2006 Annual Meeting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Adopted Unanimously at Closing Business Session August 2, 2006 Resolution Urging Congress to Allow the Interstate Sale of State Inspected Meat and Poultry Whereas, the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1967 and the Poultry Products Inspection Act of 1968 required all state meat and poultry inspection programs to be at least equal to federal standards; and Whereas, twenty-eight States, including Maine, Vermont and Delaware have adopted state meat inspection programs that equal or exceed federal standards; and Whereas, states are allowed to inspect non-amenable products such as venison, buffalo, squab, quail and pheasant and interstate shipment of these state-inspected products has been allowed for many years and deemed safe for commerce and consumers; and. Whereas, other commodities, such as milk, dairy products, fruit, vegetables, fish, shellfish, and complex canned products, which are inspected under state jurisdiction, are allowed to be marketed freely throughout the U.S ;and Whereas, any foreign-inspected meat can be shipped to and sold anywhere in the U.S. as long as that country s foreign inspection program is equivalent to U.S. federal standards in practice the same standard which state-inspected programs must meet; and Whereas, state-inspected meat and poultry are the only commodities that are restricted from sale across state lines; and Whereas, the 2002 Farm Bill included report language supporting the merits of interstate meat shipment and required USDA to conduct a new, comprehensive review of state inspection programs; and Whereas, three USDA Advisory Committees have recommended that the ban on interstate shipment be removed: USDA s Advisory Committee on Agricultural Concentration (June 1996); USDA s National Commission on Small Farms (January 1998); and the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI), (May 1998 and June 2002) Whereas, Northeast meat and poultry producers are finding a high consumer demand for locally grown and processed meat and poultry products; and
State Inspected Meat & Poultry Resolution Page 2 Whereas, the demand for high quality local products is not limited to within a state border; and Whereas, the ban on interstate shipping only serves to slow the growth of small businesses farms and processors-, limit purchasing options for consumers, impede rural economic development and further encourage the concentration of the meat processing industry; Whereas, S.3519, the Agriculture Small Business Opportunity and Enhancement Act of 2006.has been introduced in Congress to address this obvious inequity; Now, Therefore Be It Resolved, that the Northeast States Association for Agricultural Stewardship (NSAAS) and the Council of State Government's Eastern Regional Conference (CSG/ERC), which are affiliated organizations, urge members of the House and Senate from the northeast region and all member of Congress to join the bipartisan efforts to ensure that legislation is enacted to allow the interstate shipment of state inspected meats and poultry. Be It Further Resolved, a copy of this resolution be forwarded to all members of Congress from the Northeast and their colleagues from other regions of the country serving on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees; and Be It Further Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; and Be It Further Resolved, that a copy if this resolution be sent to the governors, Agriculture Commissioners and Legislative leaders from the region. Connecticut Delaware Maine Massachusetts New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New York Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Ontario Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Québec Rhode Island U.S. Virgin Islands Vermont
2006 Annual Meeting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Adopted Unanimously at Closing Business Session August 2, 2006 Resolution on the Inclusion of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Other U.S. Territories in all the Surveys Performed in the Fifty States by the U.S. Census Bureau WHEREAS, the U.S. Census Bureau performs the decennial census in the Fifty States of the United States and its territories; WHEREAS, data obtained from the decennial census performed in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the other U.S. territories is not subject to the same detailed analyses as the data obtained from the Fifty States and the District of Columbia; WHEREAS, the U.S. Census Bureau performs additional intermediate surveys to provide current data on the total population of the fifty States and the District of Columbia, as authorized by Federal Law, (See 13 U.S.C. 181); WHEREAS, Federal Law excludes Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the other U.S. territories from the intermediate surveys, (See 13 U.S.C. 184); WHEREAS, the amount of benefits Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the other U.S. territories obtain under federal laws which consider population characteristics for their grant is based only on -probably outdated- data from the decennial census; WHEREAS, consideration of outdated data could under estimate -or over estimatethe need of federal government assistance; WHEREAS, private enterprises rely on the data and analyses provided by the U.S. Census Bureau to make business decisions regarding Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the other U.S. territories; WHEREAS, private enterprises interested in doing business in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the other U.S. territories lack of reliable current population data, such as the data the Census Bureau obtains in the intermediate surveys, makes them have to incur in high expenses to commission a private surveyor to obtain said data; WHEREAS, the need of private enterprises to expend a significant amount of money to commission a private surveyor, before even setting a foot in the territory, acts as a deterrent for private enterprises to even consider investing or establishing themselves in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or the other U.S. territories.
