[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 17] [Senate] [Pages 23020-23022] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated: POM-436. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Alaska urging Congress to pass legislation to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration, development, and production; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate Resolution Whereas, in 16 U.S.C. 3142 (sec. 1002 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA)), the United States Congress reserved the right to permit further oil and gas exploration, development, and production within the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and Whereas the oil and gas industry, the state, and the United States Department of the Interior consider the Arctic coastal plain to have the highest potential for discovery of very large oil and gas accumulations on the continent of North America, estimated to include as much as 10,000,000,000 barrels of recoverable oil and significant amounts of natural gas; and Whereas, while new oil and natural gas field developments on the North Slope of Alaska, such as Alpine, Northstar, and West Sak, may temporarily slow the decline in production, only giant coastal plain fields have the theoretical capability of increasing the production volume of Alaska oil and gas to a significant degree; and Whereas the state's future energy independence would be enhanced with additional natural gas production from the North Slope of Alaska, including what are expected to be significant gas reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the development of those reserves would enhance the economic viability of the proposed Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline; and Whereas the proposed Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline and the Trans Alaska Pipeline System are transportation facilities that will be and are national assets that are integral to satisfying the present and future needs of the United States; and Whereas the ``1002 study area'' is part of the coastal plain located within the North Slope Borough, and many of the residents of the North Slope Borough, who are predominantly Inupiat Eskimo, are supportive of development in the ``1002 study area''; and Whereas enhancements in technology can be used in a manner that minimizes the area within the refuge that is used for exploration and development, while providing the nation with a needed supply of oil and gas; and Whereas the oil and gas industry is using innovative technology and environmental practices in the new field developments at Alpine and Northstar, and those techniques are directly applicable to operating on the coastal plain and would enhance environmental protection beyond traditionally high standards; and Whereas the oil and gas industry has shown at Prudhoe Bay, as well as at other locations along the Arctic coastal plain, that it is capable of conducting oil and gas activity without adversely affecting the environment or wildlife populations; and Whereas opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge now allows sufficient time for planning environmental safeguards, development, and national security review; and Whereas the state will ensure the continued health and productivity of the Porcupine caribou herd and the protection of land, water, and wildlife resources during the exploration and development of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and Whereas 8,900,000 of the 19,000,000 acres of the refuge have already been set aside as wilderness; and Whereas the 1,500,000-acre coastal plain of the refuge makes up only eight percent of the 19,000,000-acre refuge, and the development of the oil and gas reserves in the refuge's coastal plain would affect an area of only 2,000 to 7,000 acres, which is less than one-half of one percent of the area of the coastal plain; and Whereas the continued competitiveness and stability of the state and its economy require that the Senate consider national trends toward renewable energy development; and Whereas the Senate encourages the use of revenue from any development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for the development of renewable energy resources in the state; be it Resolved, That the Senate urges the United States Congress to pass legislation to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration, development, and production, and that the Senate is adamantly opposed to further wilderness or other restrictive designation in the area of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and be it further Resolved, That the oil and gas exploration, development, and production be conducted in a manner that protects the environment and the naturally occurring population levels of the Porcupine caribou herd on which the Gwich'in and other local residents depend, that uses directional drilling and other advances in technology to minimize the development footprint in the ``1002 study area,'' and that uses the state's workforce to the maximum extent possible; and be it further Resolved, That the Senate urges the United States Congress to pass legislation opening the ``1002 study area'' for oil and gas development while continuing to work on measures for increasing the development and use of renewable energy technologies; and be it further Resolved, That the Senate opposes any unilateral reduction in royalty revenue from exploration and development of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and any attempt to coerce the State of Alaska into accepting less than the 90 percent of the oil, gas, and mineral royalties from the federal land in Alaska that was promised to the state at statehood. ____ POM-437. A joint resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Colorado concerning state implementation plan credits for remote vehicle emissions testing programs; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Senate Joint Resolution 08-014 