[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8969-8973]
[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-62. A joint resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature

[[Page 8970]]

     of the State of Idaho urging Congress to consider adoption of 
     a resolution working toward the development of a federal 
     bipartisan, long-term solution that addresses sustainable 
     management of federal forest lands to stabilize payments, 
     which help support roads and schools, to forest communities 
     throughout the western states; to the Committee on 
     Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

                       House Joint Memorial No. 4

       Whereas, it has long been the intent and policy of the 
     federal government to hold rural communities harmless from 
     the creation of federal lands and in 1906 the Committee on 
     Public Lands recognized that the presence of federal lands 
     could create hardship for many counties as they provided 
     little revenue or commerce at that time; and
       Whereas, in 1908, the federal government promised rural 
     counties twenty-five percent of all revenues generated from 
     the multiple-use management of the newly created national 
     forests to support public roads and public schools; and
       Whereas, in recent decades, the forest resources have not 
     been managed in a manner to produce long-term sustainable 
     revenue to share with schools and counties; and
       Whereas, in 2000, Congress passed Public Law 106-393, the 
     Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. 
     The Act restored historical payment levels previously made to 
     states and counties from the federal government for road and 
     school purposes because of declining levels of actual forest 
     receipts; and
       Whereas, the reauthorization and appropriation of the 
     Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act is 
     pending before the United States Congress, and Idaho counties 
     are on record as being strongly supportive of a fully funded 
     approval of this Act; and
       Whereas, federal land managers continue to be faced with 
     funding shortages. In the event the Secure Rural Schools and 
     Community Self-Determination Act is not reauthorized and 
     appropriated, counties will be faced with higher property 
     taxes or a reduction in services and, even if the Act is 
     reauthorized and appropriated, it will likely be the last 
     time, and the state of Idaho must seek a long-term solution; 
     and
       Whereas, in 2006, House Joint Memorial No. 21 was adopted 
     by the members of the Second Regular Session of the Fifty-
     eighth Idaho Legislature to provide one option to address the 
     problem of declining forest receipts by urging Congress to 
     support federal legislation transferring management of 
     National Forest System lands within Idaho to the state of 
     Idaho to be managed for the benefit of the rural counties and 
     schools; and
       Whereas, in February 2007, a concurrent resolution was 
     introduced in the Idaho House of Representatives and will be 
     voted on by the First Regular Session of the Fifty-ninth 
     Idaho Legislature authorizing Idaho's Legislative Council to 
     appoint an interim committee to undertake and complete an 
     assessment of the decline in receipts on National Forest 
     System lands, which have historically been shared with 
     counties. The goal of the interim committee's recommendations 
     will be to develop a federal, bipartisan, long-term solution 
     that addresses sustainable management of federal forest lands 
     to stabilize payments to Idaho's forest counties, which help 
     support roads and schools, and to provide projects that 
     enhance forest ecosystem health, provide employment 
     opportunities, and improve cooperative relationships among 
     those who use and care about the lands the federal government 
     manages. The resolution calls for the interim committee to 
     work in cooperation and coordination with the state of Idaho, 
     its counties, its school and highway districts, along with 
     the recognized Indian tribes of the state of Idaho. The 
     resolution also provides that the interim committee address 
     National Forest System lands, but only those lands that do 
     not have special designations. The interim committee is 
     directed to formulate a solution that will protect all valid 
     existing rights, existing public access and activities, 
     including hunting, fishing and recreation, and that will not 
     be construed to interfere with treaties or any other 
     obligations to the Indian tribes, commitments to county 
     governments, or the General Mining Law or Taylor Grazing Act: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the 
     Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate concurring therein, That the legislatures of 
     all western states should consider the adoption of similar 
     resolutions, working toward the development of a federal, 
     bipartisan, long-term solution that addresses sustainable 
     management of federal forest lands to stabilize payments to 
     forest counties throughout the western United States, which 
     help support roads and schools, and to provide projects that 
     enhance forest ecosystem health and provide employment 
     opportunities, and to improve cooperative relationships among 
     those who use and care about the lands the federal government 
     manages; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
     Congress, the congressional delegation representing the State 
     of Idaho in the Congress of the United States and to the 
     Legislatures of the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, 
     Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, 
     Washington and Wyoming.
                                  ____

