Floor procedure

Quick facts

Record: Senate Floor
Section type: Procedure
Chamber: Senate
Date: September 30, 2026
Congress: 119th Congress
Why this source matters: This section came from the Senate floor portion of the record.

Linked context

Bills and resolutions: H.Con.Res. 8 (119th Congress), H.R. 20 (119th Congress), S.Res. 24 (119th Congress)
Committees: Committee on Environment and Public Works, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Readable version of the official text

The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and

were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

POM-105. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Idaho urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to

curtail, or allow curtailment of, the number of pelicans

within Idaho; to the Committee on Environment and Public

Works.

House Joint Memorial No. 22

Whereas, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA) was

implemented to prevent the extinction of birds due to

unsustainable feather-trading and hunting practices and makes

it illegal to “take,” which includes harassing, pursuing,

capturing, killing, selling, trading, buying, and

transporting, among other activities, a protected migratory

bird species, of which there are over 1,000, without prior

authorization by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS);

and

Whereas, one such protected migratory bird species is the

pelican, which is also classified as a predator species as

they feast on fish; and

Whereas, a once-endangered species, the pelican has made a

remarkable return and has established a stronghold in Idaho's

abundant wetland refuge ecosystems such that its population

is beginning to impact the overall use and health of the

ecosystem; and

Whereas, Idaho's streams and rivers are renowned by

fishermen across the nation, particularly the Henry's Fork

River that meanders for eight miles through Harriman State

Park, attracting fly-fishers from all four corners of the

state and nation thereby generating revenues for the local

community and business owners; and

Whereas, predatory birds, such as pelicans, have been

documented to harvest more fish in Idaho than fisherman; and

Whereas, pelicans have been documented to consume over

three pounds of fish per day; and

Whereas, over 30% of the electronic fish tags that

originated in Idaho's renowned Silver Creek were documented

by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) in pelican

feces at the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge pelican

rookeries; and

Whereas, millions of sportsmen's dollars are spent by IDFG

to create, promote, and enhance Idaho's fishing

opportunities; and

Whereas, the pelican, a protected migratory bird under the

MBTA, is actively managed and bred by the USFWS and cannot be

taken, harassed, killed, or otherwise disturbed without prior

authorization by the USFWS; and

Whereas, the rigorous protections of the MBTA and other

environmental acts have successfully ensured this predatory

bird's survival but are now hindering the survival of other

species and conflicting with areas' traditional use due to

the birds' overpopulation. Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the members of the Second Regular Session of

the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of

Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, That the

Legislature supports and urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service to curtail, or allow curtailment of, the number of

pelicans within Idaho; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature supports and urges the

federal government to compensate the State of Idaho for loss

of its resources due to the pelican's overpopulation; 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

United States, 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, and the Director of the United States Fish

and Wildlife Service.

POM-106. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Idaho affirming the controlling standard announced

by the Supreme Court in Sackett v. Environmental Protection

Agency that requires an indistinguishable surface connection

to exist for waters adjacent to “waters of the United

States,” to be subject to the Clean Water Act and federal

regulation and jurisdiction, urging the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to

fully and immediately implement the standard set forth in

Sackett and rescind or revise any pre-Sackett guidance, and

urging Idaho's congressional delegation to support

legislation that codifies the standards set forth in Sackett

in the Clean Water Act and creates oversight mechanisms to

ensure that federal agencies do not reintroduced overturned

and outdated standards through rule, guidance, or informal

policy or practice; to the Committee on Environment and

Public Works.

House Joint Memorial No. 13

Whereas, in 2004 the Sackett family purchased land near

Priest Lake in Bonner County, Idaho; and

Whereas, when the Sacketts attempted to start building

their home in 2007, they were quickly stopped by the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asserting jurisdiction

pursuant to a 1996 determination by the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers (Corps) that the land was wetlands subject to the

Clean Water Act (CWA), which the EPA itself affirmed in 2007;

and

Whereas, the CWA allows for federal jurisdiction,

oversight, and regulation of “waters of the United States”

(WOTUS), which includes wetlands adjacent to WOTUS; and

Whereas, the Sacketts fought for over a decade for their

right to build on their property; and

Whereas, finally, after nearly 16 years of litigation, the

Supreme Court, in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency,

et al., 598 U.S. 651 (2023) (Sackett), sided with the

Sacketts, finding that the EPA and Corps exceeded their

authority, and announced a new standard for determining what

is included in WOTUS and, thus, what is subject to federal

jurisdiction; and

Whereas, courts have historically applied a “significant

nexus” test to determine whether waters are, in fact, WOTUS

subject to federal jurisdiction, wherein waters or wetlands

would so qualify if the wetland has a continuous surface

connection to waters that are WOTUS in their own right (i.e.

traditional Interstate navigable waters) such that it is

difficult to determine where the water ends and the wetland

begins. Courts have consistently held that nonnavigable,

isolated, intrastate waters, including intermittent or

ephemeral streams, man-made drainage ditches, and culverts,

were not, in fact, WOTUS subject to federal jurisdiction; and

Whereas, the Supreme Court in Sackett further clarified the

law by announcing that the CWA extends only to wetlands with

a continuous surface connection to waters that are WOTUS in

their own right such that the wetland is indistinguishable

from the WOTUS, and that the CWA use of WOTUS encompasses

only those relatively permanent, standing, or continuously

flowing bodies of water forming geographical features that

are described in ordinary parlance as streams, oceans,

rivers, and lakes; and

Whereas, despite the decades of Supreme Court cases finding

the EPA and Corps overextended their jurisdiction under the

CWA by a misguided interpretation of what qualifies as WOTUS

and providing clarification on how that term should be

interpreted, the two agencies still fail to properly adhere

to the law as provided by statute and judicial decree; and

Whereas, notwithstanding the law and standards announced by

the Supreme Court in its 2023 Sackett decision, among other

decisions, the EPA and Corps continue to apply overturned and

outdated rules and standards, such as by asserting

jurisdiction over intermittent and ephemeral streams and

channels that are not relatively permanent or continuously

flowing bodies of water and are not what ordinary people

would describe as streams, oceans, rivers, or lakes; and

Whereas, Idahoans are being materially injured by the two

agencies' inability to follow current law and continuing to

assert jurisdiction over “waters” that plainly do not

qualify as WOTUS, such as stockwater ponds, ditches, and

canals; and

Whereas, Idaho, as the state in which the Sackett dispute

arose, has a compelling interest in ensuring that federal

agencies operating within Idaho's borders faithfully

implement and adhere to the binding standards set forth by

the Supreme Court in Sackett; and

Whereas, federal agencies' refusal to follow current law

increases compliance costs, delays permits, and causes injury

to Idaho's agriculture, housing, transportation, energy,

forestry, mining, and water infrastructure projects, with

accompanying adverse effects on jobs and regional

competitiveness; and

Whereas, Idaho's prosperity depends on predictable, lawful,

and efficient permitting carried out with a spirit of

cooperative federalism that respects the Supreme Court's

Sackett decision and provides timely, transparent

coordination with state authorities. Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the members of the Second Regular Session of

the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of

Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, That the

Legislature affirms the controlling standard announced by the

Supreme Court in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency

that requires an indistinguishable surface connection to

exist for waters adjacent to “waters of the United States”,

which are relatively permanent, standing, or continuously

flowing bodies of water, to be subject to the Clean Water Act

and federal regulation and jurisdiction, and the Legislature

opposes any federal assertion of jurisdiction inconsistent

with that standard; be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to

fully and immediately implement the standard set forth in

Sackett and formally recognize that intermittent and

ephemeral streams, which are dry for long periods of time,

are not “waters of the United States” subject to federal

jurisdiction, but are instead subject to state and local

oversight and regulation; be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to:

rescind or revise any pre-Sackett guidance, training

materials, or field manuals that rely on outdated and

overturned laws, standards, and practices; provide updated

materials, manuals, and policies that reflect current law;

and provide up-to-date training for Region 10 personnel and

consultants operating in Idaho; be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges Idaho's congressional

delegation to support legislation that codifies the standards

set forth by the Supreme Court in Sackett in the Clean Water

Act and creates oversight mechanisms to ensure that federal

agencies do not reintroduce overturned and outdated standards

through rule, guidance, or informal policy or practice; be it

further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges the Trump

administration to take the appropriate measures to ensure

administrative rules that codify the standards set forth by

the Supreme Court in Sackett are promptly promulgated and

implemented by the agencies; 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

United States, the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, the Regional Administrator of EPA Region

10, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), the

Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the

Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla

District, the Director of the Idaho Department of

Environmental Quality, the Director of the Idaho Department

of Lands, the members of the Idaho Water Resource Board, the

President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of

Representatives of Congress, and the congressional delegation

representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United

States.

