[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 21631-21637]
[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-173. A resolution adopted by the City Council of the 
     City of Miami Gardens, Florida, urging Congress to 
     appropriate the funds necessary to bring the Herbert Hoover 
     Dike into compliance with current levee protection safety 
     standards; to the Committee on Appropriations.
       POM-174. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     take such actions as are necessary to create a federal 
     catastrophe fund; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
     Urban Affairs.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 17

       Whereas, the hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 were 
     startling reminders of both the human and economic 
     devastation that hurricanes, flooding, and other natural 
     disasters can cause; and
       Whereas, creation of a federal catastrophe fund is a 
     comprehensive, integrated approach to help better prepare and 
     protect the Nation from natural catastrophes, such as 
     hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, snowstorms, and 
     earthquakes; and
       Whereas, the current system of response to catastrophes 
     leaves many people and businesses at risk of being unable to 
     replace what they lost, wastes tax dollars, raises insurance 
     premiums, and leads to shortages of insurance needed to 
     sustain our economy; and
       Whereas, creation of a federal catastrophe fund would help 
     stabilize insurance markets following a catastrophe and help 
     steady insurance costs for consumers while making it possible 
     for private insurers to offer more insurance in catastrophe-
     prone areas; and
       Whereas, a portion of the premiums collected by insurance 
     companies could be deposited into such a fund which could be 
     administered by the United States Treasury and grow tax free; 
     and
       Whereas, a portion of the interest earnings of the fund 
     could be dedicated to emergency responder efforts and public 
     education and mitigation programs; and
       Whereas, the federal catastrophe fund would operate as a 
     ``backstop'' and could only be accessed when private insurers 
     and state catastrophe funds have paid losses in excess of a 
     defined threshold; and
       Whereas, utilizing the capacity of the Federal Government 
     would help smooth out fluctuations consumers currently 
     experience in insurance prices and availability because of 
     exposure to large catastrophic losses and would provide 
     better protection at a lower price; and
       Whereas, when there is a gap between the insurance 
     protection consumers buy and the damage caused by a major 
     catastrophe, taxpayers across the country pay much of the 
     difference, as congressional appropriations of billions of 
     dollars for after-the-fact disaster relief in the aftermath 
     of Hurricane Katrina demonstrated; and
       Whereas, there are a number of legislative instruments 
     pending in the current One Hundred Tenth Congress which 
     address the need for a federal catastrophe fund, including 
     the Homeowners Protection Act of 2007 (H.R. 91) and the 
     Commission on Catastrophic Disaster Risk an Insurance Act of 
     2007 (H.R. 537 and S. 292). Therefore, be it
       Resolved, that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to create a federal catastrophe fund. 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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-175. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     take such actions as are necessary to either extend the 
     Terrorism Risk Insurance Act to include insurance coverage 
     for natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes or, 
     alternatively, to establish a tax incentive program for 
     insurance companies that provide insurance coverage for such 
     disasters; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
     Affairs.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 50

       Whereas, as a result of the devastation caused by Hurricane 
     Katrina and Hurricane Rita to personal residential property, 
     commercial residential property, and commercial property, 
     Louisiana insureds, especially those located in the greater 
     New Orleans area, are at risk with regard to the availability 
     and affordability of personal residential property, 
     commercial residential property, and commercial property 
     insurance; and
       Whereas, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita have created 
     a real threat to the public health, safety, and welfare of 
     the citizens of Louisiana, as well as to the rebuilding 
     efforts of Louisiana citizens in the post-Katrina and Rita 
     era; and
       Whereas, Louisiana, as a state located on the coast of the 
     Gulf of Mexico, will continue to be at risk from the threat 
     of hurricanes, further jeopardizing the availability and 
     affordability of personal residential property, commercial 
     residential property, and commercial property insurance. 
     Therefore, be it
       Resolved, that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to either extend the Terrorism Risk 
     Insurance Act (TRIA) to include insurance coverage for 
     natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes or, 
     alternatively, to establish a tax incentive program for 
     insurance companies that provide insurance coverage for 
     natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes. 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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.

[[Page 21632]]

     
                                  ____
       POM-176. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     take such actions as are necessary to revise the National 
     Flood Insurance Program to extend coverage for other natural 
     disasters; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
     Affairs.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 212

       Whereas, the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 
     established the National Flood Insurance Program as a means 
     of mitigating flood damages by making flood insurance 
     available in communities that adopt and enforce measures to 
     reduce flood losses; and
       Whereas, the National Flood Insurance Program is a federal 
     program that allows property owners to purchase insurance 
     protection against losses due to flooding; and
       Whereas, Louisiana as well as other states have significant 
     vulnerability to natural disasters, and when coupled with the 
     lack of appropriate insurance coverage, this may result in a 
     catastrophic impact on the economic, human, and physical 
     environment of the United States; and
       Whereas, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused unprecedented 
     property damage, loss of life, and the upheaval of societal 
     norms in the state of Louisiana; and
       Whereas, the availability and affordability of property 
     insurance has become an issue of paramount importance in a 
     post-Katrina environment that has seen a significant drop in 
     property coverages offered in the private market, 
     unprecedented rate increases, and total risk avoidance in 
     hurricane-prone areas; and
       Whereas, revising the National Flood Insurance Program to 
     extend multi-peril insurance coverage for damage resulting 
     from earthquakes, volcanos, tsunamis, and hurricanes would 
     reduce the economic consequences of future natural disasters; 
     and
       Whereas, the accessibility of multi-peril insurance 
     coverage through a federally offered program may increase 
     participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, 
     thereby reducing rates due to the aggregate risk pooling of 
     natural disasters; and
       Whereas, this goal may be accomplished by generating 
     sufficient premium income to provide insurance protection 
     against disasters and to reduce the government's expenditures 
     for future disaster relief; and
       Whereas, the incorporation of a multi-peril mitigation 
     program within the National Flood Insurance Program would 
     afford consumers the protection of a residential insurance 
     program with multi-peril protection. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to allow the National Flood Insurance 
     Program to extend coverage for other natural disasters. 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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-177. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     take such actions as are necessary to ensure that all all-
     terrain vehicles sold in the United States meet mechanical 
     equipment standards of the Consumer, Product Safety 
     Commission and that safety information and training are being 
     provided to all purchasers of all-terrain vehicles; to the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 274

