[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 14732-14736]
[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-324. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Louisiana memorializing the United States Congress 
     to review and support H.R. 3930, the National Commission on 
     the Structure of the Army Act of 2014; to the Committee on 
     Armed Services.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 69

       Whereas, H.R. 3930 was introduced on January 27, 2014, and 
     seeks to establish the National Commission on the Structure 
     of the Army to undertake a comprehensive study of the 
     structure of the Army; and
       Whereas, the focus of this study is to determine two 
     factors, which include the proper force mixture of the active 
     component and reserve component, and how the structure should 
     be modified to best fulfill mission requirements in a manner 
     that is consistent with available resources; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3930 also directs the commission to give 
     careful consideration in evaluating a structure that meets 
     current and anticipated requirements of combat commands, 
     achieves a cost-efficient balance between the regular and 
     reserve components with particular focus on fully burdened 
     and lifestyle costs of Army personnel, and ensures that the 
     regular and reserve components possess the capacity needed to 
     support homeland defense and disaster assistance missions in 
     the United States; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3930 further provides for sufficient numbers 
     of regular members of the Army to provide a base of trained 
     personnel from which the personnel of the reserve components 
     could be recruited; maintains a peacetime rotation force to 
     support operational tempo goals of a ratio of one to two for 
     regular members and a ratio of one to five for members of the 
     reserve components; and further maximizes and appropriately 
     balances affordability, efficiency, effectiveness, 
     capability, and readiness; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3930 further prohibits the use of any funds 
     made available for the 2015 Fiscal Year for the Army to 
     divest, retire, or transfer any aircraft of Army assigned 
     units of the Army National Guard as of January 15, 2014, or 
     to reduce personnel below the authorized and strength levels 
     of three hundred fifty thousand members of the Army National 
     Guard as of September 30, 2014: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to review and support 
     H.R. 3930, which would, if enacted, be known as the National 
     Commission on the Structure of the Army Act of 2014, and be 
     it further
       Resolved, That a suitable 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-325. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California memorializing the President and the 
     Congress of the United States to enact the Earthquake 
     Insurance Affordability Act; to the Committee on Banking, 
     Housing, and Urban Affairs.

                       Senate Joint Resolution 28

       Whereas, The magnitude 6.7 Northridge Earthquake in 1994 
     was the costliest natural disaster in the history of the 
     State of California to date, with more than $25 billion in 
     property damage, and $49 billion in economic losses to region 
     and the state; and
       Whereas, A major earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area 
     or in southern California could have an even greater impact 
     than Hurricane Katrina had in Louisiana and Mississippi; and
       Whereas, Risk Management Solutions, Inc., estimated the 
     potential cost of a repeat of the 1906 San Francisco 
     earthquake at $260 billion, and a magnitude 7.0 earthquake 
     rupturing the southern and northern Hayward Fault between 
     $210 and $235 billion; and
       Whereas, The seven southern California counties that would 
     be most affected by an earthquake on the southern San Andreas 
     Fault are home to 621,000 businesses, 6.3 million employees, 
     and an annual payroll of $303.3 billion; and
       Whereas, A magnitude 7.8 southern California earthquake 
     modeled by the United States Geological Survey and the 
     Southern California Earthquake Center at the University of 
     Southern California in 2008 found that such an earthquake 
     could cause more than $213 billion in damage, and affect 
     roughly 1 out of every 15 workers in the United States, and 
     that the nationwide toll on unemployment and lost 
     productivity could be severe; and
       Whereas, Risks from flood and earthquake are generally not 
     included in homeowners' insurance and must be purchased 
     separately, but few homeowners purchase earthquake insurance 
     for many reasons, including its high cost; and
       Whereas, The National Flood Insurance Program makes 
     federally backed flood insurance available to homeowners, 
     renters, and business owners in exchange for state and 
     community floodplain management regulations that reduce 
     future flood damages; and
       Whereas, Unlike flood insurance, there is no requirement at 
     the federal or state level to obtain earthquake insurance for 
     purposes of securing financing for real property located in 
     high risk areas, leaving the mortgage industry, including 
     Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, effectively the insurer of last 
     resort; and
       Whereas, Under current federal law, earthquake insurance 
     premiums that are collected and not used for claims arising 
     within the year of collection are taxed and there is no 
     ability to reserve profits or accumulate capital for Future 
     losses, leading to the need for higher premiums; and
       Whereas, California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara 
     Boxer have introduced the Earthquake Insurance Affordability 
     Act (EIAA) that would authorize a federal guarantee of 
     limited postearthquake borrowing by actuarially sound state 
     residential earthquake insurance programs; and

