[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 55 (Thursday, April 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4156-S4160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        1996 BALANCED BUDGET DOWNPAYMENT ACT--CONFERENCE REPORT

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of the conference report to 
accompany H.R. 3019, the omnibus appropriations bill, with the reading 
having been waived.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is 
so ordered. The report will be stated.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 
     two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 
     3019), a bill making appropriations for fiscal year 1996 to 
     make a further downpayment toward a balanced budget, and for 
     other purposes, having met, after full and free conference, 
     have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective 
     Houses this report, signed by a majority of the conferees.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the Senate will proceed to 
the consideration of the conference report.
  (The conference report is printed in the House proceedings of the 
Record of April 24, 1996.)
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a 
sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, maybe just for 1 minute the chairman and the 
distinguished Senator from West Virginia might give us a summary of the 
bill. This will be the last vote of the day.
  There will be a vote on Monday, late Monday on cloture.
  Mr. HATFIELD addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.
  Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we make it 
2 minutes for a brief outline.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, let me, first of all, assure the body 
that the leadership of this committee will be here on the floor 
following the vote to engage in any colloquy required or asked for or 
to answer any questions.
  Basically, this is where we are. Seven months into the fiscal year we 
are completing 5 of the 13 appropriations bills, totalling $162 billion 
in nondefense discretionary funds.
  This covers the Labor-HHS, Commerce, State, Justice, HUD and related 
agencies, Interior, and the District of Columbia. I want to say that we 
have accomplished this by a very strong bipartisan effort on the part 
of both the House and the Senate and the White House.
  Leon Panetta, representing the White House, and David Obey and 
Chairman Livingston from the House, Senator Byrd and myself from the 
Senate were the five principals, with staff assisting us, and we 
resolved seven riders relating to environmental issues and to the other 
riders that were very controversial: population control, HIV, repeal of 
the military, and the abortion package relating to certification.
  We had the opportunity to engage in having the administration and 
executive branch help offset the add-backs

[[Page S4157]]

that were requested by the administration. We added $4.2 billion 
totally offset the $8 billion that they had asked for as add-backs. We 
took a .00009 percent reduction across the board on all travel accounts 
in the executive branch of Government, which was about $350 million 
offset--some of those matters that we had on some of the add-backs for 
the administration.
  This is a compromise bill, and it is one that has been crafted in the 
best condition and under the best circumstance that we function under.
  I ask further, Mr. President, for the same amount of time to be 
allocated to the ranking minority member of the committee. Senator Byrd 
and his staff were an absolutely key and integral part of being able to 
bring this bill to the floor. I want to thank him and his staff very 
much for that cooperation.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank the very distinguished senior 
Senator from Oregon, the chairman of the committee. I thank him for his 
work. I thank him for his cooperation and his friendship.
  I intend to vote for the continuing resolution.
  Mr. President, enactment of the thirteen Fiscal Year 1996 
Appropriations Bills has been a long and arduous process. As Senators 
are aware, the departments and agencies funded under five FY 1996 
Appropriations Bills are presently operating under a one day Continuing 
Resolution (the thirteenth continuing resolution this year). That 
continuing resolution expires at midnight tonight. Further continuing 
resolutions will not be necessary for FY 1996 if the Senate adopts the 
pending measure and if it is signed into law by the President by 
midnight tonight.
  Title I of this Conference Agreement contains the Fiscal Year 1996 
appropriations for the following appropriations subcommittees: 
Commerce, Justice, State; D.C.; Interior; Labor-HHS; and VA-HUD. In 
addition, Title II includes emergency and supplemental appropriations 
totaling $2.125 billion. Contained in that amount are funds for 
emergency disaster assistance payments to States and communities 
throughout the nation which have suffered devastation from floods, 
tornadoes, and other natural disasters. These amounts are fully paid 
for by rescissions and other offsets contained in Title III of the 
measure.
  In total, H.R. 3019 provides net spending totaling $159.4 billion. 
This is $794 million in greater spending than the Senate-passed bill. 
However, the Conference Agreement also contains $2.1 billion more in 
spending cuts than the Senate-passed bill. These additional spending 
reductions were necessary in order to fully offset the emergency 
appropriations contained in the measure, as well as the additional 
spending agreed to in conference.
  The bill before the Senate restores $5.1 billion for education and 
training, national service, law enforcement, technology, and other key 
priorities of Congress and the Administration. This amounts to well 
over half of the President's requested $8.1 billion increase. Among the 
major provisions contained in the bill are the following:
  For Labor/HHS/Education, the conference agreement provides for 
increases of nearly $3 billion for key programs including: $195 million 
more for Goals 2000 (for a total of $350 million); $953 million more 
for Title I--Education for the Disadvantaged (total of $7.2 billion); 
$266 million more for Safe and Drug-Free Schools (total of $466 
million); $71 million more for School-to-Work at the Education 
Department (total of $180 million), and $61 million more for School-to-
Work at the Labor Department (total of $170 million); $625 million more 
for Summer Jobs for Youth (total of $625 million); $233 million more 
for Dislocated Worker Assistance (total of $1.1 billion); and $169 
million more for Head Start (total of $3.6 billion).

