[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16606-16616]
[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:


[[Page 16607]]

       POM-142. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to the United 
     States Department of Agriculture (USDA) providing assistance, 
     including additional emergency funding, in the effort to 
     mitigate the infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer; to the 
     Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                          Senate Resolution 35

       Whereas, Michigan asked the federal government for $29.5 
     million to fight the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in 2005. On 
     April 19th the USDA sent a letter to Governor Granholm saying 
     there would be no more emergency funding to fight the EAB. 
     The state has received only about $10.9 million from USDA, 
     which is not enough to fund all the current eradication 
     strategies; and
       Whereas, With alarming swiftness, the Emerald Ash Borer, an 
     aggressive Asian insect, is threatening virtually all of the 
     ask trees in the state of Michigan and surrounding region. In 
     spite of the quarantine in 20 Michigan counties this beetle 
     has killed or damaged approximately 15 million ask tress in 
     the state. Overall, the EAB, an invasive species, is causing 
     similar devastation in the states of Ohio and Indiana, as 
     well as the Canadian province of Ontario, threatening as many 
     of 700 million ash trees in our state and 8 million in North 
     America; and
       Whereas, Ash trees are very important to the ecology, 
     economy, and environment of our state and the nation. Ash 
     trees are used for many products in several sectors of 
     business. Beyond these factors, the ash trees that grace our 
     communities and neighborhoods are beloved shade trees that 
     contribute enormously to the character and beauty of 
     Michigan, the region, and the nation; and
       Whereas, Governor Granholm is working to secure continued 
     assistance from the federal government to deal swiftly with 
     this devastating pest. Michigan needs sustained technical and 
     financial assistance to face this emergency. The state has 
     taken decisive actions to address this invasive species, but 
     the magnitude of the problem and the immediacy of the issues 
     make it clear we need the prompt assistance of Congress and 
     the USDA: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of 
     the United States and the United States Department of 
     Agriculture (USDA) to provide assistance, including 
     additional emergency funding, in the effort to mitigate the 
     infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer; 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-143. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to 
     providing the necessary funding to restore Calcasieu Ship 
     Channel in southwest Louisiana in order that the economic, 
     safety, and security concerns may be adequately addressed; to 
     the Committee on Appropriations.

                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 12

       Whereas, the Calcasieu Ship Channel, located in southwest 
     Louisiana, consists of thirty-five inland miles of navigable 
     waterway and thirty miles of offshore channel in the Gulf of 
     Mexico with a project depth of forty feet; and
       Whereas, two major refineries are completely dependent on 
     the ship channel for crude oil supply, which is significant 
     since these refineries produce four percent of the supply of 
     motor fuels for the United States and have no alternate means 
     of receiving crude oil imports; and
       Whereas, the Calcasieu Ship Channel also hosts the largest 
     liquified natural gas import terminal in the continental 
     United States, which is undergoing an expansion to double its 
     capacity, and additional receiving terminals have been 
     proposed on the Calcasieu, one of which has been approved by 
     the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); and
       Whereas, the Port of Lake Charles handles over fifty 
     million tons of cargo per year, making it the nation's 
     twelfth largest port; and
       Whereas, with an abundance of environmentally sensitive, 
     potentially combustible cargo combined with a lack of viable 
     alternative transportation modalities suggests that loss of 
     this critical transportation infrastructure would be 
     economically and strategically devastating; and
       Whereas, for the congressional Fiscal Year 2006, operating 
     and maintenance funding of the Calcasieu Ship Channel was cut 
     disproportionately in comparison to other ports and 
     waterways; and
       Whereas, the Calcasieu Ship Channel cannot be maintained at 
     its project depth at forty feet of draft under the proposed 
     budget for Fiscal Year 2006 and will be functionally impaired 
     as a result; such consequences to include:
       (1) Increased risk of a grounding in an environmentally 
     sensitive estuary that is not protected by a levee system.
       (2) Increase in the number of tanker ship transits of 
     liquefied natural gas and crude oil, which in turn will 
     compound the need for future dredging and maintenance.
       (3) Increase in shipping costs to users of the ship channel 
     resulting from the mandatory lightening of ships, eventually 
     borne by consumers.
       (4) Increase in the number of transits of hazardous and 
     combustible cargoes directly increases the number of 
     potential terrorist targets on the channel.
       (5) Should the channel be closed due to a grounding, four 
     percent of the nation's motor fuel supply will be cut off 
     from the raw materials needed for its production: Therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to provide the necessary 
     funding to the Calcasieu Ship Channel in southwest Louisiana 
     in order that the economic, safety, and security concerns may 
     be adequately addressed. Be it further
       Resolved, That to adequately address these concerns 
     presented by under-funding, the Calcasieu Ship Channel needs 
     fifteen million dollars in annual maintenance funding and an 
     additional one-time allocation of another fifteen million 
     dollars to restore the channel to its authorized dimensions. 
     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-144. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana 
     relative to requesting the Base Realignment and Closure 
     Commission to reject the Defense Department's recommendation 
     to close the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) site 
     in Slidell; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                    House Concurrent Resolution 167

       Whereas, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) site 
     in Slidell has been recommended for closure by the United 
     States Department of Defense; and
       Whereas, DISA is located on fourteen acres of land owned by 
     the city of Slidell, and Slidell leases the land to the 
     federal government for one dollar per year; and
       Whereas, DISA, a computer systems agency, employs one 
     hundred fifty-one employees with an annual payroll of $10.8 
     million; and
       Whereas, DISA's focus on technology serves as a stimulus 
     for the attraction of high-tech businesses and the 
     development of additional high-paying, professional jobs in 
     the area; and
       Whereas, the loss of the ten-year-old, multimillion dollar 
     facility would be detrimental to the housing market, economy, 
     and the city of Slidell; and
       Whereas, DISA effectively provides services that are 
     important to the defense of the nation: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     urge and request the Base Realignment and Closure Commission 
     to maintain the Defense Information Systems Agency location 
     in Slidell as an active military installation and further 
     requests that the members of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation support its continued presence in the city of 
     Slidell and the state of Louisiana. Be it further
       Resolved, That a suitable copy of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the President of the United States, George W. 
     Bush, and to the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-145. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to the 
     expeditious resolution of the third nomination for the Medal 
     of Honor; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 90

       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth died May 4, 2005, of cancer in 
     Mexico where he was receiving alternative medical treatments 
     for his illness which is believed to have been caused by his 
     exposure to defoliants during his nearly five years of combat 
     duty in the Republic of Vietnam; and
       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth was a legendary combat leader, 
     earning a battlefield commission in the Korean War and 
     receiving his first Silver Star and Purple Heart before he 
     was old enough to vote; and
       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth was such an exceptional and 
     outstanding soldier that he became the youngest ``Bird'' 
     Colonel in the United States Army during his numerous tours 
     in Vietnam where his bravery in combat action put him in the 
     same class of hero as Sergeant Alvin York in World War I and 
     Audie Murphy in World War II; and
       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth earned some one hundred ten 
     medals, badges and citations during his twenty-six years in 
     the Army, including two Distinguished Service Crosses, ten 
     Silver Stars, eight Bronze Star Medals for Valor, and eight 
     Purple Hearts for wounds suffered in combat, as well as two 
     separate awards of the Combat Infantryman's Badge; and
       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth transformed the hopeless 4/39th 
     Infantry Battalion into the legendary Hardcore Battalion 
     which became the most feared unit in the Mekong Delta, 
     Vietnam; and
       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth, during his 1969 tour with the 
     4/39th, received his third

[[Page 16608]]

     nomination for the Medal of Honor for his gallantry and 
     bravery as he flew a helicopter directly on top of the 
     enemy's position and saved the lives of the entire point 
     element of an Infantry Company pinned down and facing certain 
     death by personally crossing a bullet-swept open area and 
     carrying the wounded soldiers back to the chopper for 
     extraction; and
       Whereas, while the men who witnessed Colonel Hackworth's 
     heroic actions are still actively urging the Pentagon to 
     award the nation's highest award for valor to the Colonel, 
     the Army, thirty-six years later, still has not considered 
     the recommendation made by the men rescued that day and has 
     made no award of any type for the Colonel's daring bravery 
     which was clearly above and beyond the call of duty; and
       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth retired from the Army after his 
     public criticism of the military higher command's policy for 
     fighting the Vietnam War and his accurate predictions that 
     the war would be lost within five years unless America's 
     policies and tactics were changed; and
       Whereas, all three of Colonel Hackworth's nominations for 
     the Medal of Honor were properly filed by witnesses to his 
     extraordinary bravery, with two of the nominations resulting 
     in the award of the Distinguished Service Cross, second in 
     rank only to the Medal of Honor; and
       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth was buried with full military 
     honors in Arlington National Cemetery May 31, 2005, and 
     enjoys a hero's well-deserved rest there now that none can 
     deny him; and
       Whereas, Colonel Hackworth surely deserves a posthumous 
     award of the Medal of Honor for his truly unheard of and 
     amazing third nomination for this country's highest 
     acknowledgment of combat heroism, or, at the very least, some 
     explanation of the military's failure to make any award for 
     the nominated actions of thirty-six years ago; and
       Whereas, several awards of the Medal of Honor were made 
     during the administration of President Bill Clinton to 
     minority veterans nominated for the medal but denied because 
     of race and Pentagon politics: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to make serious inquiry 
     into the status of and pursue the expeditious resolution of 
     United States Army Colonel David H. Hackworth's third 
     nomination for the Medal of Honor for his heroism in battle 
     while in the service of his country. 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. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     Colonel Hackworth's widow, Eilhys England Hackworth.
                                  ____

       POM-146. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly 
     of the State of Tennessee relative to proposed cuts in 
     agriculture-related programs and initiatives; to the 
     Committee on the Budget.