       Whereas, the United States Consumer Product Safety 
     Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from 
     unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 
     fifteen thousand types of consumer products under the 
     agency's jurisdiction, and the commission is committed to 
     protecting consumers and families from products that pose a 
     fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can 
     injure children; and
       Whereas, despite success in general, injuries and deaths 
     resulting from the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), 
     particularly involving children, are on the rise; and
       Whereas, a CPSC staff report from 2005 includes the 
     following ATV-related injury and death data:
       In 2003, there were an estimated seven hundred forty deaths 
     associated with ATVs.
       In 2001, the most recent year for which death data 
     collection is complete, twenty-six percent of the reported 
     deaths were of children under sixteen years old.
       The estimated risk of death was 1.1 deaths per ten thousand 
     four-wheeled ATVs in use in 2003.
       The estimated number of A TV-related emergency-room-treated 
     injuries for all ages in 2004 was one hundred thirty-six 
     thousand one hundred, an increase of ten thousand six hundred 
     from 2003. This increase was statistically significant.
       Children under sixteen years of age accounted for forty-
     four thousand seven hundred, or thirty-three percent, of the 
     total estimated number of injuries in 2004.
       There were about one hundred eighty-eight emergency-room-
     treated injuries per ten thousand four-wheeled ATVs in use in 
     2004; and
       Whereas, currently ATVs are subject only to voluntary 
     standards and Letters of Undertaking entered into by the CPSC 
     and the major manufacturers; and
       Whereas, there are gaps in the current, voluntary system of 
     regulating the industry; primary among them is the fact that 
     the regulations do not apply to ``new entrants'', that is, 
     those manufacturers who have not agreed to participate in the 
     standards; and
       Whereas, despite a recommendation from its own staff that 
     equipment standards and safety measures should be applied to 
     all manufacturers and distributors, the CPSC has failed to 
     adopt final mandatory regulations applicable to ATVs; and
       Whereas, in the interest of saving lives and preventing 
     injury, it is appropriate that Congress get involved in this 
     issue: Therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to do all of the following:
       (1) Require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to 
     promulgate a consumer product safety standard for all-terrain 
     vehicles. The standard shall be the same as the American 
     National Standard for Four Wheel All-Terrain Vehicles-
     Equipment, Configuration, and Performance Requirements ANSI/
     SVIA-1-2001 or its successor standard.
       (2) Require each manufacturer or importer of an all-terrain 
     vehicle to which the ATV standard applies to submit an action 
     plan to the commission for its approval. Such plan shall 
     include the offer of free rider training, dissemination of 
     safety information, age recommendations, the monitoring of 
     such sales, and other safety-related measures.
       (3) Prohibit a manufacturer or importer of all-terrain 
     vehicles from distributing an all-terrain vehicle in commerce 
     unless the manufacturer or importer has complied with its 
     obligations under its action plan that has been approved by 
     the commission.
       (4) Require each all-terrain vehicle to which the ATV 
     standard applies to bear a permanent label certifying that 
     the all-terrain vehicle complies with the consumer product 
     safety standard and is subject to an action plan accepted by 
     the commission; identifies the manufacturer or importer 
     issuing the certification; and contains sufficient 
     information to enable the commission to identify the 
     particular action plan that applies to that all-terrain 
     vehicle; 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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-178. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of 
     the State of New Jersey urging Congress to reinstate its 
     offshore water quality testing program along the New Jersey 
     coastline; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

                      Assembly Resolution No. 270

       Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency 
     has conducted a seasonal offshore monitoring program by 
     helicopter for the last 30 years along the New Jersey 
     coastline that searched for and tested the presence of 
     dissolved oxygen and enterococci (i.e., fecal) bacteria in 
     ocean waters; and
       Whereas, The existence of certain levels of dissolved 
     oxygen and enterococci bacteria are precursors or indicators 
     of potential fish kills and harmful algal blooms or ``brown 
     tide''; and
       Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency 
     has announced that it is terminating this offshore water 
     testing program in favor of alternative methods of testing 
     for these environmental indicators; and
       Whereas, A massive algal bloom appeared in Raritan and 
     Sandy Hook Bays in late May 2007, turning coastal ocean 
     waters brown from Sandy Hook to Manasquan, thereby 
     reemphasizing the need for the continuation of the federal 
     ocean water testing program; and
       Whereas, The State, counties and municipalities affected by 
     the termination of the federal ocean water testing program do 
     not have the logistical or financial capability to continue 
     or replace this program in time for the 2007 summer shore 
     season; and
       Whereas, New Jersey has a coastline of beautiful beaches 
     which is not only one of the State's greatest natural 
     resources but also is vital to the State's economy through 
     the billions of dollars generated from shore-related tourism; 
     and
       Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency 
     is continuing the use of its coastal monitoring helicopter to 
     conduct surveillance of floatable objects in the ocean off 
     the coast of New Jersey and therefore could reinstate the 
     ocean water testing program in an expeditious manner without 
     undue financial or logistical hardships; Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, by the General Assembly of the State of New 
     Jersey:
       (1) This House opposes the decision by the United States 
     Environmental Protection Agency to terminate the offshore 
     ocean water quality testing program along the coast of New 
     Jersey and urges that it be reinstated immediately.

[[Page 21633]]

       (2) Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by 
     the Speaker of the Assembly and attested by the Clerk 
     thereof, shall be transmitted to the President and Vice-
     President of the United States, the Administrator of the 
     United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Region II 
     Administrator of that agency, 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, each member of the Congress of the 
     United States elected from this State, and the Commissioner 
     of the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection.
                                  ____

       POM-179. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the State of Louisiana urging Congress to vote in favor of 
     H.R. 1229, the Non-Market Economy Trade Remedy Act of 2007; 
     to the Committee on Finance.

