[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9544-9548]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and

[[Page 9545]]

were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-37. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Texas 
     memorializing its support for the conservation of Castner 
     Range; to the Committee on Armed Services.

                        House Resolution No. 306

       Whereas, the Castner Range in El Paso is one of the most 
     rugged pristine landscapes in Texas, encompassing 7,000 acres 
     of undeveloped desert and foothills; and
       Whereas, the land was previously known as the Castner Range 
     Complex at Fort Bliss and was used as a United States Army 
     artillery range, but the Department of Defense ceased 
     operations there in 1971; unexploded ordnance remained 
     behind, rendering the land unsuitable for development, and 
     under the stewardship of the army, it has been allowed to 
     rest in its natural state; and
       Whereas, since 1995, the army has been clearing old 
     artillery rounds from the surface of the land; surface 
     clearance, as opposed to subsurface clearance, was found to 
     offer the best risk-reduction-to-cost ratio and is most 
     compatible with a minimal-disturbance future land use, such 
     as passive recreation on protected parkland; and
       Whereas, although the Castner Range is off-limits to the 
     public, El Pasoans have long cherished the area for its 
     surpassing beauty; bordering Franklin Mountains State Park on 
     the west, the range contains some of the most geologically 
     complex and visually striking parts of the Franklins and is 
     prized for its Mexican gold poppy, which carpets the lower 
     slopes in brilliant color in the spring; and
       Whereas, also remarkable for its biodiversity, Castner 
     Range provides a number of distinctive animal habitats, and 
     its unique soils and location combine to make this the only 
     known site in Texas where several rare plants can be found; 
     moreover, the range holds the greatest concentration of 
     springs in the Franklins, supporting unexpectedly lush 
     pockets of vegetation; and
       Whereas, Castner Range is further distinguished by military 
     history and archaeological sites; and
       Whereas, in 1981, the Texas Legislature provided for the 
     adjustment of the boundaries of Franklin Mountains State Park 
     in anticipation of the future addition of Castner Range 
     lands, an idea strongly favored by area residents; both the 
     El Paso City Council and the El Paso County Commissioners 
     Court unanimously passed resolutions in recent years 
     advocating that the Castner Range be left undeveloped and be 
     conserved for recreational use; furthermore, the Franklin 
     Mountains State Park management plan takes the range into 
     account, envisioning a network of trails in the canyons and 
     lower elevations, and the U.S. Department of Defense recently 
     made a $300,000 grant to the Frontera Land Alliance to 
     collect data concerning a conservation conveyance for the 
     area; and
       Whereas, the Castner Range is one of the Lone Star State's 
     unequaled treasures, and its conservation will provide 
     enormous benefits to future generations of Texans; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd 
     Texas Legislature hereby express its support for the 
     conservation of Castner Range; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of 
     Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to 
     the President of the United States, to the commanding general 
     of Fort Bliss, to the secretary of the U.S. Department of 
     Defense, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of 
     the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, 
     and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress 
     with the request that this resolution be entered in the 
     Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the 
     United States of America.
                                  ____

       POM-38. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Texas 
     congratulating President Obama on his proven and successful 
     policies in the war on terrorism and in homeland security; to 
     the Committee on Armed Services.

