[House Document 108-208]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




108th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 108-
208
 
                 REQUESTS FOR FY 2005 BUDGET AMENDMENTS

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

     REQUESTS FOR FY 2005 BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF 
   AGRICULTURE, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS




  September 7, 2004.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 
                         ordered to be printed
                                            The White House
                                     Washington, September 7, 2004.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: I ask the Congress to consider the 
enclosed FY 2005 budget amendments for the Department of 
Agriculture, the Department of Energy, and the Corps of 
Engineers. In total, these amendments would not increase the 
discretionary budget authority proposed in my FY 2005 Budget.
    The details of these proposals are set forth in the 
enclosed letter from the Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget.
            Sincerely,
                                                    George W. Bush.
    Enclosure.
                [Estimate No. 10, 108th Cong., 2d Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                 Washington, DC, September 6, 2004.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration are requests for FY 2005 
budget amendments for the Department of Agriculture, Department 
of Energy, and the Corps of Engineers. The discretionary budget 
authority proposed in your FY 2005 Budget would not be 
increased by these amendments.
    As described below and in more detail in the enclosures, 
the requests include the following:
Department of Agriculture
     $15 million is proposed for the Forest Land 
Enhancement Program to provide financial assistance to non-
industrial private forest landowners. This funding would be 
fully offset within the Department.
Corps of Engineers/Department of Energy
     $15 million is proposed for the Corps of Engineers 
to begin deepening the Federal navigational channel that runs 
along the Columbia River. The increase in budget authority 
would be fully offset by a corresponding decrease in the 
Department of Energy.
Recommendation
    I have carefully reviewed these proposals and am satisfied 
that they are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the 
heads of the affected Departments and the Chief of Engineers in 
recommending that you transmit these amendments to the 
Congress.
            Sincerely,
                                          Joshua B. Bolten,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosures.
                       DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


                             Forest Service


                          WORKING CAPITAL FUND

FY 2005 Budget Appendix Pages: 190-191
FY 2005 Pending Request: --
Proposed Amendment: -$15,000,000
Revised Request: -$15,000,000

(Under the above heading, insert the following new paragraph:)

    Of the unobligated balances of the Working Capital Fund at 
the beginning of fiscal year 2005, $15,000,000 is hereby 
cancelled.
    This proposal would cancel $15 million of unobligated 
balances in the Forest Service's Working Capital Fund. The 
reduction would be used to offset a proposed increase in budget 
authority for the Forest Land Enhancement Program, as described 
in an accompanying amendment.
                       DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


                     TITLE VII--GENERAL PROVISIONS

FY 2005 Budget Appendix Page: 198
FY 2005 Pending Request: -$40,000,000
Proposed Amendment: $15,000,000
Revised Request: -$25,000,000

(In appropriations language under the above heading, subsection 
(c) of section 724 is amended as follows:)

    (1) Delete the period at the end of the first phrase and 
substitute , in excess of $15,000,000.; and
    (2) Delete ``Not less than $40,000,000 of funds under such 
section are hereby cancelled.''
    This proposal would make available $15 million for 
financial assistance to non-industrial private forest 
landowners. The remaining $25 million would not be available 
for FY 2005, but is not proposed for cancellation.
    This funding would be offset by a proposed cancellation of 
funds (-$15 million) within the Department, as described in an 
accompanying amendment.
                          DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


               Environmental and Other Deense Activities


                  DEFENSE SITE ACCELERATION COMPLETION

FY 2005 Budget Appendix Page: 386
FY 2005 Pending Request: $35,000,000
 Proposed Amendment: -$7,000,000
 Revised Request: $343,000,000

    This amendment would reduce the pending budget proposal to 
make these funds available for site cleanup only to the extent 
that legal uncertainty concerning certain reprocessing waste is 
resolved through pending litigation or by new legislation. 
While the Administration continues to work with the Congress 
and affected States on a legislative solution, it is likely 
that legal issues for some of the planned sites will not be 
resolved in time for all of the proposed funds to be obligated 
in FY 2005.
    This reduction would partially offset the proposed increase 
to the Corps of Engineers' Construction account, as described 
in an accompanying amendment.
                          DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


               Environmental and Other Defense Activities


                        OTHER DEFENSE ACTIVITIES

FY 2005 Budget Appendix Page: 387
FY 2005 Pending Request: $664,618,000
Proposed Amendment: -$5,000,000
Revised Request: $659,618,000

    This amendment and the companion amendment for the 
Department of Energy's Energy Supply account would withdraw the 
proposal to establish a new Office of Future Liabilities. The 
activities that would have been handled by the new office will 
continue to be undertaken by existing DOE programs.
    This reduction would partially offset the proposed increase 
to the Corps of Engineers' Construction account, as described 
in an accompanying amendment.
                          DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


                            Energy Programs


                             ENERGY SUPPLY

FY 2005 Budget Appendix Page: 391
FY 2005 Pending Request: $834,284,000
Proposed Amendment: -$3,000,000
Revised Request: $831,284,000

    This amendment and the companion amendment for the 
Department of Energy's Other Defense Activities account would 
withdraw the proposal to establish a new Office of Future 
Liabilities. The activities that would have been handled by the 
new office will continue to be undertaken by existing DOE 
programs.
    This reduction would partially offset the proposed increase 
to the Corps of Engineers' Construction account, as described 
in an accompanying amendment.
                    CORPS OF ENGINEERS--CIVIL WORKS


                              CONSTRUCTION

FY 2005 Budget Appendix Pages: 907-908
FY 2005 Pending Request: $1,421,500,000
Proposed Amendment: $15,000,000
Revised Request: $1,436,500,000

    This proposal would provide an additional $15 million in 
the Construction account for the Corps of Engineers (Corps) to 
begin deepening the Federal navigation channel that runs from 
the mouth of the Columbia River to the ports of Portland, 
Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. The proposal would also allow 
the Corps to restore and improve the ecosystem and wildlife 
habitat associated with the project.
    The Columbia River navigation system transports commodities 
from the Pacific Northwest and from as far inland as Kansas, 
Nebraska, and the Dakotas. More than 40 percent of U.S. wheat 
exports are shipped via the Columbia River, which accounts for 
more than $14 billion in international trade annually. 
Deepening the channel would allow these ports to operate more 
efficiently and accommodate up-to-date deep-draft, economical 
ocean-going ships. Local project sponsors would share the cost 
of the project with the Federal Government.
    This increase in budget authority would be fully offset by 
proposed reductions to accounts in the Department of Energy, as 
described in accompanying amendments.

                                  
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