Census Resolution Page 2 WHEREAS, the described facts act in detriment of the economy of the territories and may trigger the need of additional federal government assistance; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference urges the U.S. Census Bureau to include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the other U.S. territories in the diverse analyses the Census Bureau conducts based on data from the decennial census, which result in the publication of official reports; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference, urges the United States Congress and the President of the United States to amend Title 13, Section 184, of the U.S. Code to include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the other U.S. territories in its definition of State for the performance of intermediate surveys. This inclusion will greatly help the federal government and the private sector to have a much more accurate picture of the population data concerning all U.S. Territories; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to all members of Congress of the Region; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, the chairs and ranking members of the appropriate Senate and House committees and subcommittees with jurisdiction over the operations and appropriations relating to the Census Bureau, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be sent to the governors and legislative presiding officers and minority leaders of the ten northeastern states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Connecticut Delaware Maine Massachusetts New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New York Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Ontario Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Québec Rhode Island U.S. Virgin Islands Vermont
2006 Annual Meeting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Adopted Unanimously at Closing Business Session August 2, 2006 Resolution Urging the Congress of the United States to Postpone Implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Whereas, the United States Senate has passed legislation delaying the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) and requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to certify to Congress that certain standards are met before the program moves forward; and Whereas, the State Department (State) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) do not agree on the appropriate technology to be used for frequent-traveler PASS Cards ; and Whereas, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has concluded that the government will be unlikely to resolve technology and program integration issues involving the PASS Card in time to meet the current statutory deadlines; and Whereas, DHS and State have yet to prepare a regulatory cost-benefit analysis as required by law, including consideration of the extent to which WHTI may discourage tourism and commerce and create border delays; and Whereas, there has been insufficient consultation and coordination between U.S. and Canadian officials on WHTI implementation, especially regarding the requirements for Canadian citizens entering the U.S.; and Whereas, both Prime Minister Harper and President Bush have advocated flexibility in WHTI implementation; Now, Therefore Be It Resolved that the Council of State Government s Eastern Regional Conference (CSG/ERC) urges the U.S. Congress to amend the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to postpone implementation of the, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, except as it applies to travel to the Caribbean nations and territories, until such time as: 1. A comprehensive regulatory cost-benefit analysis is performed; including consideration of the enrollment costs of the PASS Card, and the potential impacts on commerce, tourism and border delays; 2. The technology to be used for the PASS Card program satisfies appropriate security standards which are agreed to by both the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State;
WHTI Resolution Page 2 3. The PASS Card technology is shared with the Government of Canada; 4. All necessary technology infrastructure required to support the PASS Card is in place and operational at ports of entry; and, 5. Consultation and coordination on program design and implementation between U.S. and Canadian officials has taken place to the satisfaction of both governments. Be It Further Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Speaker and Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the U.S. Senate, the Chairman and Ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, the House International Relations Committee, and the House Appropriations Committee, the Chairman and Ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee; and Be It Further Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Governors and the legislative appointing authorities and minority leaders of the northeast States and the Premieres and Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of the Eastern Canadian Provinces. Connecticut Delaware Maine Massachusetts New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New York Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Ontario Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Québec Rhode Island U.S. Virgin Islands Vermont