be factored into all 
     levels of biomedical research, creating a new paradigm for 
     data analysis;
       Whereas, despite the mounting evidence of the need for 
     subgroup data analysis based on gender, recent reports show 
     that analysis is either not being conducted or not being 
     reported;
       Whereas, although a 1993 policy guideline and a 1998 
     regulation by the Food and Drug Administration recommends 
     that study sponsors perform subgroup analysis of their 
     studies, it is clear that these recommendations are not being 
     followed;
       Whereas, a July 2001 report of the General Accounting 
     Office found that about one-third of new drug applications 
     submitted to the Food and Drug Administration by study 
     sponsors failed to provide gender-specific data from 
     subgroup-analysis conducted during the clinical trials; and
       Whereas, without subgroup analyses, researchers and 
     clinicians cannot truly assess the safety and efficacy of new 
     drugs for women, and the development of potentially life 
     saving drugs may be abandoned if early trials fail to show 
     efficacy in one gender:
       Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Legislature of the 
     State of Utah, the Governor concurring therein, strongly urge 
     the Food and Drug Administration to strictly enforce 
     requirements that clinical study sponsors perform subgroup 
     analysis of their studies to ensure that the health concerns 
     of women are appropriately addressed in clinical trial 
     results.
       Be it further Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be 
     sent to the Food and Drug Administration, the Utah Department 
     of

[[Page 15556]]

     Health, and the members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-174. A resolution adopted by the House of the General 
     Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to 
     pensions and individual retirement accounts; to the Committee 
     on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 38

       Whereas, Under Federal tax relief legislation passed in 
     2001, pension and Individual Retirement Account (IRA) 
     provisions will sunset on December 31, 2010; and
       Whereas, Although the tax-deductible contribution limit for 
     IRA contributions will increase through December 31, 2010, 
     IRA funding limits will actually shrink by 60% in 2011 if 
     pension and IRA provisions sunset as provided in the 2001 tax 
     relief legislation; and
       Whereas, People 50 years of age and older have been allowed 
     tax benefits for investing additional funds in their 
     retirement accounts annually as ``catch-up'' contributions, 
     and this practice should continue because it maximizes ``nest 
     eggs''; and
       Whereas, Pensions should be portable because the average 
     American changes jobs ten times throughout his career span; 
     and
       Whereas, Minimum distribution rules for pensions and 
     retirement accounts should be adjusted to reflect the 
     increase in work years and life expectancy because the 
     population of this country enjoys a longer, more active life 
     than that of a few generations ago and tends to spend more 
     years in the work force; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives urge the 
     Congress of the United States to continue to grant pension 
     moneys and Individual Retirement Accounts favorable tax 
     treatment and to repeal the provisions of the 2001 tax relief 
     legislation which impede such favorable treatment; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, that copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of each House of Congress and to each 
     Member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-175. A resolution adopted by the House of the General 
     Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to the 
     repeal of the death tax; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 70

       Whereas, Under tax relief legislation passed in 2001, the 
     ``death tax'' was temporarily phased out but not permanently 
     eliminated; and
       Whereas, Farmers and other small business owners will face 
     losing their farms and businesses if the Federal Government 
     resumes the heavy taxation of citizens at death; and
       Whereas, Employees suffer layoffs when small and medium 
     businesses are liquidated to pay death taxes; and
       Whereas, If the death tax had been repealed in 1996, the 
     United States economy would have realized billions of dollars 
     each year in extra output and an average of 145,000 
     additional new jobs would have been created; and
       Whereas, Having repeatedly passed in the United States 
     House of Representatives and Senate, repeal of the death tax 
     holds wide bipartisan support; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge Congress to vote for the 
     permanent repeal of the death tax; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-176. A resolution adopted by the House of the General 
     Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to 
     limits on the refinancing of long-term debt and on the 
     advance refunding of private activity bonds by state and 
     local government; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 98