POM-107. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Idaho urging the President of the United States,

members of the United States Congress, the Secretary of the

United States Department of Agriculture, and the Secretary of

the United States Department of Health and Human Services to

prohibit the inclusion of artificial sweeteners, specifically

aspartame, acesulfame potassium, advantame, neotame,

saccharin, and sucralose, in all school meal programs

administered under federal law; to the Committee on

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

House Joint Memorial No. 10

We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the

Senate of the State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular

Session of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, do hereby

respectfully represent that:

Whereas, the health and well-being of Idaho's children is a

matter of the highest priority for the State of Idaho; and

Whereas, the National School Lunch Program and the School

Breakfast Program serve millions of meals daily to American

schoolchildren, including thousands of Idaho students; and

Whereas, six artificial sweeteners are currently approved

by the United State Food and Drug Administration for use in

food and beverages, which are aspartame, acesulfame

potassium, advantame, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose; and

Whereas, sufficient long-term research does not exist

regarding the impacts of artificial sweeteners on children's

development, metabolism, and dietary habits, warranting a

precautionary approach to the use of artificial sweeteners in

school nutrition programs; and

Whereas, Idaho ranks second in the nation for the

production of sugar beets and is home to Amalgamated Sugar

Company, the second-largest sugar beet processor in the

United States; and

Whereas, the sugar beet industry contributes more than one

billion dollars annually to Idaho's economy and supports

thousands of jobs across rural communities, serving as a

cornerstone of the state's agricultural sector; and

Whereas, real sugar produced from Idaho sugar beets is a

natural, minimally processed ingredient that provides a safe,

stable, and locally sourced sweetener for food manufacturers

and consumers alike; and

Whereas, supporting the use of real sugar in school

nutrition programs aligns with Idaho's values of agricultural

sustainability, economic self-reliance, and transparency in

food labeling; and

Whereas, it is in the public interest for the federal

government to ensure that the meals served to children in

public schools are free from artificial sweeteners and based

on wholesome, natural ingredients. Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the members of the Second Regular Session of

the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of

Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that the

Legislature respectfully urges the President of the United

States, members of the United States Congress, the Secretary

of the United States Department of Agriculture, and the

Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human

Services to prohibit the inclusion of artificial sweeteners,

specifically aspartame, acesulfame potassium, advantame,

neotame, saccharin, and sucralose, in all school meal

programs administered under federal law. Be it further

Resolved, That the Idaho Legislature supports the use of

real sugar as a natural and locally produced alternative to

artificial sweeteners in school meal programs. 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

United States, 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 Secretary of the United States

Department of Agriculture, and the Secretary of the United

States Department of Health and Human Services.

POM-108. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Idaho urging the U.S. Department of War and the

Defense Industrial Base Consortium to award grant moneys to

American Tungsten for the development of the IMA mine

project; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

House Joint Memorial No. 21

Whereas, Idaho, the 43rd state in the Union, was named the

Gem State because of its abundance of gemstones and minerals;

and

Whereas, responsible resource development is of the utmost

importance for our state and country; and

Whereas, tungsten is a vital material for defense

applications; with unparalleled hardness and high-temperature

resistance, it is indispensable for armor-piercing

ammunition, missile components, and aerospace manufacturing;

and

Whereas, the U.S. Department of War and the Defense

Industrial Base Consortium classify tungsten as a critical

mineral; and

Whereas, currently, the United States remains heavily

reliant on importing critical minerals, primarily from China,

which dominates over 80% of the global supply; and

Whereas, China's recent ban on tungsten exports underscores

the need to establish a stable, U.S.-domiciled supply chain

of tungsten to safeguard national security interests; and

Whereas, the U.S. Department of War and the Defense

Industrial Base Consortium have issued a solicitation to

provide grant moneys for the development of a domestic supply

of critical minerals, including tungsten; and

Whereas, mining activity for critical minerals, including

tungsten, has historically taken place at American Tungsten's

IMA mine in Lemhi County, near Patterson, Idaho; and

Whereas, a mining company, American Tungsten is seeking to

bring IMA mining operations back to life so as to unearth

critical resources, including tungsten, and increase our

nation's crucially needed domestic supply of critical mineral

resources; and

Whereas, the IMA mine project is a high-quality underground

tungsten deposit located on private land with patented rights

that is well above the water table and has significant

existing infrastructure given its historic use; and

Whereas, as the IMA mine is on private property rather than

federal property, the mine will not require permits or other

authorizations from the federal government but rather permits

and authorizations from state agencies and local governments;

and

Whereas, once permitted, the IMA mine will be the only

tungsten-producing mine in the United States; and

Whereas, modern rules and regulations require that

companies like American Tungsten set aside adequate financial

assurances to cover the cost of environmental restoration,

ensuring that reclamation is properly completed; and

Whereas, American Tungsten is committed to the highest

reclamation standards and to strictly following all

applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and rules;

and

Whereas, American Tungsten is committed to being a good

steward of the environment and a dedicated member of the

community where it operates; and

Whereas, as an example of American Tungsten's commitment to

its community, it will provide, through financing, the city

of Challis a new fire station to serve the community; and

Whereas, the American Tungsten company takes pride in

providing high-paying job opportunities for Idaho workers,

building collaborative relationships, and investing in the

long-term resiliency of Idaho's rural communities; and

Whereas, once permitted, the IMA mine project will

significantly benefit Idaho's economy, particularly in Lemhi

and Custer counties, by using local vendors, thereby

increasing revenue for local businesses; and

Whereas, through high-paying jobs, tax revenues, donations,

community sponsorships, and other direct and indirect

economic impacts, American Tungsten's resources are essential

to the nation's national security, to the region's economic

stability, and for keeping Idahoans working in Idaho. Now,

therefore, be it

Resolved, by the members of the Second Regular Session of

the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of

Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, That the

Legislature recognizes the profound role mining has played in

the settlement of Idaho, its contemporary role, and the role

it will play in our future; and be it further

Resolved, That the Idaho Legislature supports and

encourages state agencies and local governments to move

forward and approve American Tungsten's IMA mine in a timely

and cost-effective manner so that the mine may be developed;

and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges the U.S. Department of

War and the Defense Industrial Base Consortium to award grant

moneys to American Tungsten for the development of the IMA

mine project; 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

United States, 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, and the Secretary of the United States

Department of War.

POM-109. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Idaho respectfully urging the United States

Congress, the Department of the Interior, and the Bureau of

Reclamation to cooperate with the State of Idaho to move

forward immediately with fast-track research on the

feasibility and desirability of small reservoir raises at

Minidoka Dam, Jackson Lake, and American Falls Dam; support

planning and design work for new medium-sized reservoirs

across eastern Idaho; facilitate creative financing options

through federal funds and public-private partnerships; and

assist in the completion of an updated basin study in the

next two to three years to identify priority projects; to the

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

House Joint Memorial No. 14

Whereas, water is the foundation of Idaho's farms,

communities, and economy, yet the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer

continues to decline, forcing water curtailments that now

threaten farmers and ground water users every year; and

Whereas, Idaho faces longer, hotter summers and warmer

winters that reduce snowpack and cause runoff to occur

earlier in the year, leaving less water available when it is

needed most; and

Whereas, the State of Idaho irrigates more acres than ever

before, but shrinking and inconsistent snowpack has created

shortages that harm farms, cities, fish, and industry; and

Whereas, Idaho loses between 1.5 and 2 million acre-feet of

water each year as it flows down the Snake River and out to

the ocean simply because the state lacks sufficient reservoir

space to capture it; and

Whereas, while aquifer recharge has proven to be an

effective tool, it cannot be sustained without additional

late-season water derived from storage; and

Whereas, the Idaho Legislature has demonstrated its

commitment to water infrastructure through significant annual

appropriations, and the people of Idaho have demonstrated

broad public support for the research and construction of new

reservoirs and expanded storage capacity; and

Whereas, to secure the future of our farms, communities,

and economy, Idaho must commit to a long-term vision to build

750,000 acre-feet of new water storage by the year 2100; and

Whereas, practical near-term solutions have been

identified, including modest raises at Minidoka Dam, Jackson

Lake, and American Falls Dam; and

Whereas, mid-range and long-term opportunities exits for

new reservoirs at locations such as Lane Lake, Chester, Soda

Springs, Upper Badger Creek, Spring Creek, Moody Creek, and

other potential sites, which would offer hydropower, extended

irrigation seasons, flood protection, and recreation. Now,

therefore, be it

Resolved, By the members of the Second Regular Session of

the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of

Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that the

Legislature respectfully urges the United States Congress,

the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation

to cooperate with the State of Idaho to:

(1) Move forward immediately with fast-track research on

the feasibility and desirability of small reservoir raises at

Minidoka Dam, Jackson Lake, and American Falls Dam;

(2) Support planning and design work for new medium-sized

reservoirs across eastern Idaho;

(3) Facilitate creative financing options through federal

funds and public-private partnerships; and

(4) Assist in the completion of an updated basin study in

the next two to three years to identify priority projects. Be

it further

Resolved, That the State of Idaho commits to the goal of

“750k by 2100” by creating 750,000 acre-feet of new water

storage by the year 2100 to turn today's water shortage into

tomorrow's water security. 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

United States, to the Secretary of the Interior, to the

Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, 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-110. A joint memorial adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Idaho strongly urging the United States Congress to,

