[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 1235-1238]
[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-6. A resolution adopted by the Aurora Township Board of 
     Trustees approving the election canvass results from a recent 
     referendum; to the Committee on Armed Services.
                                  ____

       POM-7. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives 
     of the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to 
     increasing funding to dredge Michigan's deep-draft Great 
     Lakes ports and waterways; to the Committee on Environment 
     and Public Works.

                        House Resolution No. 288

       Whereas, Michigan is home to 40 deep-draft commercial ports 
     on the Great Lakes, more than the other seven Great Lakes 
     states combined; and
       Whereas, in a typical year, these ports will handle in 
     excess of 90 million tons of cargo, representing more than 50 
     percent of all the cargo moving on the Lakes, and the 
     equivalent of 10 tons for each Michigan resident. The ports 
     of Calcite, Cedarville, Drummond Island, Port Inland, and 
     Presque Isle typically ship nearly 70 percent of the 
     limestone moving on the Great Lakes. The ports of Marquette 
     and Escanaba account for more than 20 percent of the Lakes' 
     iron ore trade. The ports of Alpena and Charlevoix are the 
     primary source of cement carried on the Great Lakes; and
       Whereas, this waterborne commerce generates tens of 
     thousands of family-sustaining jobs in Michigan and supports 
     the state economy. For example, Michigan's steel and 
     construction industries depend on Great Lakes shipping to 
     deliver efficiently millions of tons of raw materials they 
     need each year; and
       Whereas, the U.S. Department of Transportation is promoting 
     Short Sea Shipping--commercial waterborne transportation 
     along the inland and coastal waterways--as a means of easing 
     congestion on the nation's crowded highways and railbeds; and
       Whereas, compared to other transportation modes, waterborne 
     commerce provides environmental benefits, including fuel 
     savings and fewer emissions. In addition, the efficiencies of 
     waterborne commerce enable Michigan utilities to use cleaner-
     burning low-sulfur coal loaded in Wisconsin and shipped on 
     the Great Lakes; and
       Whereas, Michigan's deep-draft Great Lakes ports and 
     waterways are long overdue for needed dredging to deepen 
     them. For example, while currently under way, it had been 23 
     years since the Saginaw River turning basin was last dredged; 
     and
       Whereas, Michigan's economy is not reaping the full 
     benefits of Great Lakes shipping due to the lack of necessary 
     dredging. Ships cannot carry full loads and offer customers 
     the best freight rates. The largest vessels delivering low-
     sulfur coal to Michigan are leaving behind as much as 4,500 
     tons each trip. Shortfalls in deliveries of iron ore, 
     limestone, cement, and other cargos hamper Michigan 
     employers' ability to compete; and
       Whereas, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' budget for 
     dredging Great Lakes ports and waterways has been inadequate 
     for decades. This is true even though cargo is assessed a 
     federal tax to fund dredging and the Harbor Maintenance Trust 
     Fund has a surplus of nearly $2 billion; now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize Congress to increase federal funding for dredging 
     Michigan's Great Lakes deep-draft ports and waterways, using 
     surplus monies from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That we urge Congress to direct the U.S. Army 
     Corps of Engineers to clear the backlog of dredging projects 
     at Michigan's ports and waterways and to then maintain those 
     harbors and channels to project depth in the future; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, the members of the 
     Michigan congressional delegation, and the U.S. Army Corps of 
     Engineers.
                                  ____

       POM-8. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives 
     of the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to 
     federal funding for the barriers designed to protect the 
     Great Lakes from Asian carp; to the Committee on Environment 
     and Public Works.