  For VA/HUD the bill provides $1.6 billion more for key programs in 
this part of the bill, out of the President's request for $2.5 billion, 
including: $387 million more for national service (total of $402 
million); $45 million more for Community Development Financial 
Institutions (total of $45 million); and $817 million for the EPA 
budget, including: $465 million more for Water Programs (total of $1.8 
billion); $40 million more for EPA enforcement (total of $231 million); 
$150 million more for Superfund (total of $1.3 billion).
  For Commerce/Justice/State the bill provides increases for key 
programs including: $1.4 billion for the ``COPS'' program, together 
with conference report language which stipulates that Congress is 
committed to deploying 100,000 police officers across the nation by the 
year 2000; $503 million for a new local law enforcement block grant; 
$403 million for a new state prison grant program; and $221 million 
more for the Advanced Technology Program (total of $221 million).
  Finally, as members are aware, there were a number of controversial 
legislative riders which had to be addressed in this conference. To 
their great credit, the Chairmen of the Appropriations Committees, my 
distinguished colleague from Oregon [Mr. Hatfield] and the 
distinguished gentleman from Louisiana, [Mr. Livingston], after 
devoting many long hours to these issues, were able to conclude them in 
a way that addressed the concerns of members of the House and Senate, 
but also met the concerns of the President in a way that will enable 
this measure to be signed into law. Without addressing each of these 
controversial riders, suffice it to say that a number were dropped, 
others were left in the agreement but with waiver authority provided to 
the President, and still others were modified sufficiently to achieve 
agreement on all sides.

  I commend the Chairmen and Ranking Members of all of the 
Subcommittees involved in this conference, as well as the excellent 
work of all of the staff. I particularly want to recognize the 
outstanding efforts of the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations 
Committee, Mr. Hatfield. As Chairman of the Conference, he carried out 
his responsibilities with great patience and aplomb, which are 
characteristic of my good friend from Oregon. I appreciate your 
efforts, Senator Hatfield, and I congratulate you on the successful 
completion of this very difficult conference. I am hopeful that all 
Senators will vote to adopt H.R. 3019 and that later today it will 
receive the President's signature. At that point, we will have 
completed the most difficult and trying appropriations cycle for any 
fiscal year that I can recall in my years of service in the U.S. 
Senate. I look forward to working with the distinguished Chairman of 
the Committee on the upcoming FY 1997 Appropriations Bills and I pledge 
to him my total cooperation in hopes that we can avoid many of the 
difficulties we have had to overcome in fiscal year 1996. Mr. 
President, I ask that a more complete statement be inserted in the 
Record at this point.
  There being no objection, the statement was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:


                        commerce, justice, state

       The conference agreement includes $1.4 billion for the 
     Community Oriented Policing Services program or the ``COPS'' 
     program as it is commonly known. This is $100 million above 
     fiscal year 1995, $1.4 billion above the level included in 
     H.R. 2076, the Commerce, Justice and State bill that the 
     President vetoed last December. The conference report 
     reiterates, for the first time since the Republicans won a 
     majority in the House and Senate, that the Congress remains 
     committed to deploying one hundred thousand additional police 
     officers on the beat across America by the year 2000.
       The conference agreement also provides $503 million for a 
     new local law enforcement block grant. This program is 
     intended to meet other law enforcement needs that communities 
     may have, such as equipment.
       On another crime issue, the conference report includes $403 
     million for a new State prison grant program, sometimes 
     called ``Truth in Sentencing.'' This program, which will 
     provide grants to States to build or renovate or expand 
     prisons.
       The conference agreement provides $221 million for the 
     Commerce Department's Advanced Technology Program. This is 
     $221 million above the vetoed CJS bill, H.R. 2076, but is 
     still about $210 million below the level enacted for the ATP 
     program in fiscal year 1995. These funds will be principally 
     used to pay for continuation of ATP awards made in fiscal 
     year 1995 and prior years. The ATP program provides for cost-
     shared R&D projects with industry to help bring leading edge 
     technologies from the drawing board to the market place. This 
     was a high priority for the President and the Secretary of 
     Commerce in these negotiations. I should note, that the late 
     Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown was a major advocate of this 
     program.
       The conference agreement includes $1.254 billion for 
     Department of State international organizations and 
     conferences. For the most part this represents assessed 
     contributions to the United Nations and other international 
     organizations, for example the World Health Organization and 
     Organization

