74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
 LC 3600
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                     House Joint Memorial 19
                  Ordered by the House April 20
            Including House Amendments dated April 20
 
Sponsored by Representative NELSON (at the request of Oregon War
  Veterans Association)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
    { - Urges Congress to fund transportation of, and United
States Department of Defense to transport, comfort items to
troops overseas at no cost on military flights. - }
   { +  Urges Congress to change spending on veterans' health
care from discretionary spending to direct spending funded by
mandated appropriations and to fund transportation of comfort
items at no cost to donating organizations on military flights
provided by United States Department of Defense. + }
 
                         JOINT MEMORIAL
To the President of the United States, the Senate and the House
  of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress
  assembled, and the Secretary of the United States Department of
  Defense:
  We, your memorialists, the Seventy-fourth Legislative Assembly
of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled,
respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas the future of our nation and the American way of life
depends on this nation's success in defending against its enemies
at home and abroad; and
  Whereas the United States Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the
Air Force, the Coast Guard, the Reserves and the National Guard
of each state have performed and continue to perform admirably
and bravely in defense of this nation; and
  Whereas there is no question that comfort items donated to our
heroic troops overseas add a much needed touch of home for our
troops; and
  Whereas comfort items include peanuts, candy, applesauce,
oatmeal packets, shampoo, batteries, music videos and cassettes,
games and reading materials; and
  Whereas countless organizations collect comfort items donated
by a grateful nation and the cost of transporting the tons of
donated items is prohibitive; and
  Whereas although the United States Department of Defense
transports privately donated humanitarian cargo to foreign
countries using military transport at no cost to the donating
 
organization, it does not transport comfort items to our troops;
and
  Whereas a grateful nation also cares for and bestows benefits
upon its brave veterans to whom this nation owes its present
prosperity and continued existence; and
  Whereas veterans' benefits include education, health care,
pensions and disability payments; and
  Whereas George Washington, first President of the United States
and Commander in Chief of the Continental Army during the
Revolutionary War, is reported to have said, 'The willingness
with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no
matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how
they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and
appreciated by their nation'; and
  Whereas the provision of veterans' health care is exceedingly
important to veterans and their families or survivors; and
  Whereas the provision of payments to disabled veterans is among
the most solemn responsibilities of the American people; and
  Whereas federal spending on veterans' health care is
discretionary rather than direct; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  That we, the members of the Seventy-fourth Legislative
Assembly, respectfully urge the Congress of the United States of
America to:
  (1) Provide funds to transport comfort items on military
transports and the United States Department of Defense to
transport comfort items on military transports at no cost to the
donating organization; and
  (2) Change spending on veterans' health care from discretionary
spending to direct spending funded by mandated appropriations;
and be it further
  Resolved, That a copy of this memorial shall be sent to the
President of the United States, to the Senate Majority Leader and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Secretary of
the United States Department of Defense and to each member of the
Oregon Congressional Delegation.
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