[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 31, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S588-S589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TIME TO PRIVATIZE THE WILLIAM LANGER PLANT

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, late Friday evening the Senate passed by 
voice vote S. 1544, a bill of mine to permit the conveyance of the 
William Langer Plant to the Job Development Authority of the city of 
Rolla, ND. The bill is crucial to the immediate economic future of the 
plant, which is why I sought its expedited approval. I am glad to say 
that my good friend and senior colleague from North Dakota, Senator 
Conrad, cosponsored S. 1544, which now goes over to the House.
  Most of my colleagues have probably never been to Rolla, and do not 
know what the Langer Plant is, or what it has been doing over the past 
several decades. So let me describe the background and purpose of my 
bill.
  The Langer Plant has roots in the cold war. Back in the 1950's, our 
defense leadership realized that we lacked the ability to produce jewel 
bearings, which are finely machined bits of carborundum and were 
crucial components in military avionics systems. So the Congress 
located a jewel bearing plant in our State, because of our strategic 
location in the middle of the country. The Langer Plant has been making 
jewel bearings as a government-owned, contractor-operated facility 
since the 1950's.
  My colleagues should also know that the plant is a few miles from the 
Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. Of the plant's 100 or so employees 
remaining after a downsizing, about 60 percent are Native American. The 
Langer Plant brings crucial skilled jobs to an economically depressed 
area.
  However, changing technology means that the National Defense 
Stockpile no longer needs to buy jewel bearings. The Defense Department 
has now reported the plant to the General Services Administration as 
surplus property. Those of my colleagues who are dealing with base 
closures and defense downsizing know that this situation presents Rolla 
with a crisis and an opportunity.
  The future of this factory depends on its ability to become a 
commercial manufacturer. Normal surplus property rules would require 
the GSA to sell the plant for fair market value. The problem is that no 
local entity can afford the plant, which had an original cost of $4.2 
million. The plant itself is not now healthy enough in a business sense 
to finance its own acquisition by a new management team.
  In fact, the plant's economic position is so tenuous that the plant 
will likely run out of money in March, because it has not had a chance 
to build a strong commercial customer base. The plant has worked hard 
to cut costs, and it has already had to cut its workforce by 30 
percent. I am deeply concerned that the plant may fold before it can be 
auctioned.
  My colleagues will understand that as a government-owned facility, 
the plant is not able to compete freely, nor is it eligible for the 
kind of small business or economic development assistance that is 
available to private sector firms. However, once conveyed, the plant 
will be in a position to aggressively seek commercial contracts and 
assistance from the State and other agencies.
  I would like to stress to the Senate that the Rolla community, the 
State of North Dakota, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, and the 
local business community have been working hard to ensure that the 
plant makes a successful transition to the private sector. The local 
community is united behind the plan to transfer the Plant to the Job 
Development Authority of the city of Rolla. Of course, the conveyance 
is conditional on the community and the General Services Administration 
reaching a mutually acceptable legal agreement on the conveyance. But I 
am confident that the GSA and the community can reach that agreement 
swiftly.
  Let me also remind my colleagues that in September the Senate 
approved by voice vote an amendment of mine to the defense 
authorization bill that was exactly identical to the bill that we 
passed on Friday. So this is the second time that the Senate has 
approved this legislation.
  Let me thank the Chair and ranking member of the Governmental Affairs 
Committee, Senators Stevens and Glenn, for their support of this bill. 
And the Chair and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, 
Senators Thurmond and Nunn, have been helpful to me for almost half a 
year now. Senator McCain has also assisted in expediting this 
conveyance. I am deeply grateful to all five senators and their staffs 
for the support and assistance they have given me on this matter. 

[[Page S589]]

  Mr. President, to sum up, I would simply say that S. 1544 tries to 
give a helping hand to the Langer Plant and the city of Rolla. It also 
will relieve the Federal Government of a facility that the Defense 
Department no longer needs. I am grateful to the Senate for its 
approval of S. 1544 on Friday, and I look forward to its swift passage 
by the House.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

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