Volume 164, No. 76 covering the 2nd Session of the 115th Congress (2017 - 2018) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Senate section on pages S2621-S2622 on May 10, 2018.
More than half of the Agency's employees are engineers, scientists and protection specialists. The Climate Reality Project, a global climate activist organization, accused Agency leadership in the last five years of undermining its main mission.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
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-223. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona urging the United States Congress to enact H.R. 2603, or similar legislation, to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Senate Concurrent Memorial 1008
Whereas, H.R. 2603, the Saving America's Endangered Species Act, or the SAVES Act, has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives; and
Whereas, this important legislation would amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that nonnative species in the United States not be treated as endangered or threatened species for the purposes of that act.
Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:
1. That the United States Congress enact H.R. 2603, or similar legislation, to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
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.
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POM-224. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona urging the United States Congress to act to address the border sanitation problems that have resulted from the inadequate maintenance of the Naco, Sonora wastewater treatment facility; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Senate Concurrent Memorial 1012
Whereas, Naco, Arizona and Naco, Sonora are sister cities on either side of the United States-Mexico border; and
Whereas, the Naco, Sonora wastewater treatment facility is located adjacent to the international border and was last upgraded two decades ago; and
Whereas, the Naco, Sonora wastewater treatment facility has not been adequately maintained and, as a result, regularly exceeds capacity during periods of equipment maintenance, rain or other events that interrupt normal operations; and
Whereas, exceedances of capacity have resulted in intermittent flows of untreated wastewater for years from the surface discharge point in Naco, Sonora across the international boundary onto public and private property in and adjacent to Naco, Arizona; and
Whereas, as stated in Minute No. 273 titled Recommendations for the Solution of the Border Sanitation Problem at Naco, Arizona-Naco, Sonora, which was executed by the United States and Mexico sections of the International Boundary and Water Commission, the ``Commissioners observed that the border sanitation problem in the Naco, Arizona-Naco, Sonora area results from the Naco, Sonora wastewater collection, treatment and disposal system into the natural drainage courses that flow northward across the international boundary''; and
Whereas, also according to Minute No. 273, the
``Commissioners further observed that because of the topography, the natural drainage traverses a wellfield area which provides the municipal water supply for the City of Bisbee, Arizona''; and
Whereas, Minute No. 273 also references Article 3 of the 1944 Treaty on the Utilization of the Water of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande, which stipulates that the two Governments ``agree to give preferential attention to the solution of all border sanitation problems''; and
Whereas, the International Outfall Interceptor is the binational sewage pipe that conveys wastewater from Sonora and Arizona to the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant; and
Whereas, the United States International Boundary and Water Commission and the City of Nogales are co-owners of the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant, which provides treatment of sewage for both Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora; and
Whereas, legislation has been introduced in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives to direct the United States section of the International Boundary and Water Commission to charge Nogales, Arizona an equitable proportion of the costs for operating and maintaining the Nogales sanitation project based on the average daily volume of wastewater originating from Nogales; and
Whereas, the proposed legislation declares that Nogales is not obligated to contribute any capital costs of repairing or upgrading the project; and
Whereas, Arizonans who reside near the Arizona-Mexico border are concerned about the quality of drinking water because of previous international sewage disasters.
Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:
1. That the United States Congress act to address the border sanitation problems that have resulted from the inadequate maintenance of the Naco, Sonora wastewater treatment facility.
2. That the United States Congress enact the Nogales Wastewater Fairness Act as a necessary first step in reaching a comprehensive solution to ongoing border sewage complications of the Arizona border.
3. 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.
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POM-225. A concurrent memorial adopted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona urging the United States Congress to act expeditiously to increase and maintain staffing for qualified and properly vetted Customs Field Office personnel at the ports of entry in Nogales, Douglas and San Luis, Arizona in order to prudently speed the flow of goods and commerce; to the Committee on Finance.
House Concurrent Memorial 2002
Whereas, the United States and Mexico are important trade partners, and commerce between the two countries is a critical source of jobs, income and exchange; and
Whereas, according to the United States Department of Commerce, more than $500 billion in bilateral trade and over
$100 billion in cross-border investment occur annually; and
Whereas, in Arizona, $28 billion in two-way trade is processed annually through Arizona's ports of entry, and
Whereas, according to the United States Census Bureau, Arizona exports to Mexico totaled $7.1 billion in 2013; and
Whereas, the prime conduits for cross-border trade are through the ports of entry in Nogales, Douglas and San Luis, Arizona; and
Whereas, the Customs Field Office personnel within the United States Customs and Border Protection service of the United States Department of Homeland Security serve a vital function in promoting security and economic stability; and
Whereas, the lack of capacity and staffing for customs inspections at these primary entry points creates congestion for incoming and outgoing goods, hampers commercial activity and potentially compromises border security; and
Whereas, these impediments ultimately translate into perished agricultural produce and lost business opportunities and income; and
Whereas, the rapid delivery of goods and commerce enhances business activity and strengthens economic integration; and
Whereas, greater inspection capacity at the ports of entry in Nogales, Douglas and San Luis, Arizona will enhance the safety and swiftness of goods moving across the border, benefiting the economies of both nations; and
Whereas, increasing the number of Customs Field Office personnel at these United States border sites will facilitate commercial traffic and will result in increased economic growth and stability for Arizona; and
Whereas, a letter dated October 14, 2014 that was signed by every member of the Arizona Congressional delegation and sent to the United States Department of Homeland Security expressed the need for greater staffing and allocation of personnel to Arizona's ports of entry.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
1. That the United States Congress act expeditiously to increase and maintain staffing for qualified and properly vetted Customs Field Office personnel at the ports of entry in Nogales, Douglas and San Luis, Arizona in order to prudently speed the flow of goods and commerce.
