[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 4033-4034]
[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-49. A resolution adopted by the City of Traverse City, 
     Michigan relative to supporting men and women of armed 
     forces; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                               Resolution

       Whereas, the United States citizens, property, and armed 
     forces personnel have been attacked by terrorists on numerous 
     occasions including the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen; American 
     embassies in East Africa; the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia; 
     the World Trade Center in New York; the Pentagon in 
     Washington, D.C.; and
       Whereas, in the past, present and future, thousands of men 
     and women in the Armed Forces of the United States, including 
     many from the Traverse City area, have been and continue to 
     be engaged in defending against terrorist attacks worldwide; 
     and
       Whereas, these men and women have taken an oath to defend 
     the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, 
     foreign and domestic; and
       Whereas, these men and women have demonstrated their 
     dedication to defining our freedoms with their personal 
     sacrifices, in some cases the ultimate sacrifice of their 
     lives, in order for us to enjoy the freedoms so often taken 
     for granted; and
       Whereas, especially in this holiday season, these men and 
     women serve in faraway and lonely places, separated from 
     homes and families, without the comforts and joys of this 
     season of peace; and
       Whereas, through this resolution, the City Commission will 
     be extending due respect to all our men and women in the 
     Armed Forces of the United States and a greater sense of 
     national gratitude to those who are preserving our liberties: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the City Commission of the City of Traverse 
     City expresses its support and appreciation to the men and 
     women of the Armed Forces of the United States in the War on 
     Terrorism in this holiday season; and further, be it
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the Office of the President of the United States, the 
     President of the United States Senate, and the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives.
                                  ____

       POM-50. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to expanding 
     Medicare to include a prescription pharmaceutical plan for 
     low-income seniors; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 597

       Whereas, As the costs of medicine rise and as more seniors 
     face great difficulties in paying for prescription 
     medications, there is a genuine need to expand the coverages 
     provided under Medicare. For an increasing number of our 
     older citizens, the choice between spending limited financial 
     resources on food or medicine creates a strain that can in 
     itself be damaging to a person's health and well-being; and
       Whereas, Beyond the financial considerations of proposals 
     to offer a prescription drug plan under Medicare, 
     implementing a program will elevate the level of health care 
     for many people. Clearly, this will benefit not only the 
     seniors who participate, but their families as well; and
       Whereas, It is significant to note that, even as our 
     country faces the expensive task of fighting terrorism and 
     even as we battle recession, the issue of low-income seniors 
     needing prescription drug coverage remains critical. For 
     those who face the painful realities of being unable to pay 
     for vitally needed medication, this is a crisis of its own: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to expand 
     Medicare to include a prescription pharmaceutical plan for 
     low-income seniors; 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-51. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to allow 
     taxpayers to deduct fully the cost of their health insurance 
     premiums; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 601

       Whereas, A key factor in a person's overall quality of life 
     is access to health care. Having health insurance contributes 
     to better health for individuals and families. On a larger 
     scale, people with health insurance benefit society because 
     they are far less likely to need public resources when health 
     problems arise; and
       Whereas, Through our state and federal tax policies, our 
     nation has made decisions on what types of behavior benefit 
     our society. There are many examples of this. Our tax laws 
     encourage people to save for retirement, invest in business 
     enterprises, make donations for charitable purposes, and own 
     homes. A great number of specific expenses are deductible, 
     although some require different thresholds to qualify; and
       Whereas, Given the clear public benefits to our society 
     that derive from those who purchase health insurance, it 
     would be a sound public policy to take every step to 
     encourage the purchase of health insurance. It seems not only 
     eminently fair, but also in the best interests of the country 
     to amend federal tax laws to provide that an individual's 
     premium costs for health insurance are fully deductible. By 
     taking this step to encourage people to secure insurance, we 
     will be addressing a fundamental need, reducing some public 
     costs, and helping our citizens help themselves and their 
     families: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize Congress to enact legislation to provide that 
     taxpayers can deduct fully the cost of their health insurance 
     premiums; 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-52. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to removing 
     ``use it or lose it'' restrictions on flexible spending 
     accounts to permit participants to roll over unused funds to 
     the next year, to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 602