                  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 115

       Whereas, H.R. 1229, the ``Non-Market Economy Trade Remedy 
     Act of 2007,'' will ensure that the United States 
     countervailing duty law applies to imports from non-market 
     economies; and
       Whereas, the purpose of the countervailing duty law is to 
     offset any unfair competitive advantage that foreign 
     manufacturers or exporters have as a result of subsidies; and
       Whereas, manufacturing is a vital part of the American 
     economy; and
       Whereas, each American manufacturing job results in the 
     creation of approximately four additional jobs; and
       Whereas, since 1997, Louisiana has lost over thirty-nine 
     thousand manufacturing jobs due to unfair trade practices; 
     and
       Whereas, Louisiana's coastal area is home to some of the 
     Nation's premiere commercial fisheries, accounting for 30 
     percent of the commercial fisheries production of the lower 
     48 States; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana seafood industry provides an annual 
     economic impact of approximately two billion eight hundred 
     million dollars and over thirty-one thousand jobs; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana seafood industry has lost over 
     eleven thousand jobs and millions of dollars due to illegally 
     subsidized seafood imports and dumping from foreign nations; 
     and
       Whereas, industries that once were the pride of their 
     communities and employed generations of the same family have 
     been shut down resulting from jobs being shifted to foreign 
     nations where labor is cheap and environmental standards are 
     not enforced; and
       Whereas, billions of dollars in wages and millions of jobs 
     are expected to move from the United States to low-cost 
     nations by 2015; and
       Whereas, H.R. 1229, the ``Non-Market Economy Trade Remedy 
     Act of 2007,'' is being considered in Congress to correct the 
     longstanding inequity of trade law, and requires the 
     Department of Commerce to take action in countervailing duty 
     cases in support of American businesses: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes 
     the Congress of the United States to vote in favor of H.R. 
     1229, the ``Non-Market Economy Trade Remedy Act of 2007''; 
     and 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-180. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Wisconsin urging Congress to create a system that ensures 
     that trade agreements are developed and implemented using a 
     democratic, inclusive mechanism that enshrines the principles 
     of federalism and state sovereignty; to the Committee on 
     Finance.

                        Senate Resolution No. 8

       Whereas, democratic, accountable governance in the States, 
     generally, and the authority granted by the Wisconsin 
     constitution to the legislative branch, specifically, are 
     being undermined by international commercial and trade rules 
     enforced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and 
     established by the North American Free Trade Agreement 
     (NAFTA) and are further threatened by similar provisions in 
     an array of pending trade agreements; and
       Whereas, today's ``trade'' agreements have impacts that 
     extend significantly beyond the bounds of traditional trade 
     matters, such as tariffs and quotas, and instead grant 
     foreign investors and service providers certain rights and 
     privileges regarding acquisition of land and facilities and 
     regarding operations within a State's territory, subject 
     State laws to challenge as ``nontariff barriers to trade'' in 
     the binding dispute resolution bodies that accompany the 
     pacts, and place limits on the future policy options of State 
     legislatures; and
       Whereas, NAFTA and other U.S. free trade agreements grant 
     foreign firms new rights and privileges for operating within 
     a State that exceed those rights and privileges granted to 
     U.S. businesses under State and Federal law; and
       Whereas, NAFTA already has generated ``regulatory takings'' 
     cases against State and local land-use decisions, State 
     environmental and public health policies, adverse State court 
     rulings, and State and local contracts that would not have 
     been possible in U.S. courts; and
       Whereas, when States are bound to comply with government 
     procurement provisions contained in trade agreements, common 
     economic development and environmental policies, such as buy-
     local laws, prevailing wage laws, and policies to prevent 
     offshoring of State jobs, as well as recycled content laws, 
     could be subject to challenge as violating the obligations in 
     the trade agreements; and
       Whereas, recent trade agreements curtail State regulatory 
     authority by placing constraints on future policy options; 
     and
       Whereas, the WTO general agreement on trade in services 
     (GATS) could undermine State efforts to expand health care 
     coverage and rein in health care costs and places constraints 
     on State and local land-use planning and gambling policy; and
       Whereas, new GATS negotiations could impose additional 
     constraints on State regulation of energy, higher education, 
     professional licensing, and other areas; and
       Whereas, despite the indisputable fact that international 
     trade agreements have a far-reaching impact on State and 
     local laws, Federal Government trade negotiators have failed 
     to respect States' rights to prior informed consent before 
     binding States to conform State law and authority to trade 
     agreement requirements and have refused even to inform State 
     legislatures of key correspondence; and
       Whereas, the current encroachment on State regulatory 
     authority by international commercial and trade agreements 
     has occurred in no small part because U.S. trade policy is 
     being formulated and implemented under the Fast Track Trade 
     Authority procedure; and
       Whereas, Fast Track eliminates vital checks and balances 
     established in the U.S. Constitution by broadly delegating to 
     the executive branch Congress's exclusive constitutional 
     authority to set the terms of trade, such that the executive 
     branch is empowered to negotiate broad-ranging trade 
     agreements and to sign them prior to Congress voting on the 
     agreements; and
       Whereas, the ability of the executive branch to sign trade 
     agreements prior to Congress's vote of approval means that 
     executive branch negotiators can ignore congressional 
     negotiating objectives or States' demands, and neither 
     Congress nor the States have any means to enforce any 
     decision regarding what provisions must be contained in every 
     U.S. trade agreement or what provisions may not be included 
     in any U.S. trade agreement; and
       Whereas, Federal trade negotiators have ignored and 
     disrespected States' demands regarding whether States agree 
     to be bound to certain nontariff trade agreement provisions; 
     and
       Whereas, Fast Track also circumvents normal congressional 
     review and amendment committee procedures, limits debate to 
     20 hours, and forbids any floor amendments to the 
     implementing legislation that is presented to Congress to 
     conform hundreds of U.S. laws to trade agreement obligations 
     and to incorporate the actual trade agreement itself into 
     U.S. Federal law that preempts State law; and
       Whereas, Fast Track is not necessary for negotiating trade 
     agreements as demonstrated by the existence of scores of 
     trade agreements, including major pacts, implemented in the 
     past 30 years without use of Fast Track; and
       Whereas, Fast Track, which was established in 1974 by 
     President Richard Nixon when trade agreements were limited to 
     traditional matters, such as tariffs and quotas, is now 
     woefully outdated and inappropriate given the diverse range 
     of nontrade issues now included in ``trade'' agreements that 
     broadly affect State and Federal nontrade regulatory 
     authority; and
       Whereas, the current grant of Fast Track expires in June 
     2007: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Senate, That:
       (1) The U.S. Congress be urged to create a replacement for 
     the outdated Fast Track system so that U.S. trade agreements 
     are developed and implemented using a more democratic, 
     inclusive mechanism that enshrines the principles of 
     federalism and State sovereignty.
       (2) This new process for developing and implementing trade 
     agreements include an explicit mechanism for ensuring the 
     prior informed consent of State legislatures before States 
     are bound to the nontariff terms of any trade agreement that 
     affects State regulatory authority to ensure that the United 
     States trade representative respects the decisions made by 
     States.
       (3) Copies of this resolution be sent to President George 
     W. Bush, Ambassador Susan Schwab, U.S. Trade Representative, 
     the President of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-181. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     take such actions as are necessary to examine the provisions 
     of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
     Reconciliation Act of 1996 to provide prenatal care to 
     immigrants; to the Committee on Finance.

