[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 18526-18528]
[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 214. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     relative to improper labeling and classification of dairy 
     products; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
     Forestry.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 11

       Whereas, Technological advances have led to a dramatic 
     increase in the use of imported dry milk protein concentrates 
     (MPCs) in dairy products. The widespread use of this 
     technology has largely developed after the negotiations for 
     the landmark General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GAAT). 
     Since MPCs are not subject to quotas and tariffs, they are 
     imported into this country at much lower prices. This 
     economic advantage is wreaking havoc in the domestic dairy 
     industry; and
       Whereas, within the American dairy industry, there is great 
     concern that not all manufacturers may be fully complying 
     with requirements for listing accurately all ingredients in 
     standardized food. Since using MPCs in producing dairy 
     products, including cheese, offers significant cost 
     advantages, it is essential that labeling of products reflect 
     the contents accurately. It must be easy for consumers to 
     identify companies that fully comply with standards of 
     identity and that do not use imported MPCs; and
       Whereas, Since substituting MPCs offers price advantages in 
     the marketplace, the volume of their use is increasing 
     substantially. The result is the displacement of domestic 
     milk solids and the erosion of the major component of 
     American agriculture. Action needs to be taken to protect 
     existing food standards and correct unlawful practices as 
     soon as possible; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the house of representatives (the senate 
     concurring), That we memorialize the Congress of the United 
     States to enact legislation that will address the issue of 
     the improper labeling and classification of dairy products; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-215. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     relative to the Congressional Medal of Honor; to the 
     Committee on Armed Services.

                        House Resolution No. 67

       Whereas, Congress has before it a bill, H.R. 369, that 
     would waive time limitations specified in federal law to 
     allow the Medal of Honor to be awarded posthumously to 
     Sergeant Gary Lee McKiddy for acts of valor in the Vietnam 
     War. This legislation was originated in response to 
     circumstances surrounding the events of May 6, 1970, when a 
     helicopter and crew came under intense fire and were shot 
     down; and
       Whereas, The helicopter's crew chief, Sergeant Gary Lee 
     McKiddy, who compiled a remarkable record in Vietnam, 
     gallantly rescued one crew member before Sergeant McKiddy was 
     killed by an explosion that occurred as he returned again to 
     the flames and wreckage to try to rescue the pilot. For a 
     variety of reasons, including the fact that application 
     procedures were not initiated prior to the statutory date of 
     October 1975, Sergeant McKiddy's bravery was not recognized 
     with the nation's highest honor. Congress considered similar 
     legislation to address this in the 107th Congress but 
     adjourned before taking action; and
       Whereas, Congress has the opportunity to rectify the 
     oversight of the past three decades to accord appropriate 
     honor to a true national hero and defender of our ideals. 
     This legislation is long overdue: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the house of representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact H.R. 
     369 to waive time limitations for the consideration of the 
     Congressional Medal of Honor for Sergeant Gary Lee McKiddy; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-216. A joint memorial adopted by the Senate and House 
     of Representatives of the Legislature of the State of 
     Washington relative to the United States Military Academy at 
     West Point; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                       House Joint Memorial 4021

       Whereas, The United States Military Academy today 
     celebrates 200 years of providing leaders of character for 
     our Army and a lifetime of selfless service to the Nation; 
     and
       Whereas, On March 16, 1802, President Thomas Jefferson 
     signed into law a bill of the United States Congress 
     authorizing the establishment of ``a military academy to be 
     located at West Point in the State of New York;'' and
       Whereas, West Point was originally created as an academic 
     institution devoted to the arts and sciences of warfare, and 
     later emphasizing engineering to serve the needs of the 
     Nation and to eliminate the country's reliance on foreign 
     engineers and artillerists; and
       Whereas, Isaac I. Stevens, the first graduate of West 
     Point's Class of 1839, served as the first Governor of the 
     Territory of Washington, and organized and led the Northern 
     Railway Survey that paved the way for the transcontinental 
     railroads to Washington; and
       Whereas, United States Military Academy graduates were 
     responsible for the construction of many of the Nation's 
     initial railway lines, bridges, harbors and roads, and 
     surveys and mapmaking that were vital to the infrastructure 
     development of our great Country and its State of Washington; 
     and
       Whereas, United States Military Academy led Army forces 
     into the wilderness area that became the Territory and State 
     of Washington, providing protection and development services 
     until the civil authority was able to assume these functions; 
     and
       Whereas, West Point graduates have distinguished themselves 
     in countless ways, from Olympic glory to receiving the 
     Heisman Trophy, from receiving scores of Rhodes Scholarships 
     to serving as some of the Nation's pioneering astronauts; and
       Whereas, The United States Military Academy is preparing 
     for its third century of service to our Nation--a future in 
     which fighting and winning our Nation's wars remains the 
     Army's primary focus; and
       Whereas, The United States Military Academy must also 
     prepare officers for peacekeeping duties as part of an ever 
     complex world; and
       Whereas, United States Military Academy remains today an 
     energetic, vibrant institution that attracts some of the 
     Nation's best and brightest young men and women from 
     throughout the Country and its State of Washington who, in 
     the next two hundred years of service to this Nation, will 
     face challenges different from those that have gone before 
     them to make up the storied Long Gray Line; and
       Whereas, The United States Military Academy continues its 
     lasting commitment to its motto of Duty, Honor, Country;
       Now, therefore, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that 
     the President of the United States and the Congress join with 
     the state of Washington and other states in honoring the 
     200th Anniversary of the United States Military Academy at 
     West Point in recognizing that the United States Military 
     Academy is a living testament to the accomplishments of the 
     United States throughout its

