May 22, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 86 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 86
(Senate - May 22, 2019)
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[Pages S3054-S3057] 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-63. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Georgia urging the United States Congress to pass funding legislation that will secure the southern border of the United States; to the Committee on Appropriations. Senate Resolution No. 114 Whereas, it is imperative that the United States Congress pass the laws needed to provide the necessary funding for securing the southern border of this great nation; and Whereas, the growing crisis of illegal immigration threatens the security of United States citizens; and Whereas, in 2017 and 2018 alone, approximately 235,000 illegal immigrants were arrested; more than half of those arrests were for violent crimes against Americans, 4,000 of whom were murdered; and Whereas, each week, 300 Americans die of using heroin that comes to this country through drug smuggling at our southern border; and Whereas, a high steel barrier along 234 miles of this nation's southern border would effectively prevent illegal immigrants and contraband from reaching the United States; and Whereas, the Trump administration has requested $5.7 billion for the construction of a steel barrier along the southern border, $4.2 billion for detention center materials and personnel, $563 million for additional immigration judges and support staff to reduce the backlog of immigration cases, $211 million for additional border patrol agents, $571 million for additional ICE personnel, and $675 million to prevent illegal drugs and weapons from crossing our borders; and Whereas, Congress has not yet responded to the Trump administration's request to secure the nation's southern border; and Whereas, if Congress imposed a tariff on all moneys wired by individuals with no proof of citizenship or who are not in the country legally, it would provide the funding for the necessary infrastructure to secure the southern border: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate, That the members of this body urge Congress to pass funding legislation that will make the security of the southern border of the United States a reality; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the President of the Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the congressional delegation from this state. ____ POM-64. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Georgia urging the United States Congress to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the World War II Merrill's Marauders; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Senate Resolution No. 466 Whereas, in August, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill proposed creation of a top-secret, ``expendable'' American ground unit to engage in a ``long-range penetration mission'' behind enemy lines in Japanese occupied Burma to cut off communications and supply lines and capture northern Burma's only strategic, all-weather Myitkyina airfield; and Whereas, President Roosevelt issued a 1943 call for volunteers for ``a dangerous and hazardous mission,'' answered by approximately 3,000 American Infantrymen from stateside, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific, representing 15 ethnic groups from every state and including a Bataan Death March survivor, Nisei interpreters, a Native American code talker, and Pearl Harbor survivors; and Whereas, the top-secret unit, expecting no survivors, was officially designated in January, 1944, as the 5307th Composite Unit Provisional (CUP), code-named ``Galahad,'' which later became known as ``Merrill's Marauders,'' after their leader, Brigadier General Frank D. Merrill; and Whereas, in February, 1944, the Marauders began their approximately 1,000 mile march through dense Burmese jungle and up the Himalayan Mountains with no artillery support, carrying only what they could pack on their backs or mules, and would become the first Americans to engage the Japanese on the ground in Asia and the first Americans to fight there since the 1900 Boxer Rebellion; and Whereas, the Marauders fought valiantly during their five- month march to the Myitkyina airfield, defeating the much larger and better equipped elite Japanese 18th Division in five major and 30 minor engagements, and no other WWII U.S. combat force, except the First Marine Division which took and held Guadalcanal for four months, experienced as much uninterrupted jungle fighting; and Whereas, the Marauders endured starvation, disease, monsoons, and isolation, which were exacerbated by inadequate aerial resupply drops, and malaria, typhus, dysentery, and other jungle maladies inflicted more casualties on the Marauders than the Japanese; and Whereas, only several hundred Marauders remained fit enough, after climbing the Himalaya's disease infested, 6,100 foot Naura Hkyat Pass, to seize their objective of the Myitkyina airfield, which enabled supplies to be flown into Burma to connect the Ledo and Burma roads so a crucial Allied pathway could be forged into China; and Whereas, on August 10, 1944, when the 5307th CUP was deactivated, without even a formation, only about 100 skeletal-looking Merrill's Marauders were left in Burma with the remainder evacuated due to jungle diseases, exhaustion, and malnutrition; and Whereas, for their bravery, sacrifice, and success, Merrill's Marauders were awarded numerous medals and decorations, including the Presidential Unit Citation, and each member of the 5307th CUP has the ``rare distinction'' of being awarded a Bronze Star; and [[Page S3055]] Whereas, although Merrill's Marauders were a short-lived commando unit, the legacy of their bravery is honored by the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment, which traces its lineage to the 5307th CUP, wears the Merrill's Marauders patch as their crest, and named their military intelligence building ``Melillo Hall'' in honor of Georgia's last original Merrill's Marauder, Vincent Melillo; and Whereas, Georgia is honored to commemorate 2019 as the 75th anniversary of the Merrill's Marauders mission in the China Burma India Theater, known today as the Forgotten Theater of WWII, and salutes the state's large Ranger