[[Page 21634]]



                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 258

       Whereas, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
     Reconciliation Act of 1996, P.L. 104-193, (PRWORA) 
     significantly changed the eligibility of noncitizens for 
     federal means-tested public benefits, including Medicaid and 
     the State Children's Health Insurance Program; and
       Whereas, as a general rule, only ``qualified aliens'' as 
     defined in Sec. 431 of PRWORA maybe eligible for coverage; 
     and
       Whereas, some immigrants cannot be eligible for coverage 
     for five years from the date they enter the country as a 
     qualified alien; and
       Whereas, the five-year bar only applies to qualified aliens 
     who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996, 
     unless they meet one of the exceptions in PRWORA; and
       Whereas, the five-year bar never applies to immigrants who 
     are applying for treatment of an emergency medical condition 
     only; and
       Whereas, under PRWORA all immigrants, both qualified and 
     non-qualified aliens as well as those who are residing in the 
     country in an undocumented status, may be eligible for 
     treatment of an emergency medical condition only, provided 
     that they otherwise meet the eligibility criteria for the 
     state's Medicaid program; and
       Whereas, if prenatal care was provided for immigrants who 
     are currently not eligible, there would likely be a great 
     return on the money because once the baby is born in the 
     United States, it becomes a citizen and may possibly receive 
     Medicaid benefits; and
       Whereas, it would be beneficial to our citizens if the 
     Federal Government would study the costs of providing 
     prenatal care versus the costs for caring for a preterm baby; 
     and
       Whereas, changes in the PRWORA may save the lives of many 
     preterm babies born to immigrants in this country; and
       Whereas, this Resolution is executed in memory of baby Jui: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to examine the provisions of the Personal 
     Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 
     1996 to provide prenatal care to immigrants; 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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-182. A communication from the House of Representatives 
     of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to take such 
     actions as are necessary to provide the same tax breaks and 
     federal financial assistance to Louisiana residents affected 
     by Hurricane Rita as those afforded to Louisiana residents 
     affected by Hurricane Katrina; to the Committee on Finance.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 223.

       Whereas, in August and September 2005, Louisiana was 
     decimated by multiple hurricanes striking the state, 
     resulting in a combination of natural disasters of 
     unprecedented proportions in American history; and
       Whereas, these disasters caused a burden no state has ever 
     had to bear, including the loss of life, livelihoods, and 
     homes, destruction and damage to public buildings and public 
     works, and damage to its coastal wetlands and coastline; and
       Whereas, the citizens, businesses, communities, schools, 
     and state and local governments of Louisiana have suffered 
     tremendous loss; and
       Whereas, the ramifications of these events continue to 
     affect every citizen of the state as we continue to struggle 
     to rebuild our lives, homes, businesses, and communities; and
       Whereas, because of the mass devastation and loss of life 
     suffered by the citizens of New Orleans and southeast 
     Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Katrina, congress acted 
     quickly in granting victims and survivors of Hurricane 
     Katrina various tax breaks and federal financial assistance 
     aimed at long-term recovery; and
       Whereas, although the devastation realized as a result of 
     Hurricane Rita was not as large-scale as the devastation of 
     Hurricane Katrina, the victims and survivors of Hurricane 
     Rita who lost their homes, businesses, livelihoods, and 
     entire communities are suffering every bit as much as the 
     citizens affected by Hurricane Katrina; and
       Whereas, the citizens of southwest Louisiana are in need 
     for congress to act quickly in granting them the same tax 
     breaks and federal financial assistance as was granted to the 
     victims and survivors of Hurricane Katrina in order to 
     sustain long-term recovery: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to provide the same tax breaks and federal 
     financial assistance to Louisiana residents affected by 
     Hurricane Rita as those afforded to Louisiana residents 
     affected by Hurricane Katrina; 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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-183. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Illinois establishing May 
     2007 as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                     House Joint Resolution No. 58