[[Page 18527]]

     history, and in recognizing West Point and its graduates as 
     they move forward into the Academy's third century of service 
     to the Nation; be it
       Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be immediately 
     transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the 
     United States, Lieutenant General William J. Lennox, Jr., 
     Superintendent, United States Military Academy, West Point, 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from 
     the State of Washington.
                                  ____

       POM-217. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     relative to unsolicited, commercial email or spam; to the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                        House Resolution No. 62

       Whereas, Unsolicited commercial email, which is generally 
     referred to as ``spam'' is becoming an increasingly 
     burdensome problem for many Americans and both private and 
     public sector enterprises. Unlike other forms of unsolicited 
     marketing, spam imposes little cost to the sender. Because of 
     this, there are few forces to limit the volume of these 
     emails being sent; and
       Whereas, The cumulative effects of spam are staggering. 
     According to reports cited by the Federal Trade Commission 
     (FTC), spam accounts for between one-third and one-half of 
     all emails sent each day. The skyrocketing growth in the 
     volume of unsolicited commercial emails is a burden upon 
     those receiving these unwanted messages. As volume increases, 
     so does the worry over the potential for fraudulent 
     activities; and
       Whereas, The nuisance of unsolicited email has turned into 
     a problem spiraling out of control, not only for individuals 
     but also costing businesses millions of dollars every year in 
     lost productivity. Reports indicate that dealing with spam 
     costs United States corporations nearly $9 billion and 
     accounts for at least $4 billion in lost productivity each 
     year. Even our troops in the Persian Gulf region have 
     reported frustrations with unsolicited email messages 
     impeding efforts to communicate with family back home; and
       Whereas, The FTC has just completed a three-day forum to 
     address the proliferation of unsolicited commercial email and 
     to explore the technical, legal, and financial issues 
     associated with it. In 2001, the FTC received 10,000 messages 
     a day through its spam database; the agency now receives 
     about 130,000 spam messages a day. In reviewing these 
     messages, the FTC has found 66% of the spam analyzed 
     contained false ``From'' lines, ``Subject'' lines, or message 
     text; and
       Whereas, The FTC forum clearly demonstrated a need for 
     actions at the federal level. Numerous options are being 
     discussed, in Congress and in the states and among business 
     and community leaders, on how best to address the issue of 
     spam. It is increasingly clear to many that a federal 
     approach, coupled with individual state actions, offers the 
     greatest potential for meaningful results in dealing with 
     this complex issue: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the house of representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States and the Federal 
     Trade Commission to address the issue of unsolicited 
     commercial email, otherwise known as spam, on a national 
     basis; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, the members of the 
     Michigan congressional delegation, and the United States 
     Federal Trade Commission.
                                  ____

       POM-218. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to the 
     Gulf Intercostal Waterway; to the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science and Transportation.