                      Senate Joint Resolution 277

       Whereas, agriculture has been the backbone of the American 
     way of life since the founding of our great nation and even 
     today the United States of America remains the breadbasket of 
     the world; and
       Whereas, recognizing that farm planning is a multi-year 
     process, the 2002 Farm Bill enacted by Congress provided a 
     long-term commitment to the American farming and ranching 
     communities to ensure stability in the agriculture industry 
     and the overall agriculture economy; and
       Whereas, the structure and funding levels of the current 
     farm bill are currently being threatened with budget cuts 
     that will jeopardize the futures of America's farmers and 
     ranchers, placing them at a serious competitive disadvantage 
     during World Trade Organization's agriculture trade talks; 
     and
       Whereas, agricultural products are America's top export 
     with more than $62 billion in sales during 2004. Farm exports 
     enable jobs and businesses for millions of Americans; more 
     than 17 percent of the total American workforce is involved 
     in the production, processing, and sale of the nation's food 
     and fiber; and
       Whereas, Tennessee ranks fourth in the nation in the number 
     of farms within our borders; and agriculture contributes 
     $38.5 billion to the Tennessee economy and accounts for more 
     than 214,000 jobs; and
       Whereas, the economic well-being of Tennessee's 
     agricultural producers directly contributes to the economic 
     well-being of the state as a whole and, in turn, the economic 
     health of our producers is dependent on the preservation of 
     agricultural funding on a national level. Any budget cuts to 
     agriculture-related programs and initiatives will be 
     disastrous for the agricultural industry throughout the 
     entire nation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the One Hundred Fourth General 
     Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the House of 
     Representatives concurring, That, in order to prevent 
     extensive economic damage to the American agriculture 
     industry and the economic stability of the citizens of 
     Tennessee, the United States Congress is hereby urged to stop 
     any cuts to the agriculture budget as proposed in the 2006 
     Federal Budget documents and are also. urged to provide full 
     funding to the 2002 Farm Bill, and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Senate is directed to 
     transmit enrolled copies of this resolution to the President 
     and Secretary of the U.S. Senate; the Speaker and the Clerk 
     of the U.S. House of Representatives; and each member of 
     Tennessee's congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-147. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Iowa relative to declaring 
     support for Amtrak; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
     and Transportation.

                          Senate Resolution 58

       Whereas, Amtrak, the national railroad passenger 
     corporation providing national railroad passenger service, is 
     energy efficient and environmentally beneficial; and
       Whereas, Amtrak provides mobility to citizens of many 
     smaller communities not well served by air and bus services 
     and to those persons with medical conditions which prevent 
     them from traveling by air; and
       Whereas, according to Amtrak, Amtrak ridership in Iowa has 
     increased from 47,442 in 2003 to 54,365 in 2004; and
       Whereas, according to Amtrak, during 2004, Amtrak carried 
     over 25 million passengers nationwide, representing an 
     increase of over 4.3 percent compared to 2003; and
       Whereas, in service to those 25 million passengers, Amtrak 
     serves over 500 stations in 46 states on 22,000 miles of 
     track with approximately 20,000 employees, contributing 
     strongly to local and regional economies; and
       Whereas, the Amtrak 2004 budget represented only 2 percent 
     of the United States Department of Transportation's $59 
     billion budget, compared to the balance for highway and 
     airline subsidies: Now therefore, be it
       Resolved by Senate, That the President of the United States 
     and the Congress are urged to do the following:
       1. Maintain a strong level of Amtrak funding; and
       2. Include a strong Amtrak system in all plans for the 
     national transportation system; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the President of the United 
     States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, and members of Iowa's congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-148. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to 
     protecting and ensuring the right of state and local 
     governmental entities to comment on applications for new 
     offshore liquefied natural gas facilities; to the Committee 
     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 117

       Whereas, Louisiana has had a major role in America's energy 
     production and will continue to have a viable role in the 
     future; and
       Whereas, demand for natural gas in the United States is 
     expected to grow by twenty-five percent during the next ten 
     years and LNG will play an important role in the world's 
     growing need for energy; and
       Whereas, one of the greatest benefits of LNG is the new 
     supplies of natural gas which will enter the market to offer 
     relief to the American consumers; and
       Whereas, today, more than one hundred fifty LNG ocean 
     tankers transport more than one hundred ten million metric 
     tons of LNG annually to more than forty ports around the 
     world; and
       Whereas, Louisiana and its citizens have long accepted the 
     blessings and burdens of the oil and gas industry so that the 
     rest of the nation may have an adequate supply of energy; and
       Whereas, recent concerns have been growing across the 
     coastal states regarding the use of open rack vaporization 
     systems (``open-loop systems'') at LNG terminals in the Gulf 
     of Mexico; and
       Whereas, the proposed open loop terminals would be placed 
     in the Gulf of Mexico adjacent to the most productive 
     estuaries in the United States; and
       Whereas, one open-loop terminal would take in up to two 
     hundred million gallons of Gulf water a day through 
     structures similar to a radiator, run it over panels with a 
     temperature of minus two hundred sixty degrees Fahrenheit, 
     and return the water back into the Gulf treated and 
     approximately twenty degrees cooler; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries 
     issued concerns about ``the unknown effect of the open rack 
     vaporizer regasification system's entrainment, impingement, 
     and discharge characteristics on living marine resources, 
     particularly considering the number of license applications 
     for this type of facility being currently considered by the 
     United States Coast Guard across the Gulf of Mexico''; and
       Whereas, the governor of Louisiana stated ``as a state 
     supportive of LNG development, we have tried to work within 
     the current licensing system to allow offshore LNG 
     development . . . we are unable to reach an acceptable 
     comfort level with the potential

[[Page 16609]]

     risks presented by the cumulative impacts of multiple 
     offshore LNG facilities that use the open rack vaporizer 
     system''; and
       Whereas, the Governor of Louisiana has stated ``Until 
     studies demonstrate that the operation of the open rack 
     vaporizer will not have an unacceptable impact on the 
     surrounding ecosystem, I will only support offshore LNG 
     terminals using a closed loop system having negligible 
     impacts to marine life.'': Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress and the Louisiana 
     Congressional delegation to protect and ensure the right of 
     state and local governmental entities to comment on 
     applications for new offshore liquefied natural gas 
     facilities and the right of the governor to veto to the 
     extent authorized by federal law the approval of such 
     facilities. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Louisiana Legislature does hereby 
     memorialize the U.S. Congress to direct the U.S. Maritime 
     Administration to require that the environmental impacts of 
     offshore liquefied natural gas terminals be fully 
     investigated and considered before these facilities are 
     licensed, especially in regards to the individual and 
     cumulative impacts of open rack vaporization systems on 
     marine species and marine habitat. 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-149. A joint resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of Nevada relative to taking certain actions concerning 
     wilderness areas and wilderness study areas; to the Committee 
     on Energy and Natural Resources.