as expeditiously as possible, enact legislation reaffirminq

that the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) is

the proper and primary avenue to facilitate effective federal

land management and disposal, including by land exchange; to

the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

House Joint Memorial No. 9

Whereas, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers

245 million acres of public lands, which equates to roughly

one tenth of all land in the United States; and

Whereas, Idaho, like most other western states, has large

portions of land managed by BLM within its borders; and

Whereas, BLM land, and other federally owned land, is often

intermingled with state and private lands, so exchanges and

other disposal options are vital tools for administering such

lands and achieving important recreation, community

development, wildlife conservation, and resource development

objectives, such as timber harvesting, mining, and energy

projects; and

Whereas, given BLM's large ownership interest of lands

within the United States, particularly within Idaho, and the

intermingled nature of these lands, it is critical to Idaho,

as it should be to the nation, that these lands are

predictably manged in accordance with laws that were adopted

to ensure orderly and consistent administration of such

lands; and

Whereas, the federal government once managed these public

lands under a patchwork of some 3,000 public land laws; and

Whereas, in 1964, Congress charged a commission to bring

order to the process and propose ways to rationalize and

systemize the management of public lands; and

Whereas, in 1976, Congress acted on these recommendations

by enacting the Federal Land Policy and Management Act

(FLPMA). FLPMA is the comprehensive system for predictably

managing public lands for multiple uses. The statute broadly

applies to any land and interest in land owned by the United

States, without regard to how the United States acquired

ownership, that is administered by the Secretary of the

Department of the Interior, wherein BLM resides; and

Whereas, FLPMA provided the tools vital to administering

intermingled lands by establishing uniform procedures for the

disposal of federally owned public land, including the

authority and procedures to exchange public lands for non-

federal lands, when it is in the public interest; and

Whereas, for the past 50 years, FLPMA's broad authority for

conducting land exchanges has been universally recognized and

acknowledged; however, a legal decision originating in Idaho

threatens FLPMA's comprehensive process; and

Whereas, Congress needs to immediately reaffirm FLPMA's

primary intent. Failure to act may have far-reaching

consequences in Idaho, including encumbering the management

of millions of acres across the West, along with threatening

the certainty of other completed FLPMA land exchanges and

disposals. Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the members of the Second Regular Session of

the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of

Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, That the

Idaho Legislature strongly urges the Congress of the United

States to, as expeditiously as possible, enact legislation

reaffirming that FLPMA is the proper and primary avenue to

facilitate effective federal land management and disposal,

including by land exchange. Be it further,

Resolved, That as intended by Congress and provided for in

FLPMA, previous land disposal laws should not be interpreted

to conflict with or override FLPMA's disposal authority. Such

expeditious action by Congress will prevent the West from

being pushed back into the management chaos that Congress

fixed in 1976 by enacting FLPMA. 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

United States, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of

the House of Representatives of Congress, the congressional

delegations representing the states of Idaho, Utah, Nevada,

and Wyoming in the Congress of the United States, the United

States Attorney General, and the Secretary of the Interior.

POM-111. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature

of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress

to take action to limit the harmful impacts and practices of

pharmacy benefit managers and protect the citizens of this

state; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 73

Whereas, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are third-party

entities that manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of

health insurers, employers, and government programs that have

significant control over the pricing, availability, and

distribution of prescription medications; and

Whereas, PBMs are responsible for negotiating drug prices

and establishing formularies that influence the cost and

accessibility of medications for patients in this state where

many individuals rely on Medicaid and other programs that

PBMs are responsible for managing; and

Whereas, numerous studies and reports have raised concerns

about the contributing role of PBMs toward rising drug costs,

lack of transparency in pricing, and the imposition of

restrictive formularies that limit patient access to

necessary medications; and

Whereas, the lack of transparency in PBM practices often

leads to higher out-of-pocket costs for patients, especially

those in underserved communities, and disproportionately

affects residents of this state particularly seniors, low-

income families, and individuals with chronic health

conditions; and

Whereas, this state has long been committed to improving

access to affordable healthcare for its residents, and the

state has a vested interest in ensuring that any entities

involved in healthcare delivery, including PBMs, operate in a

way that prioritizes the well-being of its citizens; and

Whereas, legislation has been proposed in congress to

increase transparency, accountability, and regulation of PBMs

and to ensure that PBMs are held to high standards that

protect consumers from unfair practices; and

Whereas, Louisiana's leadership in healthcare reform can

have a profound impact on shaping national policy, and it is

essential for our congressional delegation to act in the best

interest of the residents of this state to mitigate the

harmful effects of PBM practices. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby

urge and request the United States Congress to take immediate

action to address the harmful practices of pharmacy benefit

managers by:

(1) Increasing transparency in PBM operations, including

detailed reporting of pricing negotiations, rebates, and fees

paid to PBMs by drug manufacturers, insurers, and other

entities.

(2) Requiring PBMs to pass along the savings from rebates

and discounts to consumers, ensuring that patients benefit

directly from any negotiated cost reductions.

(3) Regulating PBM business practices to prevent anti-

competitive behavior, such as steering patients to higher-

cost drugs or limiting access to medications that are

medically necessary.

(4) Implementing measures to enhance oversight of PBM

practices and ensuring they align with the best interests of

consumers especially those in vulnerable populations such as

the elderly and individuals with chronic conditions.

(5) Supporting legislation that holds PBMs accountable for

any harm caused to patients, including restrictions on the

use of prior authorization processes that delay access to

necessary prescriptions; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana urges all

members of Louisiana's congressional delegation to advocate

for reform and support legislation aimed at addressing the

harmful effects of PBM practices on the citizens of this

state and the nation as a whole; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of the United States of

America and to each member of Louisiana's congressional

delegation to the United States Congress.

POM-112. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress to take

action relative to the use of artificial intelligence in

healthcare; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

House Resolution No. 313

Whereas, this state has long been a leader in promoting the

well-being of its citizens, particulary in the area of

healthcare, and recognizes the ongoing advances in medical

technology that have improved patient outcomes; and

Whereas, artifical intelligence (AI) and machine learning

technologies are increasingly being integrated into the

healthcare sector to assist in various areas such as

dianostics, treatment planning, and patient management; and

Whereas, while AI presents significant opportunities for

improving healthcare efficiency, enhancing diagnostic

accuracy, and reducing healthcare costs, it raises concerns

regarding the potential erosion of the critical role of

physicians in making medical decisions; and

Whereas, physicians are highly trained professionals with

years of education and experience to interpret complex

medical data, consider the nuances of individual patient

needs, and exercise professional judgement, which are

essential components of medical care; and

Whereas, the use of AI should complement and augment, not

replace, the decision-making authority of physicians, who

must retain full control over diagnosing, treating, and

managing the care of the their patients; and

Whereas, there is a need for federal legislation that

ensures appropriate oversight of AI technologies in

healthcare to protect patient safety, maintain high standards

of care, and preserve the essential doctor-patient

relationship; and

Whereas, AI systems must be held to rigorous standards of

transparency, accountability, and ethical practice to ensure

that patients' privacy and medical rights are respected, and

to guarantee that AI recommendations are consisten with the

best medical practices; and

Whereas, it should be the goal of the legislature to ensure

that AI technologies in healthcare are used responsibly while

safeguarding the professional autonomy of physicians in

making critical medical decisions for the benefit of

patients, and

Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana recognizes the

critical role that Congress play in regulating technologies

like AI to safeguard public healtch and the practice of

medicine. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the

Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize the United

States Congress to take immediate action to achieve all of

the following:

(1) Ensure that physicians retain full control over medical

decision-making, with AI serving as a support tool rather

than a replacement for professional judgement.

(2) Establish clear, nationwide standards for the use of AI

in healthcare, with a focus on protecting patient safety,

ensuring data privacy, and safeguarding the integrity of the

doctor-patient relationship.

(3) Provide mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the

impact of AI technologies on healthcare delivery and

outcomes, with a particular emphasis on patient welfare.

(4) Promote transparency in AI algorithms, ensuring that

medical professionals and patients can understand the basis

for AI recommendations and decisions.

(5) Develop ethical guidelines for use of AI in healthcare,

ensuring that technologies align with the core principles of

medicine, including beneficence, non-maleficence, and patient

autonomy. Be it further

Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the

Legislature of Louisiana remains committed to ensuring that

the integration of new technologies in healthcare supports

the professional and ethical practice of medicine,

prioritizing the well-being of Louisiana's patients. Be it

further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding offices of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of the United States of

America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional

delegation.

POM-113. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress and the

administration of the President of the United States to stop

government from weaponizing financial institutions; to the

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

House Resolution No. 316

Whereas, President Donald Trump; United States Senator Tim

Scott, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing,

and Urban Affairs; and United States Representative French

Hill, Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services;

are working to stop federal regulators from leveraging their

authority to pressure banks to debank individuals and

businesses; and

Whereas, the complexity of federal laws and regulations and

the broad discretion of regulators have allowed federal

regulators to weaponize banks for far too long; and

Whereas, banks are required by their regulators to manage

risk, to know their customers, and to help detect and deter

financial crimes, including money laundering, drug

trafficking, human trafficking, and terrorism financing; and

Whereas, regulators require banks to file suspicious

activity reports if banks suspect suspicious activity

involving specific transactions, and banks are prohibited

from communicating this to customers; and

Whereas, if a regulator decides a bank is not adequately

managing risk, does not have a good enough system in place to

detect and deter financial crimes, or is closing accounts too

slowly, the bank can face significant monetary penalties and

costly lawsuits, and potentially criminal charges; and

Whereas, this regulatory environment allows regulators to

put intense pressure on banks that can result in financial

institutions managing risk by reevaluating or even severing

their relationships with businesses and individuals to

minimize regulatory risks and costs; and

Whereas, examples of regulators taking advantage of this

leverage include:

(1) Operation Choke Point in 2013, where several high-

ranking bureaucrats attempted to pressure banks to stop doing

business with ammunition and gun sellers, payday lenders, and

other industries.

(2) Operation Choke Point 2.0 in 2022, where the Federal

Deposit Insurance Corporation sent letters to banks that

called for a pause on cryptocunency-related banking activity.

(3) Issuance of “guidance” by the Consumer Protection

Financial Bureau that evades the rulemaking process.

