[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 4, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E26]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             THE RESCISSION OF CORPS OF ENGINEERS USER FEES

                                 ______


                           HON. BILL EMERSON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 4, 1995
  Mr. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
prevent the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from collecting so-called user 
fees at certain facilities maintained and operated by the Corps. 
Specifically, this bill will repeal section 5001, Title V, of the 
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 [OBRA] which authorized the 
Secretary of the Army to establish and collect fees for the use of 
developed recreation sites and facilities.
  These fees have been part of budget fiction for years. The White 
House has always proposed these onerous taxes and Congress has always 
rejected them. Unfortunately, these fees became a reality with the 
passage of OBRA. Furthermore, there are no guarantees that the revenue 
from these fees will be used by the Corps of Engineers for the 
maintenance of its facilities. I believe that with these fees going 
into general revenue--not the Corps budget--people who want to enjoy 
the great outdoors actually will end up paying twice, once as a 
taxpayer and once as a user of Corps facilities.
  While these fees, ranging from $3 per vehicle to $25 for a yearly 
pass, may not seem like a lot, the fact of the matter is that the 
American public has already paid once for these facilities and their 
continued upkeep. This, in my opinion, is double-dipping by the Federal 
Government. My legislation would seek to rescind the fee now required 
as outlined in OBRA for the use of public recreation areas at certain 
lakes and reservoirs under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of 
Engineers.
  It's also important to note that the cost of installing boxes at the 
collection sites, in some instances, can exceed $25,000 depending on 
the location of the facility. So we are using operating and maintenance 
funds from the Corps to build the collection boxes in order to hit up 
the public for more funds that won't necessarily go to the Corps. It's 
reprehensible that an agency like the Corps of Engineers will spend its 
own funds so that it can collect money for the general treasury.
  This fee structure, as modest as it may be, sets a dire precedent. 
Americans who want to go boating, camping, or swimming should not be 
singled out to foot the bill for more Federal spending. Tourism and 
other recreational activities throughout the country could be 
negatively impacted with these fees. Folks simply do not want to pay 
over and over again for something that is already paid for; nor should 
they.


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