                       Senate Joint Resolution 1

       Whereas, The provisions of 16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq., commonly 
     referred to as the Wilderness Act, establish the National 
     Wilderness Preservation System, which consists of areas of 
     federal public lands that are designated by Congress as 
     wilderness areas; and
       Whereas, Congress has designated approximately 2.8 million 
     acres of 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, The provisions of the Wilderness Act and the 
     Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.c. 
     1701 et seq., provide for the study of certain areas of land 
     to determine whether those areas, commonly known as 
     wilderness study areas, are suitable for designation as a 
     wilderness area; and
       Whereas, In conjunction with the provisions of the 
     Wilderness Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
     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, Although Congress recently enacted the Lincoln 
     County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004, 
     Pub. L. No. 108-424, 118 Stat. 2403, pursuant to which 
     approximately 768,000 acres have been given status as 
     wilderness areas and approximately 251,000 acres have been 
     released for multiple use under the Federal Land Policy and 
     Management Act, the Bureau of Land Management continues to 
     manage approximately 2.8 million acres of federal public 
     lands in Nevada identified as wilderness study areas; and
       Whereas, Decisions concerning whether to designate 
     wilderness study areas as wilderness areas or release those 
     areas for multiple use are important and must be made in a 
     timely manner and without any unnecessary delays so that 
     those lands which are suitable for designation as a 
     wilderness an:a may be afforded full protection as such and 
     those lands which are not suitable for designation as a 
     wilderness area may be released for use and management for 
     the public good as accorded by law; 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 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 take the following actions concerning wilderness 
     areas and wilderness study areas:
       1. As part of the legislative process for determining which 
     federal lands should be designated as wilderness areas, and 
     in accordance with stakeholder agreements, continue the 
     policy of releasing federal lands that are a part of a 
     wilderness study area for multiple use, and to continue the 
     appropriate disposal of suitable federal lands for conversion 
     to state or private lands, when the determination is made 
     that those federal lands are unsuitable for designation as 
     wilderness areas;
       2. When determining whether to designate land as a 
     wilderness area, carefully consider the requirements of 
     existing and future military operations on the land and in 
     the airspace over the land and make appropriate decisions 
     based on those requirements; and
       3. Support the adoption of a schedule for the timely 
     consideration of a plan to release wilderness study areas 
     that are found unsuitable for designation as wild,erness 
     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-150. A joint resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     State of Nevada relative to directing the Secretary of the 
     Interior to provide full funding for the Clark County Sport 
     Shooting Park; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                       Senate Joint Resolution 12

       Whereas, The United States Congress passed the Southern 
     Nevada Public Lands Management Act of 1998, which authorizes 
     the United States Department of the Interior through the 
     Bureau of Land Management to sell certain federal lands in 
     Clark County to the private sector for development purposes; 
     and
       Whereas, The provisions of the Act allocate 5 percent of 
     the profits from the sale of federal land to fund education 
     in Nevada, 10 percent to the Southern Nevada Water Authority 
     for water delivery projects, and 85 percent to a special 
     account to be used for the federal acquisition of 
     environmentally sensitive land to develop a Multi-Species 
     Habitat Conservation Plan to protect threatened and 
     endangered species, for capital projects on federal land 
     managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park 
     Service and the United States Forest Service, and for 
     developing parks, trails and natural areas in Clark County; 
     and
       Whereas, Additional legislation amended the Act to include 
     the funding of conservation initiatives on federal land and 
     federal environmental restoration projects at Lake Tahoe and 
     to authorize that certain revenues be set aside for other 
     specific purposes; and
       Whereas, The Las Vegas Valley is the fastest growing 
     metropolitan area in the United States and the Act was 
     passed, in part, to offset growing recreational and 
     environmental impacts on federal land surrounding the Las 
     Vegas Valley and to provide recreational amenities within the 
     Las Vegas Valley; and
       Whereas, The residents of Clark County enjoy and utilize 
     the right to own and use firearms, with persons in one of 
     every three households estimated to own a firearm, and 
     firearm owners have expressed a strong desire to develop a 
     safe and affordable public shooting park in the Las Vegas 
     Valley; and
       Whereas, The Las Vegas Valley has limited public shooting 
     opportunities and no public shooting parks, causing citizens 
     to use federal lands for practice shooting, which results in 
     illegal shooting, environmental damage and public safety 
     issues; and
       Whereas, Law enforcement, the security industry and local 
     military units in the Las Vegas Valley have expressed a 
     desire for a shooting park to meet training and Homeland 
     Defense needs; and
       Whereas, The need for a public shooting park was 
     acknowledged by the Department of the Interior and Congress 
     in January 2002 when President George W. Bush signed into law 
     H.R. 2937, which transferred 2,880 acres of federal land to 
     Clark County for the purpose of constructing a public 
     shooting park; and
       Whereas, The Clark County Board of Commissioners directed 
     the Department of Parks and Community Services, with the 
     advice of a citizen advisory committee, to design, construct 
     and operate the shooting park; and
       Whereas, The Sport Shooting Park Citizen Advisory Committee 
     has recommended a conceptual plan for a safe, affordable and 
     self-sustaining sport shooting park to meet the needs of the 
     public, and this project enjoys strong support from the 
     residents of the Las Vegas Valley; and
       Whereas, The Department of the Interior, using money 
     generated from the sale of land in Las Vegas Valley as 
     required by the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, 
     funded the first phase of this project; and
       Whereas, The Clark County staff proposed that the federal 
     Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Subgroup recommend funding of 
     $42,160,000 by the Department of the Interior to complete the 
     remainder of the Sport Shooting Park development, as phases 2 
     and 3 of the project; and

[[Page 16610]]

       Whereas, The Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Subgroup 
     funding recommendation eliminated the proposed law 
     enforcement area and the park center, thereby reducing the 
     funding recommendation to $33,600,000; and
       Whereas, The Clark County Board of Commissioners passed a 
     resolution on March 1, 2005, requesting a reevaluation of the 
     recommendation and the continuation of funding from the 
     Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act of 1998; and
       Whereas, The Secretary of the Interior has the authority to 
     authorize expenditure of money from the Act to provide full 
     funding for the Clark County Sport Shooting Park: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, 
     Jointly, That the members of the 73rd Session of the Nevada 
     Legislature hereby urge President Bush to direct the 
     Secretary of the Interior to provide full funding for the 
     Clark County Sport Shooting Park; and be it further
       Resolved, That the members of the 73rd Session of the 
     Nevada Legislature support the resolutions adopted by the 
     Clark County Board of Commissioners on March 1, 2005, 
     concerning the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act of 
     1998; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the 
     United States, the Vice President of the United States as the 
     presiding officer of the United States Senate, the Speaker of 
     the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Interior, 
     and each member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage.
                                  ____

       POM-151. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to 
     establishing a domestic energy policy that will ensure an 
     adequate supply of energy and the necessary infrastructure; 
     to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 120

       Whereas, the price of natural gas in the United States, the 
     highest in the industrial world, has recently spiked and 
     continues to show volatility; and
       Whereas, the current price of natural gas has been equated 
     to paying sixteen dollars for a gallon of milk, twelve 
     dollars and seventy cents for a pound of ground beef, or nine 
     dollars and twenty-one cents for a gallon of gasoline; and
       Whereas, abnormally high natural gas prices have created an 
     unanticipated burden of one hundred and eleven billion 
     dollars on the economy of the United States over the past 
     thirty months; and
       Whereas, the United States relies too heavily on natural 
     gas in our national energy supply, creating a tremendous 
     imbalance between natural gas supply and demand; and
       Whereas, Louisiana's manufacturers, farmers, small 
     businesses, local governments, retailers, and residential 
     consumers are struggling from skyrocketing natural gas 
     prices; and
       Whereas, thousands of jobs in these industries are 
     threatened because many of these businesses use natural gas 
     as a raw material and as an energy supply; and
       Whereas, the natural gas imbalance is not a free market 
     problem; and
       Whereas, natural gas is domestically produced and very 
     difficult to import, and the United States cannot correct the 
     imbalance by the importation of natural gas; and
       Whereas, the high price of natural gas is created by 
     governmental policies that increase demand for natural gas 
     while impeding the development of a greater supply by 
     discouraging exploration and production; and
       Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana supports a sound and 
     rational domestic energy policy; and
       Whereas, such energy policy should develop a concerted 
     national effort to promote greater energy efficiency and open 
     promising new areas for environmentally responsible natural 
     gas production: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to establish a domestic 
     energy policy that will ensure an adequate supply of energy 
     and the necessary infrastructure. 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-152. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada relative to recognizing the unsuitability 
     of Yucca Mountain as the site for a repository to store and 
     dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive 
     waste; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                      Assembly Joint Resolution 4