                       House Resolution No. 1694

       Whereas, on September 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden, a sworn 
     enemy of the United States of America, coordinated a series 
     of monstrous and cowardly terrorist attacks that resulted in 
     the tragic loss of 2,977 innocent lives, leading to an 
     engagement in a war on terrorism across many fronts; and
       Whereas, on May 1, 2011, after nearly 10 years of bin 
     Laden's evasion of military and intelligence forces seeking 
     his capture, President Barack Obama declared to the nation 
     and the world that bin Laden had finally been killed, and 
     that ``Justice has been done.''; and
       Whereas, the president's patience, leadership, wisdom, and 
     determination have led directly to the demise of the most 
     wanted man in the world and have hardened this nation's 
     resolve to defeat the forces of malevolent fanaticism, and by 
     destroying the mastermind behind the worst terrorist attack 
     on American soil he has struck a significant and historic 
     blow against Al Qaeda; and
       Whereas, following the death of the perpetrator of the 
     attacks, the family members and friends of those who lost 
     their lives in the attacks on September 11 are able to 
     achieve a greater sense of closure; and
       Whereas, after months of meetings of the National Security 
     Council, led by President Obama, who directed intelligence 
     officials to zero in on bin Laden's whereabouts, intelligence 
     officials devised and carefully carried out a clandestine 
     operation, which had frequently been rehearsed in an effort 
     to minimize casualties, both civilian and military; and
       Whereas, as commander-in-chief of our great nation, he 
     boldly gave the final authorization to commence the operation 
     to brave and highly trained members of our nation's armed 
     services; and
       Whereas, upon hearing the news of bin Laden's elimination, 
     in an impressive show of unity and in defiance of the 
     fanatics who still today seek to destroy our free way of 
     life, jubilant citizens expressed pride in our nation and our 
     president by spontaneously celebrating the news in cities 
     across the country, singing ``The Star Spangled Banner'' and 
     loudly chanting ``U-S-A,'' and former presidents Bill Clinton 
     and George W. Bush have offered him their congratulations; 
     and
       Whereas, domestically, he has acted with both initiative 
     and organizational acumen toward the precautionary defense of 
     our citizens and has successfully prevented a terrorist 
     attack on American soil during his service to our nation as 
     president; and
       Whereas, internationally, he has wisely exercised the use 
     of diplomacy to nurture collaborative relationships with 
     other nations, which has helped improve the freedom and 
     safety of the world's people; and
       Whereas, President George W. Bush had the near universal 
     support of the freedom-loving peoples and countries of the 
     world after the attacks on September 11, 2001, when he 
     famously pledged to defend freedom against fear, saying ``We 
     will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail,'' 
     and President Obama had the strength and wherewithal to see 
     that pledge through to fulfillment; and
       Whereas, legislators in Texas reaffirm the solemn creed 
     that we are one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty 
     and justice for all, who stand strongly behind the president 
     with respect to these several issues as he confronts the 
     grave problems of national and international security; now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd 
     Legislature of the State of Texas hereby congratulate 
     President Obama on his proven and successful policies in the 
     war on terrorism and in homeland security; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd 
     Legislature of the State of Texas hereby commend the 
     intelligence personnel who diligently and quietly toiled for 
     years to uncover the whereabouts of bin Laden and whose 
     achievement, while historic, may never be fully known to the 
     public; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 
     Legislature of the State of Texas hereby commend the members 
     of the 82nd armed forces who successfully and heroically 
     carried out an incredibly sensitive mission with no military 
     losses and with a minimal loss of civilian lives; and, be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of 
     Representatives forward official copies of this resolution 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, to the governor of Texas, and to 
     all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the 
     request that this resolution be officially entered in the 
     Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the 
     United State's of America.
                                  ____

       POM-39. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Texas 
     urging Congress to fully support the vital operations and 
     joint force structure at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base; 
     to the Committee on Armed Services.

                        House Resolution No. 784

       Whereas, Ellington Field plays an important role in the 
     Houston-area economy while contributing to the defense of our 
     nation; and
       Whereas, Ellington Field was constructed in 1917 and served 
     as a training base for military air personnel during World 
     War I and World War II and as a navigator training school in 
     the 1950s; NASA became a tenant there in 1962, and in 1984, 
     Ellington Field was taken over by the City of Houston; today, 
     it continues to provide support for military reserve and 
     guard units even as it serves as a base for a variety of 
     commercial operations; and
       Whereas, featuring commands from all five Department of 
     Defense and Department of Homeland Security military 
     services, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base has grown to 
     include more than 6,000 active, reserve, and guard members; 
     it is home to the 147th Reconnaissance Wing, which is at the 
     forefront of the trend toward unmanned aircraft that is 
     transforming the Air Force and Air Guard; and
       Whereas, the region served by the Ellington Field JRB is 
     vital to national security and the only one in the country 
     containing

[[Page 9546]]

     all 17 national asset categories identified by the Department 
     of Homeland Security as prime potential targets for global 
     terrorism; a $100 million expansion now in progress is vastly 
     increasing the defense capabilities of the base and will have 
     an enormous economic impact on surrounding communities, with 
     estimates ranging to nearly $700 million; and
       Whereas, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base provides a 
     strong stimulus to the Houston-area economy and is poised to 
     take on an ever-greater role in the defense of the Lone Star 
     State, the Gulf Coast region, and the nation; now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd 
     Texas Legislature hereby respectfully urge the Congress of 
     the United States to fully support the vital operations and 
     joint force structure at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base; 
     and, be it further
       Resolved, That the chief clerk forward official copies of 
     this resolution to the President of the United States, to the 
     President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives of the United States Congress, to the 
     Secretary of Defense, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
     to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and to all the members 
     of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that 
     this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a 
     memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.
                                  ____

       POM-40. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Texas 
     expressing opposition to H.R. 3424 and to any other proposal 
     that would limit the use of reinsurance by non-U.S.-based 
     insurance companies; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
     and Urban Affairs.