[[Page S4158]]

     of American States, and for United Nations Peacekeeping. The 
     conference agreement represents an increase of $326 million 
     above the vetoed CJS bill, H.R. 2076.
       The agreement waives Section 15a of the State Department 
     basic authorities Act, so the State Department can continue 
     to obligate appropriations even in the absence of a fiscal 
     year 1996 authorization.
       Finally, the Conference Agreement includes $100 million for 
     the Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan 
     program. This will replenish SBA's funds and enable the 
     agency to respond to future disasters. Further, the 
     Conference Agreement also includes $18 million for Economic 
     Development Administration (EDA) within the Commerce 
     Department. This funding, which requires a certification and 
     request by the President, provides for emergency repairs of 
     facilities that were damaged by flooding in the Northwest and 
     provides for mitigation of flooding at Devil's Lake, North 
     Dakota, as well as other disasters.


                          district of columbia

       With regard to the District of Columbia, the annual Federal 
     payment to the District of Columbia was provided to the 
     District of Columbia government in earlier continuing 
     resolutions. This bill provides for the appropriations for 
     programs, projects, and activities in the District of 
     Columbia budget. The bill also includes a number of 
     legislative provisions designed to improve the quality of 
     education in the District of Columbia public school system.
       Among the provisions are several which I authored which are 
     intended to improve order and discipline in the D.C. public 
     school system. These include: a dress code which shall 
     include a prohibition of gang membership symbols and which 
     may include a requirement that students wear uniforms; a 
     requirement that any students suspended from classes should 
     perform community service during the period of suspension; 
     and the placement of the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, 
     who manages a number of programs for at-risk youth, on the 
     Commission on Consensus Reform in the District of Columbia 
     Public Schools.


                                defense

       The conferees agreed to provide $820 million of costs of 
     on-going operations in Bosnia. The amounts have been 
     designated an emergency, as recommended by the House. 
     However, the full amount included is offset by recommended 
     rescissions from existing defense resources.
       The amount included for Bosnia operations represents the 
     second phase of financing for the Defense Department portion 
     of the costs. Previously, the Committees on Appropriations 
     have approved a reprogramming to cover an additional $875 
     million of the funding requirement. Congress is expected to 
     consider additional reprogrammings to cover the remaining 
     balance which is estimated to be around $640 million for the 
     remainder of this fiscal year.
       The conferees agreed to a Senate proposal to repeal Section 
     1177 of title 10 which would have required the mandatory 
     discharge or retirement of members of the Armed Forces 
     infected with the HIV-1 virus.
       As proposed by the Senate, the conferees agree to authorize 
     the Air Force to award a multiyear procurement contract for 
     the C-17 program. The conferees direct that savings from this 
     contract must exceed those of current proposal under 
     consideration by the Air Force.
       In addition, the conference agreement includes several 
     technical corrections, and clarifies guidance offered in the 
     FY 1996 DoD Appropriations Act. To more closely track 
     authorization recommendations of the Congress, the 
     conferees have added $44.9 million for continued B-52 
     operations, and $50 million for SEMATECH. All funding 
     recommended in the Defense Chapter is fully offset by 
     proposed rescissions of $994.9 million from classified 
     programs and savings from lower inflation.