(4) Issuance of “guidance” by the Federal Deposit

Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve System, and the

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, forcing financial

institutions to dedicate significant resources to climate

change; and

Whereas, when federal regulatory agencies pressure banks to

stop doing business with certain industries, it has a

chilling effect that is ultimately a direct assault on free

market capitalism, which has created the most prosperous

nation in history. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does here by

memorialize the United States Congress and President Trump to

modernize anti-money laundering laws to better focus banks

and law enforcement on potential financial criminal activity

rather than the innocent banking activity of law-abiding

customers; and be it further

Resolved, That all regulatory agencies with supervisory or

regulatory authority over financial institutions should

narrowly focus on their respective missions to protect the

safety, soundness, and integrity of the United States

financial system and refrain from using that authority to

advance unrelated policy priorities; and be it further

Resolved, That all regulatory authority agencies with

supervisory or regulatory authority over financial

institutions should refrain from abusing that authority by

threats implicit in the issuance of allegedly non-binding

“guidance”.

POM-114. 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 modify the H-2B

temporary nonagricultural program to assist with the labor

workforce shortage in the state of Louisiana; to the

Committee on the Judiciary.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 33

Whereas, according to the United States Department of

Labor, the H-2B temporary nonagricultural program, also

commonly referred to as the H-2B nonimmigrant program or H-2B

visa program, permits employers to temporarily hire non-

United States citizens to perform nonagricultural labor or

services in the United States; and

Whereas, according to the United States Department of

Labor, under the program,

employment is only of a temporary nature for a limited period

of time, such as a one-time occurrence, seasonal need, peak-

load need, or intermittent need; and

Whereas, in order to qualify for H-2B nonimmigrant

classification, employers must show that there are not enough

United States workers who are qualified, able, willing, and

available to do the temporary work, and that employing H-2B

workers will not adversely affect the wages and working

conditions of similarly employed United States workers; and

Whereas, according to the United States Citizenship and

Immigration Services, there is a statutory numerical limit or

“cap” on the total number of non-United States citizens who

may be issued an H-2B visa or be granted H-2B status during a

fiscal year; and

Whereas, the United States Congress currently has the H-2B

cap set at sixty-six thousand visas per fiscal year, with

thirty-three thousand H-2B visas granted to workers who begin

employment in the first half of the fiscal year (October 1-

March 31) and the remaining thirty-three thousand H-2B visas

granted to workers who begin employment in the second half of

the fiscal year (April 1-September 30); and

Whereas, any unused visas from the first half of the fiscal

year are available for employers seeking to hire H-2B workers

during the second half of the fiscal year; however, unused H-

2B visas from the previous fiscal year do not carry over into

the next fiscal year; and

Whereas, once the H-2B cap is reached, the United States

Citizenship and Immigration Services may accept petitions for

H-2B status only from individuals who are exempted from the

H-2B cap; and

Whereas, those individuals who are exempted from the H-2B

cap include:

(1) Workers in the United States in H-2B status, who

extended their stay, changed employers, or changed the terms

and conditions of employment.

(2) Workers previously counted against the H-2B cap in the

same fiscal year and the employer has indicated the workers

were already counted.

(3) The spouse and children of H-2B workers classified as

H-4 nonimmigrants.

(4) Fish roe processors or fish roe technicians or

supervisors of fish roe processing.

(5) Workers performing labor or services in the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or Guam until

December 31, 2029.

Whereas, on December 2, 2024, the United States Department

of Homeland Security and the United States Department of

Labor jointly published a temporary final rule, which

increased the numerical cap on H-2B nonimmigrant visas to

allow for over sixty-four thousand additional visas for the

entirety of the 2025 fiscal year; and

Whereas, this increase in the numerical cap, is only

temporarily and limited to the 2025 fiscal year and, as of

now, is not applicable and will not be utilized for future

fiscal years; and

Whereas, these additional visas are available only to

businesses in this country that are suffering irreparable

harm or those that will suffer irreparable harm if they are

unable to employ all the H-2B workers requested in their

petition; and

Whereas, according to the United States Citizenship and

Immigration Services, the agency has already received enough

petitions to meet the H-2B statutory cap for the second half

of the 2025 fiscal year, and the filing period for

supplemental H-2B visas for the remainder of the fiscal year

is now open; and

Whereas, considering that the statutory cap has already

been met and the supplemental H-2B visas are now being

utilized, there is clearly a great need and strong desire for

H-2B workers; and

Whereas, according to an October 2024 article by the

American Immigration Council, an analysis of the United

States Department of Labor's data has revealed that the

demand for H-2B workers has increased by forty-six percent

since 2018 and the number of certified workers has increased

from approximately one hundred forty-seven thousand in the

2018 fiscal year to over two hundred fifteen thousand in the

2023 fiscal year; and

Whereas, according to the United States Department of

Labor, Louisiana ranked seventh in the top ten states that

utilized the H-2B temporary nonagricultural program during

the second quarter of the 2024 fiscal year; and

Whereas, the Save Our Seafood (SOS) Act, bipartisan

congressional legislation that was introduced in June 2024

and, which, if it had passed, would have permanently

authorized the exemption of nonimmigrants working as fish

processors from the numerical cap on H-2B nonimmigrant visas;

and

Whereas, according to the LSU Agricultural Center, one of

the primary employers of the H-2B temporary nonagricultural

program in this state is the seafood processing industry,

which greatly utilizes and depends upon seasonal and

temporary hired labor; and

Whereas, based on this statistical information and data,

the H-2B temporary nonagricultural program is greatly

utilized by Louisiana businesses and appears necessary for

operation; and

Whereas, a modification of the H-2B temporary

nonagricultural program could help business owners further

extend their recruitment efforts and allow them to hire more

H-2B workers as necessary to help meet workforce needs to

ensure the successful continuation and prosperity of their

businesses. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby

memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions

as are necessary to modify the H-2Btemporary nonagricultural

program to assist with the nonagricultural labor workforce

shortage in the state of Louisiana; be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of theUnited States of

America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional

delegation.

POM-115. 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 compel the United

States Food and Drug Administration to fulfill its duties

regarding inspection and testing of imported seafood; to the

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 8

Whereas, according to statistics by the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States (U.S.)

imports of edible fishery products were 6.9 billion pounds,

valued at $29.7 billion; and

Whereas, the estimated percentage of consumption from

seafood imports in the U.S. was eighty-six percent in 2022;

and

Whereas, NOAA Fisheries statistics show that the U.S.

Department of Agriculture reported that in 2023 the total

value of imported seafood was $25.5 billion, with imports

from Canada accounting for the largest share valued more than

$3.6 billion in seafood products (14.1 percent), followed by

Chile (13.0 percent), India (10.0 percent), Indonesia (7.9

percent), and Vietnam (6.4 percent); and

Whereas, the FDA is responsible for the safety of all fish

and fishery products entering the U.S. and sold in Louisiana;

and

Whereas, the FDA's seafood safety program is governed by

its Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point regulations, which

address food safety management through the analysis and

control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from

raw material production and procurement and handling to

manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of the finished

product; and

Whereas, the FDA's regulations for imported seafood are

supposed to measure the compliance of imported seafood with

inspections of foreign processing facilities, sampling of

seafood offered for import into the U.S., domestic

surveillance sampling of imported products, inspections of

seafood importers, foreign country program assessments, and

the use of information from foreign partners and FDA overseas

offices; and

Whereas, approximately ninety four percent of the volume of

seafood sold in the U.S. is imported from other countries;

and

Whereas, the Louisiana State University School of Renewable

Natural Resources published a 2020 paper titled

“Determination of Sulfite and Antimicrobial Residue in

Imported Shrimp to the USA”, which presented findings from a

study of shrimp imported from India, Thailand, Indonesia,

Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, and Ecuador and purchased from

retail stores in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and

Whereas, a screening of these shrimp for sulfites and

residues from antimicrobial drugs found the following: (1)

five percent of the shrimp contained malachite green, (2)

seven percent contained oxytetracycline, (3) seventeen

percent contained fluoroquinolone, and (4) seventy percent

contained nitrofurantoin, all of which have been banned by

the FDA in domestic aquaculture operations; and

Whereas, although the FDA requires that food products

exposed to sulfites include a label with a statement about

the presence of sulfites, of the forty-three percent of these

locally purchased shrimp found to contain sulfites, not one

package complied with this labeling requirement; and

Whereas, the drug and sulfite residues included in this

screening can be harmful to human health during both handling

and consumption and have been known to cause all of the

following: liver damage and tumors, reproductive

abnormalities, cardiac arrhythmia, renal failure, hemolysis,

asthma attacks, and allergic reactions; and

Whereas, the results of this study confirm that existing

screening and enforcement measures for imported seafood are

insufficient; and

Whereas, whatever the percentage of imports inspected may

be, seafood is currently being imported that contains unsafe

substances that put American consumers at risk; and

Whereas, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) directs

the FDA to inspect each domestic high-risk food facility at

least once every three years and each non-high-risk food

facility at least once every five years; and

Whereas, according to a January 2025 report by the

Government Accountability Office (GAO), the FDA has not met

the mandated targets of the FSMA since 2018; and

Whereas, from Fiscal Year 2018 through Fiscal Year 2023,

the FDA inspected an average of eight thousand fifty-three

domestic food facilities per year versus just nine hundred

seventeen foreign food facilities; and

Whereas, the GAO found that the FDA applies far more

scrutiny to U.S.-based seafood processors than it does to

their foreign competitors; and

Whereas, in contrast, imports of fishery products into the

European Union (EU) are subject to strict standards including

the requirement of an official certification based

on the recognition of the competent authority of the non-EU

country by the European Commission; and

Whereas, for all fishery products exported into the EU,

countries of origin must be on a positive list of eligible

countries; and

Whereas, imports of fishery products from non-EU countries

must enter the EU via an approved border inspection post

under the authority of an official veterinarian in the EU

member state in question and each consignment is subject to a

systematic documentary, identity, and physical check; and

Whereas, consignments which are noncompliant with EU

legislation shall either be destroyed or, under certain

conditions, redispatched within sixty days; and

Whereas, the FDA needs to improve oversight of imported

seafood to, at minimum, match our foreign counterparts while

simultaneously ensuring the seafood consumed in the state is

safe; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby

memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions

as are necessary to compel the FDA to increase inspection and

testing of imported seafood; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby

urge the United States Congress to support the

recommendations of the GAO in its January 8, 2025, report

(GAO-25-107571); and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of the United States of

America and to each member of the Louisiana Congressional

delegation.