       Whereas, Since 1954, when the Atomic Energy Act was passed 
     by Congress, the Federal Government has been responsible for 
     the disposal of radioactive waste, yet few environmental 
     challenges have proven more daunting than the problems posed 
     by the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level 
     radioactive waste; and
       Whereas, In July 2002, despite seemingly inadequate 
     standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the 
     recommendation of the Secretary of Energy, President Bush 
     signed legislation designating Yucca Mountain as suitable for 
     the nation's only repository for high-level radioactive waste 
     and spent nuclear fuel without regard to the constant and 
     vigorous objections of the political leaders and residents of 
     the State of Nevada, and ignored the underlying geologic 
     isolation requirements set by Congress; and
       Whereas, The recommendation of Yucca Mountain was not only 
     premature but also flawed, especially given the Department of 
     Energy's failure to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the 
     socioeconomic, environmental and public health and safety 
     impact both within Nevada and within communities along 
     national shipping routes; and
       Whereas, Not only is the proposed repository in one of the 
     most geologically active areas in the nation but, according 
     to the Agency for Nuclear Projects, it is ``the only 
     repository under consideration in the world that is located 
     above the water table, not below it''; and
       Whereas, Even if risks related to geologic disposal are 
     ignored, the designation of Yucca Mountain is of particular 
     concern because of its location within an area rife with 
     seismic and hydrothermic activity and because of its 
     proximity to numerous fractures and earthquake faults, which 
     could lead to underground contamination; and
       Whereas, As more, problems are revealed, the Department of 
     Energy has gravitated from the concept of geologic isolation; 
     and now is relying almost exclusively on ``engineered 
     barriers'' to keep radiological materials from migrating out 
     of the repository and into the environment, essentially 
     ignoring the foundational recommendation of the National 
     Academy of Sciences that manmade materials not be used to 
     compensate for faulty geology or hydrology; and
       Whereas, The Nuclear Energy Institute has declared that the 
     repository can be licensed ``without the mountain,'' yet, if 
     that is true, if the mountain is irrelevant and waste 
     packages can be made to last for 10,000 years, why make tens 
     of thousands of shipments of radioactive waste through the 
     nation's cities to a site as seismically adverse as Yucca 
     Mountain; and
       Whereas, In July 2004, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 
     D.C. Circuit threw out a radiation safety standard set by the 
     Environmental Protection Agency, finding that the Nuclear 
     Regulatory Commission ``breached its duty'' to protect the 
     health and safety of the public by limiting repository 
     performance standards to 10,000 years, essentially ignoring 
     the National Academy of Sciences when it recommended that the 
     standard exceed 300,000 years; and
       Whereas, The recent court decision has not only delayed the 
     licensing process, but the Department of Energy has stated 
     that they are unable to meet a standard longer than 10,000 
     years; and
       Whereas, The Department of Energy contends it is better to 
     have all nuclear waste at a single location rather than 
     scattered around the country, yet this contention is flawed 
     because Yucca Mountain will be at capacity by the time it is 
     finally deemed to be ready for use, effectively putting to 
     rest the ``one safe site'' idea; and
       Whereas, Those within the nuclear industry itself have 
     commented that storing high-level waste at a centralized 
     location is no longer essential and, in fact, permits have 
     been filed to build new nuclear power plants with on-site 
     storage and to increase storage at existing plants, the sites 
     of which are already protected by comprehensive security 
     plans; and
       Whereas, The Department of Energy's own analysis of Yucca 
     Mountain suggests there would be fewer deaths and injuries if 
     the Department allowed the waste to continue to be stored at 
     existing power plants and storage sites until a safe and 
     permanent site and transportation proposal can be confirmed; 
     and
       Whereas, Ninety percent of the waste to be shipped to Yucca 
     Mountain is now located east of the Mississippi and, if 
     transported, will impact at least 44 states, hundreds of 
     cities, thousands of communities and nearly 50 million 
     Americans who reside within 3 miles of potential shipping 
     routes; and
       Whereas, An area identified as the Caliente rail corridor 
     has been designated as part of the transportation route, the 
     designation of which is being contested, particularly since 
     flooding occurred in that area in January 2005, eroding 
     approach embankments and causing railroad tracks to be washed 
     away, which led 5 to 10 trains to be rerouted through Reno; 
     and
       Whereas, Compounding the transportation issue is the fact 
     that, even without an accident, Nevada's economy stands to 
     lose upwards of $5.5 billion annually as a result of the 
     stigmatizing effects of the repository and the transportation 
     of nuclear waste through the State; and
       Whereas, As early as 1986, the Department of Energy 
     acknowledged the potential for impacts to a tourism-dependent 
     economy, an issue of great concern in Nevada, stating ``the 
     potential for adverse public perception

[[Page 16611]]

     of a repository and its associated waste transportation could 
     adversely affect the tourism industry''; and
       Whereas, Given the unique reliance of Nevada's economy on 
     the State's ability to attract tourists, any impacts that 
     reduce the number of visitors, especially to Las Vegas, would 
     have major economic consequences for this State, leading to 
     direct fiscal consequences for local governments as it is 
     predicted that, even without an accident, visitor spending 
     will decline by 7 percent, reducing local government tax 
     revenues by $91 million annually; and
       Whereas, Not only is Nevada itself ranked the fastest 
     growing state in the nation but the Las Vegas Valley, in 
     particular, is one of the fastest growing areas in the 
     nation, with Henderson, North Las Vegas and Las Vegas being 
     among the top six fastest growing cities in the country, 
     which further raises concerns because Yucca Mountain is 
     located just 90 miles northwest of the Valley; and
       Whereas, Recent setbacks include decreased funding by 
     Congress, delays in the licensing process and the backlog in 
     review by the Department of Energy of the documents to be 
     submitted with the application, of which there are more than 
     2 million documents still in need of study; and
       Whereas, The inescapable conclusion is that the Federal 
     Government is in no way prepared to deal with, or is even 
     aware of, the effects of the Yucca Mountain project on 
     society and this country: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada, 
     Jointly, That numerous hurdles, including budget shortfalls, 
     an unresolved radiation health safety standard, and 
     transportation and corrosion issues, are cause for 
     reconsidering Yucca Mountain as the proposed site for a 
     nuclear waste repository; and be it further
       Resolved, That President Bush is implored to remember a 
     pledge he made in Las Vegas on August 12, 2004, to ``stand by 
     the decision of the courts and the Nuclear Regulatory 
     Commission,'' and to live up to this promise by ordering the 
     Department of Energy to stop its work on a license for a 
     nuclear waste repository in Nevada; and be it further
       Resolved, That despite the fact that voters in Nevada chose 
     to re-elect President Bush, a recent poll indicates that 
     approximately 70 percent of Nevadans remain opposed to Yucca 
     Mountain, an ill advised project based on bad science, bad 
     law and bad public policy, a choice that ignores better, less 
     expensive and safer alternatives, a choice which hinders, not 
     helps, national security; and be it further
       Resolved, That Nevada has already borne more than its fair 
     share of this nation's radioactive waste burdens, including, 
     hosting hundreds of nuclear weapons tests during the Cold War 
     and hosting the world's largest low-level and mixed 
     radioactive waste disposal facility at the Nevada Test Site, 
     which is also controlled by the Department of Energy; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the issue of how to dispose of nuclear 
     waste, the deadliest substance known to mankind, is of great 
     importance, requiring decisions to be based on ``sound 
     science,'' as was promised Nevada and the nation in 2000, 
     before it is put on the roads, railways and waterways of this 
     country; and be it further
       Resolved, That with the abundance of safe, economical dry 
     storage facilities at existing reactor sites, there is no 
     current spent fuel emergency and nuclear power plants face no 
     risk of shutdown, the residents and political leaders of the 
     State of Nevada urge President Bush and Congress and all 
     involved agencies to recognize the unsuitability of Yucca 
     Mountain as the site for a repository to store and dispose of 
     spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the 
     United States, the Vice President of the United States as the 
     presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the Secretary of Energy and each member of 
     the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
       Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage.
                                  ____

       POM-153. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Hawaii 
     relative to urging the Federal Government to provide medical 
     care and compensation to nuclear victims in the Republic of 
     the Marshall Islands; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                          House Resolution 141