[[Page 14733]]

       Whereas, The EIAA would lower the cost of earthquake 
     insurance for homeowners who buy coverage from nonprofit, 
     state earthquake insurance programs and direct funding to 
     effective seismic-mitigation measures; and
       Whereas, The EIAA would allow the California Earthquake 
     Authority to sell postevent bonds in the private capital 
     market, reducing the need to purchase reinsurance preevent 
     and resulting in rate reductions and lower deductibles; and
       Whereas, With more Californians insured, postevent disaster 
     assistance would cost less to both the state and the federal 
     government, and communities could recover more quickly; and
       Whereas, A Congressional Budget Office analysis of a 
     similar bill introduced in 2007 estimated that the cost to 
     the federal government for loan guarantees and post disaster 
     loans would be negligible: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of 
     California jointly, That the Legislature memorializes the 
     President and the Congress of the United States to enact the 
     Earthquake Insurance Affordability Act; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies 
     of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the 
     United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to 
     each Senator and Representative from California in the 
     Congress of the United States, and to the author for 
     appropriate distribution.
                                  ____

       POM-326. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Louisiana memorializing 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; to 
     the Committee on Finance.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 33

       Whereas, the Congress of the United States of America 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 worker who 
     has worked only in employment covered by Social Security 
     throughout his career; and
       Whereas, congress enacted these reduction provisions 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 even 
     though their spouses paid Social Security taxes for many 
     years; and
       Whereas, the GPO has a harsh effect on hundreds of 
     thousands of citizens and undermines the original purpose of 
     the Social Security dependent/survivor benefit; and
       Whereas, according to the Social Security Administration, 
     in 2013, at least 614,644 individuals nationally were 
     affected by the GPO; 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 hardworking individuals to lose a 
     significant portion of the Social Security benefits that they 
     earn themselves; and
       Whereas, according to the Social Security Administration, 
     in 2013, at least 1,549,544 individuals nationally were 
     affected by the WEP; and
       Whereas, in certain circumstances both the WEP and GPO can 
     be applied to a qualifying survivor's benefit, each 
     independently reducing the available benefit and in 
     combination eliminating a large portion of the total Social 
     Security benefit available to the survivor; and
       Whereas, because of the calculation characteristics of the 
     GPO and the WEP, they have a disproportionately negative 
     effect on employees working in lower-wage government jobs, 
     like policemen, firefighters, teachers, and state employees; 
     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 their quality of life; 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, individuals drastically affected by the GPO or WEP 
     may have no choice but to return to work after retirement in 
     order to make ends meet, but the earnings accumulated during 
     this return to work can further reduce the Social Security 
     benefits the individual is entitled to; and
       Whereas, the GPO and WEP are established in federal law, 
     and repeal of the GPO and the WEP can only be enacted by 
     congress: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States of America to 
     review the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall 
     Elimination Provision Social Security benefit reductions and 
     to consider eliminating or reducing them; 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-327. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Louisiana memorializing the United States Congress 
     to take such actions as are necessary to raise awareness of 
     human trafficking and sex trafficking to abolish this modern-
     day slavery and continue to aid Nigeria in the plight of 
     finding the remaining two hundred seventy-six missing girls; 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 138