POM-116. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress to take

such actions as are necessary to fund the sheriffs' offices

in the parishes where the Kisatchie National Forest is

located; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

House Resolution No. 267

Whereas, the Kisatchie National Forest spans seven parishes

in Louisiana including Claiborne, Grant, Natchitoches,

Rapides, Vernon, Webster, and Winn parishes with a total of

six hundred eight thousand four hundred eighty-seven acres;

and

Whereas, the Kisatchie National Forest is owned and managed

by the United States federal government; and

Whereas, despite the United States federal government's

ownership of the Kisatchie National Forest, local Louisiana

parish sheriffs' offices patrol the forest and respond to

emergency calls; and

Whereas, the local oversight of the Kisatchie National

Forest is a substantial burden to the local sheriffs'

offices; and

Whereas, Payments in Lieu of Taxes, referred to as

“PILT”, are federal payments that help local governments

offset losses in property taxes due to nontaxable federal

land within their boundaries; and

Whereas, the amount of funding available for national

forests is roughly four hundred thousand dollars; and

Whereas, the available funding is not sufficient for the

patrol of the Kisatchie National Forest which is a

substantial financial burden on the local sheriffs' offices;

and

Whereas, PILT payments would help the parishes where the

Kisatchie National Forest is located to patrol the forest and

respond to emergency calls. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the

Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize the United

States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to fund

local sheriffs' offices in order to properly and efficiently

patrol the Kisatchie National Forest. Be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the United States Congress and to each

member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.

POM-117. A 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 Flood Insurance

Affordability Act, the Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act, and

the Flood Insurance Affordability Tax Credit Act, and to end

the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Risk Rating 2.0

methodology to alleviate the financial burden of flood

insurance on citizens who reside in the coastal parishes of

Louisiana and across the United States; to the Committee on

Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

House Resolution No. 291

Whereas, for years, the state of Louisiana has been at the

heart of an insurance crisis that has led to homeowners in

the coastal parishes being obliged to pay exorbitant,

excessive, and expensive flood insurance premiums; and

Whereas, in August of 2020, Hurricane Laura struck the

state of Louisiana. The Department of Insurance reported more

than one hundred seventy-seven thousand residential property

claims, resulting in Individual Assistance from FEMA for the

coastal parishes of Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson

Davis, and Vermilion; and

Whereas, in October of 2020, Hurricane Delta struck the

state of Louisiana. The Department of Insurance reported more

than eighty-nine thousand residential property claims,

resulting in Individual Assistance from FEMA for the coastal

parishes of Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson

Davis, Lafayette, Saint Martin, and Vermilion; and

Whereas, in October of 2020, Hurricane Zeta struck the

state of Louisiana. The Department of Insurance reported more

than fifty-six thousand residential property claims,

resulting in Individual Assistance from FEMA for the coastal

parishes of Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St.

Bernard, and Terrebonne; and

Whereas, in August of 2021, Hurricane Ida struck the state

of Louisiana. The Department of Insurance reported more than

four hundred seventy-eight thousand residential property

claims, resulting in Individual Assistance from FEMA for the

coastal parishes of Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge,

Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans,

Plaquemines, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint James, Saint

John the Baptist, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Tammany,

Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, and West Baton Rouge; and

Whereas, in April of 2023, FEMA finished updating the

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) risk rating

methodology through the implementation of a new pricing

methodology called Risk Rating 2.0; and

Whereas, despite FEMA's claims, Risk Rating 2.0 has led to

significant premium increases for low- and middle-income

families, with estimates suggesting that approximately one-

fifth of NFIP policyholders may be forced to drop coverage

over the next ten years, potentially leading to an actuarial

death spiral that threatens the program's sustainability; and

Whereas, many homeowners in coastal Louisiana parishes have

invested significant sums to elevate their homes and reduce

flood risk and have still seen their premiums nearly double

under Risk Rating 2.0, undermining the financial benefits of

mitigation efforts; and

Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana has significant

concerns with Risk Rating 2.0, including its lack of

transparency in data inputs, failure to deliver promised

premium reductions for mitigated structures, unpredictability

for new or code-compliant structures, and potential to render

flood insurance unaffordable for many families; and

Whereas, the Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act, introduced

on March 1, 2023, in the One Hundred Eighteenth United States

Congress by Senator John Kennedy, requires FEMA to publish

all data and methods used to prescribe chargeable premium

rates, create an online database for policyholders to access

premium rate information, conduct a comprehensive assessment

of the economic and social impacts of Risk Rating 2.0, and

publish premium rate distributions for every county or parish

in the United States; and

Whereas, the Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act has failed to

move through the U.S. Senate, despite the fervent advocacy of

Senator John Kennedy and Senator Bill Cassidy; and

Whereas, the Flood Insurance Affordability Act, introduced

on March 1, 2023, in the One Hundred Eighteenth United States

Congress, sponsored by Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana and

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, caps annual

residential flood insurance premium increases at nine

percent, rather than the current eighteen percent; and

Whereas, the Flood Insurance Affordability Tax Credit Act,

introduced on February 13, 2025, in the One Hundred

Nineteenth United States Congress by Senator Bill Cassidy,

provides a thirty-three percent refundable tax credit to low-

and middle-income households enrolled in the NFIP to offset

rising flood insurance premiums, directly reducing the

financial burden at the time of payment; and

Whereas, flooding is a national issue, with at least one

hundred sixty-six Americans across thirteen states killed in

2024 due to floods and storms, and millions more affected by

power outages or evacuations, highlighting the need for an

affordable and sustainable NFIP for all fifty states; and

Whereas, the NFIP, as the primary source of flood insurance

for many communities, must be reformed to ensure

affordability, accountability to taxpayers, and

sustainability for future generations; and

Whereas, the Legislature of Louisiana supports efforts to

end Risk Rating 2.0, as advocated by Senator Bill Cassidy,

who previously worked with the Trump administration in 2019

to delay its implementation due to transparency concerns; and

Whereas, it is the intention of the Legislature of

Louisiana to ensure that homeowners in the coastal parishes

of Louisiana and across the United States have access to

fair, equitable, actuarially justified, and affordable flood

insurance; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby

memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions

as are necessary to pass the Flood Insurance Affordability

Act, the Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act, and the Flood

Insurance Affordability Tax Credit Act, and to end FEMA's

Risk Rating 2.0 methodology to assist and benefit the

citizens of the coastal parishes in the state of Louisiana

and all Americans; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of the United States of

America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional

delegation.

POM-118. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress to take

such actions as are necessary to provide federal disaster

insurance coverage for flooding, tornadoes,

fire, and other disasters that have a negative impact on

states; to the Committee on Homeland Security and

Governmental Affairs.

House Resolution No. 345

Whereas, the need for federal disaster insurance is urgent

and crucial due to the impacts of hurricanes, flooding, fire

risks, and other disasters that have been proven to be

devastating nationally and to the state of Louisiana; and

Whereas, from 1980-2025, as of April 8, 2025, there have

been one hundred and six confirmed weather and climate

disaster events with losses exceeding one billion dollars

each to affect Louisiana, according to the National Centers

for Environmental Information; and

Whereas, weather and climate disasters often result in

losses due to the hazards associated with storm surge

flooding, inland flooding from heavy rains, destructive

winds, tornadoes, hurricanes, and high surf and rip currents,

according to the National Weather Service; and

Whereas, Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, and Irma were

four of the costliest hurricanes in the United States'

history; collectively exceeding trillions of dollars in

damages, according to the United States Government

Accountability Office; and

Whereas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, the estimated cost of damages was

approximately one hundred and seventy billion dollars for

Katrina, seventy-four billion dollars for Sandy, one hundred

thirty-one billion dollars for Harvey, and fifty-two billion

dollars for Irma; and

Whereas, while the impact of hurricanes is devastating,

flooding disasters, nationally and in the state of Louisiana,

are also catastrophic; and

Whereas, in Louisiana, the flood of August 2016 caused an

estimated four billion dollars in residential property

damages, with damages exceeding one billion dollars in both

Livingston and East Baton Rouge Parish; and

Whereas, the Joint Economic Committee's staff estimates

that the total cost of flooding in the United States is

between one hundred eighty and four hundred ninety-six

billion dollars each year in 2023; and

Whereas, in addition to hurricane and flooding disasters,

fires are also proven to have devastating effects; and

Whereas, according to the National Interagency Fire Center,

since January 1, 2025, over nineteen thousand wildfires have

burned approximately eight hundred eighty-one thousand acres,

which is above the ten-year average of thirteen thousand

wildfires and approximately eight hundred and twenty-eight

thousand acres burned; and

Whereas, in Louisiana, fire damages have resulted in

millions of dollars in property damage; and

Whereas, nationally, fire damages have resulted in

approximately twenty-three billion dollars in property

damage; and

Whereas, the impacts of disasters on a national level and

state level are evident and need a solution; and

Whereas, the United States Congress should model a federal

disaster insurance program, in part, after the National Flood

Insurance Program (NFIP), which should be expanded to include

federal disaster coverage for hurricanes, flooding, fires,

and other disasters; and

Whereas, key components of the NFIP that should be

considered when implementing a federal disaster relief

insurance program are:

(1) Providing affordable disaster insurance to homeowners,

businesses, and insurers for all types of diasters.