                        House Resolution No. 313

       Whereas, Two species of Asian carp are on the verge of 
     invading the Great Lakes. Silver carp and bighead carp have 
     advanced up the Mississippi River since they escaped from 
     Arkansas fish farms in the early 1980s, and now have been 
     identified as close as 50 miles to Lake Michigan in the 
     Illinois River near Chicago; and
       Whereas, Asian carp pose a significant risk to the ecology 
     and economy of the Great Lakes region. Asian carp can grow as 
     large as 100 pounds and are voracious feeders. They would 
     compete with native fish and could become a dominant species 
     in the Great Lakes, threatening the Great Lakes' $4 billion 
     commercial and recreational fishery. In addition, silver carp 
     can jump up to 10 feet out of the water when disturbed, 
     posing a risk to recreational boaters. In several states, 
     leaping carp have injured boaters; and
       Whereas, Asian carp are the latest in a long line of exotic 
     species to threaten the Great Lakes. Past invasions of the 
     Great Lakes by exotic species like zebra and quagga mussels 
     and sea lampreys have severely affected the Great Lakes. It 
     is estimated that over $40 million per year is spent to 
     control these two exotic species. Scientists project that 
     Asian carp could have a similar impact on the Great Lakes; 
     and
       Whereas, The United States Army Corps of Engineers operates 
     a temporary demonstration barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and 
     Ship Canal to prevent the movement of Asian carp into the 
     Great Lakes. In addition, the Army Corps and the state of 
     Illinois are constructing a permanent electrical barrier to 
     replace the temporary barrier; and
       Whereas, Over $12 million has been spent to date on 
     construction and operation of the electrical barriers. To 
     help match federal funding, the state of Michigan has 
     contributed nearly $70,000 toward the completion of the 
     permanent electrical barrier; and
       Whereas, Current funding is insufficient to complete 
     construction of the permanent barrier and only covers 
     operation of the temporary barrier through the first half of 
     fiscal year 2007. In addition, there is no funding to 
     renovate the temporary barrier as a permanent backup to the 
     new barrier; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the United States Congress to approve full 
     federal funding to complete construction and ensure permanent 
     operation and maintenance of both electrical barriers in the 
     Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to protect the Great Lakes 
     from Asian carp; 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.

[[Page 1236]]

       Adopted by the House of Representatives, December 12, 2006.
                                  ____

       POM-9. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to refraining from taxing 
     rebuilding grants from the state's Road Home program; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 20

       Whereas, Louisiana taxpayers have spent countless hours 
     coping with paperwork and bureaucracy that has inconvenienced 
     them since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated southern 
     Louisiana last year; and
       Whereas, the grants themselves are not taxable, but the 
     Internal Revenue Service says grant recipients who claimed a 
     storm-related casualty loss would have to consider all or 
     part of the grant as income; and
       Whereas, the average Road Home grant is sixty-five thousand 
     dollars; therefore, some recipients would find themselves 
     bumped up to higher tax brackets and would likely have a 
     higher federal income tax liability; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana Department of Revenue has determined 
     that grants would not constitute income for state purposes: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress and the Internal 
     Revenue Service to take such actions as are necessary to 
     refrain from taxing rebuilding grants from the state's Road 
     Home program; and be it further
       Resolved that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America, to the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, 
     and to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-10. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     relative to enacting legislation to amend the definition of 
     ``physician'' in the Medicaid Program to include podiatric 
     physicians; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 248

       Whereas, The Medicare system has long recognized doctors of 
     podiatric medicine as physicians in federal law. However, the 
     provisions of Title XIX that establish the country's Medicaid 
     program do not include podiatric physicians in the definition 
     of ``physician''; and
       Whereas, There is legislation pending in the Congress, H.R. 
     699 and S. 440, to require that podiatry services are covered 
     by Medicaid. Enactment of this measure would guarantee access 
     to quality foot and ankle care for Medicaid patients; and
       Whereas, Podiatric physicians play an important role in the 
     recognition of systemic diseases, such as diabetes, as well 
     as recognition and treatment of peripheral neuropathy, a 
     frequent cause of diabetic foot wounds that can lead to 
     amputations if left untreated; and
       Whereas, Under the current provisions, Medicaid patients 
     may be prevented from seeking care from a podiatric physician 
     because these services are not covered as ``physician 
     services.'' This policy puts many people at risk, especially 
     diabetic patients; and
       Whereas, Quality foot care increases mobility, prevents 
     amputations, improves quality of life, and avoids numerous 
     unnecessary costs. Clearly, including podiatric services 
     under the Medicaid program is a prudent step to take; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact 
     legislation to amend the definition of ``physician'' in the 
     Medicaid program to include podiatric physicians; 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-11. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Michigan 
     relative to enacting the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit 
     Act; to the Committee on Finance.