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.
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POM-226. A resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urging the Secretary of Health and Human Services to select former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove and the former Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster and Horsham, Warrington and Warminster Townships for an exposure assessment and study on human health implications of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
House Resolution No. 682
Whereas, The United States military used foam containing perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid
(PFOA), unregulated contaminants, in firefighting training at two former bases, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove in Horsham Township, Montgomery County, and Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster in Warminster Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania; and
Whereas, The former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove is the location of Horsham Air Guard Station, an active base of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard; and
Whereas, The chemicals have appeared in elevated levels in public and private water wells; and
Whereas, PFOS and PFOA are ``extremely persistent in the environment and resistant to typical environmental degradation processes,'' according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has also stated: ``The toxicity, mobility and bioaccumulation potential of PFOS and PFOA pose potential adverse effects for the environment and human health''; and
Whereas, A growing body of science has established associations between PFOS and PFOA and a range of health effects, including a variety of cancers; and
Whereas, The chemicals were first discovered in local public water supplies near the former military bases by an EPA testing program, resulting in several public water wells being taken offline; and
Whereas, On May 19, 2016, the EPA issued an update to its health advisory for PFOS and PFOA that significantly reduces the amount considered safe in drinking water: in the worst possible case, water containing the chemicals at an amount previously deemed safe would now be more than eight times over the recommended limits; and
Whereas, The new recommended levels have resulted in officials from the Horsham Water and Sewer Authority, Warminster Municipal Authority and Warrington Township Water and Sewer Department shutting down contaminated public drinking water wells, including 16 municipal wells in Horsham, Warrington and Warminster Townships and nearly 150 private wells; and
Whereas, Section 316 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115-91, 131 Stat. 1283 requires the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct an exposure assessment of at least eight current or former domestic military installations known to have perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) contamination, which includes PFOS and PFOA, in addition to commencing a study on the human health implications of PFASs contamination in sources of water and relevant exposure pathways: Therefore be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to select these two installations and Horsham, Warrington and Warminster Townships for the exposure assessment and the study on human health implications; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, to the presiding officers of each house of Congress, to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania, to the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services and to the United States Secretary of Defense.
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POM-227. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Michigan urging the United States Congress to take action on immigration reform; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 15
Whereas, Shortly after our Founding Fathers crafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and we became an independent, self-governing nation, immigration and naturalization policies were enacted to govern the stream of foreign nationals who sought out this great nation. Over the course of our country's history, the Congress and President of the United States have updated these policies in response to domestic and world events and economic evolution; and
Whereas, Michigan has continued to welcome more and more immigrant families to our state. In 1990, foreign-born residents in Michigan accounted for 38 percent of the population. By 2015, that figure had increased to 66 percent. According to 2014 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the state of Michigan ranks 15th nationally in the number of foreign-born residents; and
Whereas, Immigrants are indispensable to a healthy state economy, and their contributions are substantial. Immigrants account for approximately 7.2 percent of Michigan's workforce. One-third of Michigan's Fortune 500 companies were formed by immigrants or their children. These firms generate
$186.4 billion annually and employ 400,000 individuals around the world. Immigrants are also indispensable to Michigan's farming community, accounting for 58 percent of the economic impact of the state's farming sector; and
Whereas, Everyday Americans have become increasingly frustrated with the current immigration and naturalization system. Organizations and leaders from across the ideological spectrum--spanning from business groups to faith leaders and from educators to human service organizations--agree that a comprehensive approach is necessary to resolve the country's long-standing immigration and naturalization problems; and
Whereas, A 21st-century nation requires 21st-century immigration and naturalization policies. For too long, comprehensive immigration reform has been an unaddressed priority of both political parties and in many states, including the state of Michigan. The absence of such reform leaves in place a patchwork of policies that creates confusion, uncertainty, and fear within immigrant communities and for employers, universities, and congregations of various faiths. Moreover, our nation's imperfect immigration system dampens tourism and burdens our state and local governments with high enforcement and legal costs. Only a bipartisan solution to our nation's immigration woes will ensure that our nation's physical and economic well-being are secure, now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (THE SENATE CONCURRING), That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to take action on immigration reform; 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.
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POM-228. A resolution adopted by the Lauderdale Lakes City Commission, Lauderdale Lakes, Florida memorializing its opposition to the addition of a question regarding citizenship being added to the 2020 United States Census questionnaire; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
POM-229. A resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Solana Beach, California urging federal and state representatives to enact responsible gun safety regulations; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
POM-230. A resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Solana Beach, California urging federal and state representatives to enact responsible gun safety regulations; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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