(2) Complementing existing Federal Disaster relief

programs.

(3) Providing flood insurance to help reduce the financial

impacts of flooding.

(4) Providing disaster insurance that covers the cost of

rebuilding.

(5) Encouraging communities, homeowners, and insurers to

adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations to reduce

future flood risks; and

Whereas, federal disaster insurance would provide the

insurer certainty that the insurance carrier would not

withdraw insurance coverage before, during, or after a

disaster occurs; and

Whereas, federal disaster insurance should be implemented

by Congress to provide insurers with financial protection,

expedited recovery efforts, and dependable insurance when

disasters strike; Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the

Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize the United

States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to

provide insurance coverage for flooding, tornadoes, fire

risks, and other disasters that have a negative impact on

states. Be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of the United States of

America and to each member of Louisiana congressional

delegation.

POM-119. 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 create penalties for

improperly mailing cremated human remains; to the Committee

on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 60

Whereas, families have to make the difficult decision to

transport the cremated remains of their loved ones; and

Whereas, cremated human remains can be mailed only through

the United States Postal Service (USPS); and

Whereas, the USPS has issued guidance on how to package and

ship cremated remains; and

Whereas, USPS requires a specific cremated remains box and

a proper label for cremated human remains; and

Whereas, remains can be damaged or destroyed if they are

not properly packaged or labeled; and

Whereas, currently, there are no penalties for the

mislabeling of cremated human remains; and

Whereas, USPS does have certain penalties for mailing

fireworks and hazardous materials; and

Whereas, human remains should be treated with respect and

the best way to ensure that respect is to properly package

and label cremated human remains so that they are handled

with the care that is warranted and needed; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby

memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions

as are necessary to create penalties for those who improperly

package and label cremated remains; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of the United States of

America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional

delegation.

POM-120. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the

State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress and the

Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for

Medicare and Medicaid Services to reconsider any policies

that may lead to reductions in Medicaid funding for hospitals

in Louisiana; to the Committee on Finance.

House Resolution No. 369

Whereas, hospitals play a vital role in delivering

essential healthcare services to urban and rural communities

throughout Louisiana; and

Whereas, directives outlined in recent federal memoranda

and guidance propose to reduce the longstanding maximum

amount hospitals may be reimbursed by the Medicaid program;

and

Whereas, hospitals in Louisiana serve as lifelines for many

communities especially our rural hospitals that provide

essential healthcare services to residents in geographically

isolated and medically underserved areas; and

Whereas, hospitals face unique challenges, including

workforce shortages, financial instability, and limited

access to specialized care; and

Whereas, reductions to Medicaid funding would exacerbate

those challenges, potentially leading to service cutbacks,

staff reductions, or even closures of hospitals; and

Whereas, the closure or reduced capacity of hospitals would

disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including

the elderly, children, and those with chronic illnesses, as

well as place additional strain on remaining healthcare

facilities; and

Whereas, Medicaid funding is not only essential for

sustaining healthcare services but also plays a critical role

in supporting the economic viability of our communities since

hospitals often serve as major employers and economic

contributors; and

Whereas, Louisiana is committed to ensuring access to

quality healthcare for all residents, regardless of their

geographic or economic circumstances; and

Whereas, collaboration between state and federal

governments is crucial to address the healthcare disparities

and challenges faced by communities while safeguarding access

to essential services; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the

Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize Congress and

urge the Department of Health and Human Services and the

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to avoid

reductions in Medicaid funding that would adversely affect

Louisiana's hospitals and the communities they serve; and

Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the

Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize Congress and

urge the Department of Health and Human Services and the

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to immediately

approve the pending Louisiana State Directed Payment

Preprints for both hospital and physician payment and to not

reduce total payment amounts for future rating periods; and

be it further

Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the

Legislature of Louisiana emphasizes the importance of

sustaining the current levels of Medicaid funding to ensure

continued access of comprehensive healthcare services

throughout the state; and be it further

Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the

Legislature of Louisiana calls upon Congress, the Department

of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Medicare

and Medicaid Services to actively engage with state

officials, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders

to develop solutions that address the healthcare needs of

Louisiana without undermining the financial stability of our

hospitals; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the president of the United

States, the vice president of the United States, the speaker

of the United States House of Representatives, the majority

leader of the United States Senate, each member of

Louisiana's congressional delegation, the secretary of the

United States Department of Health and Human Services, and

the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

Services.

POM-121. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature

of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress

and the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to increase

pay rates for direct care support workers; to the Committee

on Finance.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 72

Whereas, direct care support workers (DCSWs) such as

nursing assistants, home health aides, and personal care

aides provide essential services to individuals with

disabilities, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations

in inpatient care facilities, home care settings, and

community-based programs; and

Whereas, DCSWs play a critical role in ensuring the health,

safety, and well-being of those they serve often providing

assistance with daily living activities, medical care, and

emotional support; and

Whereas, despite the essential nature of their work, DCSWs

are significantly underpaid, leading to high turnover rates,

staffing shortages, and compromised care quality; and

Whereas, in 2020, the average hourly rate for DCSWs in

Louisiana was approximately nine dollars per hour; and

Whereas, the demand for DCSWs continues to rise due to an

aging population and increasing needs for long-term support

services; and

Whereas, inadequate pay has led to a workforce crisis,

reducing the availability of qualified professionals and

increasing strain on existing caregivers; and

Whereas, increase wages would improve workforce retention,

enhance the quality of care, and provide economic stability

for these essential workers; and

Whereas, the Louisiana Legislature, in partnership with the

Louisiana Department of Health, has taken steps to increase

wages for DCSWs and meet the need for quality care for one of

this state's most vulnerable populations; and

Whereas, federal programs such as Medicaid and Medicare set

reimbursement rates that directly impact the wages of DCSWs,

and federal action is needed to ensure adequate funding for

increased pay. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby

memorialize the United States Congress and urge federal

agencies, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

Services, to revise reimbursement structures, and implement

higher wages for DCSWs; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of the United States of

America, each member of the Louisiana congressional

delegation, the secretary of the United States Department of

Health and Human Services, and administrator for the Centers

for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

POM-122. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature

of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress

to explore options for transitioning airport security

responsibilities from the Transportation Security

Administration to alternative models, such as delegating

duties to trained airline personnel in order to enhance the

freedom of travel and improve the air travel experience for

citizens of the United States; to the Committee on Commerce,

Science, and Transportation.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 81

Whereas, the state of Louisiana recognizes that the freedom

to travel securely and efficiently is a fundamental right for

citizens of the United States, essential to personal liberty

and economic opportunity; and

Whereas, the TSA was established to safeguard the nation's

transportation systems with a primary focus on airport

security, and is tasked with implementing safety measures for

air travel in the United States; and

Whereas, the TSA conducts security screenings for

passengers at airports in the United States to ensure safe

travel, yet public perception of air travel has increasingly

deteriorated due to lengthy security processes, perceived

inefficiencies, and passenger discomfort; and

Whereas, Louisiana values the protection of passengers and

seeks to explore ways to enhance the effectiveness,

efficiency, and respect for personal freedoms in airport

security processes. thereby restoring confidence in the air

travel experience; and

Whereas, concerns have been raised regarding the efficacy

of current security measures, including reports of challenges

in detecting prohibited items and ensuring consistent respect

for passengers' rights and dignity; and

Whereas, 2015 internal TSA review indicated that undercover

investigators were able to pass mock prohibited items through

security checkpoints in a significant percentage of trials,

raising questions about the effectiveness of existing

protocols and their impact on travelers' confidence; and

Whereas, isolated incidents involving TSA personnel have

contributed to public concerns about privacy and property,

underscoring the need to investigate alternative security

models that prioritize both safety and the freedom of

citizens of the United States to travel without undue

intrusion; and

Whereas, other nations, such as Israel, employ

intelligence-driven and behavior-based security approaches

that may offer less invasive and potentially more effective

methods, thereby improving the travel experience while

maintaining high safety standards; and

Whereas, airline employees, with appropriate training, may

be well-positioned to conduct security screenings, leveraging

their familiarity with airport operations to streamline

processes and enhance passenger navigation, thereby fostering

a more positive travel experience; and

Whereas, although the TSA was created to strengthen

transportation security, air travel continues to face

challenges related to cost, efficiency, and passenger

satisfaction, contributing to a growing perception that air

travel is burdensome rather than liberating; and

Whereas, many countries utilize state or locally-managed

airport security systems, which may provide valuable insights

for improving airport security operations in the United

States and enhancing the freedom and enjoyment of travel; and

Whereas, with proper training, airline personnel could

potentially perform security functions currently handled by

TSA agents, maintaining safety as a top priority while

improving efficiency and passenger interactions; and

Whereas, airport staff familiar with specific airport

layouts and operations could enhance the passenger experience

by assisting with navigation and amenities while ensuring

effective and respectful security measures, thereby

supporting the right to travel freely and enjoyably;

therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby

memorialize the United States Congress to explore options for

transitioning airport security responsibilities from the TSA

to alternative models, such as delegating duties to trained

airline personnel in order to enhance the freedom of travel

and improve the air travel experience for citizens of the

United States; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of

Representatives of the Congress of the United States of

America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional

delegation.