       Whereas, Flexible spending accounts have proven to be 
     effective tools for helping people cope with necessary 
     expenses, such as dependent care and medical costs. Like many 
     aspects of tax policies that encourage behavior that 
     ultimately benefits both individuals and our entire society, 
     flexible spending accounts reflect sensitivity to the 
     challenges people face in providing for themselves and their 
     families; and
       Whereas, Under the current provisions of the laws governing 
     taxes, flexible spending accounts are subject to tight 
     restrictions. While most of the provisions are very 
     productive in ensuring fairness, one of the policies in place 
     is proving to be counterproductive. Currently, a participant 
     with a flexible spending account must use all the money in 
     the account by the end of each year or forfeit the remaining 
     funds. This is a serious disincentive to participation. This 
     requirement not only presumes a person can predict exactly 
     how much money will be spent on the covered activity in a 
     year, but it also ignores the fact that the money set aside 
     for the intended purposes still belongs to the participant; 
     and
       Whereas, It would be far more appropriate to permit a 
     participant to transfer unused funds in a flexible spending 
     account to the next year rather than losing the unused money: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact 
     legislation to remove the ``use it or lose it'' restrictions 
     on flexible spending accounts to permit participants to roll 
     over unused funds to the next year; 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-53. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to providing 
     more flexibility for participants in medical care spending 
     accounts; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 603

       Whereas, Medical care spending accounts are an effective 
     tool for people to use to prepare for medical expenses and 
     minimize

[[Page 4034]]

     overall costs. These flexible spending accounts help 
     individuals and families dealing with the increasing costs of 
     health care; and
       Whereas, All measures that encourage people to plan for 
     medical expenses also bring benefits through the increased 
     number of people seeking and paying for medical services 
     without relying on governmental programs. For participants, 
     medical care spending accounts can bring significant savings, 
     especially since major health care expenses are often 
     unforeseen; and
       Whereas, While medical care spending accounts have been 
     helpful to many American families, there is much more that 
     could be done to increase the rate of participation. The 
     nature of medical expenses argues strongly for increased 
     flexibility to meet unforeseen health costs. With the ever-
     increasing cost of medical services, every effort should be 
     made to increase participation in medical care spending 
     accounts by removing the barriers and restrictions that keep 
     many people from taking advantage of this idea Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact 
     legislation to provide more flexibility for participants in 
     medical care spending accounts; 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-54. A resolution adopted by the City of Miami, Florida 
     relative to the United Nations convention on the elimination 
     of all forms of discrimination against women; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

                         Resolution No. 02-803

       Be it resolved by the Commission of the City of Miami, 
     Florida:
       Section 1. The Miami City Commission's support of the 
     United Nations' Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of 
     Discrimination Against Women as stated in Resolution No. 00-
     917, adopted October 26, 2000, attached and incorporated, is 
     restated.
       Section 2. The United States Congress is urged to 
     immediately ratify said Convention.
       Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of 
     this Resolution to President George W. Bush, Vice-President 
     Richard B. Cheney, Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, 
     Senators Bill Nelson and Bob Graham, all the members of the 
     United States House of Representatives for Miami-Dade County, 
     and the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
       Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective 
     immediately upon its adoption and signature of the Mayor.
                                  ____

       POM-55. A resolution adopted by the City of Ann Arbor, 
     Michigan relative to opposition to war in Iraq; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