       Whereas, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS is better 
     known as Lou Gehrig's disease; and
       Whereas, ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease 
     characterized by degeneration of cell bodies of the lower 
     motor neurons in the gray matter of the anterior horns of the 
     spinal cord; and
       Whereas, The initial symptom of ALS is weakness of the 
     skeletal muscles, especially those of the extremities; and
       Whereas, As ALS progresses the patient experiences 
     difficulty in swallowing, talking, and breathing; and
       Whereas, ALS eventually causes muscles to atrophy and the 
     patient becomes a functional quadriplegic; and
       Whereas, ALS does not affect a patient's mental capacity, 
     so that the patient remains alert and aware of his or her 
     loss of motor functions and the inevitable outcome of 
     continued deterioration and death; and
       Whereas, On average, patients diagnosed with ALS only 
     survive two to five years from the time of diagnosis; and
       Whereas, research indicates that military veterans are at a 
     50% or greater risk of developing ALS than those who have not 
     served in the military; and
       Whereas, ALS has no known cause, means of prevention, or 
     cure; and
       Whereas, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month 
     increases the public's awareness of ALS patients' 
     circumstances and acknowledges the terrible impact this 
     disease has not only on the patient but on his or her family 
     and the community and recognizes the research being done to 
     eradicate this horrible disease; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-
     Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, The Senate 
     concurring herein, that we proclaim the month of May 2007 as 
     Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month in the State of 
     Illinois; and be it further
       Resolved, That we memorialize the President and Congress of 
     the United States to enact legislation to provide additional 
     funding for research in order to find a treatment and 
     eventually a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
     presented to the President of the United States and each 
     member of the Illinois congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-184. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Illinois urging Congress to 
     address certain concerns relative to the reauthorization of 
     the No Child Left Behind Act; to the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                        House Resolution No. 396

       Whereas, The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 
     (NCLB) requires reauthorization in 2007; Now therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-
     Fifth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we urge 
     the United States Congress to address the following concerns 
     when considering the reauthorization of NCLB:
       (1) allow states the flexibility to use growth model 
     assessment models to enhance existing measures of student 
     progress;
       (2) provide flexibility in program implementation with 
     respect to varying student and teacher needs related to 
     diversity of geography, wealth, and background;
       (3) revise assessment guidelines for special needs students 
     so that such students are more fairly assessed considering 
     their specific individualized education programs and, 
     therefore, better served;
       (4) resolve other contradictions between NCLB and the 
     Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);
       (5) address issues arising from students who are counted in 
     multiple groups when determining adequate yearly progress;
       (6) allow schools to offer, and provide full funding for, 
     important supplemental education services before schools are 
     forced to offer choice;
       (7) provide greater flexibility when determining the sizes 
     of groups regarding assessment subgroups;
       (8) school improvement grants must be funded so that the 
     sanctions placed on schools will result in improved student 
     achievement and the reversal of negative trends;
       (9) seek greater consistency in state certification 
     criteria and the federal ``highly qualified'' designation;
       (10) the highly qualified teacher provisions of NCLB 
     require clarification, greater flexibility regarding 
     alignment with state certification, and appropriate, 
     specific, technical assistance in order to ensure compliance; 
     and
       (11) resident school districts of special needs students 
     attending private schools must pay for IDEA services 
     delivered at a private school; and be it further
       Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
     delivered to President of the

[[Page 21635]]

     United States George W. Bush, United States Secretary of 
     Education Margaret Spellings, and each member of the Illinois 
     congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-185. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Michigan urging Congress to enact the Education Begins at 
     Home Act; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions.

                        Senate Resolution No. 61

       Whereas, each year, an estimated 2.7 million children in 
     America are abused or neglected, including 900,000 cases that 
     are actually investigated and verified by overburdened state 
     child protection systems. Nationally, more than 1,400 
     children die from abuse or neglect each year. Over half of 
     them were previously unknown to child protective services. In 
     Michigan during 2005, 147,628 families were investigated for 
     suspected child maltreatment. In those families investigated, 
     28,154 children were confirmed to be victims of child abuse 
     and neglect. Of all confirmed cases of abuse and neglect, 
     more than a third involved children three years old or 
     younger. Another 19,265 children were in out-of-home 
     placement as the result of child abuse and neglect and 
     delinquency; and
       Whereas, children who survive abuse or neglect likely carry 
     the emotional scars for life, while studies also show that 
     being abused or neglected multiplies the risk that a child 
     will grow up to be violent. The best available research 
     indicates that, based on confirmed cases of child abuse and 
     neglect in just one year, of these children, there will be an 
     additional 35,000 adult violent criminals and more than 250 
     murderers who would never have become violent criminals if 
     not for the abuse or neglect they endured as children. 
     Fortunately, evidence-based in-home parent coaching programs 
     can prevent child abuse and neglect and reduce later crime 
     and violence. In general, these programs provide voluntary 
     coaching to parents of children up to five years old in home 
     settings for some period of time; and
       Whereas, a number of programs exist to help parents. The 
     Nurse Family Partnership randomly assigned interested at-risk 
     pregnant women to receive in-home visits by nurses starting 
     before the birth of the first child and continuing until the 
     child was two years old. The program cut abuse and neglect 
     among at-risk children in half according to research 
     published in a leading medical journal. In addition, children 
     of mothers who received this coaching had 59 percent fewer 
     arrests by age 15 than the children of mothers who were not 
     coached. Yet this program reaches only a tiny fraction of 
     eligible parents. Other major home-visiting programs include 
     Parents as Teachers, Healthy Families America, Early Head 
     Start, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters, 
     and the Parent-Child Home Program. However, hundreds of 
     thousands of at-risk mothers across the country receive no 
     in-home parent coaching. The impacts of child abuse and 
     neglect cost Americans $94 billion a year. In 2005, the 
     direct cost of child abuse and neglect in Michigan was an 
     estimated $531,744,598. Prevention efforts such as Michigan's 
     0-3 Secondary Prevention Initiative, which reflects the use 
     of a variety of program models, saved an estimated 
     $41,268,095 in direct costs associated with child abuse and 
     neglect; and
       Whereas, in the 109th Congress, Senator Bond and 
     Representatives Davis and Platts, together with many of their 
     colleagues, cosponsored the bipartisan Education Begins at 
     Home Act in the Senate and House (S. 503/H.R. 3628) to 
     provide grants to help states establish or expand voluntary 
     in-home parent-coaching programs for families with young 
     children. The Education Begins at Home Act would have 
     authorized $400 million over three years in grants from the 
     United States Department of Health and Human Services for 
     voluntary in-home parent-coaching programs. The Education 
     Begins at Home Act would also have authorized $100 million 
     over three years in grants for voluntary in-home parent-
     coaching programs for English language learners and military 
     families. These programs would strengthen Early Head Start, 
     which includes center-based and in-home parent coaching 
     components. Each of the major home-visiting programs operates 
     in Michigan, and the Education Begins at Home Act would allow 
     program flexibility so that states would not be tied to one 
     particular model. These voluntary programs would help new 
     parents learn skills to promote healthy child development and 
     be better parents; Now: therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the United 
     States Congress to reintroduce an expanded Education Begins 
     at Home Act. We encourage sponsors of the new bill to include 
     separate funding authorization levels for each of the next 
     five years, to target funding first toward jurisdictions with 
     the greatest need, and to ensure that funding priority be 
     given to evidence-based approaches that deliver effective 
     results in improving outcomes for children and families; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United Stales Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-186. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the State of Louisiana urging Congress to take a proactive 
     role in assisting the communities of New Orleans East in 
     protecting their health and safety and in promoting economic 
     development; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
     and Pensions.