POM-123. A resolution adopted by the House of

Representatives of the State of Iowa urging the members of

Congress to support the Major Richard Star Act to allow

medically retired service members to receive full access to

their much-deserved retirement pay and benefits; to the

Committee on Armed Services.

House Resolution No. 106

Whereas, Major Richard Star was an Iraq and Afghanistan

veteran who, after exposure to burn pits during his service,

received a diagnosis of lung cancer; and

Whereas, due to his diagnosis, Major Richard Star was

forced to retire before completing 20 years of service and

was therefore unable to collect his retirement and disability

benefits; and

Whereas, for every dollar of disability pay they receive,

veterans with less than 20 years of service and a disability

rating of less than 50 percent will have their retirement pay

reduced by a dollar; and

Whereas, an estimated 50,000 retired service members are

ineligible for concurrent benefits under the current rules;

and

Whereas, according to the Congressional Budget Office, in

2022, the average offset was approximately $1,900 a month;

and

Whereas, the Major Richard Star Act would remove these

restrictions and ensure that all service members who have

medically retired can receive full access to retirement pay

and department of veterans affairs disability benefits; and

Whereas, after dying from his battle with lung cancer in

2021, Major Richard Star's widow claimed that his greatest

goal was to get legislation passed providing for the removal

of these restrictions; and

Whereas, the United States owes these benefits to its

veterans regardless of the cost associated with their

allocation; Now therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, that the House of

Representatives urges the Congress of the United States to

support the Major Richard Star Act to allow medically retired

service members to receive full access to their much-deserved

retirement and pay benefits; and be it further

Resolved, That the House of Representatives call upon our

colleagues in the Senate to urge the Congress of the United

States to support the Major Richard Star Act; and be it

further

Resolved, That upon passage of this resolution, the Chief

Clerk of the House of Representatives shall transmit copies

of this resolution to the President of the United States

Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of

Representatives, and each member of Iowa's congressional

delegation.

POM-124. A resolution adopted by the House of

Representatives of the State of Michigan supporting the

President of the United States' policies to increase the

nation's energy infrastructure and security, which have

facilitated emergency permitting for the Enbridge Line 5

project; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

House Resolution No. 91

Whereas, The Enbridge Line 5 pipeline is critical for

meeting Michigan's energy needs. It delivers crude oil and

natural gas liquids across 645 miles from northern Wisconsin,

through the Great Lakes, across both peninsulas of Michigan,

and to Ontario. According to Enbridge, Line 5 supplies sixty-

five percent of the propane demand in the Upper Peninsula and

fifty-five percent of Michigan's statewide propane needs; and

Whereas, A segment of Line 5 has run under the Straits of

Mackinac since 1953. This segment uses “dual” or “twin”

pipes to deliver oil and propane throughout Michigan, thus

preventing the need to use truckloads and rail cars to move

these necessary resources across our state; and

Whereas, Enbridge has proposed building a tunnel underneath

the bed of the Straits of Mackinac which would contain a new

pipeline to deliver oil and liquified natural gas, replacing

the current twin pipeline; and

Whereas, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed

two lawsuits seeking to shut down Line 5 and its proposed

tunnel by voiding the easement, in place since 1953, that

allows Enbridge to operate the pipeline under the Straits of

Mackinac; and

Whereas, On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an

executive order, entitled Declaring a National Energy

Emergency, which seeks to expand the nation's energy

infrastructure in order to meet our pressing energy needs.

Critically, the executive order directs federal agencies to

exercise their lawful emergency authorities to “expedite the

completion of all authorized and appropriated infrastructure,

energy, environmental, and natural resources projects”; and

Whereas, In response to the executive order, the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers has designated projects eligible to

receive an emergency permit under the order, and has included

Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel project, among others; now,

therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives, That we support

President Trump's policies to increase the nation's energy

infrastructure and security, which have facilitated emergency

permitting for the Enbridge Line 5 project; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to

the President of the United States, 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-125. A resolution adopted by the House of

Representatives of the State of Michigan supporting the

President of the United States' policies that are enabling

potash mining in Michigan; to the Committee on Energy and

Natural Resources.

House Resolution No. 99

Whereas, Potash is a potassium-rich salt and is a critical

component of fertilizer, which is essential for healthy plant

growth and crop yields, and

Whereas, In the United States, domestic supplies of potash

are nearing depletion, making the United States dependent on

foreign potash. According to the United States Geological

Survey, the country imports ninety-three percent of its

potash from foreign countries and eighty-three percent from

Canada alone; and

Whereas, Michigan has large deposits of potash reserves

that are potentially worth billions of dollars. Accessing

these reserves would make Michigan a leading domestic

supplier of potash fertilizer; and

Whereas, On March 20, 2025, President Trump issued an

executive order, entitled Immediate Measures to Increase

American Mineral Production, which would boost domestic

mineral production and reduce reliance on foreign imports of

minerals through an expedited permitting process for priority

mining projects; and

Whereas, In response to the executive order, the Federal

Permitting Improvement Steering Council announced its first

wave of priority mineral production projects, which includes

Michigan Potash & Salt Company and its mine in Osceola

County. The mine aims to tap a 12,500-acre deposit of potash;

and

Whereas, Increased mining operations in Michigan, such as

the potash mining in Osceola County, will increase jobs and

the state's economy while reducing the nation's reliance on

foreign potash; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives, That we support

President Trump's policies seeking to reduce the United

States' reliance on foreign minerals by increasing the

nation's potash supply and expediting the permitting process

for the Michigan Potash & Salt Company; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to

the President of the United States, 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-126. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of

the State of Nevada urging the United States Congress to

enact the Protecting the Right to Organize Act; to the

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 11

Whereas, An imbalance of earning power exists in the United

States economy, where annual income for the bottom 90 percent

of U.S. workers increased by 44 percent between 1979 and

2023, while income for the top 1 percent of U.S. workers

increased by over 180 percent during that period; and

Whereas, Unions play a critical role in increasing wages

for workers and reducing income inequality and, according to

a 2023 report published by the Economic Policy Institute,

workers covered by a union contract earn 13.5 percent more on

average than similarly situated workers who are not covered

by a union contract; and

Whereas, Polls reveal that public support for unions has

surged in recent years, with approval for unions at some of

the highest levels since the 1960s; and

Whereas, On March 5, 2025, the Richard L. Trumka Protecting

the Right to Organize Act of 2025 was introduced in the

United States Congress as H.R. 20, 119th Cong. (2025), to

increase protections relating to the rights of employees to

collectively bargain; and

Whereas, This comprehensive legislation would prevent

employers from misclassifying employees so as to exempt those

employees from existing protections under labor laws; and

Whereas, The Act would allow a collective bargaining

agreement to require the collection of fair share fees by

unions to cover the cost of representing all represented

workers; and

Whereas, The Act would also prohibit employers from

permanently replacing or discriminating against workers who

participate in strikes; and

Whereas, The Act would additionally prevent employers from

requiring workers to attend mandatory meetings designed to

discourage them from joining a union; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by The Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada,

Jointly, That the members of the 83rd Session of the Nevada

Legislature respectfully urge the Congress of the United

States to enact the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to

Organize Act of 2025 to increase protections relating to the

rights of employees to collectively bargain; and be it

further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and

transmit a copy of this resolution to the President of the

United States, the Vice President of the United States as

presiding officer of the United States Senate, the Speaker of

the United States House of Representatives and each member of

the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further

Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon

passage.

POM-127. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Northern

Marianas Commonwealth Legislature petitioning the United

States Congress and the President of the United States to

restore and expand federal compensation and health programs

for individuals exposed to radiation resulting from United

States nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific, including the

people of the Commonwealth of the Norther Mariana Islands; to

the Committee on the Judiciary.

Senate Resolution No. 24-17

Whereas, as part of its mandate to protect and defend the

United States of America, the United States Armed Forces

conducted testing of atomic nuclear weapons on Enewetak and

Bikini Atolls in the Marshall Islands from 1946 to 1958. A

total of sixty-seven (67) atomic and thermonuclear bombs were

detonated which resulted in radioactive fallout across a wide

area of the Pacific beyond the immediate test sites; and

Whereas, due to the deleterious effects of the nuclear

radiation, on October 5, 1990, the United States Congress

passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act(“RECA”),

which establishes new programs for persons physically present

in areas near the Nevada Nuclear Test Site during atomic

testing at the site. Atmospheric testing of atomic devices—

important to national security during the darkest days of the

“cold war”—ended in 1963 when, under President Kennedy,

the United States signed and ratified the Limited Test Ban

Treaty. Prior to the Treaty, the United States detonated over

200 atomic devices in the open air, in both the South Pacific

and in Nevada. The bill provides compassionate payments to

persons with specified diseases who fear that their health

was harmed because of fallout from atmospheric atomic testing

at the Nevada test site, regardless of whether causation can

be scientifically established; and

Whereas, on July 10, 2000, Pub. L. 106-245, the Radiation

Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2000 was passed,

adding two new claimant categories, providing for, among

other things, additional compensable illnesses, removing

certain lifestyle restrictions, and adding additional

geographic areas to the “downwinder” claimant category; and

Whereas, residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern

Mariana Islands, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands,

and other Pacific jurisdictions have long asserted that they

were exposed to radioactive fallout generated by such

testing; and

Whereas, although RECA coverage has been expanded, it still

does not provide relief to all Americans affected by fallout,

particularly residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern

Mariana Islands and the Territory of Guam; and

Whereas, there is no doubt that the Territory of Guam has

received radioactive debris from fallout during the nuclear

weapons testing in the Pacific Ocean to such an extent that,

in March of 2004, Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo spoke

before the Committee to Assess the Scientific Information

for the Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program to

request that they include an assessment of Guam for

“downwinders” and ship decontamination as part of their

congressionally mandated study; and

Whereas, because the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands are close in proximity to the Territory of Guam,

separated by a scant 56 miles, and both are affected by the

same wind, weather and ocean current patterns, it logically

follows that radiation which affects the Territory of Guam

necessarily affects the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands; and

Whereas, as a result, the Nuclear and Radiation Studies

Board published in 2005 its report entitled “Assessment of

the Scientific Information for the Radiation Exposure

Screening and Education Program” that because radiation

fallout may have been higher for people outside RECA-

designated areas, the NRSB recommends that all residents of

the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and overseas U.S.

territories who have been diagnosed with specific RECA-

compensable diseases and who may have been exposed, even in

utero, to radiation from U.S. nuclear-weapons testing fallout

be compensated; and

Whereas, the United States Congress has the authority to

amend RECA to include residents of the Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands affected by radiation as eligible

“downwinder” claimants, and its failure to do so resulted

in the continued exclusion of similarly situated CNMI

residents from federal compensation benefits, leaving their

claims unrecognized under existing law; and

Whereas, pursuant to the RECA Extension Act of 2022 (P.L.