                        House Resolution No. 243

       Whereas, the insurance business greatly depends on 
     affiliated reinsurance for managing and spreading risk; and
       Whereas, purchasing reinsurance from affiliates is a means 
     for large insurers to manage capital and also serves an 
     important risk-transfer purpose, providing significant 
     additional primary insurance capacity, particularly for crop, 
     windstorm, general liability, products liability, and 
     aircraft insurance; and
       Whereas, non-U.S.-based insurance companies with U.S. 
     affiliates purchase reinsurance from parent and sister 
     companies domiciled abroad, but a bill introduced in the 
     United States Congress would penalize them for doing so, even 
     though U.S. and foreign-based insurance groups currently pay 
     functionally equivalent taxes on reinsurance transactions; 
     given the average tax burden of 25 percent in European 
     countries, such legislation would render most offshore 
     reinsurance transactions prohibitively expensive, and the 
     U.S. market would see a capacity shortfall and increases in 
     premiums for consumers; and
       Whereas, a major study by the Brattle Group, an economic 
     research and consulting firm, concluded that the proposed 
     policy would result in a 20 percent reduction in the supply 
     of reinsurance for consumers in the United States, in turn 
     leading to annual cost increases of $10 to $12 billion; in 
     addition, a broad coalition of industry and consumer groups 
     have spoken out against the proposal; and
       Whereas, taxation proposed in H.R. 3424, 111th Cong. 
     (2009), discriminates against the use of offshore affiliated 
     reinsurance by foreign-based companies and, if enacted, will 
     severely undermine the risk management practices at the heart 
     of international reinsurance markets; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd 
     Texas Legislature hereby express its opposition to H.R. 3424 
     and to any other proposal that would limit the use of 
     reinsurance by non-U.S.-based insurance companies; and, be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of 
     Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to 
     the President of the United States, to the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas 
     delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution 
     be entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the 
     Congress of the United States of America.
                                  ____

       POM-41. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Texas 
     urging Congress and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to 
     withdraw its proposal to list the dunes sagebrush lizard 
     under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                       House Resolution No. 1955

       Whereas, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has 
     proposed granting endangered species status to the dunes 
     sagebrush lizard, a measure that would have a significant 
     negative impact on the Lone Star State; and
       Whereas, the business climate in Texas has been 
     consistently ranked as the nation's best, and the oil and gas 
     sector is crucial to its continued vitality; Texas is the 
     nation's leading producer of oil and natural gas, and it 
     holds 30 percent of the nation's natural gas reserves and 
     almost a quarter of its oil reserves; the oil and gas 
     industry contributes $30 billion annually to the Texas 
     economy and employs more than 315,000 Texans at some of the 
     highest salaries in the state; and
       Whereas, despite its resilience, the Texas economy has not 
     been immune to the global economic recession; there have been 
     significant job losses over the past two years, and recently 
     high gas prices have posed new challenges; the Fish and 
     Wildlife Service failed to take these factors into account in 
     its proposal to grant endangered species status to the dunes 
     sagebrush lizard in southeastern New Mexico and adjacent oil-
     producing areas of West Texas; and
       Whereas, in addition, the service has failed to consider 
     that approximately 75,000 acres identified as habitat for the 
     lizard are owned and managed by The University of Texas for 
     the benefit of higher education; university officials have 
     estimated that the listing could stop the drilling of 
     approximately 1,000 oil and gas wells and eliminate the 
     production of seven million barrels of oil equivalent 
     annually; and
       Whereas, the Texas Legislature and the Texas Parks and 
     Wildlife Department have traditionally recognized the private 
     landowner as the primary steward of our state's natural 
     resources, but the Fish and Wildlife Service has not 
     adequately consulted with the State of Texas, Texas 
     landowners, or other stakeholders; moreover, the service has 
     failed to fully consider issues unique to species protection 
     and habitat conservation in Texas; and
       Whereas, listing the dunes sagebrush lizard as an 
     endangered species would inflict severe economic damage, harm 
     property owners, and undermine higher education in the Lone 
     Star State; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd 
     Texas Legislature hereby respectfully urge the United States 
     Fish and Wildlife Service to withdraw its proposal to list 
     the dunes sagebrush lizard under the Endangered Species Act 
     of 1973; and, be it further
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives direct the 
     agencies of the State of Texas to cooperate with the efforts 
     of the Texas Endangered Species Task Force to investigate the 
     scientific basis of the proposed listing and the potential 
     burdens on private property rights and economic development 
     in the state; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of 
     Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to 
     the President of the United States, the acting director of 
     the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     United States Congress, and all the members of the Texas 
     delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution 
     be entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the 
     Congress of the United States of America.
                                  ____