Whereas Colorado's IM 240 enhanced emissions inspection and repair program was enacted to comply with the federal ``Clean Air Act'' program requirements of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is included in the Colorado State Implementation Plan approved by the EPA; and Whereas the use of remote sensing technology has been determined to be effective in identifying automobile tailpipe emissions that are cleaner than necessary to achieve compliance with the IM 240 program, and a remote sensing rapid screen program is currently being implemented in the Denver metropolitan area; and Whereas pursuant to House Bill 06-1302, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is conducting a pilot program to determine whether remote sensing technology can effectively identify high-emitting vehicles in a full- scale program; and Whereas the high-emitter pilot program is anticipated to be completed no later than July 2010; and Whereas the implementation of a remote sensing rapid screen program, coupled with a high-emitter identification and repair program, could result in a more efficient and cost- effective means of achieving greater vehicle emissions reductions than the current IM 240 enhanced emissions inspection and repair program; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-sixth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein: That, at the conclusion of Colorado's high-emitter pilot program, the EPA is urged to quickly complete its evaluation of whether the high-emitter identification and repair program, coupled with the rapid screen program, may receive state implementation plan emission reduction credits equivalent to those received for the IM 240 enhanced emissions inspection and repair program; be it further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to the President of the United [[Page 23021]] States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, each member of Colorado's Congressional delegation, and the Administrator of the EPA. ____ POM-438. A joint memorial adopted by the Senate of the State of Colorado memorializing Congress to restore funding for the federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program; to the Committee on the Judiciary. Senate Joint Memorial 08-001 Whereas the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program is the largest justice assistance grant provided to states, and it funds state and local government efforts in a broad range of activities such as drug treatment and enforcement, criminal reentry initiatives, crime prevention, and corrections activities; and Whereas the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program provides vital criminal justice funding for states because its flexible grant purposes permit states to innovate in a wide variety of criminal justice programs based on shifting community needs; and Whereas forty percent of the moneys from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are sent to local law enforcement agencies in counties and municipalities and sixty percent of the moneys are distributed through the state governments; and Whereas grants may be used to provide personnel, equipment, training, technical assistance, and rehabilitation of offenders who violate state and local laws; and Whereas grants may also be used to provide assistance, other than compensation, to victims of offenders; and Whereas from 2003-07, Colorado's Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funding has been reduced from a high of $8,013,014 in 2003 to $4,304,517 in 2007, a fifty-five percent reduction; and Whereas in the federal ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008'', Pub. L. 110-161, that was signed into law in December 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program was cut by sixty-seven percent from $520,000,000 in federal fiscal year 2007 to $170,000,000 in federal fiscal year 2008; and Whereas the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program currently funds the following programs at the following levels in the state of Colorado: The 20th JAG Initiative: Probation Department, 20th Judicial District--$117,952 Mental Health Institute Initiative: Colorado State Public Defender's Office--$69,154 Sex Offender Registration and DNA Project: Colorado Department of Corrections--$60,515 Girls Enhanced Treatment and Transition Services: Colorado Division of Youth Corrections--$135,775 CrossPoint Enhanced and Intensive Outpatient Program: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center--$113,603 Gender-Specific Treatment for Women Offenders: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center--$157,328 Violent Criminal Apprehension Project: Colorado Department of Corrections--$68,750 Evaluation of the SOA-R: Colorado Division of Mental Health--$82,386 Differentiated TX for Domestic Violence Offenders: University of Colorado at Denver--$66,391 Developing a Placement Tool for Juvenile Sex Offenders: Colorado Judicial Department, State Court Administrator-- $20,000 Intensive Supervision Probation (ISP) Evaluation: Colorado Judicial Department, State Court Administrator--$29,906 CSP Resource and Incident Mapping Project: Colorado State Patrol--$149,310 CBI Case Management System Business Plan Development: Colorado Bureau of Investigation--$75,000 Improving the Effective Administration of Justice: Colorado State Governor's Office--$69,882 Two Rivers Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT): City of Glenwood Springs, Police Department--$69,214 Montezuma County Drug Task Force: District Attorney's Office, 22nd Judicial District--$76,000 West Metro Drug Task Force: Jefferson County, Sheriffs Department--$76,000 Summit County Drug Enforcement: Summit County, Sheriffs Office--$58,564 Larimer County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force: City of Fort Collins, Police Services--$85,500 16th Judicial District Drug Task Force: District Attorney's Office, 16th Judicial District--$58,332 Eagle