May 2, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 72 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
All in Senate sectionPrev58 of 81Next
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 72
(Senate - May 02, 2019)
Text available as:
Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Pages S2605-S2611] From the Congressional Record Online through the 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-33. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho urging the United States Congress to pass legislation that designates 611 as a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline telephone number; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. House Joint Memorial No. 1 Whereas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 45,000 deaths by suicide in the United States in 2016, with rates of suicide since 1999 increasing in every state; and Whereas, the CDC reported that suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and ode of just three of the leading causes of death that are on the rise; and Whereas, Idaho and other western states have the highest rates of suicide in the nation, and the CDC reports that the rate of suicide is increasing in Idaho and surrounding western states by rates that range from 30% to 58% since 1999; and Whereas, the United States faces an urgent public health crisis as these deaths contribute to the declining life expectancy for Americans; and Whereas, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 2345, the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018, by a vote of 379 to 1, with both Congressman Raul Labrador and Congressman Mike Simpson voting in the affirmative; and the United States Senate passed H.R. 2345 by unanimous consent; and Whereas, on August 14, 2018, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 2345 into law as Public Law No. 115-233; and Whereas, Public Law 115-233 requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct a study that examines the feasibility of designating a simple, easy-to- remember, three-digit dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system; and Whereas, the FCC's report must recommend whether a particular Nil dialing code or another simple, easy-to- remember, three-digit dialing code should be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system and, if so, the logistics and costs associated with designating such a dialing code; and Whereas, 611 is the only undesignated N11 number available, and in 1997, the FCC found that 611 would be available when ``needed for other national purposes''; and Whereas, since 1968, 911 has been used for emergency service, and the simplicity and ubiquity of the 911 dialing code makes the N11 pattern the most logical pattern to follow for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that the FCC should recognize that combating the staggering growth of suicide deaths is an important national purpose; and be it further Resolved, that, in response to the growing rate of suicide deaths, the FCC should designate 611 as the new national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline telephone number; and be it further Resolved, that if the FCC does not make such a designation, the delegation representing the State of Idaho in Congress is hereby respectfully requested to pursue legislation to that end; and be it further [[Page S2606]] Resolved, that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States. ____ POM-34. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho urging the United States Congress to support the Federal Communications Commission's actions to provide the resources necessary to improve the phone communications system; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. House Joint Memorial No. 3 Whereas, communication is essential to Idaho's economy for conducting business, social interaction, and emergency contacts; and Whereas, phone communication, and particularly cell phone communication and related uses, is subject to distraction, disruption, and interference as a result of unwanted and unsolicited phone calls from recordings and persons who do not identify themselves and use false phone numbers to promote warranties, health products, credit cards, computer repair, and many products they have no intention of providing; and Whereas, the unscrupulous and dishonest use of our phone communication system is becoming so frequent that it interferes with commerce because increasingly users do not answer the phone, missing legitimate and important calls; and Whereas, Idaho state statutes, do not call registries, and other remedies have become ineffective because those who engage in this misbehavior have no intention of obeying the law and are able to avoid being apprehended or detected because they are calling from locations outside of the United States or, if calling within the United States, they use sophisticated hacking methods; and Whereas, Idaho state and local governments do not have the expertise to control the increasing burden upon Idaho citizens and particularly do not have the jurisdiction to pursue offshore illegal activities; Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that we support the citizens of the State of Idaho and request that the Federal Communications Commission, with the support and assistance of our congressional delegation, provide the resources necessary and take every reasonable step to procure the necessary expertise to prosecute and end this interference and misuse of our communications system; and be it further Resolved that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, to the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States, and to the Federal Communications Commission. ____ POM-35. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to practice all expediency toward the completion of the Incidental Take Permit required for the lawful operation of Idaho's Steelhead fishing season; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. House Joint Memorial No. 9 Whereas, all runs of Idaho's wild Steelhead were listed in 1997 as threatened under the Endangered Species Act; and Whereas, many conditions originating outside of Idaho have contributed to the decline of Idaho's wild Steelhead; and Whereas, in spite of collaborative habitat restoration projects and thoughtful fisheries management within Idaho, these external impacts continue to affect wild Steelhead returns; and Whereas, longitudinal scientific research clearly and consistently negates the notion that the operation of the Steelhead fishing season has any appreciable effect on the abundance or recovery of Idaho's wild Steelhead; and Whereas, the hatchery Steelhead fishery constitutes a significant part of Idaho's recreational and tribal fishery; and Whereas, the Steelhead fishery is a significant contributor to the culture, jobs, tourism, recreation, and economy of