[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3428-3429]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and 
were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-28. A resolution adopted by the Legislative Research 
     Commission of the Commonwealth of Kentucky relating to 
     tobacco growers selling their excess 2004 crop; to the 
     Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                               Resolution

       Whereas on October 22, 2004, the President signed into law 
     the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004; and
       Whereas the tobacco quota buyout legislation represents the 
     most significant change in the tobacco production program 
     since the 1930s; and
       Whereas the buyout means there will be no constraints on 
     who can produce tobacco, where it is grown, how much can be 
     marketed, and what the price may be; and
       Whereas the tobacco production system will shift to 
     contracting directly with tobacco companies; and
       Whereas many quota owners and growers may decide to quit 
     tobacco production altogether; and
       Whereas some growers may have excess tobacco remaining from 
     their 2004 crop, but, because of federal laws and 
     regulations, cannot sell it; and
       Whereas at least one large tobacco company has indicated it 
     will not accept carry-over tobacco, or tobacco produced and 
     harvested in a prior crop year; and
       Whereas it is important that tobacco growers be able to 
     sell all their 2004 leaf crop: Now, therefore, be it Resolved 
     by the House Agriculture and Small Business Committee of the 
     Kentucky General Assembly:
       Section 1. The Agriculture and Small Business Committee 
     strongly urges the United States Congress and the United 
     States Department of Agriculture take the necessary steps to 
     allow tobacco producers to sell the excess tobacco from their 
     2004 crop.
       Secion 2. Copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, to each member of the 
     Commonwealth's delegation to the Congress of the United 
     States, and to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of 
     Agriculture.
                                  ____

       POM-29. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to the Medal of Honor; 
     to the Committee on Armed Services.

                          Senate Resolution 5

       Whereas United States Army and Department of Defense 
     officials are reviewing a recommendation to upgrade Major 
     Winters' Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor; 
     and
       Whereas Major Winters was originally nominated for the 
     Medal of Honor by Colonel Robert F. Sink, commander of the 
     506th Regiment, for heroic actions on June 6, 1944, during 
     the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, as 1st Lieutenant, 
     Acting Commanding Officer of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th 
     Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, VII 
     corps; and
       Whereas Major Winters' extraordinary planning, fighting and 
     commanding on that day 60 years ago in Nazi-occupied Normandy 
     during his regiment's first combat operation saved countless 
     lives and expedited the Allied inland advance; and
       Whereas With his company outnumbered by German soldiers, 
     Major Winters destroyed German guns at Brecourt Manor and 
     secured causeways for troops coming off Utah Beach; and
       Whereas Major Winters' battle plan for a small-unit assault 
     on German artillery has been taught at the United States 
     Military Academy at West Point; and
       Whereas Major Winters accomplished a hazardous mission with 
     valor, inspired his service colleagues through example and 
     effectively organized his company into support and assault 
     teams on the day of invasion in the campaign for European 
     liberation during World War II: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United States to award 
     the Medal of Honor to Major Richard D. Winters without 
     further delay; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each 
     member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-30. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the 
     State of Ohio relative to the Clear Skies Act of 2005; to the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                          Senate Resolution 20

       Whereas although the nation's air quality has improved 
     significantly since the early 1970's, pollutants such as 
     sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury continue at 
     levels that cause environmental and public health concerns. 
     Because of those concerns, the United States Environmental 
     Protection Agency has established stricter National Ambient 
     Air Quality Standards, most recently for ozone and 
     particulate matter; and
       Whereas currently, 474 counties, including 33 in Ohio, are 
     in nonattainment with the ozone standard and 224 counties, 
     including 32 in Ohio, are in nonattainment with the 
     particulate matter standard. Nonattainment designations place 
     a significant burden on state and local governments, which 
     must develop plans to reduce emissions and come into 
     attainment by a specific date; and
       Whereas in order to ensure that the states have the most 
     effective means of attaining the new standards, the Clear 
     Skies Act of 2005 (S. 131) has been introduced in the United 
     States Senate. This legislation not only is based on the 
     successful Acid Rain Programs, it also incorporates a multi-
     emissions approach that takes advantage of the benefits that 
     would result from controlling multiple pollutants at the same 
     time; and
       Whereas the Clear Skies Act balances environmental, energy, 
     and economic needs. For example, it requires power plants to 
     reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and 
     mercury by 70% by 2018 and allows the nation to continue 
     burning coal, our most abundant and low-cost energy source, 
     while improving our nation's air quality: Now, therefore be 
     it
       Resolved, That we, the members of the Senate of the 126th 
     General Assembly of the State of Ohio, urge the Congress of 
     the United States to enact the Clear Skies Act of 2005 in 
     order to improve our nation's air quality and ensure our 
     nation's economic stability; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 
     authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of 
     the United States, the President Pro Tempore and Secretary of 
     the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United 
     States House of Representatives, the members of the Ohio 
     Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio.
                                  ____

       POM-31. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to the Republic of 
     Poland; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                          Senate Resolution 25

       Whereas the Republic of Poland is a free, democratic and 
     independent nation; and
       Whereas in 1999 the United States and the Republic of 
     Poland became formal allies when Poland was granted 
     membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and
       Whereas the Republic of Poland has proven to be an 
     indispensable ally in the global campaign against terrorism; 
     and
       Whereas the Republic of Poland has actively participated in 
     Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Iraqi reconstruction, 
     shedding blood along with American soldiers; and
       Whereas the President of the United States and other high-
     ranking officials have described the Republic of Poland as 
     ``one of our closest friends''; and
       Whereas on April 15, 1991, the Republic of Poland 
     unilaterally repealed the visa obligation to United States 
     citizens traveling to Poland; and
       Whereas the United States Department of State Visa Waiver 
     Program currently allows approximately 23 million citizens 
     from 27 countries to travel to the United States for tourism 
     or business for up to 90 days without having to obtain visas 
     for entry; and

[[Page 3429]]

       Whereas the countries that currently participate in the 
     Visa Waiver Program include Andorra, Australia, Austria, 
     Belgium, Brueni, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, 
     Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the 
     Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, 
     Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the 
     United Kingdom; and
       Whereas it is appropriate that the Republic of Poland be 
     made eligible for the United States Department of State Visa 
     Waiver Program: Therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania urge the President and Congress of the United 
     States to make the Republic of Poland eligible for the United 
     States Department of State Visa Waiver Program; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, to the presiding officers 
     of each house of Congress, to all members of the Pennsylvania 
     Congressional Delegation and to Przemyslaw Grudzinski, 
     Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-32. A resolution adopted by the National Conference of 
     Insurance Legislators relative to the Long-Term Care 
     Partnership Program Act of 2004; to the Committee on Finance.
                                  ____

       POM-33. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Parma, Ohio relative to the Pell Grant Program; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                          ____________________