       POM-42. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Texas 
     expressing support for the inclusion of Taiwan in the United 
     States Visa Waiver Program; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                       House Resolution No. 1483

       Whereas, Taiwan and the United States enjoy a friendly and 
     mutually beneficial relationship, and solid commercial, 
     educational, and cultural ties can be further strengthened by 
     the inclusion of Taiwan in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program; and
       Whereas, a full-fledged, stable democracy, Taiwan shares 
     with the United States a commitment to democracy, human 
     rights, the rule of law, and a market-based economy; 
     moreover, Taiwan is our ninth-largest trading partner and a 
     key export market in almost every major sector; trade in 
     commercial goods between Taiwan and the United States totaled 
     nearly $62 billion in 2010; and
       Whereas, the two nations have long maintained close and 
     productive cooperation in science and technology, and since 
     1979, they have signed more than 190 science and technology 
     agreements under the framework of the Taipei Economic and 
     Cultural Representative Office and the American Institute in 
     Taiwan; Taiwan has worked very closely with the United States 
     in the field of education, and in 2010, more than 26,000 
     Taiwanese studied in our colleges and universities; and
       Whereas, these important relationships generate significant 
     interpersonal contact and travel, and in 2009, people from 
     Taiwan paid more than 500,000 visits to the United States; if 
     admitted to the Visa Waiver Program, holders of Taiwan 
     passports could travel to the United States without the 
     expense and time-consuming process of obtaining a visa, which 
     is expected to boost the number of visits for both 
     sightseeing and business purposes; Taiwanese travel to the 
     United Kingdom and New Zealand spiked by 35 to 40 percent 
     after those countries waived visa obligations, and it is 
     estimated that waiving visa requirements for Taiwanese 
     travels in the United States could increase tourism revenue 
     by as much as $1.8 billion; and
       Whereas, in order to gain entry into the Visa Waiver 
     Program, a country must have a visa refusal rate below 3 
     percent, and only 2.2 percent of Taiwanese visa applications 
     were rejected by the United States in fiscal year 2010; about 
     100 countries, including Japan

[[Page 9547]]

     and members of the European Union, offer Taiwan visa 
     exemptions on the basis of reciprocity and out of confidence 
     that citizens of Taiwan are law-abiding and unlikely to 
     overstay; and
       Whereas, Taiwan has already exempted U.S. passport holders 
     from visa requirements for visits up to 30 days; by extending 
     similar privileges, the United States can facilitate people-
     to-people contacts, enhance cultural links, and expand 
     business opportunities and tourism; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd 
     Texas Legislature hereby endorse the inclusion of Taiwan in 
     the United States Visa Waiver Program; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the chief clerk forward official copies of 
     this resolution to the President of the United States, to the 
     President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the 
     members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request 
     that this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record 
     as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of 
     America.
                                  ____

       POM-43. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana memorializing Congress to review 
     the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination 
     Provision Social Security benefit reductions and to consider 
     eliminating or reducing them by enacting the Social Security 
     Fairness Act of 2011, the Public Servant Retirement 
     Protection Act of 2011, or a similar instrument; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 94