Idaho; and Whereas, Steelhead fishing by the outfitted and nonoutfitted public on Idaho's rivers is a significant contributor to Idaho's rural economy; and Whereas, Idaho submitted its Fisheries Management and Evaluation Plan for review and renewal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 2010, prior to the expiration of the associated permit required for lawful operation of its fisheries; and Whereas, NOAA still has not, in the nine years since submission, processed that plan and renewed Idaho's Incidental Take Permit; and Whereas, this has placed the State of Idaho fisheries out of legal compliance; and Whereas, on December 7, 2018, under threat of a federal lawsuit by six organizations due to Idaho operating its fisheries without a current federal permit, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) Commission decided to suspend the Steelhead fishing season; and Whereas, the IDFG Commission's decision of December 7, 2018, to strike a conditional agreement with the litigant coalition forestalled a full closure of the Steelhead season; and Whereas, the terms of said agreement are set to expire on March 15, 2019, or upon verified completion of the requisite permit, whichever should occur first; and Whereas, we commend the Idaho congressional delegation for its letter to NOAA urging rapid permit renewal and for its influence and support; and Whereas, if the permit is not completed by March 15, 2019, it is possible that those areas that have remained open thus far might be closed and that those areas that the December agreement excluded remain closed for the remainder of the Steelhead season; and Whereas, initial statements made in early December 2018 by NOAA officials projected that the permit would be completed by early-to-mid February; and Whereas, the record 35-day shutdown of the federal government, agencies, and nonessential employees significantly delayed progress toward completing the permit; and Whereas, NOAA officials have now indicated they will attempt to complete the permit before March 15, 2019, but they remain unwilling to commit that they will do so in time: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that we urge NOAA, and specifically the National Marine Fishery Service division, to practice all expediency toward the completion of the Incidental Take Permit required for the lawful operation of Idaho's Steelhead fishing season; and be it further Resolved that NOAA is urged to review future Fisheries Management and Evaluation Plans and process permit renewal applications submitted by the State of Idaho in a time frame that does not place the state out of legal compliance and that inherently puts the operation of Idaho's Steelhead fisheries at risk and all that rely upon the fisheries and are otherwise ancillary to them; and be it further Resolved that nothing in this Joint Memorial is intended to conflict with the responsible evaluation, nor to the exclusion and consideration of the best available science, of the permit; and be it further Resolved that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, to the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States, to NOAA, and to the National Marine Fishery Service division of NOAA. ____ POM-36. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona urging the United States Congress to decline to designate the Great Bend of the Gila River and surrounding areas as a National Monument; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. House Concurrent Memorial No. 2005 Whereas, the Gila River stretches nearly 600 miles across Arizona and has supported Arizona's people for thousands of years; and Whereas, Congressman Raul M. Grijalva introduced H.R. 6521, the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument Establishment Act (Act) on July 25, 2018; and Whereas, national monument status has significant potential consequences that may negatively affect land management activities; and Whereas, the proposed Great Bend of the Gila National Monument includes more than 84,000 acres of land along the Gila River in southwestern Arizona; and Whereas, existing laws and regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act and many others, ensure the protection and responsible use of the Great Bend of the Gila River and its surrounding lands; and Whereas, as of 2012, Arizona had the third highest total designated wilderness acreage in the United States with 4.5 million acres. Additionally, another 5.8 million acres were affected by special land use designations, including national monuments; and Whereas, the Act allows the United States Secretary of the Interior to adjust the boundaries of the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument after enactment of the Act to include any ``significant archaeological resources discovered.'' The Act does not include standards or requirements related to such inclusion, leaving the boundaries of the monument virtually unknown; and Whereas, the Act also allows the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land, both state and private, within or adjacent to the boundaries of the national monument. Land and interest in land automatically become part of the national monument; and Whereas, the Act removes all Great Bend of the Gila National Monument land from future sale, mining, mineral and geothermal leasing, and renewable energy and other economic development; and Whereas, by preventing economic activity that generates income and tax revenue, national monument designation will have sweeping consequences for infrastructure, job creation and economic growth in surrounding areas and across this state; and [[Page S2607]] Whereas, imposing federal preservation management on Arizona lands obstructs this state's land management objectives and principles; and Whereas, whether the federal government consults with this state in developing and implementing a management plan for the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument is at the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior; and Whereas, national monument designation results in some of the most restrictive existing land use regulations, greatly impacting travel and hunting, fishing and other recreational activities; and Whereas, congressional designation of multiple use policy as per the Federal Land Management Policy Act is best for our citizens and Arizona's economy. Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays: 1. That the United States Congress decline to designate the Great Bend of the Gila River and the surrounding areas as a national monument. 2. That the United States Congress accept public input before designating another national monument in this state. 3. That the United States Congress and President of the United States allow this state to provide express approval before federal designation of any new monuments, including the proposed Great Bend of the Gila National Monument. 4. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies 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, each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona, the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of the State of Arizona. ____ POM-37. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona urging the United States Congress to act to prohibit federal agencies from recommending and identifying Arizona's public lands as wilderness areas without express congressional consent; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. House Concurrent Memorial No. 2007 Whereas, through federal land management planning and associated guidelines, federal agencies are recommending and identifying Arizona's public lands as wilderness areas; and Whereas, these administratively recommended wilderness areas circumvent congressional intent and lack full and appropriate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses; and Whereas, the identification of these de facto wilderness areas has resulted in significant restrictions on public access and recreation, paralyzing constraints on the Arizona Game and Fish Department's ability to manage wildlife and potentially catastrophic limits on vegetation and habitat improvement projects, including fire management activities; and Whereas, the conservation of wildlife resources is the trust responsibility of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, and this responsibility extends to all lands within Arizona to ensure abundant wildlife resources for current and future generations; and Whereas, the designation of Arizona's public lands as wilderness areas has resulted in the erosion of the Arizona Game and Fish Department's ability to comply with its federal mandate to proactively recover threatened and endangered species; and Whereas, according to federal land management agency guidelines, an administratively recommended wilderness area must be managed to ``protect and maintain the social and ecological characteristics that provide the basis for wilderness recommendation'' in perpetuity or until Congress takes action to formally designate the area as a wilderness area; and Whereas, allowable activities within administratively recommended wilderness areas are left to the discretion of federal staff and deciding officers, resulting in even greater restrictions and hindrances than those formally vetted and designated by Congress; and Whereas, congressionally designated wilderness provides clearer guidance for management and coordination with this state, specific processes for wildlife management exemptions and direction for collaboration via existing state agreements and guidelines; and Whereas, administratively recommended wilderness areas lack transparency and circumvent the spirit of NEPA and congressional intent; and Whereas, with the implementation of federal land management plans, recommended wilderness areas constitute a significant and immediate change in management without a fully disclosed impact analysis required by NEPA; and Whereas, the federal land management plans lack full NEPA disclosure of potential impacts to this state and the public, assurances protecting this state's ability to proactively manage wildlife and fulfill its public trust responsibility, including specific management activities, and analyses of the cumulative impacts of further loss of public lands that provide for multiple-use and wildlife-related recreational and economic opportunities; and Whereas, the areas being recommended as wilderness were not included within the original wilderness designations with purposeful intent by Congress; and Whereas, the subsequent expansion of previously designated wilderness is an overreach of the federal agencies and disingenuous to the public, subverting original collaboration, coordination, negotiation and agreements; and Whereas, the federal agency planning documents suggest that significant management action or recommendation to Congress will not take place before further NEPA analyses are completed. Within the Prescott and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest recommended wildernesses, the United States Forest Service indicates that these areas are simply preliminary administrative recommendations and that further NEPA analyses are necessary. However, in transmittal letters, the United States Forest Service states that ``the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the . . . Forest's Revised Resource Management Plan contains the NEPA analysis necessary to support a legislative proposal.'' This suggests the necessary NEPA analysis has been conducted without adequate public engagement and is an egregious lack of transparency. Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays: 1. That the Congress of the United States act to prohibit federal agencies from recommending and identifying Arizona's public lands as wilderness areas without express congressional consent and state and local consent. 2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to 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-38. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho urging the United States Congress to enact legislation to release all remaining nonsuitable wilderness study areas and implement the concept of multiple use in order to fulfill the federal mandates as required by the Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act of 1960 and the Forest Management Act of 1976 to manage the national forests; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. House Joint Memorial No. 8 Whereas, Idaho's legal description includes approximately 53.5 million acres, of which approximately 5,008,317 acres are designated as Wilderness Areas and approximately 1,797,456 acres have at some point been designated as Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs), which are maintained similarly to Wilderness Areas; and Whereas, in 1976, Congress passed the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) with Section 603 directing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to identify and review all the public lands under its administration that possess the wilderness characteristics described in the Wilderness Act; and Whereas, the BLM state director, after analysis, stated in his 1991 Record of Decision and Idaho Wilderness Study Report, ``The recommendation is for Congress to designate 972,239 acres as wilderness and release 825,217 acres for other multiple uses''; and Whereas, the President in 1992 wrote a letter to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate saying, ``. . . I further concur with the Secretary of the Interior that all or part of 57 of the WSAs encompassing 825,217 acres are not suitable for preservation as wilderness . . . I urge the Congress to act expeditiously and favorably on the proposed legislation so that the natural