       Whereas, the International Declaration of Human Rights 
     guarantees all world citizens the right to life and health 
     and a clean environment, and one of the essential components 
     in this fundamental right is the right to open information on 
     environmental hazards and the short- and long-term effects of 
     environmental contamination on human health; and
       Whereas, given the continuing widespread reliance of many 
     governments on nuclear energy and nuclear weapons, and given 
     the imminent threat of acts of terror at nuclear facilities 
     that could release large volumes of radiation into the global 
     environment, it is essential that the federal government 
     gather comprehensive data from a wide range of communities on 
     sustained and extensive exposure to low-level radiation; and
       Whereas, the United States government carried out sixty-
     seven above-ground tests of atomic and hydrogen bombs in the 
     region of Enewetak and Bikini in the Marshall Islands from 
     1946 through 1958; and
       Whereas, these bomb tests affected not only the atolls of 
     Enewetak and Bikini, but also the downwind atolls of 
     Rongelap, Utrik, Ujae, and others; and
       Whereas, these atomic blasts were thousands of times more 
     powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 
     Japan; and
       Whereas, three islands in the Bikini atoll and three 
     islands in the Enewetak atoll completely ceased to exist as a 
     result of these tests; and
       Whereas, the federal government deliberately failed to 
     protect the citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands 
     from exposure to radioactive fallout; and
       Whereas, significant numbers of residents of the four 
     affected atolls experienced acute radiation sickness, thyroid 
     cancer, skin cancer, other oncological illnesses, leukemia, 
     birth defects, stillbirths, damage to reproductive organs, 
     and endocrine disorders as a result of this exposure; and
       Whereas, some of the radioactive materials released in 
     massive quantities in these atomic tests remain dangerously 
     radioactive for thousands of years; and
       Whereas, the federal government has failed to conduct 
     comprehensive, independent, open, and transparent health 
     studies to determine the overall impact of the atomic bomb 
     tests on the health of the citizens of the Marshall Islands; 
     and
       Whereas, newly declassified documents have verified that 
     the federal government carried out radiation experiments 
     deliberately injecting radioactive isotopes into Marshallese 
     citizens without their informed consent; and
       Whereas, officials from the United States Department of 
     Energy, the National Cancer Institute, and other agencies 
     charged with the protection of public health have admitted 
     that they deliberately concealed or distorted the higher 
     thyroid cancer rates and other health effects among nuclear 
     survivors in the Marshall Islands; and
       Whereas, the federal government has now threatened to cut 
     off funds for medical care and compensation of nuclear 
     victims in the Marshall Islands on the grounds that there is 
     no legal basis for such payments and that no further nuclear 
     health effects can be expected; and
       Whereas, the Republic of the Marshall Islands currently 
     lacks the financial and technical resources needed to remedy 
     or combat the effects of radioactive fallout, to protect the 
     public from further radiation exposure, to complete the 
     further decontamination of all nuclear and military waste, or 
     the devolution and restoration of the affected lands; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-
     third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2005, that the President of the United States and the 
     Congress of the United States are respectfully urged to seek 
     proper funding for medical care and compensation of nuclear 
     victims who are residents of the Republic of the Marshall 
     Islands, and for the development and decontamination of the 
     affected Marshall Islands communities; and be it further
       Resolved, That the federal government is further requested 
     to immediately step up their efforts to screen the health of 
     exposed Marshall Islands populations and in particular, all 
     newborn infants, now and in the future, that may suffer the 
     long-term effects of exposure to radioactive fallout caused 
     by atomic and hydrogen bomb testing conducted by the United 
     States; and be it further
       Resolved, That the federal government is urged to finance 
     and commission a comprehensive independent health study to 
     conclusively determine the impact of sustained exposure to 
     high-level and low-level radiation; provided that the scope 
     or duration of such health studies is requested to include 
     the likelihood of chromosome damage and the likely emergence 
     of genetic deformities in future generations; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the federal government is encouraged to 
     establish health centers in the Republic of the Marshall 
     Islands, and to finance and provide resources necessary to 
     sustain health care adequate to the needs of nuclear victims 
     that are Marshall Island residents; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Congress of the United States is 
     requested to hold public hearings on the Change of 
     Circumstances Petition both in Majuro, Republic of the 
     Marshall Islands, and in Washington D.C., and to allow 
     representatives of the non-governmental organizations from 
     Enewetak, Rongelap, Utrik, and Bikini to testify; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Resolution be 
     transmitted to the President of the United States, through 
     the Secretary of State, the President of the United States 
     Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the members of Hawaii's congressional 
     delegation, the Executive Director of the Aloha Medical 
     Mission,

[[Page 16612]]

     the President of Micronesians United, the Director of Pacific 
     Island and Asian American Ministry of the United Church of 
     Christ, the Director of ERUB (Enewetak, Rongelap, Utrick, 
     Bikini) Honolulu Marshallese Ministry, and the Director of 
     the Friends Retreat Center.
                                  ____

       POM-154. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana 
     relative to approving funding for deepening the Houma 
     Navigation Canal, including funding efforts to make 
     beneficial use of the dredge material for embankment 
     stabilization; to the Committee on Environment and Public 
     Works.

                     House Concurrent Resolution 84

       Whereas, growth and development of businesses and 
     industries are beginning to be restrained by the shallowness 
     of the Houma Navigation Canal due to the fact that the 
     existing depth of the canal does not allow passage of the 
     larger barges and vessels which are necessary for newer 
     equipment and products; and
       Whereas, the Houma economy is heavily dependent on the oil 
     and gas industry, and oil and gas exploration is venturing 
     farther out into the Gulf of Mexico and into deeper and 
     deeper water, ventures which require larger vessels and 
     heavier equipment for support; and
       Whereas, Houma has always been a major location of the 
     industries necessary to support Gulf of Mexico oil and gas 
     exploration and production, but the city may soon no longer 
     be accessible to those support vessels and barges because of 
     the restrictive depth of the Houma Navigation Canal; and
       Whereas, economic growth in the area is dependent on the 
     canal being dredged to a navigable depth of twenty feet, with 
     the additional benefit that dredging the canal will provide 
     dredge material that can be put to beneficial use in efforts 
     for bank stabilization and coastal preservation and 
     restoration; and
       Whereas, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has 
     already begun design work on a set of locks in the canal, 
     which will be designed for a navigable depth of twenty feet, 
     and it is only logical that the canal on which the locks are 
     located would be the same depth as the locks: Therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress and the Louisiana 
     congressional delegation to approve funding for deepening the 
     Houma Navigation Canal to a navigable depth of twenty feet, 
     including funding efforts to make beneficial use of the 
     dredge material for bank stabilization and coastal 
     preservation and restoration. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to 
     the United States Congress, the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, New 
     Orleans District, and the secretary of the Department of 
     Natural Resources.
                                  ____

       POM-155. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to 
     permitting public access to the West Pearl Navigational 
     Canal; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 66

       Whereas, due to a shortage in federal funding for the 
     operation of the West Pearl River Navigation Project, 
     including no funding for staffing the fifty-eight mile 
     waterway, the twenty-mile canal, or the three locks, the 
     United States Army Corps of Engineers-Vicksburg District is 
     preparing to close access by placing gates on the roads 
     leading into the federal property on June 30, 2005; and
       Whereas, the gates will block access roads leading to Locks 
     1, 2, and 3, and Poole's Bluff Sill; and
       Whereas, citizens of Louisiana, especially the resident 
     sportsmen and recreational boaters of St. Tammany and 
     Washington parishes, have enjoyed the benefits of the boat 
     launches for recreational purposes for many years and with 
     the planned closure citizens will no longer have access nor 
     be permitted to use such facilities; and
       Whereas, residents of St. Tammany and Washington parishes 
     who frequently use the boat launches and access roads are 
     working with state and local officials on developing an 
     alternative solution in order that such facilities and roads 
     remain accessible: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to permit continued public 
     access to the West Pearl River Navigational Canal located in 
     the parishes of St. Tammany and Washington and to extend the 
     date of June 30, 2005 scheduled for closure until such time 
     that an alternate long-term solution can be determined by 
     state and local officials to maintain public access for the 
     citizens of 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-156. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to 
     directing the United States Army Corps of Engineers, New 
     Orleans District, to cease using Section 10 of the Rivers and 
     Harbors Act to stop sustainable forestry practices in areas 
     that have no impact on actual navigation except in the 
     parishes of Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Charles; to the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 71