       POM-63. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan expressing the Senate's 
     opposition to Norfolk Southern Corporation's proposed sale of 
     its rail lines from Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids 
     to Kalamazoo and continuing to the Indiana border; to the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                        Senate Resolution No. 34

       Whereas, The Norfolk Southern Corporation is considering 
     the sale of its Michigan lines from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo 
     and from Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo. The Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo 
     line carries the state's busiest high-speed AMTRAK train, the 
     Wolverine, which travels from Detroit to Chicago. The 
     Wolverine travels on the Norfolk Southern Railroad's rail 
     corridor from Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo until it connects with 
     AMTRAK's own line. Ridership on this line increased six 
     percent in 2006 to 142,185 passengers; and
       Whereas, The Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo portion of the Norfolk 
     Southern line is a vital link between Detroit and Chicago. 
     Expanding the high-speed rail capacity on this line is vital 
     to the future development of this area. New industry, 
     including coal energy, biodiesel, and ethanol fuel plants are 
     proposed for Michigan and specifically along the I-94 
     corridor located near the Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo rail line. 
     Continued operation of this line by Norfolk Southern is 
     essential to expansion of new industry in this area. Over 150 
     railroad employees' jobs are associated with the rail traffic 
     along this line; and
       Whereas, Norfolk Southern is a Class One railroad operator, 
     earning revenue in excess of $250 million annually. As a 
     Class One operator, Norfolk Southern has the capacity to 
     maintain and promote the use of these lines. The proposed 
     sale of the Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids to 
     Kalamazoo lines will almost certainly place the lines under 
     the management of a Class Three operator, a rail company 
     earning revenue of $20 million or less annually. A Class 
     Three operator will be far less likely to have the means to 
     maintain the lines, thus increasing the chance of accidents. 
     Class Three operators also rely on federal grants for line 
     and equipment maintenance, grants that are not always 
     guaranteed; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we express opposition to 
     Norfolk Southern's proposed sale of its rail lines from 
     Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo and 
     continuing to the Indiana border; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the President of the United States Senate; the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives; members of the 
     Michigan congressional delegation; the United States 
     Department of Transportation, Surface Transportation Board; 
     the Norfolk Southern Corporation; AMTRAK; and the Michigan 
     Department of Transportation.
                                  ____

       POM-64. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Maine memorializing the President and Congress 
     to fully fund the State Children's Health Insurance Program; 
     to the Committee on Finance.

Joint Resolution Memorializing the President and Congress of the United 
   States to Fully Fund the State Children's Health Insurance Program

       Whereas, the State of Maine and at least 13 other states 
     have used up much of the federal subsidies for child health 
     care even though the fiscal year is still not ended, due in 
     part to the great need for these funds and also to the 
     inadequate formula by which the money is apportioned; and
       Whereas, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, 
     known as SCHIP, was started by Congress in 1998 and is funded 
     by a combination of federal and state funds, as well as by 
     the premiums of participants; and
       Whereas, the program was envisioned as a way to provide 
     health insurance to the children of the working poor and the 
     current budget is $5.5 billion, which is about $745 million 
     short of the needs of the states; and
       Whereas, the State of Maine has used its SCHIP funds to 
     help significantly with MaineCare, which has provided 
     valuable and important health care to more than 14,850 
     children in our State, and without additional federal aid 
     3,500 to 4,000 Maine children will go uninsured; and
       Whereas, the State of Maine needs at least $6,500,000 to 
     help the children at risk and to keep our children healthy, 
     and other states have needs just as important: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the 
     people we represent, take this opportunity to request that 
     the State Children's Health Insurance Program be fully funded 
     not only for the children of the State of Maine, but for all 
     of the children of the working poor in the United States; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That official copies of this resolution, duly 
     authenticated by the Secretary of