resources of these WSAs in Idaho may be protected and preserved''; and Whereas, Congress, through Public Law 111-11 separately removed thousands of acres of nonsuitable WSAs in 2009, and through Public Law 114-46, separately removed tens of thousands of acres of nonsuitable WSAs in 2015, there are still over 500,000 acres of nonsuitable WSAs in Idaho; and Whereas, these Idaho lands are in legal limbo, a situation that causes extensive federal litigation regarding what uses of the lands are appropriate and, in turn, places a burden on federal court resources; and Whereas, uncertainty and wide swings in executive branch philosophy regarding the administration of these lands are costing the public millions of dollars as forest assets burn and deteriorate and as investments in forest road construction and improvements are being minimized; and Whereas, administrative decisions and preservationist lawsuits have progressively reduced access to public lands for forest managers and the public; and Whereas, the long-term sustainability of public lands depends on good stewardship and professional scientific site- specific management of forest resources; and Whereas, Idaho's historic heritage, customs, and culture are linked to the proper stewardship and use of the state's natural resources located on federally managed lands; and Whereas, these lands are de facto wilderness in lieu of congressional action, a situation that has resulted in a waste of forest assets, improper management of public forests, and a harmful reduction in forest road construction and multiple-use access improvements; and Whereas, the failure by Congress to release the lands locked up by the Wilderness Act severely harms agriculture, timber harvesting, and multiple-use interests, as well as Idaho communities and Idaho families economically supported by those activities; and [[Page S2608]] Whereas, national forest lands released from wilderness study would still be subject to the National Forest Management Act, which requires extensive early state political subdivision and public involvement as a federal land management agency develops, monitors, assesses, and updates plans for the management and use of resources in each forest; and Whereas, the Idaho Legislature, on behalf of the citizens of the state, asserts that the time is ripe for final disposition of these lands: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that the Legislature supports scientific adaptive management to implement the multiple-use concept of public land use as mandated by the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960, to ensure the protection and improvement of forest health, and to maintain and improve the sustainability of federal forests located in Idaho; and be it further Resolved, that the United States Congress is strongly urged to enact legislation to release all remaining nonsuitable wilderness study areas and implement the concept of multiple use in order to fulfill the federal mandates as required by the Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act of 1960 and the Forest Management Act of 1976 to manage the national forests to ``improve and protect the forest within the reservation, or for the purpose of securing favorable conditions of water flows, and to furnish a continuous supply of timber for the use and necessities of citizens of the United States;'' and be it further Resolved, that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the Governor of the State of Idaho, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the Administrator of the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Secretary of Agriculture, and the Chief of the United States Forest Service. ____ POM-39. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho urging the United States Congress to review the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessment process for transportation projects to ensure that stakeholders are quickly and fully informed whenever wildlife crossing infrastructure is proposed as an option for a transportation project; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. House Joint Memorial No. 6 Whereas, public highway agencies, including the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are required to conduct environmental assessments to consider the environmental effects of transportation projects receiving federal funds pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process; and Whereas, environmental assessments conducted pursuant to NEPA increasingly recommend that wildlife crossings, including overpasses, underpasses, and related fencing, are necessary or recommended additions to transportation projects to allow for the safe crossing of wildlife; and Whereas, the link between receipt of federal funds for highway projects and the acceptance of environmental assessment recommendations can cause concern for state highway agencies such as ITD when objections to aspects of highway projects, such as wildlife crossings, are raised; and Whereas, as to a proposed highway improvement project for the reconstruction of Targhee Pass on U.S. 20 between the junction with state highway 87 and the Montana state line, the NEPA environmental assessment process resulted in five alternative options, one of which would have included several wildlife crossings and dozens of miles of related fencing; and Whereas, local citizens and elected officials, multiple homeowner associations, and members of the Idaho Legislature became concerned about the potential repercussions of wildlife crossing bridges and fences in Fremont County; and Whereas, on an advisory ballot question presented during the November 2018 general election, 78% of Fremont County residents participating voted against the option to install wildlife crossings and fences along U.S. 20; and Whereas, in a testament to our democracy in action and the power of citizens and governmental entities to coordinate to create a positive solution, ITD, ITD District 6, and the FHWA recently recommended a preferred alternative that addresses highway needs, safety, and wildlife, but does not include crossing structures with wildlife fencing; and Whereas, the House of Representatives of the Idaho Legislature is grateful for the hard work and dedication shown by ITD and its staff, including the staff of ITD District 6, as well as the FHWA, to recommend a solution that is responsive to the needs and concerns of local Idaho citizens and highway users while also achieving project objectives; and Whereas, the House of Representatives of the Idaho Legislature extends congratulations to ITD, ITD District 6, and the FHWA with respect to their recommendation of the preferred alternative for the reconstruction of the Targhee Pass; and Whereas, the House of Representatives of the Idaho Legislature believes that the situation presented by the Targhee Pass project and an initial option