                        House Resolution No. 266

       Whereas, hearing is clearly one of our most essential 
     senses. It is often taken for granted, unfortunately, until 
     the time one begins to experience hearing loss. At this point 
     it is too late to reverese the damage. Hearing aids are the 
     ready solution to the problems associated with hearing loss, 
     but the costs associated with good quality equipment is 
     expensive, is not always covered by one's insurance or 
     Medicaid, and is too often foregone for more immediate needs. 
     A federal tax credit would provide immediate and necessary 
     relief for tens of thousands; and
       Whereas, indeed, it has been estimated that hearing aids 
     would help ninety-five percent of those suffering from 
     hearing loss. Only twenty-two percent of the population, 
     however, currently uses a hearing device, because the average 
     out-of-pocket costs associated with hearing aids is over 
     $2,800. Thousands upon thousands of individuals and family 
     members are impacted by these soaring costs. It is estimated 
     that close to 2 million people are affected by untreated 
     hearing loss; and
       Whereas, in Michigan, legislation was enacted in 1978 to 
     exempt hearing aids from the state sales tax. This initiative 
     was a clear recognition of the importance of cost savings to 
     those in need of hearing aids. The Congress should follow 
     this stellar example and enact similar tax incentives in the 
     U.S. Tax Code; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we hereby 
     memoralize the Congress of the United States to enact the 
     Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act; 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-12. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to the adoption of the 
     Constitution Restoration Act of 2005; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 33

       Whereas, on Monday, June 27, 2005, the United States 
     Supreme Court in two razor-thin majorities of 5-4 in Van 
     Orden v. Perry (Texas) and ACLU v. McCreary County 
     (Kentucky), concluded that it is consistent with the First 
     Amendment to display the Ten Commandments in an outdoor 
     public square in Texas, but not on the courthouse walls of 
     two counties in Kentucky; and
       Whereas, American citizens are concerned that the court has 
     produced two opposite results involving the same Ten 
     Commandments, leading to the conclusion that, based on the 
     Kentucky decision, the Ten Commandments may be displayed in a 
     county courthouse provided it is not backed by a belief in 
     God; and
       Whereas, Supreme Justice Scalia emphasized the importance 
     of the Ten Commandments when he stated in the Kentucky case, 
     ``The three most popular religions in the United States, 
     Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, which combined account for 
     97.7% of all believers, are monotheistic. All of them, 
     moreover, believe that the Ten Commandments were given by God 
     to Moses and are divine prescriptions for a virtuous life''; 
     and
       Whereas, Chief Justice Rehnquist in the Texas case referred 
     to the duplicity of the United States Supreme Court in 
     telling local governments in America that they may not 
     display the Ten Commandments in public buildings in their 
     communities while at the same time allowing these same Ten 
     Commandments to be presented on these specific places on the 
     building housing the United States Supreme Court stating, 
     ``Since 1935, Moses has stood holding two tablets that reveal 
     portions of the Ten Commandments written in Hebrew, among 
     other lawgivers in the south frieze. Representations of the 
     Ten Commandments adorn the metal gates lining the north and 
     south sides of the courtroom as well as the doors leading 
     into the courtroom. Moses also sits on the exterior east 
     facade of the building holding the Ten Commandments 
     tablets''; and
       Whereas, a recent poll by the First Amendment Center 
     revealed that seventy percent of Americans would have no 
     objection to posting the Ten Commandments in government 
     buildings, and eighty-five percent would approve if the Ten 
     Commandments were included as one document among many 
     historical documents when displayed in public buildings; and
       Whereas, the First Amendment of the United States 
     Constitution, which provides in part that ``Congress shall 
     make no law respecting an establishment of religion'', is a 
     specific and unequivocal instruction to only the United 
     States Congress, and the United States Constitution makes no 
     restriction on the ability of states to acknowledge God, the 
     Supreme Ruler of the Universe; and
       Whereas, the United States District Court Southern District 
     of Indiana on November 30, 2005, entered a final judgment and 
     permanent injunction ordering the speaker of the Indiana 
     House of Representatives not to permit sectarian prayers as 
     part of the official proceedings of the House; and
       Whereas, the federal judiciary has violated one of the most 
     sacred provisions of the United States Constitution providing 
     for three branches of government and the separation of powers 
     of those branches by overstepping its authority and dictating 
     the activities of the inner workings of the legislative 
     branch of government; and
       Whereas, the federal judiciary has overstepped its 
     constitutional boundaries and ruled against the 
     acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, 
     liberty, and government by local and state officers and other 
     state institutions, including state schools; and
       Whereas, there is concern that recent decisions of the 
     court will be used by litigants in an effort to remove God 
     from the public square in America, including public buildings 
     and public parks; and
       Whereas, there is concern that the federal judiciary will 
     continue to attempt to micromanage the internal workings of 
     the legislative as well as executive branches of government; 
     and
       Whereas, there is pending before the 1st Session of the 
     109th Congress the Constitution Restoration Act of 2005, 
     which will limit