[[Page 8971]]

     State, be transmitted to President George W. Bush, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the 
     President of the United States Senate and to each member of 
     the Maine Congressional Delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-65. A joint resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Idaho 
     urging Congress to use all efforts, energies, and diligence 
     to withdraw the U.S. from any further participation in the 
     Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, or any 
     other bilateral or multilateral activity that seeks to 
     advance, authorize, fund or in any way promote the creation 
     of any structure to create any form of the North American 
     Union; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                       House Joint Memorial No. 5

       Whereas, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department 
     of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 
     participated in the formation of the Security and Prosperity 
     Partnership of North America (SPP) on March 23, 2005, 
     representing a trilateral agreement between Canada, Mexico 
     and the United States designed, among other things, to 
     facilitate common regulatory schemes between these countries; 
     and
       Whereas, reports issued by the SPP indicate that it has 
     implemented regulatory changes among the three countries that 
     circumvent United States trade, transportation, homeland 
     security and border security functions and that it is the 
     intention of SPP to continue toward a North American Union in 
     the future; and
       Whereas, the actions taken by the SPP to coordinate border 
     security by eliminating obstacles to migration between Mexico 
     and the United States actually makes the United States-Mexico 
     border less secure and more vulnerable to possible terrorist 
     activities, and Mexico is the primary source country of 
     illegal immigrants, illegal drug entry and illegal human 
     smuggling into the United States; and
       Whereas, according to the U. S. Department of Commerce, the 
     United States trade deficits with Mexico and Canada have 
     significantly increased since the implementation of the North 
     American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the volume of 
     imports from Mexico has soared since NAFTA, straining 
     security checks at the U.S. border; and
       Whereas, the economic and physical security of the United 
     States is impaired by the potential loss of control of its 
     borders attendant to the full operation of NAFTA and the SPP; 
     and
       Whereas, the regulatory and border security changes 
     implemented and proposed by the SPP violate and threaten 
     United States sovereignty; and
       Whereas, the NAFTA Superhighway System from the west coast 
     of Mexico through the United States and into Canada has been 
     suggested as part of a North American Union to facilitate 
     trade between the SPP countries; and
       Whereas, the stability and economic viability of the U.S. 
     ports along the western coast will be seriously compromised 
     by huge cargos off-loaded at cheaper labor cost from foreign 
     traders into the ports of Mazatlan and Lazaro Cardenas; and
       Whereas, the state of Texas has already approved and begun 
     planning of the Trans-Texas Corridor, a major multi-modal 
     transportation project beginning at the United States-Mexico 
     border, which would serve as an initial section of the NAFTA 
     Superhighway System; and
       Whereas, plans of Asian trading powers to divert cargo from 
     U.S. ports such as Los Angeles to ports in Mexico will only 
     put pressure on border inspectors, interfering with their 
     already overwhelming job of intercepting the flow of drugs 
     and illegals flowing into this country; and
       Whereas, future unrestricted foreign trucking into the 
     United States can pose a safety hazard due to inadequate 
     maintenance and inspection, and the Transportation Security 
     Administration's (TSA) lack of background checks for 
     violations in Mexico, lack of drug and alcohol testing, lack 
     of enforcement of size and weight requirements and lack of 
     national security procedures, which threaten the American 
     people and undermine the very charge given to our homeland 
     security agency to defend our borders against these threats; 
     and
       Whereas, the Eisenhower National Highway System was 
     designed for the national security of the United States for 
     movement of the military, purposes of commerce from state to 
     state, not from foreign countries, and this highway system 
     should not be compromised by treaties or agreements with 
     other countries that would supplant the control and 
     management of our nation's highways by our U.S. Department of 
     Transportation and the various states; and
       Whereas, we strongly object to any treaty or agreement, 
     which threatens to violate national security, private 
     property, United States commerce, constitutional rights and 
     American sovereignty and emphasize our commitment to the 
     Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) and other 
     cooperative working nations in mutual beneficial goals; and
       Whereas, this trilateral partnership to develop a North 
     American Union has never been presented to Congress as an 
     agreement or treaty, and has had virtually no congressional 
     oversight; and
       Whereas, recent reports on internet news, Friday, January 
     26, 2007, WorldNetDaily, stating that Congressman Poe (R-
     Texas) asked about the U.S. Department of Transportation's 
     work with the trade group North American Super-Corridor 
     Coalition, Inc. (NASCO) and the department's plans to build 
     the Trans-Texas Corridor, Congressman Poe was told that the 
     NAFTA agreement superhighway corridor plans exist to move 
     goods from Mexico through the United States to Canada; and
       Whereas, American citizens and state and local governments 
     throughout the United States would be negatively impacted by 
     the SPP process: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the 
     Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate concurring therein, That we emphatically urge 
     and petition the Congress of the United States and 
     particularly the congressional delegation representing the 
     state of Idaho to use all efforts, energies and diligence to 
     withdraw the United States from any further participation in 
     the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America or 
     any other bilateral or multilateral activity that seeks to 
     advance, authorize, fund or in any way promote the creation 
     of any structure to create any form of North American Union; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That House Concurrent Resolution 40 of the First 
     Session of the 110th Congress addresses the concern herein 
     expressed by the state of Idaho; and be it further
       Resolved, That we are asking our congressional delegation, 
     our U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Mary E. 
     Peters and President Bush to reject appropriated federal fuel 
     tax dollars for such SPP or NAFTA when there is such a need 
     for fuel tax dollars to be dedicated to the needs of the 
     states in the U.S. in order to maintain our highway system; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
     Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the 
     State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-66. A joint resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Idaho 
     supporting the participation of Taiwan in a meaningful and 
     appropriate way in the World Health Organization; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