                  Senate COncurrent Resolution No. 134

       Whereas, the health, safety, welfare, and economic recovery 
     of the residents and businesses of New Orleans East are 
     dependent upon the continued assistance and encouragement 
     from our federal partners; and
       Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana created the New 
     Orleans Regional Business Park as a special municipal 
     district for the primary purpose of engaging industrial, 
     manufacturing, processing, assembling, distribution, and 
     wholesale businesses; and
       Whereas, as of early May 2006, approximately forty 
     companies out of one hundred four pre-Katrina were back in 
     business and the future of the others is largely uncertain; 
     and
       Whereas, New Orleans East has become the illegal burial 
     grounds for homes and businesses washed out by hurricanes 
     Katrina and Rita; and
       Whereas, illegal dumping makes it extremely hard to attract 
     businesses to New Orleans East and to the business park; and
       Whereas, in the business park alone there are twenty-three 
     known illegal dumping sites and thirteen illegal automobile 
     dumping sites; and
       Whereas, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded 
     the business park $400,000 in grants to catalogue 
     contamination, but none of the federal funds will be used for 
     cleanup; and
       Whereas, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality 
     Enforcement Division, Surveillance Division and Criminal 
     Investigations Section of the Legal Affairs Division have 
     inspected over one hundred seventy-five sites and found 
     potential environmental violations on one hundred fifty of 
     these sites in the Almonaster/Gentilly area alone; and
       Whereas, on one of these sites, sixty-five thousand cubic 
     yards of debris or approximately an eleven foot tall mound of 
     debris was found to have been illegally dumped on this one 
     site in New Orleans East; and
       Whereas, the illegal piles of debris do not have protective 
     barriers to keep whatever poisons are in the piles contained 
     and from leaking out into the wetlands surrounding this area; 
     and
       Whereas, numerous federal agencies have roles and 
     responsibilities in the health, safety, and economic 
     development after hurricanes Katrina and Rita which range 
     from debris removal, oversight of regulations, and recovery 
     funding; and
       Whereas, the removal of all dump sites within the New 
     Orleans Regional Business Park will improve the health, 
     safety, and economic development: Now Therefore, be it 
     Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the 
     Congress of the United States to urge and request the 
     respective executive branch departments to take a proactive 
     role in assisting the communities of New Orleans East in 
     protecting their health and safety and in promoting economic 
     development: and be it further
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     request the Congress ofthe United States and the appropriate 
     federal agencies, in coordination with appropriate Louisiana 
     state agencies, to immediately take the following actions: 
     (a) cease funding any waste disposal activities within the 
     New Orleans Regional Business Park, except for the city of 
     New Orleans' landfill known as the Gentilly Landfill which is 
     legally permitted and should continue working with all state 
     and federal agencies; (b) develop and implement procedures 
     for expeditious environmental sampling, analysis, and 
     reporting; (c) resolve the blurring of debris management 
     responsibilities between the Federal Emergency Management 
     Agency and Environmental Protection Agency, and state 
     environmental and public health agencies; (d) review and 
     enhance the Environmental Protection Agency's oversight role 
     of illegal and improper debris disposal; and (e) provide 
     guidance and mechanisms for the development of public/private 
     partnerships in restoring and redeveloping the New Orleans 
     Regional Business Park and the New Orleans East community; 
     and 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-187. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of 
     the State of New Hampshire urging Congress to fully fund the 
     federal government's share of special education services 
     under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
       Whereas, since its enactment in 1975, the Individuals with 
     Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has helped millions of 
     children with special needs to receive a quality education 
     and to develop to their full capacities; and
       Whereas, IDEA has moved children with disabilities out of 
     institutions and into public school classrooms with their 
     peers; and

[[Page 21636]]

       Whereas, IDEA has helped break down stereotypes and 
     ignorance about people with disabilities, improving the 
     quality of life and economic opportunity for millions of 
     Americans; and
       Whereas, when the federal government enacted IDEA, it 
     promised to fund up to 40 percent of the average per pupil 
     expenditure in public elementary and secondary schools in the 
     United States; and
       Whereas, the federal government currently funds, on 
     average, less than 17 percent of the average per pupil 
     expenditure in public elementary and secondary schools in the 
     United States; and
       Whereas, local school districts and state government end up 
     bearing the largest share of the cost of special education 
     services; and
       Whereas, the federal government's failure to adequately 
     fulfill its responsibility to special needs children 
     undermines public support for special education and creates 
     hardship for disabled children and their families; and
       Whereas, the general court is currently challenged with the 
     responsibility of defining and funding an adequate education 
     for all children in this state; and
       Whereas, these legislative efforts are significantly 
     burdened and constrained by the costs incurred by the federal 
     government's failure to meet its full financial promise under 
     IDEA: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives 
     concurring, That the New Hampshire general court urges the 
     President and the Congress, prior to spending any surplus in 
     the federal budget, to fund 40 percent of the average per 
     pupil expenditure in public elementary and secondary schools 
     in the United States as promised under IDEA to ensure that 
     all children, regardless of disability, receive a quality 
     education and are treated with the dignity and respect they 
     deserve; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be forwarded by 
     the senate clerk to the President of the United States, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     President of the United States Senate, and the members of the 
     New Hampshire congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-188. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     take such actions as are necessary to forgive student loans 
     of college graduates who move to Louisiana to support 
     activities to rebuild and revitalize communities damaged by 
     Hurricane Katrina or Rita; to the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 15