[[Page 1237]]

     the jurisdiction of the federal courts and preserve the right 
     to acknowledge God to the states and to the people and 
     resolve the issue of improper judicial intervention in 
     matters relating to the acknowledgment of God: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to adopt S520 and HR 1070, 
     the Constitution Restoration Act of 2005 and, in doing so, 
     protecting the ability of the people of Louisiana to display 
     the Ten Commandments in public places, to express their faith 
     in public, to retain God in the Pledge of Allegiance, and to 
     retain ``In God We Trust'' as our national motto, and to use 
     Article III, Section 2.2 of the United States Constitution to 
     except these areas from the jurisdiction of the United States 
     Supreme Court; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be 
     transmitted to the administrator of the General Services, 
     Washington, D.C., 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 and presiding 
     officer of each house of each state legislature in the United 
     States.
                                  ____

       POM-13. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana 
     relative to certain Committees continuing their investigation 
     and oversight efforts regarding the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency; to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs.

                        House Resolution No. 11

       Whereas, in House Concurrent Resolution No. 72 of the 2005 
     First Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the 
     legislature expressed serious concerns regarding the $3.7 
     billion that Louisiana was expected to pay to the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the state's share of 
     hurricane recovery costs; and
       Whereas, these concerns stemmed from initial reports of 
     inefficiencies and accounting errors on the part of FEMA, 
     which had resulted in an artificially high spending for 
     disaster recovery; and
       Whereas, in light of its concerns, the Legislature of 
     Louisiana memorialized the United States Congress to task the 
     Government Accountability Office (GAO) with a complete audit 
     of FEMA's expenditures, and the appropriateness and 
     reasonableness thereof, on Katrina and Rita recovery efforts 
     in Louisiana; and
       Whereas, to date the Forensic Audits and Special 
     Investigations Unit of the GAO has delivered four reports to 
     the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs regarding its investigation of fraud, 
     waste, and abuse in FEMA's response to Hurricanes Katrina and 
     Rita; and
       Whereas, the titles of these reports alone indicate that 
     the Louisiana Legislature was right to be suspicious of and 
     to request inquiry into the amount FEMA was claiming it spent 
     on recovery: Expedited Assistance for Victims of Hurricanes 
     Katrina and Rita: FEMA's Control Weaknesses Exposed the 
     Government to Significant Fraud and Abuse; Hurricanes Katrina 
     and Rita Disaster Relief: Improper and Potentially Fraudulent 
     Individual Assistance Payments Estimated to be Between $600 
     Million and $1.4 Billion, and Purchase Cards: Control 
     Weaknesses Leave DHS Highly Vulnerable to Fraudulent, 
     Improper, and Abusive Activity; and
       Whereas, on December 6, 2006, the GAO delivered its most 
     recent report to a meeting of the senate committee; and
       Whereas, this last report, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 
     Disaster Relief: Continued Findings of Fraud, Waste, and 
     Abuse, includes the following findings: nearly $17 million in 
     potentially improper or fraudulent rental assistance payments 
     to individuals while they were living in trailers also paid 
     for by FEMA; FEMA provided potentially improper or fraudulent 
     rental assistance payments to individuals living in FEMA-paid 
     apartments; nearly $20 million in potentially improper or 
     fraudulent payments went to individuals who registered for 
     both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita assistance using the same 
     property; and millions of dollars of improper and potentially 
     fraudulent payments went to nonqualified aliens, including 
     foreign students and temporary workers; and
       Whereas, it is reasonable to expect at this time that 
     additional inquiry by the GAO will continue to reveal further 
     problems with the FEMA expenditures; and
       Whereas, in her opening statement to the committee when 
     this report was delivered, committee chairman, Senator Susan 
     M. Collins, said: ``No flaw has been more persistent and more 
     damaging to effective relief for disaster victims and to 
     public confidence in their government than the rampant fraud, 
     waste, and abuse that have plagued federal relief and 
     recovery programs''; and
       Whereas, in his statement to the committee at that meeting, 
     ranking minority member Senator Joe Lieberman said ``GAO's 
     investigations over the past year as well as FEMA's own data 
     on overpayments show that the agency squandered hundreds of 
     millions of dollars in gross improper payments to individuals 
