[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 5169-5170]
[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-204. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of South Dakota petitioning the United States 
     Congress to reauthorize federally provided terrorism 
     reinsurance for insurers; to the Committee on Banking, 
     Housing, and Urban Affairs.

                  House Concurrent Resolution No. 1019

       Whereas, insurance protects the United States economy from 
     the adverse effects of the risks inherent in economic growth 
     and development while also providing the resources necessary 
     to rebuild physical and economic infrastructure, offer 
     indemnification for business disruption, and provide coverage 
     for medical and liability costs from injuries and loss of 
     life in the event of catastrophic losses to persons or 
     property; and
       Whereas, the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, 
     produced insured losses larger than any other man-made event 
     in United States history, with claims paid by insurers to 
     their policyholders eventually totaling some $32.5 billion, 
     making this the second most costly insurance event in United 
     States history; and
       Whereas, the sheer enormity of the terrorist-induced loss, 
     combined with the possibility of future attacks, produced 
     financial shockwaves that shook insurance markets causing 
     insurers and reinsurers to exclude coverage arising from acts 
     of terrorism from virtually all commercial property and 
     liability policies; and
       Whereas, the lack of terrorism risk insurance contributed 
     to a paralysis in the economy, especially in construction, 
     tourism, business travel, and real estate finance; and
       Whereas, the United States Congress originally passed the 
     Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-297 (TRIA), 
     in which the federal government agreed to provide terrorism 
     reinsurance to insurers and reauthorized this arrangement via 
     the Terrorism Risk Insurance Extension Act of 2005, Pub. L. 
     109-144, and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program 
     Reauthorization Act of 2007, Pub. L. 110-160 (TRIPRA); and
       Whereas, under TRIPRA the federal government provides such 
     reinsurance after industry-wide losses attributable to annual 
     certified terrorism events exceed one hundred million 
     dollars; and
       Whereas, coverage under TRIPRA is provided to an individual 
     insurer after the insurer has incurred losses related to 
     terrorism equal to twenty percent of the insurer's previous 
     year earned premium for property-casualty lines; and
       Whereas, after an individual insurer has reached such a 
     threshold, the insurer pays fifteen percent of residual 
     losses and the federal government pays the remaining eighty-
     five percent; and
       Whereas, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program has an annual 
     cap of one hundred billion dollars of aggregate insured 
     losses, beyond which the federal program does not provide 
     coverage; and
       Whereas, TRIPRA requires the federal government to recoup 
     one hundred percent of the benefits provided under the 
     program via policy holder surcharges to the extent the 
     aggregate insured losses are less than twenty-seven billion 
     five hundred million dollars and enables the government to 
     recoup expenditures beyond that mandatory recoupment amount; 
     and
       Whereas, without question, TRIA and its successors are the 
     principal reason for the continued stability in the insurance 
     and reinsurance market for terrorism insurance to the benefit 
     of our overall economy; and
       Whereas, the presence of a robust private and public 
     partnership has provided stability and predictability and has 
     allowed insurers to actively participate in the market in a 
     meaningful way; and
       Whereas, without a program such as TRIPRA, many of our 
     citizens who want and need terrorism coverage to operate 
     their businesses all across the nation would be either unable 
     to get insurance or unable to afford the limited coverage 
     that would be available; and
       Whereas, without federally provided reinsurance, property 
     and casualty insurers will face less availability of 
     terrorism reinsurance and will therefore be severely 
     restricted in their ability to provide sufficient coverage 
     for acts of terrorism to support our economy; and
       Whereas, unfortunately, despite the hard work and 
     dedication of this nation's counterterrorism agencies and the 
     bravery of the men and women in uniform who fought and 
     continue to fight battles abroad to keep us safe here at 
     home, the threat from terrorist attacks in the United States 
     is both real and substantial and will remain as such for the 
     foreseeable future: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Eighty-
     Ninth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate 
     concurring therein, that the United States Congress and the 
     President of the United States reauthorize the Terrorism Risk 
     Insurance Program.
                                  ____

       POM-205. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Arizona urging the United States Congress to 
     provide full, sustainable funding for the Payment in Lieu of 
     Taxes (PILT) program for fiscal year 2015 and into the 
     future; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                  Senate Concurrent Memorial No. 1006

       Whereas, the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program was 
     established in 1976 to offset costs incurred by counties for 
     services provided to the federal government and to the users 
     of federal lands located within a county; and
       Whereas, the State of Arizona is composed of 113,417 square 
     miles of land, of which 42% is federally owned, nontribal 
     land that is unavailable for economic development and not 
     part of the property tax base. Less than 17% of the land in 
     Arizona is private land; and
       Whereas, the national average PILT payment in fiscal year 
     2013 was $0.66 per acre, which is far below the amount that 
     federal lands would return through both value-based taxation 
     and economic development; and
       Whereas, counties are required to provide law enforcement, 
     search and rescue, emergency services, road building and 
     maintenance, and other community services on, or associated 
     with, tax-exempt federal public lands; and
       Whereas, Congress failed to provide funding for the PILT 
     program in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, 
     jeopardizing $32 million in PILT funding for Arizona counties 
     and causing great uncertainty about county finances and 
     services in fiscal year 2014 and fiscal year 2015; and
       Whereas, a one-year extension of PILT funding for fiscal 
     year 2014 was included in the farm bill conference report, 
     but the fate of fiscal year 2015 funding is still unknown; 
     and
       Whereas, a lack of PILT funding places the large, 
     unsustainable burden of providing services on federal lands 
     squarely on the backs of local county taxpayers, while the 
     presence of that federal land creates barriers to further 
     economic opportunities; and
       Whereas, failure to secure PILT funding for fiscal year 
     2015 and into the future for Arizona counties in a timely 
     manner will critically impact the budget process and 
     structural solvency of counties and will substantially 
     compromise their ability to provide essential services; and
       Whereas, the federal government has the duty to reimburse 
     local jurisdictions for the presence of federal public lands.
       Wherefore, Your memorialist, the Senate of the State of 
     Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:

[[Page 5170]]


       1. That the United States Congress provide full, 
     sustainable funding for the PILT program for fiscal year 2015 
     and into the future to help create financial stability within 
     Arizona's counties.
       2. That the United States Congress work with the State of 
     Arizona and county governments to identify and implement 
     policies to promote economic development on, or associated 
     with, public lands.
       3. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona 
     transmit a copy of this Memorial to the President of the 
     United States, the President of the United States Senate, the 
     Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and 
     each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
                                  ____

       POM-206. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Ohio commending Israel for 
     its cordial and mutually beneficial relationship with the 
     United States and Ohio and supporting Israel in its legal, 
     historical, and moral right of self-governance and self-
     defense on the entirety of its own lands; to the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations.

                        House Resolution No. 340

       Whereas, Israel has been granted its lands under and 
     through the oldest recorded deed, the Old Testament, a tome 
     of scripture held sacred and revered by Jews and Christians. 
     The claim and presence of the Jewish people in Israel have 
     remained constant throughout the past 4,000 years of history; 
     and
       Whereas, The legal basis for the establishment of the 
     modern State of Israel was a binding act of international law 
     established in the San Remo Resolution, which was unanimously 
     adopted by the League of Nations in 1922 and subsequently 
     affirmed by both houses of the United States Congress. This 
     resolution affirmed the establishment of a national home for 
     the Jewish people in the historical region of the Land of 
     Israel. In addition, Article 80 of the United Nations charter 
     recognized the continued validity of the rights granted to 
     states or peoples that already existed under international 
     instruments. Thus, the San Remo Resolution remains valid, and 
     the 650,000 Jews currently residing in the areas of Judea, 
     Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem reside there legitimately; and
       Whereas, Israel declared its independence and self-
     governance on May 14, 1948, with the goal of reestablishing 
     its God-given and legally recognized lands as a homeland for 
     the Jewish people; and
       Whereas, The United States, having been the first to 
     recognize Israel as an independent nation and as Israel's 
     principal ally, has enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial 
     relationship with Israel and its people. Israel is the 
     greatest friend and ally of our country in the Middle East, 
     and the values of our two nations are so intertwined that it 
     is impossible to separate one from the other; and
       Whereas, There are those in the Middle East who have 
     continually sought to destroy Israel from the time of its 
     inception as a state, and those same enemies of Israel also 
     hate and seek to destroy the United States; and
       Whereas, The State of Ohio and Israel have enjoyed cordial 
     and mutually beneficial relations since 1948, a friendship 
     that continues to strengthen with each passing year: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That we, the members of the House of 
     Representatives of the 130th General Assembly of the State of 
     Ohio, commend Israel for its cordial and mutually beneficial 
     relationship with the United States and Ohio and support 
     Israel in its legal, historical, and moral right of self-
     governance and self-defense on the entirety of its own lands, 
     thus recognizing that Israel is neither an attacking force 
     nor an occupier of the lands of others and that peace can be 
     afforded the region only through a whole and united Israel; 
     and be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
     send duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the 
     President of the United States, to the Speaker and Clerk of 
     the United States House of Representatives, to the President 
     Pro Tempore and Secretary of the United States Senate, to the 
     members of the Ohio Congressional delegation, and to the news 
     media of Ohio.
                                  ____

       POM-207. A resolution adopted by the House of 
     Representatives of the State of Michigan memorializing the 
     Congress of the United States and the U.S. Department of 
     Veterans' Affairs to take a stronger role in investigating 
     and eliminating delays in veterans' health care; to the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

                        House Resolution No. 300

       Whereas, The men and women who serve our country deserve 
     our utmost respect and appreciation. Many of them are injured 
     in the line of duty and come home to face challenging 
     physical disabilities and other health issues. These veterans 
     need our continued support after they have left active 
     service. All veterans are entitled to the best health care we 
     can give them; and
       Whereas, Several VA facilities have a backlog of patients 
     waiting for colonoscopies or endoscopies, necessary 
     procedures for diagnosing cancers of the colon and digestive 
     tract. As many as 7,000 veterans have been on the backlog 
     list, often waiting over a year while experiencing pain and 
     other symptoms that could not be properly treated without 
     proper diagnosis; and
       Whereas, At least 19 veterans have died due to delays in 
     commonly used medical screenings, such as colonoscopies. 
     Although the backlog problem was uncovered as early as July 
     of 2011, little progress has been made in increasing the 
     numbers of veterans who receive the necessary medical 
     procedures: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we 
     memorialize the Congress of the United States and the U.S. 
     Department of Veterans Affairs to take a stronger role in 
     investigating and eliminating delays in veterans' health 
     care; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the 
     President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
                                  ____

       P0M-208. A resolution adopted by the Mayor and Council of 
     the Borough of Butler, New Jersey, requesting the investment 
     of additional funding to maintain highways and improve the 
     transportation infrastructure in the State of New Jersey; to 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

                          ____________________