BILL REQ. #:  H-2410.3 

Read first time 03/24/2003.   Referred to Committee on Trade & Economic Development.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE HONORABLE GARY LOCKE, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND TO THE HONORABLE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, The United States and France have been allies and friends for many years; and
     WHEREAS, France through the Louisiana Purchase sold to the United States 828,000 square miles of land for $15 million; and
     WHEREAS, France has dominated the world of wine for centuries and is still the number 1 seller, with $6.5 billion in sales in 2001; and
     WHEREAS, In 2001, the United States allowed France to export 106,731,000 liters of French wine to America worth $828,714,000; and
     WHEREAS, In 2001, the United States allowed France to export 65 million gallons of water to America; and
     WHEREAS, Washington is located at about the same latitudes as Burgundy and Bordeaux in France; and
     WHEREAS, Washington state currently ranks second in the United States in total premium wine production with more than 29,000 acres planted to vinifera grapes, producing an expected 97,500 tons in 2001, with finished goods representing over 11 million gallons of wine and over 4 million cases of wine with a total retail value of over $700 million; and
     WHEREAS, International cooperation is essential in the war on terrorism and in preventing the proliferation and use of weapons of mass destruction; and
     WHEREAS, Iraq under Saddam Hussein has supported terrorism and developed and used weapons of mass destruction; and
     WHEREAS, Iraq is not currently in compliance with United Nations resolutions concerning weapons of mass destruction; and
     WHEREAS, Iraq poses both a terrorist and military threat to the United States and the world because it is not in compliance with United Nations resolutions concerning weapons of mass destruction; and
     WHEREAS, As a member of the United Nations Security Council, France has opposed United States leadership in leading an international coalition to force Iraq to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning weapons of mass destruction;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that you take immediate action to do all you can within your respective offices and jurisdictions to ensure that the people and companies of the state of Washington and of all the United States of America:
     (1) Completely refrain from buying, selling, giving, or consuming French waters and wines as long as France continues its unreasonable and ungrateful opposition to the potential use of force to ensure Saddam Hussein complies with United Nations resolutions concerning weapons of mass destruction; and
     (2) Enthusiastically participate in buying, selling, giving, and consuming Washington waters and wines, other domestic waters and wines, and imported waters and wines that come from our friends who support America in its endeavors to preserve and protect the American people and all the peoples of the world through the potential use of force to ensure Saddam Hussein complies with United Nations resolutions concerning weapons of mass destruction.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the Honorable Gary Locke, Governor of the State of Washington, all Washington state liquor stores and all Washington wine distributors, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington. A copy of this Memorial shall be immediately posted on the Capitol Campus for all the people of the state of Washington to observe.