                       House Joint Memorial No. 2

       Whereas, direct and unobstructed participation in 
     international health cooperation forums and programs is 
     crucial for all parts of the world, especially with today's 
     greater potential for the cross-border spread of various 
     infectious diseases such as AIDS; and
       Whereas, Taiwan's achievements in the field of health care 
     are substantial, including life expectancy levels that are 
     some of the highest in Asia, maternal and infant mortality 
     rates that are comparable to those of western countries, free 
     hepatitis B vaccinations for children and the eradication of 
     polio, cholera, smallpox and the plague; and
       Whereas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 
     its Taiwanese counterpart have enjoyed close collaboration on 
     a wide range of public health issues; and
       Whereas, in recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness 
     to give financial and technical assistance to the 
     international aid and health activities supported by the 
     World Health Organization; and
       Whereas, Taiwan's population of twenty-three million is 
     larger than that of seventy-five percent of World Health 
     Organization member states; and
       Whereas, the United States, in its 1994 Taiwan Policy 
     Review, declared its intention to support Taiwan's 
     participation in appropriate international organizations; and
       Whereas, Taiwan's participation in the World Health 
     Organization could bring many benefits to the state of health 
     care, not only in Taiwan, but also regionally and globally: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the 
     Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate concurring therein, That we support the 
     participation by Taiwan in a meaningful and appropriate way 
     in the World Health Organization; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     United States, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker 
     of the House of Representatives of Congress, to the 
     congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in 
     the Congress of the United States, to the Director-General of 
     the World Health Organization and to the representative of 
     the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the 
     United States.
                                  ____

       POM-67. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan memorializing Congress 
     to invest in Head Start and quality child care; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

[[Page 8972]]