       Whereas, on April 14, 2014, three hundred twenty-nine girls 
     were kidnapped from their school in Chibok, Nigeria, by 
     dozens of gunmen who stormed the girls' dormitories while 
     they were sleeping; and
       Whereas, in a region where only four percent of girls 
     complete secondary schooling, the kidnapped girls were the 
     best and the brightest; looking forward to bright futures as 
     global leaders, teachers, or lawyers; and
       Whereas, the girls were abducted by a radical Islamic group 
     called Boko Haram, which in English, means ``Western 
     education is sinful''; and
       Whereas, on January 31, 2012, in testimony before United 
     States Congress, the director of national intelligence, James 
     Clapper, included Boko Haram in his worldwide threat 
     assessment, stating, ``There are also fears that Boko Haram, 
     elements of which have engaged al-Qa'ida in the Islamic 
     Maghreb, is interested in hitting Western targets, such as 
     the United States Embassy and hotels frequented by 
     Westerners''; and
       Whereas, the United States has offered a seven million 
     dollar bounty for the group's elusive leader, Abubakar 
     Shekau; and
       Whereas, the Department of State designated Boko Haram as a 
     Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2013, recognizing 
     the threat posed by the group's large-scale and 
     indiscriminate attacks against civilians, including women and 
     children; and
       Whereas, fifty-three girls were able to escape and have 
     described their experiences as extremely distressing; and
       Whereas, concern is growing about the safety of those who 
     are still missing; and
       Whereas, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has accepted 
     offers from the United States of military personnel, law 
     enforcement officials, and other experts; and
       Whereas, Boko Haram's militant leader, Abubakar Shekau, 
     released a video in which he expresses his abhorrence of 
     Western education, saying that the girls should be married 
     instead of being educated and further claims that he will 
     sell the women as he has been commanded by Allah; and
       Whereas, Abubakar Shekau referred to the girls as slaves 
     and stated that he plans to kidnap more girls; and
       Whereas, United Nations and the United States have both 
     stressed an absolute prohibition against slavery and sexual 
     slavery in international law, making these actions crimes 
     against humanity; and
       Whereas, the White House press secretary has said that 
     appropriate action must be taken to locate and to free these 
     young women before they are trafficked or killed; and
       Whereas, Louisiana has taken a most aggressive stand to 
     abolish and condemn slavery among women in Louisiana and 
     worldwide: 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 raise awareness of human trafficking and 
     sex trafficking to abolish this modern-day slavery and 
     continue to aid Nigeria in the plight of finding the 
     remaining two hundred seventy-six missing girls; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-328. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of

[[Page 14734]]

     Delaware memorializing a commitment to the strong and 
     deepening relationship between Taiwan and Delaware; to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations.

                        House Resolution No. 37

       Whereas, Taiwan and the United States are long-standing 
     friends with a shared historical relationship and dearly 
     cherished values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
       Whereas, 2014 marks the 14th anniversary of the sister-
     state relationship between Delaware and Taiwan; and
       Whereas, for the past 13 years, the sister-state 
     relationship with Taiwan has been strengthened through the 
     efforts of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative 
     Office (TECRO) resulting in better mutual understanding; and
       Whereas, Taiwan is the world's eighteenth-largest economy 
     and one of the key trading partners of the United States, 
     with the two-way trade volume between the United States and 
     Taiwan reaching sixty-three billion in 2013; and
       Whereas, Taiwan is now a member of the U.S. Visa Waiver 
     Program (effective November 1, 2012), reflecting the 
     friendship, trust, and cooperation shared between our two 
     countries and making travel between Taiwan and the United 
     States for business and tourism even more convenient; and
       Whereas, negotiations for a Bilateral Investment Agreement 
     (B1A) between Taiwan and the United States are ongoing and 
     are an important step towards strengthening bilateral trade 
     and paving the way for entering into a Free Trade Agreement 
     (FTA); and
       Whereas, encouraging trade between the people of Delaware 
     and the people of Taiwan helps to forge a closer relationship 
     and is beneficial to both Delaware and Taiwan: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the 147th 
     General Assembly of the State of Delaware that we hereby 
     reaffirm our commitment to the strong and deepening 
     relationship between Taiwan and Delaware; and be it further,
       Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the 
     President of the United States, the President of the United 
     States Senate; and the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives.
                                  ____

       POM-329. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Louisiana memorializing the United States Congress 
     to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or to 
     take such actions as are necessary to require that places of 
     public accommodation and commercial facilities be equipped 
     with seating for persons who are unable to rise from a seated 
     position without assistance; to the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 95