       Whereas, the Congress of the United States has enacted both 
     the Government Pension Offset (GPO), reducing the spousal and 
     survivor Social Security benefit, and the Windfall 
     Elimination Provision (WEP), reducing the earned Social 
     Security benefit for any person who also receives a public 
     pension benefit; and
       Whereas, the intent of congress in enacting the GPO and the 
     WEP provisions was to address concerns that a public employee 
     who had worked primarily in federal, state, or local 
     government employment might receive a public pension in 
     addition to the same Social Security benefit as a person who 
     had worked only in employment covered by Social Security 
     throughout his career; and
       Whereas, the purpose of congress in enacting these 
     reduction provisions was to provide a disincentive for public 
     employees to receive two pensions; and
       Whereas, the GPO negatively affects a spouse or survivor 
     receiving a federal, state, or local government retirement or 
     pension benefit who would also be entitled to a Social 
     Security benefit earned by a spouse; and
       Whereas, the GPO formula reduces the spousal or survivor 
     Social Security benefit by two-thirds of the amount of the 
     federal, state, or local government retirement or pension 
     benefit received by the spouse or survivor, in many cases 
     completely eliminating the Social Security benefit; and
       Whereas, nine out of ten public employees affected by the 
     GPO lose their entire spousal benefits, even though their 
     spouses paid Social Security taxes for many years; and
       Whereas, the GPO often reduces spousal benefits so 
     significantly it can make the difference between self-
     sufficiency and poverty; and
       Whereas, the GPO has a harsh effect on thousands of 
     citizens and undermines the original purpose of the Social 
     Security dependent/survivor benefit; and
       Whereas, the GPO negatively impacts approximately twenty-
     seven thousand one hundred forty-four Louisianians; and
       Whereas, the WEP applies to those persons who have earned 
     federal, state, or local government retirement or pension 
     benefits, in addition to working in employment covered under 
     Social Security and paying into the Social Security system; 
     and
       Whereas, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefit 
     using an averaged indexed monthly earnings formula and may 
     reduce Social Security benefits for affected persons by as 
     much as one-half of the retirement benefit earned as a public 
     servant in employment not covered under Social Security; and
       Whereas, the WEP causes hard-working individuals to lose a 
     significant portion of the social security benefits that they 
     earn themselves; and
       Whereas, the WEP negatively impacts approximately twenty-
     five thousand three hundred twenty-two Louisianians; and
       Whereas, because of these calculation characteristics, the 
     GPO and the WEP have a disproportionately negative effect on 
     employees working in lower-wage government jobs, like 
     policemen, firefighters, teachers, and state employees; and
       Whereas, many workers rely on Social Security 
     Administration Annual Statements that fail to take into 
     account the GPO and WEP when projecting benefits; and
       Whereas, because the Social Security benefit statements do 
     not calculate the GPO and the WEP, many public employees in 
     Louisiana are unaware that their expected Social Security 
     benefits shown on such statements will be significantly lower 
     or nonexistent due to the service in public employment; and
       Whereas, these provisions also have a greater adverse 
     effect on women than on men because of the gender differences 
     in salary that continue to plague our nation and because of 
     the longer life expectancy of women; and
       Whereas, Louisiana is making every effort to improve the 
     quality of life of its citizens and to encourage them to live 
     here lifelong, yet the current GPO and WEP provisions 
     compromise that quality of life; and
       Whereas, retired individuals negatively affected by GPO and 
     WEP have significantly less money to support their basic 
     needs and sometimes have to turn to government assistance 
     programs; and
       Whereas, the GPO and the WEP penalize individuals who have 
     dedicated their lives to public service by taking away 
     benefits they have earned; and
       Whereas, our nation should respect, not penalize, public 
     servants; and
       Whereas, the number of people affected by GPO and WEP is 
     growing every day as more and more people reach retirement 
     age; and
       Whereas, the GPO and WEP are established in federal law, 
     and repeal of the GPO and the WEP can only be enacted by the 
     United States Congress: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to review the 
     Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination 
     Provision Social Security benefit reductions and to consider 
     eliminating or reducing them by enacting the Social Security 
     Fairness Act of 2011 (H.R. 1332), the Public Servant 
     Retirement Protection Act of 2011 (S. 113), or a similar 
     instrument; 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-44. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana memorializing Congress to review 
     the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination 
     Provision Social Security benefit reductions and to consider 
     eliminating or reducing them by enacting the Social Security 
     Fairness Act of 2011, the Public Servant Retirement 
     Protection Act of 2011, or a similar instrument; to the 
     Committee on Finance.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 93

