[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4800-4801]
[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-287. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the General 
     Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to the 
     reduction in troop strength of the Army National Guard and 
     proposed cuts in the force structure of the Air National 
     Guard; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                         Senate Resolution 229

       Whereas, on January 18, 2006, the Secretary of the Army 
     announced a plan to eliminate 6 combat brigades from the Army 
     National Guard nationwide and to reduce the authorized troop 
     strength of the Army National Guard from 350,000 to 333,000; 
     and
       Whereas, substantial cuts in the force structure of the Air 
     National Guard may be proposed as part of the Federal budget 
     and Quadrennial Defense Review processes; and
       Whereas, our nation and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
     rely on the National Guard like never before to fight the 
     global war on terrorism and to respond to domestic 
     emergencies; and
       Whereas, the National Guard offers tremendous capabilities 
     as an essential part of our nation's total force for national 
     defense while at the same time being available to the 
     Governor to respond to emergencies in the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania; and
       Whereas, the National Guard costs less than 5 percent of 
     our nation's defense budget but provides the only military 
     force shared by the Federal Government and the states; and
       Whereas, the proposed elimination of combat brigades from 
     the Army National Guard represents a shortsighted and ill-
     advised approach that will adversely affect national defense, 
     homeland security and the ability to respond to state 
     emergencies; and
       Whereas, the 3 combat brigades of Pennsylvania's 28th 
     Keystone Division have served with distinction at home and 
     abroad since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United 
     States; and
       Whereas, the Army has recognized the capabilities of the 
     Pennsylvania Army National Guard by designating the 56th 
     Brigade as the first and only Army National Guard Stryker 
     Brigade Combat team in the nation; and
       Whereas, major elements of Pennsylvania's 2nd Brigade 
     Combat Team are currently deployed to one of the most 
     dangerous areas of Iraq, the 55th Brigade deployed to Europe 
     in Operation Keystone after the 9/11 attacks, and elements of 
     the 56th Brigade deployed to Kosovo; and
       Whereas, in response to Hurricane Katrina, virtually the 
     entire 56th Brigade and other elements of the Pennsylvania 
     Army and Air National Guard deployed to the Louisiana Gulf 
     Coast region on short notice and provided vital emergency 
     support; and
       Whereas, the 3 combat brigades of the Pennsylvania Army 
     National Guard are aligned to provide emergency response to 
     the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency's 3 regions; and
       Whereas, more than 4,000 airmen of the Pennsylvania Air 
     National Guard have performed close to 8,000 individual 
     deployment events since 9/11, including initial war fighting 
     support to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 
     Freedom while supporting Operation Noble Eagle protecting our 
     sovereign airspace at home; and
       Whereas, major changes to the branch, organization or 
     allotment of National Guard units require the approval of the 
     Governor as commander-in-chief; therefore be it
       Resolved,  That the Senate of the Commonwealth of 
     Pennsylvania memorialize the President and Congress of the 
     United States to maintain the combat capabilities and force 
     structure of the National Guard; and be if further
       Resolved,  That the Senate urge the Secretary of Defense to 
     reconsider and withdraw the proposed elimination of 6 combat 
     brigades from the Army National Guard; and be it further
       Resolved,  That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States, to the presiding officers 
     of each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from 
     Pennsylvania.
                                  ____

       POM-288. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of New Jersey relative to enacting 
     the ``School Energy Crisis Relief Act''; to the Committee on 
     Energy and Natural Resources.

                          Senate Resolution 13

       Whereas, the ``School Energy Crisis Relief Act,'' 
     established in S.1997 and H.R. 4158, authorizes the U.S. 
     Secretary of Energy to create a federal program of energy 
     assistance grants to public school districts; and
       Whereas, the ``School Energy Crisis Relief Act'' is 
     designed to award school energy grants to the school 
     districts that have experienced the highest percentage' 
     increase or expenditure increase in transportation and 
     heating fuel costs among all school districts in each state 
     for a specific time period during the 2005-2006 school year, 
     in comparison to the same time period during the 2004-2005 
     school year; and
       Whereas, many public agencies across the country are 
     struggling to cope with a dramatic, unexpected surge in their 
     energy

[[Page 4801]]

     costs, with schools facing an additional burden in that they 
     operate large fleets of buses and heat large, sprawling 
     buildings, and urban school districts are especially burdened 
     by some of the nation's oldest, and often least, energy-
     efficient buildings; and
       Whereas, these unanticipated energy costs are a great 
     challenge, and many public school boards throughout the 
     United States are facing a choice between paying their higher 
     energy bills or cutting instructional staff and programs; and
       Whereas, the ``School Energy Crisis Relief Act'' would 
     allow the U.S. Secretary of Energy to award grants to public 
     school districts that are among the top 10 percent of all 
     districts in their' state for numbers or percentages of 
     children counted under section 1124(c) of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 US.C. 6333(c)); and
       Whereas, the grant amounts would be awarded based on the 
     population of children between the ages 5 and 17 of that 
     state according to the most recent federal decennial census, 
     in comparison to all other states, as well as the regional 
     cost of transportation and heating fuel in comparison with 
     the average national cost, as determined by the most recent 
     statistical data from the U.S. Energy Information 
     Administration; and
       Whereas, it is in the best interest of this State to 
     support the enactment of the ``School Energy Crisis Relief 
     Act,'' in order to reduce the financial burden of higher 
     heating and transportation costs affecting our Public school 
     districts' now therefore be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
       1. The Senate of the State of New Jersey memorializes the 
     U.S. Congress and President to enact S. 1997 and H.R. 4158, 
     the ``School Energy Crisis Relief Act,'' which establishes a 
     federal program of energy assistance grants to local school 
     districts.
       2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by 
     the, President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary 
     thereof, shall be transmitted to the President and the Vice 
     President of the United States, the Speaker of the United 
     States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority 
     leaders of the United States Senate and the United States 
     House of Representatives, and each member of the United 
     States Congress elected from this State.
                                  ____

       POM-289. A resolution adopted by the Board of Chosen 
     Freeholders, Bergen County, State of New Jersey relative to 
     denouncing the sale of six major United States port 
     operations to Dubai Ports World; to the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
                                  ____

       POM-290. A resolution adopted by the Township of 
     Belleville, State of New Jersey, entitled ``Resolution 
     Opposing Governmental Approval or Approval by the Committee 
     on Foreign Investments for the Sale of Peninsular and 
     Oriental Steam Navigation Co. to Dubai Ports World''; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

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