presence: the 75th Ranger Regiment, 3rd Ranger Battalion, and Airborne Ranger Training Brigade, all at Ft. Benning; Camp Merrill in Dahlonega; and 1st Ranger Battalion, Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah; and Whereas, U.S. Representative Peter T. King (R-NY) introduced H.R. 906 with Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) as a major cosponsor, and U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) introduced S. 743 in the 116th Congress, the ``Merrill's Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act,'' and this third attempt might be the last since only 13 out of the original 3,000 Merrill's Marauders are still living: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate, That the members of this body commend the 75th anniversary of the WWII Merrill's Marauders mission and urge the Congress of the United States to act favorably on legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor Congress can bestow, to Merrill's Marauders; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Michael Pence, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and each senator and representative from Georgia in the Congress of the United States. ____ POM-65. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee memorializing its support for the enactment of legislation that requires all board committee meetings of the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors to be open to the public; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Senate Joint Resolution No. 192 Whereas, established in 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies, serving ten million people in parts of seven southeastern states; and Whereas, TVA also provides flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation; and Whereas, Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett has introduced the Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act of 2019, legislation to require that committee meetings and subcommittee meetings of the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors be transparent and open to the public; and Whereas, the bill would amend the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 Section 2(g)(2) to include a provision on transparency that would require meetings of the TV A Board to be held in public, properly noticed, and with minutes and summaries of each meeting made available; and Whereas, it is vitally important to the citizens of Tennessee that TVA, as an entity created and protected by Congress, should conduct their business in the open and be as transparent as possible; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the One Hundred Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the House of Representatives concurring, That we strongly support the passage of the Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act of 2019; and be it further Resolved, That an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared and transmitted to the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, and each member of Tennessee's delegation to the United States Congress. ____ POM-66. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee memorializing its support for the enactment of legislation that requires all board committee meetings of the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors to be open to the public; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Senate Joint Resolution No. 192 Whereas, established in 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies, serving ten million people in parts of seven southeastern states; and Whereas, TVA also provides flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation; and Whereas, Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett has introduced the Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act of 2019, legislation to require that committee meetings and subcommittee meetings of the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors be transparent and open to the public; and Whereas, the bill would amend the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 Section 2(g)(2) to include a provision on transparency that would require meetings of the TVA Board to be held in public, properly noticed, and with minutes and summaries of each meeting made available; and Whereas, it is vitally important to the citizens of Tennessee that TVA, as an entity created and protected by Congress, should conduct their business in the open and be as transparent as possible; Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the One Hundred Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the House of Representatives concurring, that we strongly support the passage of the Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act of 2019; and be it further Resolved, That an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared and transmitted to the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, and each member of Tennessee's delegation to the United States Congress. ____ POM-67. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Georgia urging the United States Congress to eliminate the five-month waiting period for disability insurance benefits for individuals living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); to the Committee on Finance. Senate Resolution No. 276 Whereas, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease; and Whereas, ALS is a progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease; and Whereas, the average time to diagnosis is more than 12 months; and Whereas, the majority of ALS patients die within two to five years of receiving a diagnosis; and Whereas, approximately 6,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each year; and Whereas, the incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people, and it is estimated that more than 20,000 Americans may be living with ALS at any given time; and Whereas, ALS occurs through the world with no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries and can affect anyone; and Whereas, military veterans are approximately twice as likely to develop ALS; and Whereas, the onset of ALS often involves muscle weakness or stiffness as early symptoms. Progression of weakness, wasting, and paralysis of the muscles of the limbs and trunk, as well as those that control vital functions such as speech, swallowing, and later breathing, generally follows; and Whereas, there can be significant costs for medical care, equipment, and home health caregiving later in the disease; and Whereas, under current law, individuals must wait five months after becoming disabled before their Social Security Disability Insurance benefit payments can begin; and Whereas, last year, Congress considered legislation that would eliminate the five-month waiting period for disability insurance benefits for individuals with ALS, but it unfortunately did not become law; and Whereas, this body recognizes that persons living with ALS cannot wait for benefits. Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate that this body urges Congress to eliminate the five-month waiting period for disability insurance benefits for individuals living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the Congressional delegation from this state. ____ POM-68. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to pass the Disability Integration Act of 2019; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 8 Whereas, the Disability Integration Act of 2019 has been introduced as S. 117 and H.R. 555 in the One Hundred Sixteenth United States Congress; and Whereas, in enacting the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (herein referred to as the ``ADA''). Congress recognized that ``historically, society has tended to isolate and segregate individuals with disabilities, and, despite some improvements, such forms of discrimination against individuals with disabilities continue to be a serious and pervasive social problem'' and intended that the ADA assure ``full participation'' and ``independent living'' for individuals with disabilities by addressing ``discrimination against individuals with disabilities [that] persists in critical areas'', including institutionalization; and Whereas, while Congress expected that the ADA's integration mandate would be interpreted in a manner that ensures that individuals who are eligible for institutional placement are able to exercise a right to community-based long-term services and supports, that expectation has not been fulfilled; and Whereas, the holdings of the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. LC, 527 U.S. 581 (1999). and companion cases, have clearly articulated that individuals with disabilities, have a civil right under the ADA to participate in [[Page S3056]] society as equal citizens; however, many states still do not provide sufficient community-based long-term services and supports to individuals with disabilities to end segregation in institutions; and Whereas, the right to live in the community is necessary for the exercise of the civil rights that the ADA was intended to secure for all individuals with disabilities and the lack of adequate community-based services and supports has imperiled the civil rights of all individuals with disabilities, and has undermined the very promise of the ADA; therefore, it is necessary to recognize in statute a robust and fully articulated right to community living; and Whereas, states, with a few exceptions, continue to approach decisions regarding long-term services and supports from social welfare and budgetary perspectives, but for the promise of the ADA to be fully realized, states must approach these decisions from a civil rights perspective; and Whereas, states have not consistently planned to ensure sufficient services and supports tor individuals with disabilities, including those with the most significant disabilities, to enable individuals with disabilities to live in the most integrated setting and, as a result, many individuals with disabilities who reside in institutions are prevented from residing in the community and individuals with disabilities who are not in institutions find themselves at risk of institutional placement; and Whereas, the continuing existence of unfair and unnecessary institutionalization denies individuals with disabilities the opportunity to live and participate on an equal basis in the community and costs the United States billions of dollars in unnecessary spending related to perpetuating dependency and unnecessary confinement: Therefore, be it Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to take such actions as are necessary to pass the Disability Integration Act of 2019; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted to the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of Representatives and to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress. ____ POM-69. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Louisiana commending finalists of the annual international environmental poetry and art contest sponsored by the River of Words; to the Committee on the Judiciary. Senate Resolution No. 89 Whereas, River of Words is a non-profit arts and environmental education program, founded in 1995 by then United States Poet Laureate, Robert Hass and writer Pamela Michael, which annually, in affiliation with the Library of Congress Center for the Book, conducts an international poetry and art contest; and Whereas, the River of Words contest is considered by educators as one of the most prestigious contests in the country, and Whereas, poems written by the five outstanding students from the Greater Baton Rouge area, the only Louisiana finalists, were selected from tens of thousands of entries received from the United States and many other countries; and Whereas, the natural world as seen through the eyes of its children is heartening, humbling, fresh, and life-affirming; and Whereas, the watershed art and poetry submitted to River of Words is exhibited around the globe and is seen by millions of people each year; and Whereas, every poem contributes to an informed appreciation of the natural world and the interconnectedness of all beings; and Whereas, the five student finalists in this prestigious contest have demonstrated with their effort and their words an extraordinary level of skill and talent as writers and a finely discerning eye for the wonder of the natural word; and Whereas, Connie McDonald, teacher at Louisiana State University Laboratory School and Wes Dannreuther, teacher at Broadmoor Middle Magnet School have nurtured a new generation and in turn have produced imaginative, informed, and heartful earth