[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 5, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           MINING LAW REFORM

  Mr. DeCONCINI. Mr. President, I rise to express my deep 
disappointment over the failure to reform the Federal mining law during 
the 103d Congress. The failure was not created by the mining industry, 
as reported by the press, nor was it created by Western Senators. No 
one wanted mining law more than the mining industry and the western 
coalition of Senators, Democrats and Republicans. No mining company 
wanted to have the potential of mining law reform hanging over its head 
for another year and all the Western Senators that I worked with wanted 
to see responsible mining law reform.
  The industry came to the table and spent several months this past 
spring and summer working with the Energy and Natural Resources 
Committee. The mining companies and committee staff worked incredible 
hours with the goal of creating a mining bill that would allow the 
companies to remain in business while protecting the fragile western 
environment. They accomplished that mission. Their effort resulted in a 
bill that struck this fragile balance, known as the Reid-Johnston bill, 
or the August 2d chairman's mark. Senator Craig of Idaho was an 
intimate part of that and an advocate on behalf of this industry, as 
was Senator Reid of Nevada and many others. I commend the industry for 
coming to the table and agreeing to compromise many ideas they held 
together.
  I am very disappointed the 103d Congress was unable to complete 
action on this vital legislation. I am also very disappointed that at 
the very moment industry was at the table and agreeing to a great many 
concessions, the Department of Interior was so unwilling to seek a 
middle ground. The West cannot be won by destroying the mining 
industry, and that is what was about to happen.
  I think it is important to look at the economic benefits provided by 
the mining industry, and to fully understand what we may be losing if 
we pass irresponsible legislation that has been suggested in this body 
and in the other body. Let me illustrate the economic contributions of 
just one segment of U.S. mining industry, Arizona copper.
  Last year, the Arizona copper industry employed 12,000 people and 
contributed $2.2 billion in direct contributions to the economy in the 
form of personal and business income, and taxes at the Federal, State 
and local level. Federal taxes alone amounted to over $97 million. When 
taking into account the ripple effect or multipliers, the Arizona 
copper industry added $23 billion to the national economy. 
Additionally, the Arizona copper industry helped lower the national 
trade deficit by $293 million through international sales of copper and 
copper concentrate.
  As I hope people are aware, the Western Senators recently agreed to a 
mining patent moratorium in the appropriations process, something I was 
not ready to do myself. But I was convinced that we had to demonstrate 
once again that the mining industry was not stonewalling, was not 
trying to keep things as they were, wanted a reasonable compromise. And 
we did that. We did not get anything in return. We did not come back 
with a reasonable mining law that had been put together here, at least 
from the standpoint of the Western Senators.
  This appropriation bill was not the appropriate vehicle to do this 
and we could have stopped it, in my judgment, those of us on the 
Appropriations Committee. But we went ahead. The mining industry 
accepted that for 1 year. Only with an agreement between the House and 
the Senate that recognizes the importance of mining and is not bent to 
bring this to an end can we possibly see some compromise here and a 
continuing viable industry.
  Since I will be retiring at the end of the session, I will not be 
here next year to continue working on this. But those who will be here, 
like the Senator from Idaho--I do not have to urge him to continue his 
effort to offer those compromises that he himself put forward early in 
this stage, sitting on the committee of jurisdiction. Mining provides 
too many benefits to the economy of the West as well as the whole 
Nation to allow that industry to become the victim of irresponsible 
legislation.
  The mining companies have shown a willingness to play, to be part of 
the process. The Western Senators have shown surprising, in my 
judgment, commitment to stick together and to preserve the West. We 
know the West. We want clean air. We want wilderness. We want peace and 
quiet. But we also understand the economic benefits to our States and 
to the Nation by this outstanding industry.
  Now we must find a way to get the administration to the table, to 
bring the Interior Department and I suspect the White House to the 
table, if we are ever going to pass a bill, in my judgment. The 
challenge next year will be great. I think it is important to look at 
the economic benefits that are so vital and so important to us, as well 
as the environmental benefits. Miners, believe it or not, are 
environmentalists. And, yes, there have been abuses, and those abuses 
should be corrected. And I believe they can be through responsible 
effort.
  Mr. CRAIG. Will the Senator from Arizona yield?
  Mr. DeCONCINI. I will be glad to yield to my friend without losing 
the right to the floor.
  Mr. CRAIG. I thank the Senator for his kind comments.
  Let me also have the record show he was a real trooper in working 
with Western Senators to assure that we got a fair and balanced mining 
law reform. I think his words were well placed, in that we worked very 
closely with the industry and a lot of interest groups to get that 
done. We simply could not get there.
  I hope we can get there next year. I think all the parties involved 
want a good reform bill but we, from the West, do not believe we ought 
to be putting the mining industry out of business. They are a very 
important part of, not only our Western economy, but the Nation's 
economy. And in a developed industrial Nation we have to have a mining 
policy that we can live with.
  I thank the Senator for working with us, as he has, in building that.

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