       Whereas, the Congress of the United States has enacted both 
     the Government Pension Offset (GPO), reducing the spousal and 
     survivor Social Security benefit, and the Windfall 
     Elimination Provision (WEP), reducing the earned Social 
     Security benefit for any person who also receives a public 
     pension benefit; and
       Whereas, the intent of congress in enacting the GPO and the 
     WEP provisions was to address concerns that a public employee 
     who had worked primarily in federal, state, or local 
     government employment might receive a public pension in 
     addition to the same Social Security benefit as a person who 
     had worked only in employment covered by Social Security 
     throughout his career; and
       Whereas, the purpose of congress in enacting these 
     reduction provisions was to provide a disincentive for public 
     employees to receive two pensions; and
       Whereas, the GPO negatively affects a spouse or survivor 
     receiving a federal, state, or local government retirement or 
     pension benefit who would also be entitled to a Social 
     Security benefit earned by a spouse; and
       Whereas, the GPO formula reduces the spousal or survivor 
     Social Security benefit by two-thirds of the amount of the 
     federal, state, or local government retirement or pension 
     benefit received by the spouse or survivor, in many cases 
     completely eliminating the Social Security benefit; and
       Whereas, nine out of ten public employees affected by the 
     GPO lose their entire spousal benefits, even though their 
     spouses paid Social Security taxes for many years; and
       Whereas, the GPO often reduces spousal benefits so 
     significantly it can make the difference between self-
     sufficiency and poverty; and
       Whereas, the GPO has a harsh effect on thousands of 
     citizens and undermines the original purpose of the Social 
     Security dependent/survivor benefit; and
       Whereas, the GPO negatively impacts approximately 27,144 
     Louisianans; and
       Whereas, the WEP applies to those persons who have earned 
     federal, state, or local government retirement or pension 
     benefits, in addition to working in employment covered under 
     Social Security and paying into the Social Security system; 
     and
       Whereas, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefit 
     using an averaged indexed monthly earnings formula and may 
     reduce Social Security benefits for affected persons by as 
     much as one-half of the retirement benefit earned as a public 
     servant in employment not covered under Social Security; and
       Whereas, the WEP causes hard-working individuals to lose a 
     significant portion of the Social Security benefits that they 
     earn themselves; and
       Whereas, the WEP negatively impacts approximately 25,322 
     Louisianans; and

[[Page 9548]]

       Whereas, because of these calculation characteristics, the 
     GPO and the WEP have a disproportionately negative effect on 
     employees working in lower-wage government jobs, like 
     policemen, firefighters, teachers, and state employees; and
       Whereas, many workers rely on Social Security 
     Administration Annual Statements that fail to take into 
     account the GPO and WEP when projecting benefits; and
       Whereas, because the Social Security benefit statements do 
     not calculate the GPO and the WEP, many public employees in 
     Louisiana are unaware that their expected Social Security 
     benefits shown on such statements will be significantly lower 
     or nonexistent due to the service in public employment; and
       Whereas, these provisions also have a greater adverse 
     effect on women than on men because of the gender differences 
     in salary that continue to plague our nation and because of 
     the longer life expectancy of women; and
       Whereas, Louisiana is making every effort to improve the 
     quality of life of its citizens and to encourage them to live 
     here lifelong, yet the current GPO and WEP provisions 
     compromise that quality of life; and
       Whereas, retired individuals negatively affected by GPO and 
     WEP have significantly less money to support their basic 
     needs and sometimes have to turn to government assistance 
     programs; and
       Whereas, the GPO and the WEP penalize individuals who have 
     dedicated their lives to public service by taking away 
     benefits they have earned; and
       Whereas, our nation should respect, not penalize, public 
     servants; and
       Whereas, the number of people affected by GPO and WEP is 
     growing every day as more and more people reach retirement 
     age; and
       Whereas, the GPO and WEP are established in federal law, 
     and repeal of the GPO and the WEP can only be enacted by the 
     United States Congress: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States to review the 
     Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination 
     Provision Social Security benefit reductions and to consider 
     eliminating or reducing them by enacting the Social Security 
     Fairness Act of 2011 (H.R. 1332), the Public Servant 
     Retirement Protection Act of 2011 (S. 113), or a similar 
     instrument; 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-45. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Iowa 
     memorializing its support of the positive impact of the CSBG 
     program in Iowa and its opposition to federal action to 
     reduce CSBG funding disproportionately compared to the rest 
     of the federal domestic discretionary budget; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                        House Resolution No. 44