                        Senate Resolution No. 27

       Whereas, Head Start and high-quality child care prepare 
     children for school and life success by narrowing the 
     educational achievement gap between lower- and upper-income 
     kids, increasing high school graduation rates, and reducing 
     crime; and
       Whereas, Studies show that at-risk children who attend Head 
     Start and high-quality child care are better prepared for 
     school. For example, Head Start narrows the literacy skills 
     gap by nearly half between children in poverty and all 
     children. The research is clear that quality early childhood 
     education programs work to prevent crime. In Ypsilanti, 
     Michigan, three-and four-year-olds from low-income families 
     who were randomly assigned to a group that did not receive 
     preschool preparation were five times more likely to have 
     become chronic lawbreakers by age 27 than those who were 
     assigned to the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation's 
     Perry Preschool program; and
       Whereas, Currently, only about half of eligible low-income 
     children can attend Head Start due to state and federal 
     funding limitations, and even fewer infants and toddlers. 
     Less than five percent of eligible children three years old 
     and younger are able to participate in Early Head Start. 
     Moreover, only one in seven eligible children in working, 
     low-income families receives help paying for quality child 
     care through the Child Care and Development Block Grant. The 
     combination of state and federal money for preschool has 
     helped Michigan reach two of three at-risk four-year-olds and 
     one of five at-risk three-year-olds; and
       Whereas, Real dollar funding levels for Head Start and 
     child care have been cut for the last several years, falling 
     far behind the rising costs that programs face. Instead of 
     reaching more eligible kids with comprehensive health, 
     nutrition, and early education services, Head Start programs 
     have been forced to shorten program hours, cut back staff, 
     reduce parent coaching, and reduce transportation and other 
     services that help families participate: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of 
     the United States to increase discretionary funding in the 
     federal budget for 2008 by $750 million in additional funding 
     over current levels for Head Start and $720 million in 
     additional funding over current levels for the Child Care and 
     Development Block Grant (CCDBG). This request does not 
     address the unmet need in Head Start and CCDBG, but simply 
     restores services to children to the Fiscal Year 2002 level. 
     This is a crucial first step toward meeting the need to 
     provide quality early childhood education and care for at-
     risk children. Investing in Head Start and quality child care 
     now will improve education outcomes for our nation's at-risk 
     children and will save lives and money down the road; 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-68. A joint resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Idaho 
     affirming the state's support of the United States campaign 
     to secure our country and urging members of Idaho's 
     congressional delegation to support measures to repeal the 
     federal REAL ID Act of 2005; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                       House Joint Memorial No. 3