       Whereas, As state and local governments begin working on 
     their annual budgets, they are faced with weighing the 
     unpalatable choices of program cuts, tax hikes or both to 
     make up budget shortfalls as a result of the sluggish 
     economy; and
       Whereas, In 1986 the Congress of the United States added a 
     limitation to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 providing 
     that state and local governments can refinance long-term debt 
     (municipal bonds) only once so that a flood of tax-exempt 
     municipal bonds would not deprive the United States Treasury 
     of tax revenue; and
       Whereas, Many state and local governments refinanced their 
     long-term debt during the 1990s to take advantage of the 
     lower interest rates at that time; and
       Whereas, The slowdown in the economy has led to even lower 
     interest rates and provides the potential for state and local 
     governments to refinance currently outstanding debt at 
     historically low-interest rates and may hold the answer 
     governments are looking for in an attempt to save badly 
     needed funds; and
       Whereas, By Federal law, those same governments now have 
     only one opportunity to take advantage of favorable market 
     conditions and achieve lower borrowing costs; and
       Whereas, Section 149(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 also prohibits the advance refunding of all private 
     activity bonds, other than qualified section 501(c)(3) bonds, 
     if the bonds are to maintain their tax-exempt status; and
       Whereas, Private activity bonds are commonly used by state 
     agencies and local governments to finance important 
     initiatives such as housing and redevelopment projects; and
       Whereas, Current economic uncertainties increasingly pinch 
     state and local government budgets compounded by the 
     increased and unforeseen burdens of funding safeguards 
     against terrorism; and
       Whereas, In order to provide state and local governments 
     with the tools and flexibility they need to face these 
     changing circumstances, additional opportunities are needed 
     to advance the refunding of outstanding debt; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the President and the 
     Congress of the United States to restructure the requirement 
     in section 149(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
     either legislatively or by regulation, to afford state and 
     local governments the flexibility they need to take advantage 
     of favorable market conditions by providing additional 
     opportunities to advance the refunding of outstanding long-
     term debt; and be if further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, to the presiding officers 
     of each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from 
     Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM 177. A resolution adopted by the House of the General 
     Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to a 
     tariff on the importation of milk protein concentrates; to 
     the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 106

       Whereas, Agriculture is the number one industry in the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
       Whereas, Dairy farmers are confronted with the lowest 
     market prices for milk in 20 years as a result of low-cost 
     importing of milk protein concentrates; and
       Whereas, Milk protein concentrate is a highly filtered form 
     of dried milk protein; and
       Whereas, Milk protein concentrates are imported to make 
     cheese products at a lower cost and with less milk; and
       Whereas, There are currently no restrictions on imports of 
     milk protein concentrates; and
       Whereas, The influx of milk protein concentrates is a large 
     contributor to the current dairy crisis; and
       Whereas, Milk protein concentrates are being imported into 
     the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and being used in dairy 
     products; and
       Whereas, Dairy farmers across the country and especially in 
     the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are affected by the large 
     amount of imported milk protein concentrates; therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United 
     States to impose a tariff on the importation of milk protein 
     concentrates; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of each house of Congress, to the 
     Pennsylvania congressional delegation and to Governor Edward 
     G. Rendell.
                                  ____

       POM-178. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Utah relative to the repeal of the individual 
     and permanent Alternative Minimum Tax; to the Committee on 
     Finance.

                          Joint Resolution 24

       Whereas, in 1969 the United States Congress created the 
     Alternative Minimum Tax to prevent wealthy Americans and 
     corporations from using otherwise available deductions to 
     reduce their income tax liability;
       Whereas, today the Alternative Minimum Tax has placed an 
     onerous burden on working middle-class families and 
     productive companies;
       Whereas, any family making over $49,000 and deducting their 
     state and local taxes, mortgage interest, children, and 
     college education will be subject to the Alternative Minimum 
     Tax;
       Whereas, the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax targets 
     capital intensive industries that create jobs, raises the 
     incomes of workers, and increases the standard of living for 
     all Americans
       Whereas, corporations become subject to the Alternative 
     Minimum Tax during recessions which forces employee layoffs; 
     and
       Whereas, it is important to protect working middle-income 
     families and productive companies from tax burdens that only 
     reduce the possibility of economic prosperity instead off 
     encourage it:
       Now, therefore, be it resolved, That the Legislature of the 
     state of Utah urges the members of Utah's congressional 
     delegation to vote to repeal the individual and permanent 
     Alternative Minimum Tax.
       Be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be 
     sent to the members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-179. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Utah relative to a free trade agreement between 
     the Republic of China on Taiwan and the United States; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                           Joint Resolution 7