County Drug Task Force: Eagle County, Sheriffs Office--$85,500 San Luis Valley Drug Task Force: City of Alamosa, Police Department--$93,970 Eastern Colorado Plains Drug Task Force: Yuma County, Sheriffs Department--$147,628 Crisis Communication Throw Phone Project: Teller County, Sheriffs Department--$10,000 Delta/Montrose Drug Task Force: City of Montrose, Police Department--$44,530 GRAMNET: City of Craig, Police Department--$90,245 Project Snow Blower: Lake County, Sheriffs Department-- $35,345 Canon City-Fremont County Drug Task Force: City of Canon City, Police Department--$59,040 Metro Gang Task Force: City of Aurora, Police Department-- $100,000 South Metro Drug Task Force: Arapahoe County, Sheriffs Department--$66,293 Boulder County Drug Task Force: Boulder County, Sheriffs Department--$95,000 Weld County Task Force: City of Greeley, Police Department--$114,091 North Metro Task Force: City and County of Broomfield, Police Department--$118,750 Prisoner Transport Partitions: Bent County, Sheriffs Department--$1,420 Hazardous Materials Safety Initiative: Town of Dillon, Police Department--$12,000 Internet Sexual Predators Adjunct: District Attorney's Office, 1st Judicial District--$35,000 Tribal Court Drug Screening and Security: Southern Ute Indian Tribe--$50,975 Chinook West: Town of Nederland--$22,708 Ignacio Social Responsibility Training: Town of Ignacio-- $34,715 Mentoring Program for the Brown Center: Montrose County, Health and Human Services--$22,660 Reintegration and Recovery Preparation Program: El Paso County, Sheriff's Office--$132,400 Transition Program: Mesa County, Sheriff's Department-- $74,675 Correctional Counseling Program: Logan County, Sheriff's Department--$10,000 Pilot Crisis Intervention Team Case Management Program: City of Colorado Springs, Police Department--$86,204 Substance Abuse Evaluation, Testing, and Treatment: City of Arvada, Municipal Court--$6,000 Arapahoe County Aftercare Program: Arapahoe County, Sheriff's Department--$68,414 Finger/Palm Print Database: Arapahoe County, Sheriff's Department--$44,650 A Ten-Co. Partnership/Supervised Pretrial Release: Jefferson County, Criminal Justice Planning--$23,790 Technical Evidence Equipment: Larimer County, Coroner/ Medical Examiner--$3,200 Pueblo Police Department Technological Upgrade: City of Pueblo, Police Department--$39,758 Mobile Command Center: City of La Junta, Police Department--$29,650 Mobile Communication and Safety Upgrade: Town of Ault, Police Department--$53,515 Technology Improvement Program: City of Westminster, Police Department--$83,087 Western Elbert County Emergency Operations Center: Town of Elizabeth, Police Department--$18,154 Enhanced Traffic Safety: City of Dacono, Police Department--$3,005 4 Wheel Drive Vehicle Requisition: Town of Kiowa, Police Department--$5,500 Emergency Power and Fuel: Town of Elizabeth, Police Department--$2,889 Acquisition of LIDAR Speed Measuring Device: Town of Frederick, Police Department--$3,000 Crackdown on Underage Drinking: Mineral County, Sheriff's Office--$3,000 Weapons Safe, Vehicle Maintenance and Supplies: Town of Blanca, Marshal's Office--$3,000 Traffic Accident Reduction Project: Logan County, Sheriff's Department--$3,750 Speed Enforcement Program: Montezuma County, Sheriff's Department--$5,500 Longmont Domestic Violence Awareness Program: City of Longmont, Police Department--$3,000 Operation Snapshot: City of Brighton, Police Department-- $3,336 Safer Community Through Traffic Control: City of Monte Vista, Police Department--$2,817 Equipment Supplies for Professional Development: Summit County, Sheriffs Office--$3,750 Enhanced School Security Monitoring: City of Lamar, Police Department--$5,400 Officer Safety and Communications: Kit Carson County, Sheriffs Department--$5,082 Project Quick Shot: Lake County, Sheriffs Department-- $4,000 Emergency Incident Response: Dolores County, Sheriffs Department--$3,538 Securing Radar Equipment for Patrol: Montrose County, Sheriffs Office--$2,970 High Quality Camera and Digital Imaging Computer: City of Silverthorne, Police Department--$3,750 Communications Upgrade--2007: Town of Minturn, Police Department--$3,249 800 MGz Radio Purchase: City of Fountain, Police Department--$3,600 Efficiency Equipment Request: Sedgwick County, Sheriffs Office--$4,300 Community Policing Enhancement: Town of San Luis, Police Department--$3,750 Supplies and Operating Needs: Town of Granby, Police Department--$3,319 Night Vision Devices: City of Montrose, Police Department-- $1,164 Vehicle Computer Project: Town of Mancos, Marshal's Office--$3,469 Low Profile LED Lightbars: Town of Vail, Police Department--$3,600 Community Safety: Reducing Speeds on Main Street: City of Frisco, Police Department--$3,500 Traffic Safety Program: Town of Winter Park, Police Department--$3,750 Support for Probation Services: Southern Ute Indian Tribe-- $3,750 [[Page 23022]] Sheriff Patrol Enhancement: Archuleta County, Sheriffs Department--$4,820 MDT Interoperability Upgrade: Town of Gilcrest, Police Department--$3,583 Computer 2008: City of Ouray, Police Department--$3,200 Major Crime Scene Readiness: City of Brush, Police Department--$3,275 Meeting the Demands of Substantial Growth: Yuma County, Sheriffs Department--$3,168 Upgrades for Public and Officer Safety: Town of Fowler, Police Department--$4,580 Mobile Technology Upgrade: Town of Empire, Police Department--$2,608 Patrol Rifle Project: Town of Victor, Police Department-- $2,000 Patrol Car Computers: Town of Cedaredge, Marshal's Office-- $3,750 Community Safety Compliance and Security Enhancement: Conejos County, Sheriffs Department--$4,653 Residential/School Zone Speed Reduction Program: City of Eagle, Police Department--$5,220 Vehicle Replacement: Town of Hugo, Marshal's Office--$6,000 Improving Auxiliary Capacity: City of Estes Park, Police Department--$5,000 Interoperability and Data Sharing: Town of Milliken, Police Department--$3,750; and Whereas the Colorado state budget, like other state budgets, is