       Whereas, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act 
     of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12181) requires places of public 
     accommodation and commercial facilities to be designed, 
     constructed, and altered in compliance with the accessibility 
     standards established by federal regulation; and
       Whereas, as our population ages and our veterans return 
     home from overseas, there is a growing population who are 
     unable to rise from the seated position without physical 
     hands-on assistance from others, including strangers; and
       Whereas, the need to require assistance from others to 
     complete the task of rising from a seated position robs 
     persons of their independence and dignity; and
       Whereas, if seating accommodations were to be equipped with 
     raised arms or parts from which a person could push when 
     rising then this would eliminate the need for persons to 
     obtain assistance from others: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to amend the Americans 
     with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12181) or to take 
     such actions as are necessary to require that places of 
     public accommodation and commercial facilities be equipped 
     with seating for persons who are unable to rise from a seated 
     position without assistance, 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-330. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of Louisiana memorializing the United States Congress 
     to take such actions as are necessary to pass the Diabetic 
     Testing Supply Access Act; to the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 122

       Whereas, the Diabetic Testing Supply Access Act would allow 
     Medicare to reimburse retail community pharmacies for 
     delivery of diabetic testing supplies to Medicare recipients' 
     homes; and
       Whereas, seniors would be safe from entering hazardous 
     circumstances, risking debilitating falls, or other 
     comparable inconveniences to obtain diabetic testing supplies 
     because of lack of supply delivery; and
       Whereas, the cost of delivery of diabetic testing supplies 
     may be equivalent regardless of whether they are delivered 
     same-day by local pharmacies or through the mail; and
       Whereas, the integrity of health care access to seniors in 
     need of diabetic testing supply access would be increased; 
     and
       Whereas, in July 2013, the Diabetic Testing Supply Access 
     Act of 2013 was introduced as H.R. 2845 by United States 
     Representative Peter Welch of Vermont; and
       Whereas, in January 2014, Senator John Thune of South 
     Dakota introduced the Diabetic Testing Supply Access Act of 
     2014 as S. 1935; and
       Whereas, the percentage of people diagnosed with diabetes 
     from 1980-2011 for those aged sixty-five to seventy-four 
     years increased one hundred forty percent, and one hundred 
     twenty-five percent for those age seventy-five years and 
     older, and the overall prevalence of diagnosed diabetes has 
     risen sharply among all groups for which data is available; 
     and
       Whereas, community pharmacies play a pivotal role in 
     affordable and accessible health care within rural and other 
     underserved communities by providing delivery services: 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 pass the Diabetic Testing Supply Access 
     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-331. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana memorializing the United States 
     Congress to take such actions as are necessary to pass the 
     Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2013; to the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 153

       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, mental illness is defined as ``health conditions 
     that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or 
     behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with 
     distress and/or impaired function''; and
       Whereas, approximately sixty-one million five hundred 
     thousand Americans experience mental illness in a given year; 
     and
       Whereas, approximately thirteen million six hundred 
     thousand Americans live with a serious mental illness such as 
     schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar disorder; and
       Whereas, more than eleven million Americans have severe 
     schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression; and
       Whereas, one-half of all chronic mental illness begins by 
     the age of fourteen; and
       Whereas, fewer than one-third of adults and one-half of 
     children with a diagnosed mental disorder receive mental 
     health services in a given year; and
       Whereas, individuals living with mental health challenges 
     and their families soon discover that the illness affects 
     many aspects of their lives and that they need more than 
     medical help; and
       Whereas, many loved ones are left feeling hopeless in 
     receiving effective and appropriate treatment for their 
     family members who suffer from mental illness; and
       Whereas, there is a need to better allocate current 
     resources to focus on the most effective services and most 
     severe mental illnesses; and
       Whereas, it is prudent to promote stronger interagency 
     coordination, increase data collection on treatment outcomes, 
     and raise efforts to drive evidence-based care; and
       Whereas, Congressman Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania has 
     introduced the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act 
     of 2013 as H.R. 3717; and
       Whereas, the bill will create within the Department of 
     Health and Human Services a new assistant secretary for 
     mental health and substance-abuse disorders who would lead 
     federal mental illness efforts, be responsible for promoting 
     the medically oriented models of care adopted by the National 
     Institute of Mental Health, and oversee the grant process 
     while holding community centers accountable by ensuring they 
     are meeting evidence-based standards; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3717 would push states to efficiently 
     allocate funds towards modernizing mental illness state laws 
     and raise support for community mental health centers and 
     hospital psychiatric care; and
       Whereas, to address issues regarding the shortage of 
     psychiatric professionals, the Helping Families in Mental 
     Health Crisis Act of 2013 would advance medical tools like 
     telepsychiatry which links primary physicians in underserved 
     areas to psychiatric professionals in order to decrease the 
     average span of time between an initial episode of psychosis 
     for a patient and his preliminary evaluation and treatment 
     procedures; and
       Whereas, H.R. 3717 would give physicians legal safe harbor 
     to volunteer at understaffed mental health centers; and
       Whereas, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act 
     of 2013 will adjust the federal privacy law known as the 
     Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, by