       Whereas, the United States should promote the values of 
     freedom, democracy, and a

[[Page 15557]]

     commitment to open markets and the free exchange of both 
     goods and ideas at home and abroad;
       Whereas, the Republic of China on Taiwan shares these 
     values with the United States and has struggled throughout 
     the past 50 years to create what is today an open and 
     thriving democracy;
       Whereas, the United States must continue to support the 
     growth of democracy and ongoing market opening in Taiwan if 
     this relationship is to evolve and reflect the changing 
     nature of the global system in the 21st Century;
       Whereas, despite the fact that Taiwan only recently became 
     a member of the World Trade Organization and that it has no 
     formal trade agreement with the United States, Taiwan has 
     nevertheless emerged as the United States' eighth largest 
     trading partner;
       Whereas, American businesses and workers have benefitted 
     greatly from this dynamic trade relationship, most recently 
     in the computer and electronics sector;
       Whereas, Taiwan is a gateway to other Pacific Rim markets 
     for United States exports, helping to preserve peace and 
     stability within the entire region;
       Whereas, United States agricultural producers have been 
     particularly under represented in the list of United States 
     exports to the region, despite the importance of the market 
     for growers of corn, wheat, and soybeans;
       Whereas, a free trade agreement would not only help 
     Taiwan's economy dramatically expand its already growing 
     entrepreneurial class, but it would also serve an important 
     political function;
       Whereas, the United States needs to support partner 
     countries that are lowering trade barriers;
       Whereas, Taiwan has emerged over the past two decades as 
     one of the United States' most important allies in Asia and 
     throughout the world;
       Whereas, in the interest of supporting, preserving, and 
     protecting the democratic fabric of the government of Taiwan, 
     it is made clear that the United States supports the 
     withdrawal of missiles deployed as a threat against Taiwan by 
     the People's Republic of China;
       Whereas, Taiwan has forged an open, market-based economy 
     and a thriving democracy based on free elections and the 
     freedom of dissent;
       Whereas, it is in the interest of the United States to 
     encourage the development of both these institutions;
       Whereas, the United States has an obligation to its allies 
     and to its own citizens to encourage economic growth, market 
     opening, and the destruction of trade barriers as a means of 
     raising living standards across the board;
       Whereas, a free trade agreement with Taiwan would be a 
     positive step toward accomplishing all of these goals; and
       Whereas, the United States should also support the entry of 
     Taiwan into the World Health Organization, the United 
     Nations, and other relevant international organizations:
       Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Legislature of the 
     state of Utah urges the Bush Administration to support a free 
     trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan.
       Be it further Resolved, That United States policy should 
     include the pursuit of some initiative in the World Trade 
     Organization which will give Taiwan meaningful participation 
     in a manner that is consistent with the organization's 
     requirements.
       Be it further Resolbed, That a copy of this resolution be 
     sent to the President of the United States, the United States 
     Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health, Education, and 
     Welfare, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, 
     the Government of Taiwan, the World Trade Organization, and 
     the members of Utah's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-180. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Wisconsin relative to the 
     Medicare system; to the Committee on Finance.