                               Resolution

       Whereas, A United States war against Iraq could have 
     significant impact on the Citizens of Ann Arbor, in terms of 
     the potential loss of life and disability among our members 
     of the armed forces, as well as an economic impact as our 
     local tax dollars are diverted to the costs of war, not 
     returned to our State and our community to be spent on needed 
     social, health and education services;
       Whereas, The United States has declared this decade, 2000-
     2010 as the ``International Decade for a Culture of Peace and 
     Non-Violence for the Children of the World'' (UN Declaration 
     53/25, November 10, 1998), urging all people and all levels 
     of government to seek non-violent approaches to conflict 
     resolution and wider education about international law and 
     alternative to war;
       Whereas, A unilateral preemptive war would be a radical 
     change in the principles of international law and custom that 
     the United States has always followed;
       Whereas, All war brings destruction and loss of lives, both 
     of combatants and civilians, to all involved countries;
       Whereas, Our U.S. Congressional Delegation, Senators Carl 
     Levin and Debbie Stabenow and House Representatives Lynn 
     Rivers and John Dingell, voted against unilateral war by the 
     United States against Iraq and have urged the United States 
     to cooperate with the United Nations in any decision on 
     military action against Iraq, and would be encouraged by our 
     support; and
       Whereas, The Ann Arbor City Council cannot speak for all 
     residents, but has been asked by many residents to speak out 
     on this momentous issue facing our nation; therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Ann Arbor City Council joins with the 
     communities of Washington, D.C.; Seattle, Washington; 
     Albuquerque, New Mexico; Takoma Park, Maryland; Arcata, 
     California, Santa Barbara, California, Santa Cruz, 
     California; Ithaca, New York; Santa Fee, New Mexico; Danby, 
     New York; Sebastopol, California; New Haven, Connecticut; 
     Oakland, California; Carrboro, North Carolina; Haines 
     Township, Pennsylvania; Madison, Wisconsin; Burlington, 
     Vermont; and Detroit, Michigan; and with our U.S. 
     Congressional Delegation, Senators Carl Levin and Debbie 
     Stabenow and Representatives Lynn Rivers and John Dingell, in 
     opposing a war with the country of Iraq, particularly prior 
     to taking all available measures to cooperate with the United 
     Nations in removing all weapons of mass destruction.
                                  ____

       POM-56. A resolution adopted by the City of Palm Bay, 
     Florida relative to completely banning human cloning; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

                         Resolution No. 2003-06

       Whereas, human cloning is a manufacturing process in which 
     a human being is created in a laboratory; human cloning 
     indicates a utilitarian view in which a human being is 
     created merely for usefulness with no respect for the dignity 
     of that human being; and human cloning creates a human being 
     who is the twin of a parent, has no other biological parent, 
     and is the child of the grandparents thereby causing serious 
     moral, social, and legal issues, and
       Whereas, current human cloning attempts pose a substantial 
     risk of producing human beings with unpredictable but 
     potentially devastating health problems, and
       Whereas, such human cloning attempts are grossly 
     irresponsible and unethical, and
       Whereas, on July 31, 2001, the United States House of 
     Representatives passed the Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 
     2001, a complete human cloning ban; and the President of the 
     United States has called for a complete human cloning ban; 
     and
       Whereas, the United States Senate failed to act on the bill 
     passed by the United States House of Representatives before 
     the end of the 107th Congress, and
       Whereas, a complete human cloning ban is achieved by the 
     passage of the Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2003 as 
     introduced in the United States House of Representatives by 
     Congressman Dave Weldon, M.D. (H.R. 234) and is not achieved 
     by the passage of other human cloning prohibition acts that 
     allow the creation of human embryos by cloning so long as 
     they are killed for research: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the City Council of the City of Palm Bay, 
     Brevard County, Florida, as follows:
       Section 1. The above recitals are true and correct and by 
     this reference are hereby incorporated into and made an 
     integral part of this resolution.
       Section 2. The City Council of the City of Palm Bay 
     strongly urges the United States House of Representatives to 
     pass the Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2003 introduced by 
     Congressman Dave Weldon, M.D.; that the United States Senate 
     is strongly urged to pass a complete human cloning ban; that 
     the Florida House and Senate are urged to provide identical 
     protection for life in this state, and that the President of 
     the United States is strongly urged to sign a complete human 
     cloning ban.
       Section 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately 
     upon the enactment date.

                          ____________________