facing a shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year and cannot fill the funding gap left by the federal cut in programs currently funded by the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program; and Whereas this drastic cut in funding will result in the dissolution or discontinuance of many law enforcement and criminal justice programs; and Whereas programs that are shut down due to lack of funding cannot simply be restarted when the funding returns because there are informants, ties to the community, and personnel that will be lost with the funding shortfall; so as a result, programs must be rebuilt from scratch; and Whereas by law, the federal Department of Justice, which is responsible for distributing the moneys for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, cannot write checks to local law enforcement agencies for less than $10,000; therefore any state or local entity that received less than $30,000 in the federal fiscal year 2007 will receive no moneys in the federal fiscal year 2008; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-sixth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein: (1) That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, urge Congress to restore funding for the Edward Bryne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program and thereby continue the financial support that is critical to enabling local law enforcement agencies to continue protecting the lives and property of citizens in their communities; and (2) That we urge Colorado's congressional delegation to support funding for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program through emergency supplemental spending bill legislation. Be it further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Memorial be sent to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the United States Senate, the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of Colorado's Congressional delegation. ____ POM-439. A joint resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of Colorado concerning endorsement of the federal ``Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007''; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Senate Joint Resolution 08-015 Whereas men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces put their lives on hold in order to serve and protect our country and, as such, deserve a tangible expression of our gratitude; and Whereas the federal ``Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007'' seeks to expand the list of educational benefits offered to United States military service men and women who have served in the Armed Forces since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; and Whereas the proposed legislation amends the GI Bill that was passed in the 1940s after World War II to help Veterans readjust to civilian life and to enable them to pursue education and training upon their return from military service; and Whereas occupational instability is only one of several postwar readjustment problems with which veterans have struggled since their military service, as reported by the National Vietnam Veterans' Readjustment Study; and Whereas it is of paramount importance that the federal government extend provisions of educational assistance to military personnel serving in the post-9/11 era to help offset the postwar readjustment problems endured by so many veterans to this day; and Whereas several military and veterans groups, such as the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), and the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), have voiced support for the proposed legislation; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-sixth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein: (1) That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, support the federal ``Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007''; and (2) That we encourage members of Congress to adopt this legislation in order to enable our country's military service men and women to pursue their educational goals so they can further enrich lives. Be it further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to Colorado's Congressional delegation, each member of the United States Senate, the United Veterans Committee of Colorado, and Jim Webb, United States Senator for Virginia. ____ POM-440. A resolution adopted by the California State Lands Commission relative to supporting the enactment by Congress of the Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act (HR 21); to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. POM-441. A collection of petitions forwarded by the Benefit Security Coalition relative to establishing a more equitable method of computing cost of living adjustments for Social Security benefits; to the Committee on Finance. POM-442. A collection of petitions from a Polish-American organization relative to concerns regarding Social Security benefits and the Windfall Elimination Provision; to the Committee on Finance. POM-443. A report from the United Nations World Tourism Organization entitled ``Destination Management and Marketing: Two Strategic Tools to Ensure Quality Tourism''; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. POM-444. A communication from the Latvian Saeima (Parliament) relative to the Republic of Latvia's independence day; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. POM-445. A communication from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe relative to the Astana Declaration and adopted resolutions; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. POM-446. A resolution from the Mayor and City Council of the City of North Miami Beach relative to granting temporary protective status to Haitians in the United States; to the Committee on the Judiciary. POM-447. A letter from a private citizen relative to Native Americans and the healthcare system; to the Committee on Indian Affairs. ____________________