       Whereas, Louisiana's wetlands support a variety of 
     resources that are vital to the economic and environmental 
     health of the state; and
       Whereas, Louisiana's forests are ninety percent privately 
     owned and play a vital role in the environmental quality of 
     the state, covering over one-half the land area of the state 
     and supporting an industry that contributes over $5 billion 
     to the economy each year; and
       Whereas, the management of coastal wetland forests must be 
     accomplished in a manner that respects the rights of property 
     owners and recognizes the use of property in wetland areas in 
     a manner consistent with sustainable wetland management; and
       Whereas, forest landowners, loggers, and industry operate 
     under the principles of sustainable forestry and conduct 
     operations consistent with Louisiana's recommended Best 
     Management Practices; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress, in Section 404(F) of 
     the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, otherwise known as 
     the Clean Water Act, recognized that normal silviculture is a 
     land use that is consistent with sustainable wetland 
     management; and
       Whereas, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, New 
     Orleans District, is using an 1899 law, Section 10 of the 
     Rivers and Harbors Act, addressing impediments to navigation 
     to stop sustainable forestry practices and cause financial 
     loss to landowners and the forest products industry in 
     sustainable forested wetlands; and
       Whereas, no other United States Army Corps district uses 
     the 1899 law to stop logging in areas that have no impact on 
     navigable waters; and
       Whereas, certain acreage between the Atchafalaya and 
     Mississippi Rivers, encompassing all or portions of the 
     parishes of Terrebonne, Lafourche, and St. Charles, has been 
     designated as an area of special significance to the United 
     States and to the state of Louisiana and has been further 
     designated as one of only twenty-eight National Estuaries in 
     the United States; and
       Whereas, the parishes of Terrebonne, Lafourche, and St. 
     Charles fully support the efforts of the United States Army 
     Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, to protect and 
     regulate coastal forestry activities: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to direct the New Orleans 
     District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers to 
     cease using Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act to stop 
     sustainable forestry practices in areas that have no impact 
     on actual navigation except in the parishes of Terrebonne, 
     Lafourche, and St. Charles. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana finds that it 
     is imperative that the critically-imperiled and valued 
     regions of the parishes of Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. 
     Charles should have the full protection afforded by Section 
     10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. Be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate; the 
     clerk of the United States House of Representatives; each 
     member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States 
     Congress; the District Engineer for the United States Army 
     Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District; the commissioner of 
     the Department of Agriculture and Forestry; the secretary of 
     the Department of Natural Resources; the state 
     conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation 
     Service of the United States Department of Agriculture; and 
     the executive directors of the Louisiana Forestry Association 
     and the Louisiana Pulp and Paper Association.
                                  ____

       POM-157. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to 
     enacting the Coastal Restoration Tax Credit Act of 2005; to 
     the Committee on Finance.

                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 61

       Whereas, Louisiana's coastal wetlands are the seventh 
     largest delta on earth, and the ecosystem serves as a habitat 
     for both marine life and wildlife; and
       Whereas, Louisiana's coastal wetlands host production and 
     distribution of eighty percent of America's offshore oil and 
     gas supply; and
       Whereas, Louisiana's coastal wetlands provide an important 
     energy corridor vital to the entire United States, serving as 
     a storage location for a significant portion of the nation's 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve and as the location of the 
     Louisiana Offshore Oil Port which is the nation's major 
     import terminal for foreign oil; and further providing for 
     the onshore and offshore intersections of oil and natural gas 
     intrastate and interstate pipeline networks which serve as 
     reference

[[Page 16613]]

     for futures markets, such as the Henry Hub for natural gas, 
     the St. James Louisiana Light Sweet Crude Oil, and the Mars 
     Sour Crude Oil contracts; and
       Whereas, energy facilities in coastal Louisiana, in 
     connection with other facilities in the state, transport 
     nearly thirty-four percent of the nation's natural gas 
     supply, over twenty-nine percent of the nation's crude oil 
     supply, and are connected to nearly fifty percent of U.S. 
     refining capacity; and
       Whereas, the wetlands serve as the wintering habitat for 
     millions of waterfowl and migratory birds, and approximately 
     ninety-five percent of all marine life in the Gulf of Mexico 
     spend part of the life cycle in the wetlands; and
       Whereas, the wetlands serve as hurricane and storm surge 
     protection for more than two million people living in the 
     coastal zone, and as a buffer for the number one port system 
     in the nation; and
       Whereas, Louisiana's coastal wetlands are being lost at the 
     rate of twenty-four square miles per year, which is 
     approximately one football field lost every thirty-eight 
     minutes; and
       Whereas, Louisiana's coastal wetlands loss represents more 
     than eighty percent of all coastal saltwater marsh loss in 
     the continental United States; and
       Whereas, if the current rate of loss is not slowed, the 
     loss will have devastating impacts on Louisiana and the rest 
     of the nation, including not only the loss of marine life and 
     wildlife habitat, but also the exposure of over two million 
     citizens and the nation's oil and gas infrastructure to 
     deadly hurricanes and storms; and
       Whereas, considering the potential expected cost for a 
     Louisiana restoration plan is fourteen billion dollars over 
     thirty years, the Coastal Restoration Tax Credit Act of 2005, 
     serves a useful and important purpose by providing tax 
     credits for expenses incurred by a taxpayer for approved 
     projects which restore and protect coastal lands: Therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to enact the Coastal 
     Restoration Tax Credit Act of 2005. 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-158. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada relative to mandating the reporting of 
     results of all clinical trials and the collection and 
     analysis of the data by the appropriate Federal agencies; to 
     the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                      Assembly Joint Resolution 14

       Whereas, A clinical trial is a research study involving the 
     participation and observation of human volunteers to 
     determine the safety and effectiveness of drugs, biological 
     products or medical devices; and
       Whereas, There is no comprehensive system for tracking, 
     organizing and disseminating information about ongoing 
     clinical trials, and it is estimated that only half of the 
     approximately 1 million trials conducted over the past 56 
     years have been reported; and
       Whereas, One consequence of this lack of reporting is 
     ``publication bias'' wherein positive results of trials are 
     reported in order to get a drug approved, while trials which 
     show harmful effects are not reported, resulting in a 
     distortion of evidence on which to base medical 
     determinations, allowing physicians to unwittingly prescribe 
     drugs that may have hazardous side effects; and
       Whereas, There are many reasons that volunteers participate 
     in trials, such as gaining access to new treatments before 
     they are widely available, obtaining expert medical care at 
     leading health care facilities, playing an active role in 
     their own health care and helping others by contributing to 
     medical research; and
       Whereas, There are many risks to participation in these 
     trials, including possible unpleasant and even life-
     threatening side effects, and with a voluntary registry such 
     as suggested by the pharmaceutical industry, companies may 
     not report results that are unfavorable to their products, 
     betraying the volunteers' trust, and without this 
     information, there cannot be a true scientific evaluation of 
     the study of that drug; and
       Whereas, Many trials that are performed by academic 
     researchers are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, 
     presenting a conflict of interest when reporting the results 
     of the trials, and nearly one-fifth of government scientists 
     say they have been pressured to support approval of a drug 
     despite having concerns about its safety; and
       Whereas, Each clinical trial in the United States must be 
     approved and monitored by an institutional review board, 
     which is an independent committee of physicians, 
     statisticians, community advocates and others, to ensure that 
     the trial is ethical and that the rights of the volunteers 
     are protected; and
       Whereas, Prescription drugs are regulated by the Food and 
     Drug Administration, but with the discovery that some of the 
     drugs developed for arthritis have been found to increase the 
     risk of heart attacks and that some patients, especially 
     children and teenagers who were prescribed antidepressants 
     had increased rates of suicide and violence, with substantial 
     evidence of the suppression of negative data concerning these 
     drugs in clinical trials, there is a growing movement 
     supporting a national registry of all clinical trials; and
       Whereas, The pharmaceutical industry opposes full 
     disclosure because of concerns that competitors would learn 
     their research and development secrets and it would affect 
     their profits, but the pharmaceutical industry is 
     consistently one of the most profitable industries in the 
     Fortune 500 list, and the welfare of the public must take 
     precedence over all else; and
       Whereas, For these reasons, the American Medical 
     Association has called for all clinical trials to be 
     registered with the Federal Government; and
       Whereas, The International Committee of Medical Journal 
     Editors has issued a statement that, as of July 1, 2005, they 
     will require registration in a public trials registry for all 
     clinical studies that involve human patients as a condition 
     of consideration for publication in member journals; and
       Whereas, In the 108th Session of Congress, H.R. 5252 and S. 
     2933 were introduced which required researchers to enter 
     their clinical trials into a federal registry before starting 
     them and to report the results of the trials at the 
     conclusion, but these bills died in committee; and
       Whereas, Under current law, pharmaceutical companies are 
     required to post information only about trials of drugs for 
     serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions which are 
     then posted on an existing government website, 
     www.ClinicalTrials.gov. that currently has a database of such 
     studies conducted in all 50 states and in over 100 countries; 
     and
       Whereas, This website could be expanded to include 
     information about the purpose, duration and outcomes of all 
     clinical trials; and
       Whereas, It is imperative that federal legislation be 
     introduced to create a centralized and comprehensive national 
     registry for mandatory reporting of all publicly and 
     privately funded clinical trials involving drugs, biological 
     products or medical devices; and
       Whereas, Since it has been shown that unfavorable trial 
     results which placed financial interests at risk are 
     particularly likely to remain unpublished and hidden from 
     public view, any legislation must require that the results of 
     all clinical trials be reported, whether those results are 
     positive or negative, because selective reporting of results 
     distorts the body of evidence available for decision making; 
     and
       Whereas, By creating a single, comprehensive database of 
     clinical studies and their results. scientific information is 
     easily available, in a timely fashion, for use by 
     researchers, journalists, public interest organizations, 
     health care providers, patients seeking to enroll as subjects 
     in clinical trials and the general public so that they may 
     make informed decisions, resulting in safer and more 
     responsible clinical trials; and
       Whereas, Since many adverse effects do not surface until a 
     drug is taken over a long period of time, periodic updates 
     must be included in the registry to improve knowledge of the 
     risks of longterm use; and
       Whereas, To be effective, legislation would need to require 
     that institutional review boards deny a stamp of approval to 
     a clinical trial unless it is registered in the database; and
       Whereas, To regain the public's trust in the clinical 
     trials procedure, there must be full disclosure of the 
     results of all clinical trials, allowing physicians and 
     patients to make safe, appropriate and effective health care 
     decisions by having all relevant information available; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada, 
     Jointly, That, because carefully conducted clinical trials 
     are recognized as a necessary and valuable tool in 
     determining the efficacy and safety of products, the members 
     of the Nevada Legislature hereby express their strong support 
     for a national registry of clinical trials for the health and 
     well-being of the public; and be it further
       Resolved, That, since there is no pending legislation 
     requiring a national registry of clinical trials before the 
     I09th Session of Congress, the Legislature of the State of 
     Nevada urges the Nevada Congressional Delegation to introduce 
     and to support federal legislation which mandates 
     registration of all clinical trials before they are begun and 
     full disclosure of the results; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of 
     the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, to 
     the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to each 
     member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation: and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage.
                                  ____