[[Page 14735]]

     allowing mental health professionals and families to share 
     information about loved ones to promote more appropriate and 
     effective treatment procedure: 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 pass the Helping Families in Mental 
     Health Crisis Act of 2013, 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-332. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of New Hampshire expressing 
     support for the right of residents of the District of 
     Columbia to be fully represented in the Congress of the 
     United States of America; to the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs.

                          House Resolution 21

       Whereas, over 600,000 citizens of the District of Columbia 
     pay taxes to the federal government but are denied voting 
     representation in the Congress of the United States; and
       Whereas, over 194,000 citizens of the District of Columbia 
     have fought in our armed forces in service to our nation; and
       Whereas, the federal government has sent its armed forces, 
     among them District of Columbia citizens, to fight on foreign 
     soil in support and defense of democratic ideals while 
     denying the residents of our own national capital the right 
     of legislative representation; and
       Whereas, those efforts to spread liberty and democracy to 
     the far corners of the globe are undermined and diminished by 
     the denial of democratic rights to over 600,000 citizens of 
     the United States of America; and
       Whereas, 9 service members from the District of Columbia 
     have lost their lives in the conflicts in Iraq and 
     Afghanistan; and
       Whereas, the United States is the only nation in the world 
     with a representative, democratic constitution that denies 
     voting representation in the national legislature to the 
     citizens of the capital; and
       Whereas, the District of Columbia is the only political and 
     geographical entity within the United States whose citizens 
     bear the full responsibilities of citizenship without sharing 
     in the appropriate privileges of citizenship; and
       Whereas, the New Hampshire house of representatives is a 
     shining example of representational democracy: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the House of Representatives, That the New 
     Hampshire house of representatives declares its support for 
     the right of residents of the District of Columbia to be 
     fully represented in the Congress of the United States of 
     America; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution, signed by the 
     speaker of the house of 41 representatives, be forwarded by 
     the house clerk to the President of the United States of 
     America, the Speaker of the United States House of 
     Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, 
     the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the Chairman of the 
     Council of the District of Columbia and to each member of the 
     New Hampshire congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-333. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of South Dakota relative to their ratification of the 
     Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.

                     Senate Joint Resolution No. 1

       Whereas, on March 10, 1971, the Senate voted 94-0 in favor 
     of proposing a Constitutional amendment to guarantee that the 
     voting age could not be higher than eighteen; and
       Whereas, on March 23, 1971, the House of Representatives 
     voted 401-19 in favor of the proposed Constitutional 
     amendment; and
       Whereas, forty-two of the fifty states have ratified the 
     26th amendment to the United States Constitution; and
       Whereas, both Houses of the Ninety-Second Congress of the 
     United States of America by a constitutional majority of two-
     thirds of each House thereof, made the following proposal to 
     amend the Constitution of the United States of America as 
     follows:
       Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
     States extending the right to vote to citizens eighteen years 
     of age or older.
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of 
     each House concurring therein), That the following article is 
     proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
     States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as 
     part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of 
     three-fourths of the several States within seven years from 
     the date of its submission by the Congress:

                           ``Article . . . .

       Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who 
     are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be 
     denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on 
     account of age.
       Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this 
     article by appropriate legislation.'' Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, by the Senate of the Eighty-Ninth Legislature of 
     the State of South Dakota, the House of Representatives 
     concurring therein, that the 26th Amendment of the United 
     States is hereby ratified by the Legislature of the State of 
     South Dakota; and be it further,
       Resolved, That certified copies of this Joint Resolution be 
     forwarded by a I the Secretary of State, to the Secretary of 
     State of the United States, to the presiding officers of both 
     Houses of the Congress of the United States, and to the 
     Archivist of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-334. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of 
     Michigan memorializing the United States Congress to make any 
     murder of a police officer or corrections officer while in 
     the line of duty a federal offense; to the Committee on the 
     Judiciary.