       Whereas, there are currently student loan forgiveness 
     programs administered by the United States Department of 
     Education for Stafford Loan recipients who serve as teachers 
     serving low-income students and some childcare providers 
     serving in low-income areas; and
       Whereas, there are currently student loan forgiveness 
     programs administered by the United States Department of 
     Education for Perkins Loan recipients who serve as teachers 
     serving low-income students, Head Start staff, special 
     education teachers or providers, members of the armed forces 
     in an area of hostilities, Vista or Peace Corps volunteers, 
     full-time law enforcement and corrections officers, full-time 
     teachers in shortage areas, full-time nurses and medical 
     technicians, and service providers to high-risk children and 
     families in low-income communities; and
       Whereas, the United States Military and federal agencies 
     may pay all or a portion of an individual's student loans 
     based on years of service; and
       Whereas, these loan forgiveness and repayment programs, by 
     decreasing the financial demands on recent college graduates, 
     provide incentive for individuals to work in professions and 
     for pay that would otherwise not be economically feasible; 
     and
       Whereas, the needs and demands for assistance in the areas 
     damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to children and 
     families exceed the services provided by education to low-
     income schools, the federal government, Vista, law 
     enforcement, or the medical community: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to expand the student loan forgiveness 
     programs currently provided by the United States Department 
     of Education to provide for loan forgiveness of Stafford Loan 
     and Perkins Loan recipients for college graduates who 
     relocate to Louisiana to support efforts to rebuild and 
     revitalize communities damaged by Hurricane Katrina or Rita; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That such efforts shall include but not be 
     limited to partial or total forgiveness of loans for 
     individuals employed by public and nonprofit agencies and 
     providing services to communities damaged by Hurricane 
     Katrina or Rita; and be it futher
       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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-189. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     fulfill the commitment to the citizens of Louisiana to fully 
     fund recovery from damages resulting from Hurricanes Katrina 
     and Rita; to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs.

                        House Resolution No. 68

       Whereas, in August and September 2005, the state of 
     Louisiana experienced two of the most damaging natural 
     disasters to occur in the United States with Hurricanes 
     Katrina and Rita; and
       Whereas, as a result of these devastating events, the 
     President's Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding estimated that 
     over one hundred twenty-seven thousand owner-occupied homes 
     received major or severe damage based on the criteria used by 
     the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
       Whereas, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, President 
     George W. Bush made a commitment to the people of Louisiana, 
     in a nationally covered statement, that the federal 
     government would do what was necessary to provide for the 
     recovery of the state and its citizens; and
       Whereas, the state of Louisiana has always proposed that 
     The Road Home Program pay for owner-occupied uninsured or 
     underinsured wind damage as well as flood damage within the 
     parameters of the program; and
       Whereas, in Action Plan Amendment No.1 proposed by the 
     Louisiana Recovery Authority, captioned Action Plan Amendment 
     for Disaster Recovery Funds for The Road Home Housing 
     Program, which, according to news releases, was approved by 
     the United States Department of Housing and Urban Affairs in 
     May 2006, it was clearly stated in the program proposed to 
     provide ``the full proposed assistance to all of the 
     Louisiana homeowners who suffered major or severe damage'' 
     and stated, ``It is the State's policy that participants in 
     the Homeowner Assistance Program deserve a fair and 
     independent estimate or projection of damages from the storm, 
     regardless of the cause of the damage''; and
       Whereas, according to federal sources, 43,298 homeowners 
     experienced no major flooding but major or severe wind 
     damage; and
       Whereas, since the adoption of the Action Plan Amendment 
     No.1, the state has experienced increased costs in the 
     program, resulting in a current three billion dollar 
     shortfall, duly from a combination of factors, including an 
     increase in the number of eligible claimants from the 
     original estimates by approximately eleven thousand, more 
     homes severely damaged than originally estimated, increased 
     costs per eligible claimant than originally estimated, lower 
     than anticipated homeowner property insurance claim benefits 
     received from private insurers, and higher than estimated 
     costs of repair and construction: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the 
     United States and urges and requests the federal 
     administration to fulfill the commitment to the citizens of 
     Louisiana to fully fund recovery from damages resulting from 
     Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives, to each member of 
     the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress, and 
     to the president of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-190. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     take such actions as are necessary to grant an extension to 
     Louisiana with regard to the deadlines for implementing the 
     provisions of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act 
     of 2006; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 251

       Whereas, the United States Congress enacted the Adam Walsh 
     Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 to provide for a 
     comprehensive national system for the registration of sex 
     offenders and child predators; and
       Whereas, the Act provides for a set of minimum standards 
     governing the sex offender registration and notification 
     programs in each state to provide for a more effective method 
     of tracking offenders nationwide; and
       Whereas, the federal legislation made significant changes 
     in the manner in which sex offenders and child predators 
     register with law enforcement agencies, including but not 
     limited to requiring offenders to provide additional 
     information to law enforcement at the time of registration, 
     increasing the length of time in which an offender must 
     maintain registration, and requiring offenders to register in 
     the jurisdiction of residence, employment, or enrollment; and
       Whereas, Section 126 of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and 
     Safety Act of 2006 authorizes bonus payments for states or 
     other jurisdictions that substantially implement the federal 
     provisions not later than two years after the enactment date; 
     and
       Whereas, although the federal legislation created incentive 
     grant programs for those states who implement the new 
     requirements within the first two years after the enactment 
     of the Adam Walsh Act, the United

[[Page 21637]]