       Whereas, the state of Idaho recognizes the Constitution of 
     the United States as our charter of liberty and the Bill of 
     Rights as affirming the fundamental and inalienable rights of 
     Americans, including freedom of privacy and freedom from 
     unreasonable searches; and
       Whereas, Idaho has a diverse population whose contributions 
     are vital to the state's economy, culture and civic 
     character; and
       Whereas, Idaho is proud of its tradition of protecting the 
     civil rights and liberties of all its residents, affirming 
     the fundamental rights of all people and providing more 
     expansive protections than are granted by the Constitution of 
     the United States; and
       Whereas, the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-
     13, creates a national identification card by mandating 
     federal standards for state driver's licenses and 
     identification cards and requires states to share their motor 
     vehicle databases; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act mandates the documents that states 
     must require to issue driver's licenses and requires states 
     to place uniform information on every driver's license in a 
     standard, machine-readable format; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act prohibits federal agencies and 
     federally-regulated commercial aircraft from accepting a 
     driver's license or identification card issued by a state 
     that has not fully complied with the act; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act places a costly, unfunded mandate 
     on states, with initial estimates for Idaho of more than 
     thirty-nine million dollars with ongoing annual expenses of 
     an estimated nine million three hundred thousand dollars and 
     a national estimate of more than eleven billion dollars over 
     the next five years; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act requires the creation of a massive 
     public sector database containing information on every 
     American that is accessible to all motor vehicle employees 
     and law enforcement officers nationwide and that can be used 
     to gather and manage information on citizens. Such activities 
     are not the business or responsibility of government; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act enables the creation of additional 
     massive private sector databases, combining both 
     transactional information and driver's license information 
     gained from scanning the machine-readable information 
     contained on every driver's license; and
       Whereas, these public and private databases are likely to 
     contain numerous errors and false information, creating 
     significant hardship for Americans attempting to verify their 
     identities in order to travel on commercial aircraft, open a 
     bank account or perform any of the numerous functions 
     required to live in the United States today; and
       Whereas, the federal trade commission estimates that ten 
     million Americans are victims of identity theft annually, and 
     because identity thieves are increasingly targeting motor 
     vehicle departments, the REAL ID Act will enable the crime of 
     identity theft by making the personal information of all 
     Americans, including date of birth and signature, accessible 
     from tens of thousands of locations; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act requires a driver's license to 
     contain a person's actual home address and makes no exception 
     for individuals in potential danger, such as undercover law 
     enforcement personnel or victims of stalking or criminal 
     harassment; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act contains onerous record 
     verification and retention provisions that place unreasonable 
     burdens on the motor vehicle division and on third parties 
     required to verify records; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act will place enormous burdens on 
     consumers seeking new driver's licenses, such as longer 
     lines, increased document requests, higher costs and a 
     waiting period; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act will place state motor vehicle 
     staff on the front lines of immigration enforcement by 
     forcing state employees to determine federal citizenship and 
     immigration status, excessively burdening both foreign-born 
     applicants and motor vehicle staff; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act passed without sufficient 
     deliberation by Congress and did not receive a hearing by any 
     congressional committee or a vote solely on its own merits, 
     despite opposition from more than six hundred organizations; 
     and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act eliminated a process of negotiated 
     rulemaking initiated under the Intelligence Reform and 
     Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which had convened federal, 
     state and local policymakers, privacy advocates and industry 
     experts to solve the problem of the misuse of identity 
     documents; and
       Whereas, the REAL ID Act provides little security benefit 
     and leaves identification systems open to insider fraud, 
     counterfeit documentation and database failures: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the 
     Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate concurring therein, That we support the 
     government of the United States in its campaign to secure our 
     country, while affirming the commitment of the United States 
     that this campaign not be waged at the expense of the 
     essential civil rights and liberties of the citizens of this 
     country; and be it further
       Resolved, That it is the policy of the state of Idaho to 
     oppose any portion of the REAL ID Act that violates the 
     rights and liberties guaranteed under the constitutions of 
     the State of Idaho and the United States, including the Bill 
     of Rights. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Idaho Legislature shall enact no 
     legislation nor authorize an appropriation to implement the 
     provisions of the REAL ID Act in Idaho, unless such 
     appropriation is used exclusively for the purpose of 
     undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the costs of 
     implementing the REAL ID Act or to mount a constitutional 
     challenge to the act by the state Attorney General. Be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Idaho Legislature urges the Idaho 
     congressional delegation to support measures to repeal the 
     REAL ID Act. Be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed 
     to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     United States George W. Bush, the United States Attorney 
     General Alberto Gonzales, the President of the Senate and the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, the 
     Governor of Idaho C. L. Otter and the congressional 
     delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of 
     the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-69. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Massachusetts memorializing the 
     President and Congress to recommend more funding to the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs in the budget for fiscal year 
     2008; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

[[Page 8973]]



   Resolution Memorializing George W. Bush, President of the United 
States, and the United States Congress to Recommend More Funding to the 
  Department of Veterans Affairs in the Fiscal Year 08 Federal Budget.