     and households that the government may never recover''; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress has already responded 
     to some of the GAO findings by including a FEMA reform 
     package as part of the 2007 Appropriations Act for the 
     Department of Homeland Security; and
       Whereas, though it has now been approximately fifteen 
     months since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck Louisiana, 
     the GAO investigations and FEMA's own admissions confirm 
     suspicions of waste, the $3.7 billion that FEMA originally 
     billed to Louisiana is now expected to be closer to $500 
     million, and the congress has taken actions to prevent some 
     of the abuse from occurring in the future, the Legislature of 
     Louisiana is hopeful that the United States Senate Committee 
     and the Forensic Audits and Special Investigations Unit of 
     the GAO will not forget about this issue; and
       Whereas, Louisiana is prepared to pay its share of 
     reasonable costs of recovery, but a definitive appraisal of 
     reasonable costs has not yet been determined; and
       Whereas, incoming United States Senate Majority Leader 
     Harry Reid has announced tentative committee assignments for 
     the 110th United States Congress, which include Senator Joe 
     Lieberman assuming the position of committee chairman and 
     Senator Mary Landrieu being made a member of the committee; 
     and
       Whereas, with Senator Lieberman in a position to continue 
     the important work of the committee and Senator Landrieu in a 
     position to represent the interests of her state in this 
     work, and with the excellent work of the GAO in evidence, the 
     Legislature of Louisiana is hopeful that an accurate 
     appraisal of the state's obligation in the area of recovery 
     costs will be determined soon: Now, Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Legislature of Louisiana does hereby express its gratitude to 
     the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs and to the Forensic Audits and Special 
     Investigations Unit of the GAO for the work they have already 
     done in identifying fraud and waste in FEMA's hurricane 
     recovery spending in Louisiana; and be it further
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the 
     committee and the GAO to continue their investigation and 
     oversight efforts and to provide guidance to FEMA and to the 
     state of Louisiana as to what the state's share of legitimate 
     recovery expenses is; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the president and the secretary of the United States Senate, 
     the Louisiana congressional delegation, Senator Susan 
     Collins, Senator Joe Lieberman, the managing director of the 
     Forensic Audits and Special Investigations Unit of the 
     Government Accountability Office, the Louisiana commissioner 
     of administration, and the Louisiana legislative auditor.
                                  ____

       POM-14. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana relative to certain Committees 
     continuing their investigation and oversight efforts 
     regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency; to the 
     Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 27

       Whereas, in House Concurrent Resolution No. 72 of the 2005 
     First Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the 
     legislature expressed serious concerns regarding the $3.7 
     billion that Louisiana was expected to pay to the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the state's share of 
     hurricane recovery costs; and
       Whereas, these concerns stemmed from initial reports of 
     inefficiencies and accounting errors on the part of FEMA, 
     which had resulted in an artificially high spending for 
     disaster recovery; and
       Whereas, in light of its concerns, the Legislature of 
     Louisiana memorialized the United States Congress to task the 
     Government Accountability Office (GAO) with a complete audit 
     of FEMA's expenditures, and the appropriateness and 
     reasonableness thereof, on Katrina and Rita recovery efforts 
     in Louisiana; and
       Whereas, to date the Forensic Audits and Special 
     Investigations Unit of the GAO has delivered four reports to 
     the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs regarding its investigation of fraud, 
     waste, and abuse in FEMA's response to Hurricanes Katrina and 
     Rita; and
       Whereas, the titles of these reports alone indicate that 
     the Louisiana Legislature was right to be suspicious of and 
     to request inquiry into the amount FEMA was claiming it spent 
     on recovery: Expedited Assistance for Victims of Hurricanes 
     Katrina and Rita: FEMA's Control Weaknesses Exposed the 
     Government to Significant Fraud and Abuse; Hurricanes Katrina 
     and Rita Disaster Relief: Improper and Potentially Fraudulent 
     Individual Assistance Payments Estimated to be Between $600 
     Million and $1.4 Billion, and Purchase Cards: Control 
     Weaknesses Leave DHS Highly Vulnerable to Fraudulent, 
     Improper, and Abusive Activity; and
       Whereas, on December 6, 2006, the GAO delivered its most 
     recent report to a meeting of the Senate Committee; and