including wildlife bridges and fencing may again arise as to future transportation projects in Idaho; and Whereas, a wide range of stakeholders are affected by wildlife crossings and related infrastructure in ways that are distinct from other transportation-related proposals and actions; and Whereas, areas adjacent to highways in the State of Idaho are critical not only for the safe passage of motor vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians but also for access to private and public lands, livestock, recreation, hunting, snow removal, and the preservation of scenic views; and Whereas, stakeholders may not initially realize that transportation-related projects could ultimately involve the consideration of wildlife crossing infrastructure, including fencing, presenting a potential challenge to the goal of stakeholder involvement; and Whereas, as demonstrated by the outcome of the Targhee Pass project recommendation, government functions most effectively when the voices of the people are heard and agencies are able to cooperate effectively together; and Whereas, affected stakeholders benefit from the opportunity to be informed as soon as possible about the extent and potential impact of projects to allow for involvement in decisions about animal crossings and related infrastructure: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that we urge the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States to review the NEPA environmental assessment process for transportation projects to ensure that stakeholders are quickly and fully informed whenever wildlife crossing infrastructure is proposed as an option for a transportation project and that state transportation agencies be given clear guidance to that effect; and be it further Resolved, that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the director and the board of the Idaho Transportation Department; and be it further Resolved, that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, and to the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States. ____ POM-40. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of New Jersey urging the Internal Revenue Service to devote additional resources to New Jersey and other states in which large populations of seniors and recent immigrants have been the target of a recent surge in tax-related scams; to the Committee on Finance. Senate Resolution No. 40 Whereas, The federal Internal Revenue Service has reported a recent surge in tax-related scams that seek to defraud unsuspecting taxpayers; and Whereas, These tax-related scams typically involve criminal conspirators and other scammers who make or send unsolicited phone calls, text messages, or emails claiming to be agents working on behalf of the federal Internal Revenue Service; and Whereas, The scammers impersonating federal agents demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill to settle an unpaid tax liability, and often con the victim into making payment on the bogus bill by using threats of arrest, deportation, license revocation, or the seizure of valuable assets, and Whereas, In a recent report to the United States Congress, the federal Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration indicated that between October 2013 and March 2016, the inspector general received more than one million contacts from taxpayers nationally who reported that they had received telephone calls from individuals who claimed to be employees of the federal Internal Revenue Service; and Whereas, The inspector general's report to Congress also indicated that during that same period of time more than 5,700 victims nationally reported that they had paid impersonators a total of $31 million, and in New Jersey alone more than 300 victims reported paying a total of $1 47 million stemming from these tax-related scams; and Whereas, To combat the recent surge and protect taxpayers from becoming victims in the future, the inspector general has established an ``advise and disrupt'' approach to the scams that advises the scammers that their activity is fraudulent and criminal and shuts down the modes of communication that are used to perpetuate the scams; and Whereas, The inspector general has also sought to combat the surge by using traditional media to inform taxpayers about the dangers posed by the scams and by working with partners in the public and private sectors to remind taxpayers to remain on ``high alert'' during tax filing season when attempts by impersonators to contact taxpayers are at their peak, and Whereas, Despite these efforts, additional federal resources are needed to combat the surge, especially in New Jersey and other states in which large populations of seniors and recent immigrants have been the preferred target of these tax-related scams and [[Page S2609]] other similar fraudulent schemes due to their perceived vulnerability and fear of reporting the abuses to the appropriate authorities; and Whereas, The additional federal resources could be used to more fully understand the extent of the problem, to better identify the individuals and criminal organizations responsible for perpetuating the scams, and to develop more viable methods for informing New Jersey's seniors and immigrant communities about the dangers posed by the scams and how to report suspected threats: Now therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey: 1. The federal Internal Revenue Service is urged to devote additional resources to New Jersey and other states in which large populations of seniors and recent immigrants have been the preferred target of a recent surge in tax-related scams perpetrated by criminal conspirators and other scammers who make or send unsolicited phone calls, text messages, or emails claiming to be agents working on behalf of the federal Internal Revenue Service in an effort to con victims into making payment on bogus tax bills. 2. The additional resources could be used to more fully understand the extent of the problem, to better identify the individuals and criminal organizations responsible for perpetuating the scams, and to develop more viable methods for informing New Jersey's seniors and recent immigrants about the dangers posed by the scams and how to report suspected threats. 3. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, each member of Congress elected from this State, and the Commissioner of the federal Internal Revenue Service. ____ POM-41. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Texas memorializing its dissatisfaction with the United States Congress' efforts to fully fund the operational security of the Texas-Mexico international border and urging the United States Congress to adopt a budget that fully funds all means necessary to fully secure the Texas-Mexico international border; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Senate Resolution No. 535 Whereas, The United States Congress has the moral and constitutional responsibility to fully maintain the operational security of the Texas-Mexico international border; and Whereas, The United States Congress has neglected to fully fund the maintenance, order, and safety of the Texas-Mexico international border; and Whereas, An unprotected border facilitates drug smuggling and human trafficking and opens the door to spillover violence from criminal cartels and poses a grave threat to homeland security; and Whereas, On March 28, 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, sent an urgent request to the United States Congress describing the border as ``a humanitarian and security catastrophe that is worsening by the day''; and Whereas, DHS is expected to report the interdiction of 100,000 migrants in March 2019, which would be the highest monthly total in a decade; and Whereas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had 12,000 migrants in custody the last week of March 2019, an unprecedented number; and Whereas, Secretary Nielsen reports that the volume of ``vulnerable populations'' is unsustainable and DHS, CBP, and Health and Human Services (HHS) facilities are at peak capacity to shelter unaccompanied alien children (UAC); and Whereas, Due to the unprecedented influx of migrants overwhelming the capacity at CBP stations and the ongoing crisis, U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Del Rio Sector have begun releasing detainees into Texas; and Whereas, News reports reveal undocumented women have made their way into American border towns after being beaten for disobeying smugglers, impregnated by strangers, coerced into prostitution, shackled to beds and trees, and--in at least a handful of cases--bound with duct tape, rope, or handcuffs; and Whereas, 194,000 criminal aliens booked into Texas jails from 2011-2019 were charged with more than 299,000 criminal offenses; and Whereas, CBP reports the unprecedented increase in migrant interdictions is having a detrimental impact on CBP's primary border security mission and security posture resulting in up to 40 percent or more of CBP personnel working to care for, transport, and process vulnerable families and children; and Whereas, Transnational criminal organizations and smugglers are using large groups of families as diversions to exploit and profit from reduced border enforcement presence; and Whereas, Members of Congress have filed legislation to designate drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations for their undermining of American national security with a relentless attack on our border while trafficking in human beings; and Whereas, The President of the United States has declared the situation along the border a ``crisis''; and Whereas, The United States Congress has consistently delayed meaningful action on border security, forcing Texas to expend significant resources to keep the international border with Mexico secure and placing an undue burden on the state's taxpayers: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Texas Senate hereby expresses its dissatisfaction with the United States Congress' inadequate efforts to fully fund the operational security of the Texas- Mexico international border; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas Senate calls upon the United States Congress to adopt a budget that fully funds all means necessary to fully secure the Texas-Mexico international border, including, but not limited to, deploying personnel, implementing effective technologies, and erecting barriers where needed; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas Senate requests the federal government cease separating families at the border as a means of deterring refugees, and to humanely process refugee and asylum seekers; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas Senate declares this crisis at the Texas-Mexico International Border an emergency; and, be it further Resolved, The Texas Senate supports the President in his efforts to move forward with emergency action; and, be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Texas Senate forward official copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, to the President of the U.S. Senate, and to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and to all members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record. ____ POM-42. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky urging the President of the United States and the United States Congress to recognize June 14 as National Bourbon Day and to designate Bardstown, Kentucky as the host city of National Bourbon Day; to the Committee on the Judiciary. Senate Resolution No. 119 Whereas, the Commonwealth is the birthplace of bourbon, a unique and distinctive type of whiskey named after Bourbon County, Kentucky; and Whereas, in 1964, Congress designated bourbon as America's native spirit; and Whereas, Bardstown, Kentucky already hosts the Kentucky Bourbon Festival that attracts over 50,000 people from the Kentucky Bluegrass Region, other states, and countries; and Whereas, Bardstown has one of the highest concentrations of bourbon distilleries among all Kentucky counties and is featured prominently on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail; and Whereas, Bardstown has been recognized as the ``Bourbon Capital of the World''; and Whereas, one-third of the world's bourbon is stored in Bardstown; and Whereas, National Bourbon Day is already a recognized holiday in Kentucky on June 14: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. The Kentucky Senate respectfully urges the President and Congress of the United States to recognize June 14 as National Bourbon Day. Section 2. The Kentucky Senate respectfully urges the President and Congress of the United States to designate Bardstown, Kentucky as the host city of National Bourbon Day. Section 3. The Senate does hearby recognize National Bourbon Day in Kentucky to be celebrated on June 14 every year as set forth in Governor Bevin's proclamation on June 6, 2018. Section 4. The Clerk of the Senate shall send a copy of this Resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States of America, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate; the Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and each member of the Kentucky Congressional Delegation. ____ POM-43. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky urging the United States Congress to enact legislation securing the citizenship of internationally adopted adult individuals; to the Committee on the Judiciary. House Resolution No. 230 Whereas, since the close of World War II over 350,000 children have been adopted from abroad by United States citizen parents; and Whereas, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, passed by the 106th Congress, aimed to provide equal treatment under United States law for adopted and biological children by granting citizenship for internationally born adoptees; and Whereas, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 did not apply to international adoptees who were over the age of 18 when the Act became law; and Whereas, tens of thousands of legally adopted individuals born before February 27th, 1983, and raised in the United States or who did not enter on an ``orphan visa'' do not have United States citizenship and therefore are potentially subject to deportation; and Whereas, these adoptees' parents did not complete the necessary processes to provide their adopted children with citizenship or, in many cases, even a green card; and [[Page S2610]] Whereas, the deportation of legally adopted individuals has occurred, breaking up families and returning these individuals to places where they do not know the language, culture, or have any known family members; and Whereas, the individuals who do not have citizenship were adopted from various countries including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Guatemala, El Salvador, India, Ireland, Haiti, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam; and Whereas, two bills which would have granted citizenship to certain adult adoptees were introduced with bipartisan support in the 115th Congress: the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018 (S. 2522) and the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018 (H.R. 5233). Neither bill was referred out of committee for a Congressional vote; and Whereas, both bills sought to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant automatic citizenship to all qualifying children adopted by a U.S. citizen parent, regardless of the date on which the adoption was finalized or the entrance visa; and Whereas, citizenship would be granted to any individual who was adopted by a U.S. citizen before age 18, was physically present in the United States in the citizen parent's legal custody pursuant to lawful admission before the individual reached age 18, never previously acquired U.S. citizenship, and was lawfully residing in the United States; and Whereas, major cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Houston, and Philadelphia have already passed resolutions in support of adoptee citizenship, as well as the state of California; and Whereas, citizenship is a civil right of all children adopted by a U.S. citizen parent; and Whereas, children adopted by U.S. citizen parents should have the same rights as children of U.S. citizens; and Whereas, this civil right should be protected by legislation that provides automatic citizenship for all adult adoptees whose adoptive parents did not complete the naturalization process while they were children: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. The members of the House of Representatives respectfully urge the President of the United States and United States Congress to enact legislation securing the citizenship of internationally adopted adult individuals. Section 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall send a copy of this Resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States of America, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and each member of the Kentucky Congressional Delegation. ____ POM-44. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of New Jersey condemning hate crimes and any other form of racism, religious or ethnic bias, discrimination, incitement to violence or animus targeting of minorities in New Jersey; to the Committee on the Judiciary. Senate Resolution No. 118 Whereas, In the past several years, violent crimes, threats of violence, and other incidents of hate-motivated targeting of religious, racial, and ethnic minorities have increased across the State of New Jersey and the United States; and Whereas, The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines a hate crime as a ``criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity''; and Whereas, According to FBI statistics, the number of reported hate crime incidents nationally in 2017 had increased 17 percent over 2016 totals, representing the first consecutive three-year annual increase and the largest single-year increase since 2001, when hate crimes targeting Muslim Americans increased in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 [,] attacks; and Whereas, According to the FBI, in 2017, 495 hate crimes were reported in New Jersey, a 76 percent increase from the previous year and the fourth-highest total in the nation, and of those hate crimes 260 incidents were attributed to race or ethnic bias, 180 incidents were attributed to religious bias, 51 incidents were attributed to sexual orientation, and four incidents were attributed to disability; and Whereas, In 2017, anti-Semitic incidents increased 57 percent in the United States compared to 2016, and 32 percent in New Jersey with 208 reported incidents, according to the Anti-Defamation League's 2017 Audit of Anti-Semitic incidents, which describes trends such as the tripling of assaults targeting Jews since 2012 and the rise of online harassment and hate speech directed at Jewish journalists and individuals through social media; and Whereas, On October 27, 2018, 11 people were killed and seven wounded in an armed attack at a synagogue, Tree of Life--Or L'Simcha Congregation, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Whereas, In 2015, among single-bias hate crime incidents in the United States, 59.2 percent of victims were targeted due to racial, ethnic, or ancestry bias, and among those victims, 52.2 percent were victims of crimes motivated by the offenders' anti-Black or anti-African-American bias, according to the FBI; and Whereas, In 2015, the U.S. Transgender Survey results found that 16 percent of transgender students in kindergarten through grade 12 in New Jersey faced such severe mistreatment as [a] transgender [person] persons that they left the school and, further, 26 percent of respondents in New Jersey who were out or perceived as transgender in college or vocational school were verbally, physically, or sexually harassed because of being transgender; and Whereas, On June 12, 2016, 49 people were killed and 58 others wounded in an armed attack on Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and Whereas, In 2017, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) reported a 26 percent increase in reported lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-queer (LGBTQ) homicides nationally in 2016, and of the homicides reported in 2017, 75 percent were LGBTQ people of color; and Whereas, In 2018, there has been harassment and hate-based violence against individuals who are perceived to be Muslim, including members of South Asian communities in the United States, and Hindu and Sikh-Americans have been the target of hate-based violence targeting religious minorities; and Whereas, The Bias Crime Unit, in the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety, is the [statewide] Statewide coordinator of efforts to eliminate crimes motivated by prejudice against others based on race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or ethnicity and investigates complaints; and Whereas, It is further in the public interest of the citizens of the State of New Jersey and this great nation to condemn, in the strongest terms, any hate crimes or any other form of conduct that constitutes racism, religious or ethnic bias, discrimination based on disability, age, marriage, familial status, or sexuality or gender discrimination including incitement to violence. Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey: 1. This House strongly condemns hate crimes and any other form of racism, religious or ethnic bias, discrimination, incitement to violence, or animus targeting [of] minorities in New Jersey. 2. The Governor and the Attorney General are encouraged to provide State assistance to victims of hate crimes and to enhance security measures and improve preparedness at religious institutions, places of worship, and other institutions that have been targeted because of their affiliation with any particular race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity. 3. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the President and Vice President of the United States of America, the presiding officers of the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress elected from State of New Jersey. ____ POM-45. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota rescinding certain previous applications made by the Legislature to the United States Congress calling for a constitutional convention, or convention of the states, for the purpose of amending the Constitution of the United States; to the Committee on the Judiciary. House Joint Resolution 1004 Whereas, the Legislature of the State of South Dakota, in 1907, adopted House Joint Resolution 2; in 1909, adopted House Joint Resolutions 5 and 7; and in 1971, adopted House Joint Resolution 503, making formal application to Congress to call an Article V constitutional convention for the purpose of altering the Constitution of the United States of America: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety- Fourth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate concurring therein, that House Joint Resolution 2, adopted in 1907; House Joint Resolutions 5 and 7, adopted in 1909; and House Joint Resolution 503, adopted in 1971, of the Legislature of the State of South Dakota, be rescinded; and be it further Resolved, that the secretary of state transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the President and Secretary of the United States Senate, the members of the South Dakota congressional delegation, and the Governor of the State of South Dakota, attesting the adoption of this resolution by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota. ____ POM-46. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho urging the United States Congress to enact legislation establishing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) as covered benefits for veterans with a service-connected disability resulting in an inability to procreate without the use of fertility treatment; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. House Joint Memorial No. 7 Whereas, federal law requires that veterans injured or disabled in the line of duty be entitled to compensation; and [[Page S2611]] Whereas, many veterans have been injured or disabled in ways that affect their ability to have children; and Whereas, in vitro fertilization (IVF) was previously a covered benefit for veterans with a service-connected disability resulting in the inability to procreate without the use of fertility treatment, pursuant to 38 CFR 17.380; and Whereas, IVF was also a covered benefit for the spouse of a veteran with a service-connected disability resulting in the inability to procreate, pursuant to 38 CFR 17.412; and Whereas, the IVF benefit for veterans and their spouses expired on September 30, 2018; and Whereas, IVF is the most successful fertility treatment in use today; and Whereas, intrauterine insemination (IUI), another successful form of fertility treatment, is not currently a covered benefit for veterans or their spouses; and Whereas, both IVF and IUI may help disabled veterans and their spouses procreate when the veteran's service-related disability would otherwise prevent them; and Whereas, it is the strong belief of your Memorialists that family life is of the utmost importance; and Whereas, it is likewise the strong belief of your Memorialists that those who serve our nation in the armed forces should not lose their ability to have children when it is within our nation's capacity to assist them: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixty-fifth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that we request that Congress enact legislation establishing IVF and IUI as covered benefits for veterans with a service-connected disability resulting in an inability to procreate without the use of fertility treatment; and be it further Resolved, that we request that Congress provide that IVF and IUI shall be made available to the spouses of such veterans; and be it further Resolved, that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, and to the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States. ____ POM-47. A resolution adopted by the City Council of Sherman, Texas, memorializing its support for the Butterfield Overland Trail to be designated as a National Historic Trail; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. POM-48. A resolution adopted by the City Council of Whitesboro, Texas, urging the United States Congress to designate the Butterfield Overland Trail as a National Historic Trail; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. POM-49. A resolution adopted by the County Council of Prince George's County, Maryland, memorializing its opposition to the proposed roll back of federal protections under the Clean Water Act; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. POM-50. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas relative to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. =========================== NOTE =========================== On page S2611, May 2, 2019, at the bottom of the first column, the following appears: POM-50. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas relative to the Employment Act of 1967; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The online Record has been corrected to read: POM-50. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas relative to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. ========================= END NOTE ========================= ____________________
All in Senate sectionPrev58 of 81Next