     States Department of Justice only recently issued the 
     proposed National Guidelines for Sex Offender Registration 
     and Notification, which were intended to provide further 
     guidance to states in implementing the provisions of the Adam 
     Walsh Act; and
       Whereas, the proposed National Guidelines for Sex Offender 
     Registration and Notification were issued in May of this 
     year, over a month after the 2007 Regular Session of the 
     Louisiana Legislature began; and
       Whereas, these guidelines, although issued in May, will not 
     become finalized prior to the end of the 2007 Regular Session 
     and are subject to change until that time; and
       Whereas, legislation was introduced in the Louisiana 
     Legislature by Representative Cazayoux (House Bill No. 970) 
     to amend Louisiana's sex offender registration and 
     notification provisions to comply with the provisions of the 
     federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2007; 
     and
       Whereas, once the National Guidelines for Sex Offender 
     Registration and Notification are finalized, it will be 
     necessary to review and analyze Louisiana's laws on sex 
     offender registration and notification to determine if 
     additional changes are necessary: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to grant an extension to Louisiana with 
     regard to the deadlines for implementing the provisions of 
     the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, and 
     federal guidelines adopted pursuant thereto, regarding 
     Louisiana's eligibility to receive incentive grants created 
     by the Adam Walsh Act; 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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-191. A concurrent resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Louisiana urging Congress to 
     take such actions as are necessary to ensure the passage of 
     the Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2007; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 106

       Whereas, a great number of rogue online pharmacy web sites 
     offer controlled substances for sale based simply on the 
     results of a cursory online questionnaire and without the 
     need for a valid prescription; and
       Whereas, Senators Dianne Feinstein of California and Jeff 
     Sessions of Alabama have introduced Senate Bill No. 980 in 
     the first session of the One Hundred Tenth Congress, the 
     Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2007, to combat 
     abuse by rogue online pharmacy web sites; and
       Whereas, the Act requires a valid prescription and 
     physician-patient relationship in order for a controlled 
     substance to be dispensed through an online pharmacy; and
       Whereas, the Act requires an online pharmacy to file a 
     registration statement with the attorney general as well as 
     report controlled substances dispensed under such 
     registration; and
       Whereas, the Act mandates that an online pharmacy comply 
     with state law licensure requirements for both the state from 
     which it delivers a controlled substance and the state to 
     which it delivers a controlled substance; and
       Whereas, the Act requires that the web site of an online 
     pharmacy prominently display identifying information about 
     the business, a list of states in which the pharmacy is 
     licensed, all applicable licenses and certifications, and 
     identifying information about the practitioners who provide 
     medical consultations through the web site; and
       Whereas, the Act provides criminal penalties for any 
     individual or entity who unlawfully dispenses controlled 
     substances online, gives state attorneys general the right to 
     file a civil action against an individual or entity who 
     violates the Act if the violation has affected residents of 
     the state, and allows the federal government to seize any 
     tangible or intangible property which has been used illegally 
     by an online pharmacy. Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to ensure the passage of the Online Pharmacy 
     Consumer Protection Act of 2007. 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 and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-192. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Texas urging Congress to support legislation for veterans' 
     health care budget reform to allow assured funding; to the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                       Senate Resolution No. 594

       Whereas, Military veterans who have served their country 
     honorably and who were promised and have earned health care 
     and benefits from the federal government through the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs are now in need of these 
     benefits; and
       Whereas, Federal discretionary funding is controlled by the 
     executive branch and the United States Congress through the 
     budget and appropriations process; and
       Whereas, Direct funding provides the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs with a reliable, predictable, and consistent source 
     of funding to provide timely, efficient, and high-quality 
     health care for our veterans; and
       Whereas, Currently almost 90 percent of federal health care 
     spending is direct rather than discretionary, and only the 
     funding for health care for active duty military, Native 
     Americans, and veterans is subject to the discretion of the 
     United States Congress; and
       Whereas, Discretionary funding for health care lags behind 
     both medical inflation and the increased demand for services; 
     for example, the enrollment for veterans' health care 
     increased 134 percent between fiscal years 1996 and 2004 yet 
     funding increased only 34 percent during the same period when 
     adjusted to 1996 dollars; and
       Whereas, The Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest 
     integrated health care system in the United States and has 
     four critical health care missions: to provide health care to 
     veterans, to educate and train health care personnel, to 
     conduct medical research, and to serve as a backup to the 
     United States Department of Defense and support communities 
     in times of crisis; and
       Whereas, The Department of Veterans Affairs operates 157 
     hospitals, with at least one in each of the contiguous 
     states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia; and
       Whereas, The Department of Veterans Affairs operates more 
     than 850 ambulatory care and community-based outpatient 
     clinics, 132 nursing homes, 42 residential rehabilitation 
     treatment programs, and 88 home care programs; and
       Whereas, The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a wide 
     range of specialized services to meet the unique needs of 
     veterans, including spinal cord injury and dysfunction care 
     and rehabilitation, blind rehabilitation, traumatic brain 
     injury care, post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, 
     amputee care and prosthetics programs, mental health and 
     substance abuse programs, and long-term care programs; and
       Whereas, The Department of Veterans Affairs health care 
     system is severely underfunded, and had funding for the 
     department's medical programs been allowed to grow 
     proportionately as the system sought to admit newly eligible 
     veterans following the eligibility reform legislation in 
     1996, the current veterans' health care budget would be 
     approximately $10 billion more; and
       Whereas, In a spirit of bipartisan accommodation, members 
     of the United States Congress should collectively resolve the 
     problem of discretionary funding and jointly fashion an 
     acceptable formula for funding the medical programs of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 80th 
     Legislature, hereby express its profound gratitude the for 
     sacrifices made by veterans, including those who suffer from 
     medical or mental health problems resulting from injuries 
     that occurred while serving in the United States Armed Forces 
     at home or abroad; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the Senate hereby respectfully urge the 
     Congress of the United States to support legislation for 
     veterans' health care budget reform to allow assured funding; 
     and, be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate forward official 
     copies of this Resolution to the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs, to the President of the United States, to the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of 
     the Senate of the United States Congress, and to all the 
     members of the Texas delegation to the Congress with the 
     request that this Resolution be officially entered in the 
     Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the 
     United States of America.

                          ____________________