[[Page 1238]]

       Whereas, this last report, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 
     Disaster Relief Continued Findings of Fraud, Waste, and 
     Abuse, includes the following findings: nearly $17 million in 
     potentially improper or fraudulent rental assistance payments 
     to individuals while they were living in trailers also paid 
     for by FEMA; FEMA provided potentially improper or fraudulent 
     rental assistance payments to individuals living in FEMA-paid 
     apartments; nearly $20 million in potentially improper or 
     fraudulent payments went to individuals who registered for 
     both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita assistance using the same 
     property; and millions of dollars of improper and potentially 
     fraudulent payments went to nonqualified aliens, including 
     foreign students and temporary workers; and
       Whereas, it is reasonable to expect at this time that 
     additional inquiry by the GAO will continue to reveal further 
     problems with the FEMA expenditures; and
       Whereas, in her opening statement to the committee when 
     this report was delivered, Committee Chairman Senator Susan 
     M. Collins said: ``No flaw has been more persistent and more 
     damaging to effective relief for disaster victims and to 
     public confidence in their government than the rampant fraud, 
     waste, and abuse that have plagued federal relief and 
     recovery programs''; and
       Whereas, in his statement to the committee at that meeting, 
     ranking minority member Senator Joe Lieberman said ``GAO's 
     investigations over the past year as well as FEMA's own data 
     on overpayments show that the agency squandered hundreds of 
     millions of dollars in gross improper payments to individuals 
     and households that the government may never recover''; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress has already responded 
     to some of the GAO findings by including a FEMA reform 
     package as part of the 2007 Appropriations Act for the 
     Department of Homeland Security; and
       Whereas, though it has now been approximately fifteen 
     months since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck Louisiana, 
     the GAO investigations and FEMA's own admissions confirm 
     suspicions of waste, the $3.7 billion that FEMA originally 
     billed to Louisiana is now expected to be closer to $500 
     million, and Congress has taken actions to prevent some of 
     the abuse from occurring in the future, the Legislature of 
     Louisiana is hopeful that the United States Senate Committee 
     and the Forensic Audits and Special Investigations Unit of 
     the GAO will not forget about this issue; and
       Whereas, Louisiana is prepared to pay its share of 
     reasonable costs of recovery, but a definitive appraisal of 
     reasonable costs has not yet been determined; and
       Whereas, incoming United States Senate Majority Leader 
     Harry Reid has announced tentative committee assignments for 
     the 110th Congress, which include Senator Joe Lieberman 
     assuming the position of committee chairman and Senator Mary 
     Landrieu being made a member of the committee; and
       Whereas, with Senator Lieberman in a position to continue 
     the important work of the committee and Senator Landrieu in a 
     position to represent the interests of her state in this 
     work, and with the excellent work of the GAO in evidence, the 
     Legislature of Louisiana is hopeful that an accurate 
     appraisal of the state's obligation in the area of recovery 
     costs will be determined soon: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     express its gratitude to the United States Senate Committee 
     on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and to the 
     Forensic Audits and Special Investigations Unit of the GAO 
     for the work they have already done in identifying fraud and 
     waste in FEMA's hurricane recovery spending in Louisiana; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     urge and request the committee and the GAO to continue their 
     investigation and oversight efforts and to provide guidance 
     to FEMA and to the state of Louisiana as to what the state's 
     share of legitimate recovery expenses is; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, 
     the Louisiana congressional delegation, Senator Susan 
     Collins, Senator Joe Lieberman, the managing director of the 
     Forensic Audits and Special Investigations Unit of the 
     Government Accountability Office, the Louisiana commissioner 
     of administration, and the Louisiana legislative auditor.

                          ____________________