       Whereas, President George W. Bush has recommended 34.2 
     billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs in his 
     proposed fiscal year 08 budget, which is an inadequate 
     appropriation to adequately address the health of our 
     veterans; and
       Whereas, while the Bush Administration continues to tout 
     its recommendation for an increase of $2 billion over the 
     previous fiscal year as a ``landmark budget'', the reality is 
     that this 6% increase is barely enough to account for the 
     cost of inflation and cannot fund the need for improvements 
     in medical care and expansion of services; and
       Whereas, more than 27,000 service members have returned 
     home to Massachusetts since September 11, 2001, having faced 
     a new type of warfare in the form of improvised explosive 
     devices and are, upon return home, in need of specialized 
     services and care; and
       Whereas, the United States Government must provide to the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs all the tools available to 
     make this specialized care available, particularly for head, 
     spinal cord and sight injuries and the growing need for 
     mental health services; and
       Whereas, in 2006, the Veterans Health Administration's 
     Undersecretary for Health Policy and Coordination stated that 
     some areas of the country did not have any mental health 
     services available and that other areas had such long wait 
     times that certain services were ``virtually inaccessible''; 
     and
       Whereas, unfortunately, once again, Category 8 Veterans, 
     those veterans deemed ``high income'' veterans by the 
     Veterans Administration--some who make as little as $28,000 a 
     year--and who have been ineligible to enroll in the Veterans 
     Administration Health Care System since 2003, may continue to 
     be shut out of the Veterans Administration Health Care Systen 
     if funding is not increased, adding to the approximately 1 
     million Category 8 Veterans who have been turned away since 
     2003; and
       Whereas, while the Massachusetts State Senate has supported 
     the Veterans Affairs' recommendations for improvements in 
     medical equipment and facility upgrades to medical centers, 
     for two years, the Senate has fought hard to prevent the 
     possible consolidation of the four existing Veterans 
     Administration medical care facilities in the greater Boston 
     area into one ``mega-plex'', since the negative impact of 
     removing thousands of veterans from their familiar health 
     care environment and forcing them to change physicians would 
     have consequences that cannot be balanced by the creation of 
     one modernized facility: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Massachusetts Senate hereby urges the 
     President of the United States and Congress to address the 
     Veterans Affairs Budget in a timely manner, include in the 
     2008 budget the Veterans Affairs' recommendations for 
     improvements in medical equipment and facility upgrades to 
     all Massachusetts Veterans Administration Medical Centers and 
     to provide mandatory funding for the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Health Care system so as to appropriately honor and 
     facilitate the healing of our veterans who selflessly risk 
     their lives and well-being to protect our freedom; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That copies of these resolutions be transmitted 
     forthwith by the clerk of the Senate to the President of the 
     United States, the Presiding Officer of each branch of 
     Congress and to the Members thereof from the Commonwealth.
                                  ____

       POM-70. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the 
     Legislature of the State of Vermont urging Congress to enact 
     legislation to assure federal funding for veterans' health 
     care; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                          Senate Resolution 13

       Whereas, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs 
     (VA) provides medical care for veterans, including men and 
     women, who have risked their lives to protect the security of 
     our nation, and
       Whereas, Congress appropriates funding for VA health care 
     each year as part of the discretionary federal budget, and
       Whereas, each year's federal budget for veterans' health 
     care has been very seriously under-funded, and
       Whereas, this serious and now chronic shortfall affects the 
     access to and the quality of medical care services that the 
     VA provides for our veterans, and
       Whereas, the priority of serving veterans must be absolute 
     and irrevocable, and must serve as the foundation for the VA 
     and of our nation's public policy: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That the Senate of the State of 
     Vermont urgently requests that Congress enact legislation to 
     assure Federal funding for veterans' health care, and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That Governor Douglas also request that Congress 
     enact legislation to assure Federal funding for veterans' 
     health care, and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to 
     send a copy of this resolution to the Governor, the 
     President, the Vice President, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
     James Nicholson; Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi; House 
     Minority Leader, John Boehner; Senate Majority Leader, Harry 
     Reid; Senate Minority Leader, Trent Lott; to the members of 
     the Vermont Congressional delegation; and to Vermont veterans 
     organizations.

                          ____________________