117-139); authorization for the RECA program expired on June

07, 2024, with the Department of Justice only processing

claims postmarked by June 10, 2024 leaving many affected

individuals and their families without access to compensation

or medical assistance programs; and

Whereas, RECA was reinstated through P.L. 119-21 otherwise

known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, specifically in

Sections 100201-100205, enacted on July 04, 2025. This

reinstatement sets funding to expire on December 31, 2028,

with the allowance of the latest claim to be filed by

December 31, 2027; and

Whereas, residents of the Commonwealth continue to

experience concerns regarding cancer, thyroid disease, and

other illnesses that may be associated with radiation

exposure and deserve the same consideration afforded to other

United States citizens and nationals impacted by federal

nuclear testing programs; and

Whereas, the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern

Mariana Islands, a territory of the United States of America,

request for the restoration of RECA benefits, expansion of

eligibility to include affected Pacific populations, and to

provide funding for scientific research, health monitoring,

cancer screening, and medical treatment programs in the

Pacific territories and freely associated states; Now,

therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate of the Twenty-Fourth Northern

Marianas Commonwealth Legislature hereby joins the people of

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in

respectfully petitioning the United States Congress to

declare that all Americans shall be given the same

consideration when it comes to compensation for exposure to

radiation from U.S. nuclear testing, including the people of

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and be it

further

Resolved, That the United States Congress is hereby

respectfully petitioned to amend the “Radiation Exposure

Compensation Act of 1990,” Public Law 101-426, as amended to

include the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in

the jurisdiction “Downwinders” covered by the Act; and be

it further

Resolved, That the United States Congress is hereby

respectfully requested to study whether the Commonwealth of

the Northern Mariana Islands should be granted RECA “on

site” status; and be it further

Resolved, That the affected population previously and

currently in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

(those residing who have been exposed to radiation resulting

from the Atomic Energy Commission tests in the Marshall

Islands) be recognized as being “downwinders” of such

tests; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Senate shall certify

and the Senate Legislative Secretary shall attest to the

adoption of this Resolution, and thereafter the Senate Clerk

shall transmit certified copies to the Honorable Mike

Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, 119th

United States Congress; the Honorable J.D. Vance, President

of the Senate, United States Senate; the Honorable Senator

Chuck Grassley, Chairperson, Committee on Judiciary, United

States Senate; the Honorable Senator Dick Durbin, Ranking

Member, Committee on Judiciary, United States Senate; the

Honorable Senator Bill Cassidy, Chairperson, Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate;

the Honorable Senator Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member,

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United

States Senate; the Honorable Congressman Jim Jordan,

Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, United States House of

Representatives; the Honorable Congressman Jamie Raskin,

Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary, United States

House of Representatives; the Honorable Congressman Brett

Guthrie, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, United

States House of Representatives; the Honorable Congressman

Frank Pallone, Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and

Commerce, United States House of Representatives; the

Honorable Kimberlyn King-Hinds, CNMI Delegate to the House of

Representatives Washington, 119th United States Congress the

Honorable David M. Apatang, Governor of the CNMI; the

Honorable Lou Leon Guerrero, Governor of the Territory of

Guam; the Honorable Edmund S. Villagomez, Speaker of the

House of Representatives; and Mr. Robert N. Celestial, Atomic

Veteran from Guam and President of the Pacific Association

for Radiation Survivors.

POM-128. A joint resolution adopted by the Northern

Marianas Commonwealth Legislature affirming the Commonwealth

of the Northern Mariana Islands' commitment to eliminate the

commercial facilitation of birth tourism as evidenced by the

enactment of the Business Integrity and Regulation of Tourism

Harms Act (“BIRTH Act”); to present updated data

demonstrating the effectiveness of existing federal and local

measures; and to request continued federal coordination

consistent with those efforts; to the Committee on the

Judiciary.

House Joint Resolution No. 24-13

Whereas, the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United

States of America recognizes United States sovereignty while

guaranteeing the Commonwealth a substantial measure of local

self-government; and

Whereas, Article IX, Section 902 of the Covenant provides

for consultation between the Government of the United States

and the Government of the Commonwealth on matters affecting

the economic and social well-being of the Commonwealth; and

Whereas, the Commonwealth remains committed to cooperation

with the United States in maintaining the integrity of

federal immigration systems while preserving the

constitutional guarantees that apply within the Commonwealth;

and

Whereas, the Legislature recognizes that so-called “birth

tourism,” more precisely described as the compensated

commercial facilitation of travel for the primary purpose of

childbirth, is materially distinct from lawful tourism and

undermines confidence in immigration systems when driven by

organized commercial enterprises; and

Whereas, the Legislature further recognizes that the

appropriate response lies not in restricting constitutional

birthright citizenship, but in targeting the commercial

machinery, fraud, and profiteering that drive such practices;

and

Whereas, the Legislature has before it House Bill 24-105,

the Business Integrity and Regulation of Tourism Harms Act

(“BIRTH Act”), a uniquely tailored statute that prohibits

compensated commercial birth tourism facilitation,

criminalizes deceptive practices, regulates maternity

housing, and provides both civil and criminal enforcement

tools while expressly preserving federal authority over

immigration and citizenship;

Whereas, the BIRTH Act reflects a deliberate and

constitutionally grounded approach that focuses on business

regulation, consumer protection, and fraud prevention, rather

than immigration control, thereby aligning Commonwealth

action with federal law and policy; and

Whereas, official data from the Commonwealth Healthcare

Corporation (CHCC) Health & Vital Statistics Office

demonstrates that tourist births in the Commonwealth have

declined by approximately ninety-two percent (92%), from a

peak of 581 births in 2018 to 47 births in 2025, representing

approximately eight percent (8%) of total deliveries and

fewer than four births per month;

Whereas, current CHCC obstetric utilization reflects

approximately forty-four percent (44%) of 2018 capacity

levels, and available data does not support claims that

tourist births presently impose a significant strain on the

Commonwealth's healthcare system;

Whereas, the Legislature finds that the substantial decline

in tourist births corresponds with prior federal visa policy

changes and demonstrates that coordinated federal and local

measures can effectively reduce birth tourism; and

Whereas, the Legislature affirms that birthright

citizenship is guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment to

the United States Constitution, the Constitution of the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the

Covenant, and that enforcement efforts must not diminish or

redefine that constitutional right; and

Whereas, immigration enforcement in the Commonwealth is

administered by the United States Department of Homeland

Security and United States Customs and Border Protection, and

the Commonwealth's role is to complement those efforts

through lawful regulation of commercial activity within its

jurisdiction; and

Whereas, the Legislature intends through this Resolution to

demonstrate that the Commonwealth has taken concrete,

enforceable legislative action to eliminate commercial birth

tourism operations and stands ready to support continued

federal enforcement efforts; Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-

Fourth Northern Marianas

Commonwealth Legislature, the Senate concurring, That the

Legislature hereby affirms the Commonwealth's commitment to

eliminating the commercial facilitation of birth tourism

through the enactment and enforcement of the BIRTH Act; and

be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature respectfully requests that

the Government of the United States, including the Department

of Homeland Security and United States Customs and Border

Protection, continue to strengthen and consistently apply

existing standards governing temporary entry, discretionary

parole, and visitor admissions to deter travel undertaken

primarily for childbirth where lawful criteria are not

satisfied; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature requests continued

coordination between federal agencies and the Commonwealth to

ensure effective enforcement against fraud,

misrepresentation, and commercial facilitation schemes

associated with birth tourism; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature emphasizes that the

Commonwealth's enactment of the BIRTH Act demonstrates that

local enforcement mechanisms—when aligned with federal

policy—can effectively address birth tourism without

infringing upon constitutional rights; and be it further

Resolved, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives

and the President of the Senate shall certify and the House

Clerk and the Senate Legislative Secretary shall attest to

the adoption of this joint resolution and thereafter the

House Clerk shall transmit a certified copy to the President

of the United States; the appropriate committees of the

United States Congress; the Secretary of Homeland Security;

the Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands; the President of the Senate, Twenty-Fourth Northern

Marianas Commonwealth Legislature; the Mayors of the

Municipalities of Rota, Tinian and Aguiguan, Saipan, and the

Northern Islands; and the CNMI Delegate to the United States

Congress.

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The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and

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