       Whereas, in state fiscal year 2010, 365,752 Iowans in 
     140,333 households were helped in their fight against poverty 
     through services funded by the federal Community Services 
     Block Grant (CSBG) program; and
       Whereas, more than 96 percent of the families receiving 
     services were at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty 
     level or $35,427 annual family income; and
       Whereas, more than 76 percent of the individuals served by 
     the 18 community action agencies were working or received 
     social security as their source of income; and
       Whereas, those 18 community action agencies have 127 
     service centers throughout all 99 Iowa counties; and
       Whereas, each community action agency is governed by a 
     community-based volunteer board of directors consisting of 
     elected officials, private sector representatives, and low-
     income Iowans; and
       Whereas, Iowa's 18 community action agencies employ 3,350 
     Iowans; and
       Whereas, CSBG funding for the 18 community action agencies 
     brought in $2.3 million in local funding, $13.6 million in 
     private funding, $13.9 million in state funding, and $222.9 
     million in federal funding to Iowa's local communities; and
       Whereas, CSBG funding for Iowa's 18 community action 
     agencies helped generate $17.7 million in in-kind goods and 
     services and donated items; and
       Whereas, the 18 community action agencies received 
     $7,154,281 in CSBG funding enabling the community action 
     agencies to operate their service centers and to administer 
     state and federally funded programs; and
       Whereas, President Obama has proposed a 50 percent 
     reduction in CSBG funding and making the allocation of the 
     remaining funds competitive instead of continuing the current 
     allocation formula that brings stability to Iowa's community 
     and economic development initiatives; and
       Whereas, the Iowa House of Representatives supports efforts 
     of the United States Congress to effectively reduce the 
     federal deficit while promoting the current and future 
     economic security of all Iowans; Now therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the House of 
     Representatives supports the positive impact of the CSBG 
     program in Iowa and opposes federal action to reduce CSBG 
     funding disproportionately compared to the rest of the 
     federal domestic discretionary budget; and be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the President and Secretary 
     of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and each member of 
     the Iowa congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-46. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the Legislature of the State of Texas 
     memorializing the legacy of public service to the community 
     of Campbellton Post Office; to the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs.

                        House Resolution No. 523

       Whereas, the Campbellton Post Office in southern Atascosa 
     County, Texas, has played an essential role in the lives of 
     area residents for more than 130 years, but the United States 
     Postal Service has placed it on a list of facilities to be 
     closed in 2011; and
       Whereas, John Campbell established the post office in his 
     general store in 1874, and five years later, moved them both 
     to the new town of Campbellton; Mr. Campbell was officially 
     appointed the first postmaster and was succeeded over the 
     years by a number of his descendants, including William 
     Campbell, Edward Campbell, Louise Campbell, and Alyce 
     Campbell; and
       Whereas, its present postmaster, Lydia Rodriguez Castillo, 
     began her long tenure in 1971; a postal service hiring freeze 
     prevents her position from being filled when she retires, yet 
     the postal service has targeted the branch for closure in 
     part because it lacks a permanent postmaster; and
       Whereas, residents of the rural area and hamlets served by 
     the Campbellton Post Office rely on it for business 
     communications as well as for their personal mail, and the 
     post office is particularly important to the elderly; if it 
     should close, customers would have to travel some 20 miles to 
     send packages, check post office boxes, or mail important 
     documents; accordingly, patrons and civic leaders have formed 
     a committee and started a petition to support the 
     preservation of this integral institution; and
       Whereas, throughout the history of Campbellton, the post 
     office has been part of the fabric of the community, and its 
     closing would deprive citizens of ready access to vital 
     services and diminish their quality of life; now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd 
     Texas Legislature hereby honor the legacy of public service 
     to the community of the Campbellton Post Office; and, be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives hereby 
     respectfully urge the United States Congress to direct the 
     U.S. Postal Service to continue operating the Campbellton 
     Post Office in Atascosa County, Texas; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the chief clerk forward official copies of 
     this resolution to the President of the United States, to the 
     President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives of the United States Congress, to the United 
     States postmaster general, and to all the members of the 
     Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this 
     resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a 
     memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.

                          ____________________