       POM-159. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Maine relative to funding the costs of special 
     education and to end unfunded mandates; to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

[[Page 16614]]



                            Joint Resolution

       Whereas, the Congress of the United States has found that 
     all children deserve a high-quality education, including 
     children with disabilities; and
       Whereas, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 
     20 United States Code, Section 1400, et seq., provides that 
     the Federal Government and state and local governments are to 
     share in the expense of education for children with 
     disabilities and commits the Federal Government to provide 
     funds to assist with the excess of expenses of education for 
     children with disabilities; and
       Whereas, the Congress of the United States has committed to 
     contribute up to 40% of the average per-pupil expenditure of 
     educating children with disabilities and the Federal 
     Government has failed to meet this commitment to assist the 
     states; and
       Whereas, the Federal Government has never contributed more 
     than a fraction of the national average per-pupil expenditure 
     to assist with the excess expenses of educating children with 
     disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities 
     Education Act; and
       Whereas, this failure of the Federal Government to meet its 
     commitment to assist with the excess expenses of educating a 
     child with a disability contradicts the goal of ensuring that 
     children with disabilities receive a high-quality education; 
     and
       Whereas, the imposition of unfunded mandates by the Federal 
     Government on state governments interferes with the 
     separation of powers between the 2 levels of government and 
     the ability of each state to determine the issues and 
     concerns of that state and what resources should be directed 
     to address these issues and concerns; and
       Whereas, the Federal Government recognized the inequalities 
     of unfunded mandates on state governments when it passed the 
     Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995; and
       Whereas, since the passage of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
     Act of 1995, however, the Federal Government continues to 
     impose unfunded mandates on state governments, including in 
     areas such as special education requirements: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That We, your Memorialists, respectfully urge and 
     request that the President of the United States and the 
     Congress of the United States either provide 40% of the 
     national average per-pupil expenditure to assist states and 
     local education agencies with the excess costs of educating 
     children with disabilities or amend the Individuals with 
     Disabilities Education Act to allow the states more 
     flexibility in implementing its mandates; and be it further
       Resolved, That We, your Memorialists, respectfully urge and 
     request that the Congress of the United States revisit and 
     reconfirm the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995 and put the 
     intent and purpose of the Act into practice by ending the 
     imposition of unfunded federal mandates on state governments; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution, duly 
     authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to 
     the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, 
     to the President of the Senate of the United States, to the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States 
     and to each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-160. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Hawaii relative to amending the No Child Left 
     Behind Act of 2001; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
     Labor, and Pensions.

                    House Concurrent Resolution 245

       Whereas, in 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was 
     enacted on a bipartisan basis and signed into law by 
     President George W. Bush; and
       Whereas, all states that accept federal Title I education 
     funds, including Hawaii, are subject to the requirements of 
     the Act; and
       Whereas, the purpose of the Act is to compel all public 
     schools to make adequate yearly progress toward the goal of 
     100 percent student proficiency in math and reading by 2013-
     2014; and
       Whereas, these expectations are unreasonable for students 
     with limited English proficiency and students with 
     disabilities, making it impossible for many of Hawaii's 
     schools, that have a high population of these students, to 
     comply with the law; and
       Whereas, the Act does not allow states that may already 
     have successful accountability systems in place to use their 
     system to comply with the spirit of the Act; and
       Whereas, states should be allowed to use a value-added or 
     student growth approach in their state accountability plan; 
     and
       Whereas, the Act is an under-funded mandate that causes 
     states and school districts to spend more money than the 
     amounts appropriated by Congress to implement the Act; and
       Whereas, the Act coerces participation by placing punitive 
     financial consequences on states that refuse to participate; 
     and
       Whereas, in 2004, the National Conference of State 
     Legislatures created a bipartisan task force to study the 
     Act, resulting in suggestions for specific changes to make 
     the Act more workable, more responsive to variations among 
     the states, and more effective in improving elementary 
     education; and
       Whereas, the recommendations of the task force's February 
     2005 Final Report include the following:
       (1) Substantially increasing federal funding for the Act;
       (2) Reexamining the financial consequences for states that 
     choose not to participate;
       (3) Reevaluating the 100 percent proficiency goal 
     established by the Act;
       (4) Conducting a Government Accountability Office study of 
     the compliance and proficiency costs associated with the Act;
       (5) Giving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
     primacy over the Act in cases where these laws may conflict; 
     and
       (6) Providing states with much greater flexibility to meet 
     the objectives of the adequate yearly progress provisions of 
     the Act; and
       Whereas, although the Act aims to provide flexibility for 
     states to improve academic achievement and to close the 
     achievement gap, the task force found that little flexibility 
     has been granted to states to implement the Act: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, By the House of Representatives of the Twenty-
     third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2005, the Senate concurring, that the United States Congress 
     is respectfully requested to amend the No Child Left Behind 
     Act of 2001 according to the recommendations of the February 
     2005 Final Report of the National Conference of State 
     Legislatures' Task Force on No Child Left Behind; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the current law and any revisions thereof 
     recognize that under our federal system of government, 
     education is primarily a state and local responsibility; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That Congress is requested to allow states more 
     flexibility to continue to work toward the goal of closing 
     the achievement gap without the threat of losing federal 
     funds; and be it further
       Resolved, That Congress is requested to appropriate federal 
     funding in amounts consistent with the levels authorized in 
     the Act for education programs and expanded information 
     systems needed to accurately reflect student, school, and 
     school district performance and to pay the costs of ensuring 
     student proficiency; and be it further
       Resolved, That Congress is requested to authorize 
     appropriate assessment methods and an alternative methodology 
     for determining adequate yearly progress targets and progress 
     for students who are not yet proficient in English and who 
     have certain disabilities; and be it further
       Resolved, That Congress is requested to amend the No Child 
     Left Behind Act's current provisions relating to adequate 
     yearly progress to apply sanctions only when the same groups 
     or subgroups within a grade level fail to meet adequate 
     yearly progress targets in the same subject area for two 
     consecutive years; and be it further
       Resolved, That Congress is requested to amend the Act to 
     allow flexibility in:
       (1) Determining adequate yearly progress using models that 
     measure individual student growth or growth in the same 
     cohort of students from year to year;
       (2) Calculating adequate yearly progress for students 
     belonging to multiple groups and subgroups; and
       (3) Determining whether certain categories of teachers, 
     such as special education teachers, are highly qualified; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That Congress is requested to modify the No Child 
     Left Behind Act's provisions relating to school choice by 
     limiting the option only to those students whose performance 
     is consistently below the proficiency level; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Concurrent 
     Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United 
     States, the President and Secretary of the United States 
     Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of 
     Representatives, and members of Hawaii's congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-161. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Hawaii relative to supporting federal 
     policies designed to eliminate homelessness in the United 
     States; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions.
                                  ____