stewards, prepared to address the significant environmental and social challenges of the Twenty-First Century. Therefore, Be it Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana hereby commends Haley Binder for her winning poem entitled ``Starting Sundays,'' Billy Creed for his winning poem entitled ``Berwick,'' Rafael Espinoza for her winning poem entitled ``Nature Sleeps,'' Daniel Koepp for his winning poem entitled ``Beyond My Window,'' and Christina Welsch for her winning poem entitled ``Wet Nurse''; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana hereby commends Connie McDonald and Wes Dannreuther for not only sharing their talents with these students, but for teaching them respect for and an understanding of the natural world, as well; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Haley Binder, Billy Creed, Rafael Espinoza, Daniel Koepp, Christina Welsch, Connie McDonald, and Wes Dannreuther. ____ POM-70. A resolution adopted by the House of Delegates of the State of West Virginia memorializing its support of ongoing and continued development of West Virginia's energy resources, pipeline, and energy infrastructure; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. House Resolution No. 6 Whereas, West Virginia's natural gas and energy reserves and production have increased significantly in recent years due to the exploration occurring in the Utica and Marcellus Shale formations; and Whereas, West Virginia is now the ninth-largest natural gas producing state in the nation, providing five percent of our country's total energy; and Whereas, The natural gas and oil industry supported over 70,000 jobs both directly and indirectly and added $8 billion to the West Virginian economy; and Whereas, Pipelines and transmission lines serve a critical role in delivering natural gas, petroleum, and electricity in order to meet our growing energy needs; and Whereas, Denying the expansion and construction of existing and new pipeline projects would stop the significant revitalization of communities and manufacturing industries in West Virginia; and Whereas, The U.S. Department of Energy has identified the benefits that West Virginia can accrue with the establishment of an ethane storage and distribution hub to promote diversity of supply and geography, alleviating the strategic risk our country faces as a result of a lack of redundancy and flexibility; and Whereas, West Virginia is business friendly and welcomes investments in the state and local economy; and Whereas, West Virginia's neighbors, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, have benefitted from using natural gas to attract industry; and Whereas, The natural gas intensive industry sector in Ohio has an output of $160 billion and Pennsylvania has an output of $156 billion in comparison to West Virginia's output of $18 billion; and Whereas, Ohio and Pennsylvania have over 300,000 jobs in natural gas intensive industry sector while West Virginia has over 30,000 jobs in the natural gas intensive industry sector; therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Delegates: That we, the members of the House of Delegates of the 84th Legislature of the State of West Virginia, support the ongoing and continued development of West Virginia's energy resources, pipeline, and energy infrastructure in the State of West Virginia; and, be it further Resolved, That we, the members of the House of Delegates of the 84th Legislature of the State of West Virginia, support ongoing economic development efforts to attract end-users of electricity and natural gas to expand our state's economy and create family sustaining jobs; and, be it further Resolved, That the Clerk transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the President Pro Tempore and Secretary of the United States Senate, the members of the West Virginia Congressional delegation, and the news media of West Virginia. ____ POM-71. A resolution adopted by the House of Delegates of the State of West Virginia memorializing its support of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. House Resolution No. 11 Whereas, The Atlantic Coast Pipeline and others are critical to the economic and energy future of the State of West Virginia, providing our state's natural gas production with unprecedented access to new markets; and Whereas, Studies indicate construction and operation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline alone will generate massive economic benefits for West Virginia, including almost $478 million in additional economic activity during the construction period and more than $15 million in additional economic activity each year after the facility begins operating; and Whereas, The Atlantic Coast Pipeline and others will create thousands of new job opportunities for the working men and women of West Virginia and significant new tax revenues for many West Virginia counties; and Whereas, The Atlantic Coast Pipeline and others will help promote our nation's energy independence, helping make the burgeoning natural gas production in West Virginia and adjacent states more available to millions of consumers and reducing the need for energy imports; and Whereas, The Atlantic Coast Pipeline's environmental impact has been repeatedly and thoroughly analyzed by state and federal agencies, including the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the U.S. Forest Service, among others, with all of the agencies finding that the project can be built and operated in a manner that protects the natural resources of West Virginia and the other states in its path; and Whereas, Despite the enormous energy and economic benefits, as well as the positive findings from a broad range of environmental regulatory agencies, some groups have launched an all-out assault on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project, with the ultimate aim of forcing its cancelation; and Whereas, These attacks are not based on the facts regarding the Atlantic Coast Pipeline but are part of what the U.S. Chamber of Commerce describes as a nationwide ``keep it in the ground'' strategy by some groups to [[Page S3057]] end all uses of fossil fuels in power generation; and Whereas, These unwarranted attacks have resulted in regulatory and legal proceedings that have repeatedly delayed both the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the