                        Senate Resolution No. 90

       Whereas, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is vital to the 
     nation's economy spanning across five gulf coast states; and
       Whereas, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway carries one-third 
     of the freight of all of America's waterways and has 
     significant economic impact on the entire state of Louisiana, 
     as well as the nation; and
       Whereas, the protection of the banks of the Gulf 
     Intracoastal Waterway guarantees the future of many 
     businesses and individuals that depend on its efficiency and 
     economy; and
       Whereas, tidal exchange, combined with the effects of wave 
     action and boat wake from traffic has contributed to 
     significant shoreline erosion; and
       Whereas, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway shoreline erosion 
     has and continues to contribute to the loss of coastal 
     wetlands, aquatic resources, commercial and recreational 
     fisheries, agricultural farmland, wildlife resources, 
     essential fish habitat, recreation resources, and cultural 
     resources of coastal Louisiana; and
       Whereas, the lack of action to protect the Gulf 
     Intracoastal Waterway's shorelines has negatively impacted 
     navigation, resulting in increased dredging costs, threats to 
     shipping, implications for loss of trade, reduced flood 
     control, and threats to water supplies due to saltwater 
     intrusion: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana 
     memorializes the Congress of the United States to provide 
     adequate and immediate protection, stabilization, and 
     maintenance of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway canal banks in 
     southwest Louisiana; be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and 
     the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and 
     to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United 
     States Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-219. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     relative to Lake St. Clair; to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources.

                        House Resolution No. 63

       Whereas, Lake St. Clair is an essential component of the 
     network that comprises the world's largest source of 
     accessible freshwater. Often referred to as the ``Heart of 
     the Great Lakes'' for the unique importance, location, and 
     shape, Lake St. Claire is an immeasurable resource to the 
     region's economy, ecology, health, and recreation; and
       Whereas, Lake St. Clair provides the drinking water for 2.3 
     million people, produces one-third of all fish caught on the 
     Great Lakes, and includes some of the most important 
     ecosystem along the Great Lakes basin; and
       Whereas, Several key federal acts, including the Great 
     Lakes Act of 1956, the Clean Water Act of 1978, the Great 
     Lakes Shoreline Mapping Act of 1987, the Nonindigenous 
     Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, and the 
     Water Resources Development Act of 2000, include Lake St. 
     Clair in the definition of the Great Lakes for the purpose of 
     programs and grants; and
       Whereas, Lake St. Clair also received special attention in 
     the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, which directed 
     the Secretary of the Army to prepare a comprehensive 
     management plan for Lake St. Clair, a first draft of which is 
     scheduled for release in 2003; and
       Whereas, In spite of its critical role, Lake St. Clair has 
     been subject to several serious environmental problems in 
     recent years. These have ranged from beach closings due to 
     faulty sewage and speptic systems, combined sewer overflows, 
     toxic contamination, and the impact of invasive species; and
       Whereas, Lake St. Clair will benefit from the Great Lakes 
     Legacy Act of 2002, which provides funds to monitor and clean 
     up contamined sediments in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern, 
     including the St. Clair River and Clinton River watersheds, 
     which are adjacent to Lake St. Clair; now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the house of representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to increase 
     efforts to preserve and protect Lake St. Clair; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation. Adopted by the House 
     of Representatives, June 24, 2003.
                                  ____

       POM-220, A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana 
     relative to petroleum reserves; to the Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 9

       Whereas, since that time, the SPR has been the nation's 
     first line of defense against any interruption in petroleum 
     supplies; and
       Whereas, Louisiana is a natural choice for the placement of 
     reserves due to the concentration of salt domes, petroleum 
     refineries, and distribution points for tankers, and barges, 
     and pipeline; and
       Whereas, Louisiana produces approximately eighty-six 
     million barrels of oil per year and has a refining capacity 
     of two million seven hundred sixty thousand barrels per day; 
     and
       Whereas, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 
     declared it to be a policy to establish a reserve of up to 
     one billion barrels of petroleum; and
       Whereas, the SPR has the capacity to hold seven hundred 
     million barrels and currently holds an inventory of five 
     hundred forty-four million seven hundred thousand barrels at 
     the current facilities located at Freeport and Winnie, Texas, 
     and West Hackberry and Bayou Choctaw, Louisiana; and
       Whereas, the events surrounding the atrocious attacks on 
     our nation on September 11, 2001, including our unwavering 
     pursuit of the perpetrators, may result in foreign petroleum 
     supply interruptions of significant scope or duration; and
       Whereas, the economic well-being of Louisiana's and the 
     nation's economy is irrevocably tied to the supply of 
     petroleum: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Louisiana Legislature does hereby 
     memorialize the President of the United States to fill 
     current petroleum reserve to capacity and expand petroleum 
     reserves in Louisiana utilizing Louisiana-produced petroleum 
     to assist in stabilizing the economy of Louisiana and the 
     nation; be it further

[[Page 18528]]

       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States of America; be it further
       Resolved, That copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.

                          ____________________