                       Senate Resolution No. 123

       Whereas, Michigan law enforcement and corrections officers 
     are highly-trained and courageous individuals, often finding 
     themselves in dangerous situations in order to enforce and 
     maintain the laws of the state and to protect the residents 
     of Michigan; and
       Whereas, The killing of a federal law enforcement or 
     corrections officer is a federal offense. However, the 
     killing of a state law enforcement or corrections officer is 
     only considered a federal offense if the officer was working 
     with federal agents in furtherance of a federal 
     investigation. In addition, certain circumstances can elevate 
     a state crime to a federal crime; and
       Whereas, There should be a consistent national policy to 
     protect our law enforcement and corrections officers. Law 
     enforcement is a necessary and vital function of our 
     government at all levels. All U.S. citizens rely on federal 
     and state law enforcement and corrections officers to keep us 
     safe in our home states and all states throughout the nation. 
     Creating a uniform penalty for the crime of taking the life 
     of a law enforcement or corrections officer while on duty 
     will underscore the importance of all peace officers 
     nationwide: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of 
     the United States to make any murder of a police officer or 
     corrections officer while in the line of duty a federal 
     offense; 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 Senate, the Speaker of the United States House 
     of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan 
     congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       POM-335. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of 
     the State of Maryland relative to their ratification of the 
     Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.

                        House Joint Resolution 3

       Whereas, The 17th Amendment to the United States 
     Constitution provides for the direct election of Senators of 
     a state to the United States Congress rather than for their 
     election or appointment by a state legislature; and
       Whereas, The 17th Amendment passed the United States Senate 
     on June 12, 1911, and then passed the United States House of 
     Representatives on May 13, 1912; and
       Whereas, The 17th Amendment thereafter was ratified to 
     become part of the United States Constitution when on April 
     8, 1913, Connecticut became the 36th state to ratify its 
     adoption, thereby satisfying the requirement of the United 
     States Constitution that any proposed constitutional 
     amendment be approved by at least three-fourths of the 
     states; and
       Whereas, Following its formal ratification, the 17th 
     Amendment subsequently also was ratified by Louisiana on June 
     11, 1913, and Delaware on June 25, 2010; and
       Whereas, By its vote on February 26, 1913, Utah was the 
     only state to reject the 17th Amendment (although the Florida 
     legislature, which also took up the amendment, failed to 
     complete action as the amendment never reached the Florida 
     Senate); and
       Whereas, The General Assembly of Maryland has not taken 
     action to either ratify or reject the 17th Amendment to be 
     part of the United States Constitution, the State of Maryland 
     now wishes formally to record its support for and also ratify 
     the amendment, viz:

                               ``Article

       The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two 
     Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for 
     six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors 
     in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for 
     electors of the most numerous branch of the State 
     legislatures.
       When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in 
     the Senate, the executive authority of each State shall issue 
     writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the 
     legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to 
     make temporary appointments until the people fill the

[[Page 14736]]

     vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
       This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the 
     election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes 
     valid as part of the Constitution.'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the 
     foregoing amendment to the United States Constitution is 
     ratified by the State of Maryland to all intents and purposes 
     as a part of the United States Constitution; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Governor of the State of Maryland is 
     requested to forward authentic copies of this Resolution, 
     under the Great Seal of the State of Maryland, to: the 
     Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State of the 
     United States, 2201 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20520; the 
     Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader, United States Senate, 
     528 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; the 
     Honorable John Boehner, Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives of the United States, 1011 Longworth House 
     Office Building, Washington, DC 20515; and the Honorable 
     Martha N. Johnson, Acting Administrator of General Services 
     of the United States, 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 
     20405.
                                  ____

       POM-336. A Senate joint resolution adopted by the General 
     Assembly of the State of Maryland rescinding Maryland's 
     ratification of the Corwin Amendment to the United States 
     Constitution; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                       Senate Joint Resolution 1