related Supply Header Project; and Whereas, In response to court orders stemming from these attacks, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Supply Header Project have been forced to lay off or delay hiring thousands of skilled construction workers in West Virginia and also in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina, posing significant hardships for working families and depriving them of paychecks and steady work; and Whereas, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce report estimates that these delays, through August 2018, have already resulted in the loss of $2.3 billion in the U.S. Gross Domestic Product as well as $500 million in lost tax revenue for U.S. states and localities; and Whereas, The Chamber's study also found that the delays have already deprived U.S. consumers of $377 million in energy cost savings; and Whereas, The General President of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) recently said obstructions to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and other vital energy infrastructure ``from activist groups is costing our members jobs and the entire country opportunities''; and Whereas, The LIUNA General President also emphasized that the economic damage caused by this opposition to new energy projects is ``being shouldered by the hard working men and women who build our nation's energy infrastructure''; and Whereas, These assaults and delaying tactics are also a direct threat to West Virginia's energy production industry, which directly employs more than 22,000 men and women and pays more than $6 billion in wages annually; and Whereas, Although the current employment and payroll figures are impressive, further growth will be severely hampered unless new infrastructure such as the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and other pipelines are built to transport West Virginia's energy production to market; and Whereas, In addition to this economic damage, the attacks on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and other interstate natural gas projects have great potential to harm the environment, since other forms of electric generation powered by fossil fuels, such as natural gas, are needed to back up the expansion of the intermittent generation from renewable resources such as solar and wind energy; therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Delegates: That we, the members of the House of Delegates of the 84th Legislature of the State of West Virginia, categorically condemn these counterproductive and economically damaging assaults on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and other urgently needed energy infrastructure projects; and, be it further Resolved, That we note that these attacks are denying steady employment and income to thousands of West Virginia workers and their families who would otherwise be employed in the construction and operation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the related Supply Header Project; and, be it further Resolved, That we find that the attacks are also damaging West Virginia's energy production industry, the source of more than $6 billion annually in wages to our state's working men and women; and, be it further Resolved, That we find that the assaults on these projects have great potential to damage the environment by hindering the deployment of electric generation powered by solar power, wind and other renewable resources, all of which must be backed up with fossil fuel powered generation, such as natural gas; and, be it further Resolved, That we strongly urge the groups spearheading these assaults to stop their attacks and delaying actions and in the process help pave the way for a cleaner and stronger energy future for West Virginia and for the entire nation; and, be it further Resolved, That the Clerk transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the President Pro Tempore and Secretary of the United States Senate, the members of the West Virginia Congressional delegation, and the news media of West Virginia. ____ POM-72. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of North Dakota urging the United States Congress to pass Savanna's Act; to the Committee on Indian Affairs. House Concurrent Resolution No. 3041 Whereas, homicide is the third leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native women between 10 and 24 years of age and the fifth leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women between 25 and 34 years of age; and Whereas, in some tribal communities, American Indian women are murdered at more than 10 times the national average; and Whereas, Native American and Alaska Native women are at least two times more likely to experience rape or sexual assault and two and one-half times more likely to experience violent crimes compared to all other races, and those factors often are tied to cases involving a disappearance or murder; and Whereas, the National Crime Information Center reported 5,712 cases of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls in 2016, yet the United States Department of Justice's federal missing persons database only logged 116 cases; and Whereas, in 2016, North Dakota had 125 cases of Native American women and girls reported missing to the National Crime Information Center, with many cases likely going unreported; and Whereas, Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, for whom the federal legislation is named, was a member of the Spirit Lake Tribe and vanished when she was eight months pregnant; and Whereas, Savanna's Act will improve tribal access to federal crime information databases on missing persons and cooperation among tribal, federal, state, and local law enforcement, and will mandate the Attorney General consult with tribes and submit a report to Congress on how to resolve the barriers tribes face; Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives of North Dakota, the Senate concurring therein, That the Sixty-sixth Legislative Assembly urges the Congress of the United States to pass Savanna's Act; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of State forward copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, and each member of the North Dakota Congressional Delegation. ____________________
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