                          Senate Resolution 7

       Whereas, the archaic and complex Medicare reimbursement 
     formula rewards Medicare providers in areas with high 
     historic health costs while penalizing those providers in 
     low-cost areas for the same services; and
       Whereas, Wisconsin and other upper midwestern states have 
     traditionally been paid less per Medicare enrollee due to our 
     efficient, low-cost management of health care services; and
       Whereas, Wisconsin receives the 8th lowest Medicare 
     payments per enrollee in the nation; and
       Whereas, if Wisconsin received Medicare payments at the 
     national average, an additional $1,000,000,000 in benefits 
     would flow to our seniors and their health care providers; 
     and
       Whereas, Wisconsin should no longer be a ``donor'' state by 
     contributing its fair share to the federal program while 
     receiving fewer benefits and lower reimbursements in return; 
     and
       Whereas, the failure of Wisconsin Medicare to cover the 
     cost of health care for its beneficiaries shifts the cost 
     burden to employers and the privately insured, translating 
     into a hidden tax increase that contributes to rising health 
     insurance premiums and the uninsured population; and
       Whereas, an increase in the uninsured would have a 
     detrimental impact on the health of many Wisconsin citizens, 
     would drive up health care costs, and could lead to a 
     significant rise in the use of government programs such as 
     BadgerCare or Medical Assistance, thus requiring additional 
     funding from Wisconsin taxpayers; and
       Whereas, another practical result of this payment inequity 
     is that Wisconsin's seniors are denied access to the broad 
     range of affordable benefits and services that seniors in 
     many other states take for granted; and
       Whereas, in places where reimbursement rates are high, such 
     as Florida, Medicare health maintenance organizations can 
     offer their plans without a premium, while in Wisconsin the 
     Medicare population has limited access to health maintenance 
     organization care; and
       Whereas, Wisconsin's hospitals are paid 14% less than their 
     costs and thus rank 45th nationally in percentage of costs 
     paid for providing services to Medicare beneficiaries; and
       Whereas, Wisconsin physicians are paid approximately one-
     third less of their costs, and Wisconsin consistently ranks 
     nationally as one of the 10 lowest states in Medicare 
     reimbursement for medical services provided; and
       Whereas, the impact of this inequity has not translated 
     into the delay, by 50% of Wisconsin physicians who treat 
     Medicare patients, in the purchase of new and needed 
     equipment; and
       Whereas, 15% of physicians have started restricting the 
     number of new Medicare patients that they will accept while 
     another 9% can no longer afford to accept new Medicare 
     patients, despite an aging Wisconsin population; and
       Whereas, physicians who are still currently seeing Medicare 
     patients have reduced their number of weekly appointments by 
     18%; and
       Whereas, the Medicare cuts cost Wisconsin physicians 
     $40,000,000 last year, forcing 6% of physicians to close 
     their private practices because they could no longer cover 
     their overhead costs and pay their staff; and
       Whereas, the impact of this inequity means the poor, 
     disabled, and elderly will face serious challenges trying to 
     access care; and
       Whereas, the impact of this inequity threatens the 
     viability of our health care providers, especially in rural 
     Wisconsin where Medicare enrollees typically constitute over 
     50% of a hospital's costs; and
       Whereas, allowing Medicare reimbursement formula to exist 
     in its current form will guarantee even greater cost-
     shifting, unending double-digit health insurance premium 
     increases, an increase in the uninsured, a continued decrease 
     in physicians accepting Medicare patients, and fewer 
     hospitals; and
       Whereas, Wisconsin hospitals, physicians, and insurers 
     stand united in their effort to ensure that Wisconsin 
     providers receive the payments that they deserve, and that 
     patients receive the benefits that they deserve; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the senate, That the Wisconsin senate urges the 
     members of the congressional delegation from this state to 
     work to enact legislation that would reform the current 
     Medicare system and create a funding method that will 
     dispense equal benefits regardless of geography; and, be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the senate chief clerk shall send copies of 
     this resolution to the President of the United States, the 
     speaker of the U.S. house of representatives, the president 
     of the U.S. senate, and all of the members of the 
     congressional delegation from this state.

                         REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

  The following reports of committees were submitted:

       By Mr. HATCH, from the Committee on the Judiciary, with an 
     amendment in the nature of a substitute:
       S. 724. A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to 
     exempt certain rocket propellants from prohibitions under 
     that title on explosive materials.
       By Mr. HATCH, from the Committee on the Judiciary, without 
     amendment:
       S. 1233. A bill to authorize assistance for the National 
     Great Blacks in Wax Museum and Justice Learning Center.

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