                      House Concurrent Resolution

       Whereas, persons suffering from chronic or long-term 
     homelessness represent ten to twenty per cent of the homeless 
     population in the United States and require more than half of 
     all of the federal resources allocated to combat 
     homelessness; and
       Whereas, state resources necessary for hospital and 
     emergency room visits, police interventions, and periods of 
     incarceration for the chronically homeless who suffer from 
     physical and mental disabilities reduce resources available 
     for the remaining eighty to ninety percent of the homeless 
     population who are without homes because of temporary 
     financial hardships; and
       Whereas, while previous intervention strategies focused on 
     placing the homeless in shelters, such practices were largely 
     ineffective due to limited space, and returning to the 
     streets remained the only option for many homeless persons; 
     and
       Whereas, according to a leading researcher on homelessness, 
     the cost of permanent housing for the homeless is 
     ``essentially the

[[Page 16615]]

     same'' as the costs associated with life on the streets; and
       Whereas, the primary strategy of current federal policies 
     committed to combating homelessness focuses on providing 
     permanent housing for individuals, thus offering them access 
     to basic services such as housing and treatment; and
       Whereas, social service agencies for mental health and 
     welfare, as well as the criminal justice system, can be used 
     as tools to prevent homelessness and to reduce the national 
     homeless population, and the use of these tools costs less 
     than interventions that are unable to prevent individuals 
     from returning to the streets; and
       Whereas, increased coordination among federal agencies, 
     including the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
     Department of Health and Human Services, and Veterans 
     Administration is necessary to establish a more concentrated 
     effort against homelessness in the United States; and
       Whereas, the Interagency Council on Homelessness leads the 
     initiative in the coordination of various departments and 
     resources focused on intervention and preventive services; 
     and
       Whereas, faith-based organizations historically have had 
     the resources and infrastructure necessary for meeting the 
     needs of the homeless; and
       Whereas, a partnership with these faith-based 
     organizations, where the receipt of federal funds is 
     facilitated, would greatly contribute to the campaign to 
     fight homelessness and provide for families in need; and
       Whereas, current federal policies advocate the elimination 
     of chronic homelessness in the United States in ten years 
     through intervention and prevention programs implemented 
     through the coordinated efforts and partnerships of various 
     federal agencies and faith-based organizations: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, By the House of Representatives of the Twenty-
     third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 
     2005, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature of the 
     State of Hawaii urges the President and the United States 
     Congress to support federal policies aimed at ending 
     homelessness in the United States; and be it further
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Concurrent 
     Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United 
     States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and 
     the members of Hawaii's delegation to the Congress of the 
     United States.
                                  ____

       POM-162. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     relative to the creation of a national cord blood stem cell 
     bank; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions.

                          House Resolution 75

       Whereas, In discussion on stem cells in this country, one 
     available resource has too often been overlooked--stem cells 
     from umbilical cords. For example, a special type of stem 
     cells known as hematopoietic progenitor cells have been 
     successfully used for decades to reconstitute bone marrow and 
     circulating blood cells in patients whose bone marrow has 
     been damaged by chemotherapy or other underlying disease. 
     Blood collected from the umbilical cords of recently 
     delivered infants have proven advantages over other sources 
     of these cells, such as adult donors. Stem cells found in the 
     umbilical cord are less immunologically mature than other 
     sources, which lessens the risk of rejection when 
     transplanted. In addition, the collection of these cells 
     poses minimal risk to the mother and infant. In some cases 
     there are sufficient stem cells in one umbilical cord for a 
     transplant to reconstitute bone marrow in a recipient; and
       Whereas, Nearly 12,000 Americans a year search for a bone 
     marrow donor. Of these, only a small fraction identifies a 
     relative who is an acceptable match for a successful 
     donation. All the others must rely on a transplant from a 
     stranger. More than 9 million adults have voluntarily entered 
     bone marrow donor registries worldwide. This number is not 
     sufficient to find a match for everyone in need; and
       Whereas, The current system for collecting and registering 
     umbilical cord blood in the United States is fragmented, with 
     at least 20 public banks operating across the country, one of 
     which is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2004, the 
     United States Congress appropriated $10 million to the 
     Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and 
     Services Administration to establish a National Cord Blood 
     Stem Cell Bank Program. Congress directed the Institute of 
     Medicine to make recommendations to set up and operate the 
     bank. In April 2005 the Institute of Medicine met its 
     responsibility by issuing an extensive report with 
     recommendations on how to make the current system work and 
     expand it for the benefit of physicians and patients 
     searching for matching donors: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, By the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States and the 
     Department of Health and Human Services to take the steps 
     necessary to create the national cord blood stem cell bank 
     based on the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine; 
     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 members of the 
     Michigan congressional delegation, the Secretary of the 
     Department of Health and Human Services and the Administrator 
     of the Health Resources and Services Administration. Adopted 
     by the House of Representatives, June 1, 2005.
                                  ____

       POM-163. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of New Hampshire relative to supporting Federal 
     funding for Lyme disease research; to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                        Concurrent Resolution 4

       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease is probably the most common 
     tick-borne bacterial disease in the world, and in the United 
     States, it accounts for more than 90 percent of all reported 
     cases of vector-borne illness; and
       Whereas, New Hampshire ranked 12th nationwide in total 
     reported cases to the CDC in 2003; and
       Whereas, the number of reported cases in 2004 in New 
     Hampshire has grown substantially from the 2003 reported 
     numbers; and
       Whereas, the tick populations are spreading northward with 
     the primary carrier being the deer tick; and
       Whereas, the lack of early detection of Lyme disease may 
     result in unrecognized illness and persistent symptoms of 
     Lyme disease infection; and
       Whereas, further research and health care provider 
     education about Lyme disease laboratory testing is needed; 
     and
       Whereas, the issue of co-infections is clouding the 
     diagnostic picture with babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, 
     anaplasmosis, Bartonella, RMSF, tularemia, tick paralysis. 
     and other infections possibly being transmitted by the bite 
     of the same ticks that transmit Lyme disease and Lyme-like 
     diseases; and
       Whereas, the educational awareness of this disease, 
     insurance coverage, and research funding need more attention 
     in New Hampshire; and
       Whereas, government officials need to understand the 
     complexities of this disease, develop good sound policy to 
     draw attention to Lyme disease, and stop the spread of Lyme 
     disease in the state of New Hampshire: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives 
     concurring, That the general court of New Hampshire strongly 
     supports more federal funding for Lyme disease research; and
       That the general court will continue to educate the public 
     and physicians about this disease through the New Hampshire 
     department of health and human services and other appropriate 
     state agencies; and
       That copies of this resolution signed by the president of 
     the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives 
     shall be sent by the senate clerk to the President of the 
     United States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. and to 
     each member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-164. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the Legislature of the State of Louisiana relative to 
     enacting Federal legislation to ensure that deserving victims 
     of asbestos exposure receive compensation; to the Committee 
     on the Judiciary.

                         Senate Resolution 177

       Whereas, asbestos, a mineral processed and used in 
     thousands of construction and consumer products, is a 
     dangerous substance and has caused thousands of people to 
     develop serious and often fatal diseases and cancers; and
       Whereas, millions of workers have been exposed to asbestos, 
     and the economic toll resulting from litigation related to 
     exposure to asbestos could run into the hundreds of billions 
     of dollars; and
       Whereas, many companies, in order to avoid bankruptcy and 
     to compensate victims with manifest injuries from exposure to 
     asbestos, have attempted to set aside sufficient resources to 
     compensate such victims; and
       Whereas, the new claims are resulting in a depletion of the 
     funds available to compensate victims who have sustained 
     serious injuries and who are in desperate need of 
     compensation; and
       Whereas, the United States Supreme Court has noted that 
     federal and state courts have been inundated by an enormous 
     number of asbestos cases that defies customary judicial 
     administration and calls for national legislation; and
       Whereas, the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, 
     under the bipartisan leadership of Republican Senator Arlen 
     Specter and Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, have crafted a 
     bipartisan piece of legislation that creates a fair and 
     equitable system to deal with the asbestos litigation crisis; 
     and
       Whereas, this bipartisan legislation creates an asbestos 
     trust fund that will ensure that victims of asbestos exposure 
     will receive just and fair compensation: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Louisiana Senate does hereby memorialize 
     the members of the

[[Page 16616]]

     United States Senate from Louisiana, Senator Mary Landrieu 
     and Senator David Vitter, to continue to work toward enacting 
     federal legislation to ensure that deserving victims of 
     asbestos exposure receive compensation and continue to work 
     with Senators Specter and Leahy to pass meaningful and fair 
     asbestos litigation reform legislation. 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-165. A resolution adopted by the City Commission of 
     Belle Glade of the State of Florida relative to the 
     protection and enhancement of the Community Development Block 
     Grant (CDBG) Program; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
     Labor, and Pensions.

                          ____________________