       Whereas, On February 27, 1861, in an attempt to avert the 
     secession of Southern states, United States Representative 
     Thomas Corwin of Ohio proposed an amendment to the United 
     States Constitution that would prohibit the United States 
     Constitution from being amended in a manner that authorizes 
     Congress to abolish or interfere with the states' domestic 
     institutions, including slavery; and
       Whereas, On March 2, 1861, the Corwin Amendment passed the 
     United States Congress and was submitted to the states for 
     ratification; and
       Whereas, With the enactment of Chapter 21 of the Acts of 
     1862, the General Assembly of Maryland ratified the Corwin 
     Amendment; and
       Whereas, The Corwin Amendment has not been ratified by 
     three-fourths of the states and, therefore, is not part of 
     the United States Constitution; and
       Whereas, With the end of the Civil War and the ratification 
     of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, the 
     purposes of the Corwin Amendment have become moot: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the 
     State of Maryland rescinds its ratification of the Corwin 
     Amendment to the United States Constitution, viz:

                               ``Article

       No amendment shall be made to the Constitution which will 
     authorize or give to Congress the power to abolish or 
     interfere, within any State, with the domestic institutions 
     thereof, including that of persons held to labor or service 
     by the laws of said State.'', and be it further
       Resolved, That the Governor of the State of Maryland is 
     requested to forward authentic copies of this Resolution, 
     under the Great Seal of the State of Maryland, to: the 
     Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President of the United 
     States, President of the United States Senate, Suite S-212, 
     United States Capitol Building, Washington, DC 20510; the 
     Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader, United States Senate, 
     528 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; the 
     Honorable John Boehner, Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives of the United States, 1011 Longworth House 
     Office Building, Washington, DC 20515; and the Honorable 
     David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, National 
     Archives and Records Administration, 709 Pennsylvania Avenue 
     NW., Washington, DC 20408.
                                  ____

       POM-337. A resolution adopted by the General Assembly of 
     the State of Maryland relative to their ratification of the 
     Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution; to 
     the Committee on the Judiciary.

                       Senate Joint Resolution 2

       Whereas, The 17th Amendment to the United States 
     Constitution provides for the direct election of Senators of 
     a state to the United States Congress rather than for their 
     election or appointment by a state legislature;
       Whereas, The 17th Amendment passed the United States Senate 
     on June 12, 1911, and then passed the United States House of 
     Representatives on May 13, 1912; and
       Whereas, The 17th Amendment thereafter was ratified to 
     become part of the United States Constitution when on April 
     8, 1913, Connecticut became the 36th state to ratify its 
     adoption, thereby satisfying the requirement of the United 
     States Constitution that any proposed constitutional 
     amendment be approved by at least three-fourths of the 
     states; and
       Whereas, Following its formal ratification, the 17th 
     Amendment subsequently also was ratified by Louisiana on June 
     11, 1913, and Delaware on June 25, 2010; and
       Whereas, By its vote on February 26, 1913, Utah was the 
     only state to reject the 17th Amendment (although the Florida 
     legislature, which also took up the amendment, failed to 
     complete action as the amendment never reached the Florida 
     Senate); and
       Whereas, The General Assembly of Maryland has not taken 
     action to either ratify or reject the 17th Amendment to be 
     part of the United States Constitution, the State of Maryland 
     now wishes formally to record its support for and also ratify 
     the amendment, viz:

                               ``Article

       The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two 
     Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for 
     six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors 
     in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for 
     electors of the most numerous branch of the State 
     legislatures.
       When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in 
     the Senate, the executive authority of each State shall issue 
     writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the 
     legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to 
     make temporary appointments until the people fill the 
     vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
       This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the 
     election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes 
     valid as part of the Constitution.'' Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the 
     foregoing amendment to the United States Constitution is 
     ratified by the State of Maryland to all intents and purposes 
     as a part of the United States Constitution; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Governor of the State of Maryland is 
     requested to forward authentic copies of this Resolution, 
     under the Great Seal of the State of Maryland, to: the 
     Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State of the 
     United States, 2201 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20520; 
     the Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader, United States 
     Senate, 528 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 
     20510; the Honorable John Boehner, Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives of the United States, 1011 Longworth House 
     Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; and the Honorable 
     Martha N. Johnson, Acting Administrator of General Services 
     of the United States, 1800 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
     20405.

                          ____________________