November 7, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 178 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 178
(Senate - November 07, 2019)
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[Pages S6473-S6474] 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-151. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Michigan urging the United States Congress to speedily approve the recently negotiated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement; to the Committee on Finance. Senate Resolution No. 73 Whereas, The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a close tri-lateral relationship between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For more than 25 years, NAFTA has been economically, culturally, and strategically important for all parties; and Whereas, NAFTA is significant for the American economy. Trade with Canada and Mexico supports nearly 12 million American jobs, and nearly 5 million of those jobs are supported by increased NAFTA trade. Since the agreement began in 1994, trade with Canada and Mexico has nearly quadrupled to $1.3 trillion, and the two countries buy more than one- third of U.S. merchandise exports. U.S. service exports to Canada and Mexico have also tripled, rising from $27.5 billion in 1993 to $91.3 billion in 2017, thanks to the trade agreement's new market access and clearer rules; and Whereas, Trade with Canada and Mexico is significant to U.S. states. For 43 states, our contiguous international neighbors represent the first or second largest export market, and all but one state counts Canada or Mexico as a top three trading partner. Canada is Michigan's largest export market, and Mexico is Michigan's third largest export market. NAFTA has also contributed to a 300 percent increase in Michigan's agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico; and Whereas, Small and medium-sized enterprises in the United States rely on trade with Canada and Mexico to support and grow their business. Canada and Mexico are the top two export destinations for U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises, more than [[Page S6474]] 125,000 of which sold their goods and services in Canada and Mexico in 2014; and Whereas, Trade among our North American trading partners is made up predominantly of intellectual property (IP)-intensive goods and services that employ millions of Americans in high paying jobs and generate billions of dollars in economic output. However, many of the IP-intensive goods, services, and exchanges through which trade is facilitated did not exist when the agreement was drafted. This situation has resulted in uneven and weak IP enforcement. Stronger enforcement of IP rights will encourage more foreign direct investment and increase gross domestic product; and Whereas, The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) creates a 21st Century trade agreement for North America. The renegotiated USMCA has provisions favorable to U.S. autoworkers that would help level the playing field between U.S. and Mexican autoworkers. The updated agreement is also more beneficial to the agricultural sector than NAFTA and will offer a higher degree of certainty and stability to Michigan farmers. The new IP provisions are the most comprehensive of any multilateral U.S. trade agreement and are vastly superior to those included in NAFTA; and Whereas, The USMCA is a win for all three countries. Ratification will modernize North American trade, reduce uncertainty by setting the rules for every player, encourage investment and innovation, and support millions of well- paying manufacturing jobs. The USMCA will also encourage automotive research and development investments in the United States and ensure that the U.S. automotive industry, which is fundamental to the Michigan economy, remains a leader in the global economy; and Whereas, A seamless transition between NAFTA and the USMCA will ensure that none of the benefits in trade accomplished by the integration of the three North American economies will be lost; Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate, That we urge the Congress of the United States to speedily approve the recently negotiated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement; and be it further Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation. ____ POM-152. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Michigan urging the United States Congress to increase funding for Sickle cell disease research; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Senate Resolution No. 80 Whereas, Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a disabling inherited blood disorder that causes the production of abnormally shaped (sickled) red blood cells that can stick together and block the flow of blood and oxygen. SCD leads to severe medical problems, including unpredictable episodes of excruciating pain, organ damage, anemia, increased susceptibility to infection, stroke, and decreased life span; and Whereas, SCD poses a serious threat to public health. SCD affects approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States, including 1,000 babies born each year. The disease disproportionately impacts people of African, Middle Eastern, and South American descent. In 2016, there were approximately 134,000 hospital inpatient stays and nearly 250,000 emergency department visits related to SCD, both leading to increased medical costs, and Whereas, There is no universal cure for SCD. Stem cell transplantation is currently the only cure, and it is not necessarily appropriate for all SCD patients. There have been advancements in treating the complications of SCD, but more research is needed to study emerging treatments, including therapies to address the underlying cause of the disease; and Whereas, SCD research is underfunded compared to other rare inherited diseases, such as cystic fibrosis. Additional funding for SCD research is imperative to identify new treatments and cures to help patients with SCD and address the public health risks posed by the disease; Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate, That we urge the United States Congress to increase funding for sickle cell disease research; and be it further Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and members of the Michigan congressional delegation. ____ POM-153. A resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Rhinebeck, New York urging the United States Congress to pass the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act; to the Committee on Finance. POM-154. A resolution adopted by the Select Board of the Town of North Hampton, New Hampshire urging the United States Congress to pass the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act; to the Committee on Finance. POM-155. A resolution adopted by the Council of the Town of Red Hook, New York urging the United States Congress to pass the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act; to the Committee on Finance. POM-156. A resolution adopted by the Commission of the Caddo Parish, Louisiana urging the United States Congress to protect funding for local public health services and prevention programs made possible by the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF); to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. ____________________
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