                      energy and water development

       For programs and activities under the jurisdiction of the 
     Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, the Conference 
     Agreement includes $135 million, the same as the budget 
     request and the amount proposed by the House and Senate, for 
     the Corps of Engineers to damages to non-Federal levies and 
     other flood control works in states affected by recent 
     natural disasters, and to replenish funds transferred from 
     other accounts for emergency work, under Public Law 84-99.
       In addition, the Agreement includes $30 million, the same 
     as the budget request, for repair of Corps of Engineers 
     projects caused by severe flooding in the Northeast and 
     Northwest.
       For the Bureau of Reclamation, an amount of $9 million is 
     included for emergency repairs as Folsom Dam in California.
       An amount of $15 million is provided for the Department of 
     Energy to accelerate activities in the Materials Protection, 
     Control and Accounting program, to improve facilities and 
     institute national standards to secure stockpiles of weapons 
     usable fissile materials in Russia, and the Newly Independent 
     States. No similar provision was included in the House bill, 
     the Senate bill, or the budget request.
       In addition, the conference agreement also includes several 
     provisions dealing with the transfer of funds for the Western 
     Area Power Administration, an item under the Federal Energy 
     Regulatory Commission's jurisdiction involving the Flint 
     Creek Project in Montana, additional language involving 
     appropriations for the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois 
     Waterway navigation study, and language regarding refinancing 
     of the Bonneville Power Administration debt.
       Finally, the conference agreement includes language 
     contained in the Senate bill authorizing the Board of 
     Directors of the United States Enrichment Corporation to 
     transfer the interest of the United States in the Corporation 
     to the private sector.


                           foreign operations

       Title II of the Conference Report contains two provisions 
     under the heading Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and 
     Related Programs.
       The first provides $50 million for emergency expenses 
     necessary to meet unanticipated needs for the acquisition and 
     eradication of terrorism in and around Israel. The conferees 
     agreed that the fragility of the Middle East peace process 
     warranted this extraordinary action. This emergency 
     appropriation is fully offset.
       The second provides $70 million, also fully offset, for 
     grant Foreign Military Financing for Jordan in recognition of 
     its central role in the search for peace in the Middle East. 
     These funds are to be used to finance transfers by lease of 
     16 F-16 fighter aircraft to the Government of Jordan. In 
     recognition of the downsizing of the U.S. defense industry 
     and the loss of jobs this is causing, the conferees directed 
     that the Department of Defense give priority consideration to 
     American defense firms in awarding contracts for upgrades and 
     other major improvements to these aircraft prior to delivery.


                                interior

       Mr. President, the Interior portion of this omnibus bill 
     finally brings to closure action on the Interior bill. As 
     many Senators know, the Interior bill went to conference 
     three different times, only to be vetoed by the President. In 
     response to the concerns raised by the Administration, this 
     bill has made significant changes, particularly with respect 
     to the legislative language. These items were among the most 
     contentious items in the conference on H.R. 3019 and were 
     among the last items to be resolved.
       With regard to the Tongass National Forest, the language 
     follows closely the provisions proposed by the Senate 
     regarding the land management plan and alternative P, as well 
     as the contested timber sales under a recent lawsuit 
     (AWARTA). However, these provisions may be waived by the 
     President pursuant to the terms of this legislation. The 
     language clarifies that the AWARTA provisions in section 
     325(b) shall have no effect during a suspension. To assist 
     with the economic impacts of a declining timber sales program 
     on the Tongass National Forest, a disaster assistance fund of 
     $110 million is established.
       Language from earlier conferences about the management of 
     the Mojave National Preserve and the endangered species 
     moratorium has been modified to address concerns expressed by 
     the Administration. However, in the event the President 
     believes such improvements do not allow for adequate 
     protection of the resource, a waiver is provided wherein 
     these provisions can be suspended.
       Language about the Columbia Basin ecosystem project has 
     been deleted and instead, language is included which 
     clarifies that this project does not apply to non-Federal 
     lands and will not provide the basis for any regulation of 
     private property.
       Because of concerns expressed by the Administration, the 
     timber provisions that provided authority for substitution of 
     alternative timber sales or buyout of timber sales are 
     deleted.
       Language, and funding of $3 million, is extended to the 
     Smithsonian Institution to conduct another round of employee 
     buy-outs between enactment of this legislation and October 
     1, 1996.
       In total, the Interior bill ends up being funded at a level 
     $1.2 billion below the fiscal year 1995 enacted level. There 
     are very real spending cuts in this legislation--many 
     agencies have already begun reducing programs and downsizing 
     their workforces. Some reductions in force have occurred, but 
     further drastic actions should be avoided as a result of 
     completion of this legislation.
       With respect to funding, the Interior portion of this bill 
     seeks to protect the operating base budgets for the land 
     management agencies. Additional funding of $25 million each 
     for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health 
     Service is included above earlier conference levels. Funding 
     for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program is increased 
     $12 million above the earlier conference agreement. A total 
     of $4 million is provided to the Fish and Wildlife Service to 
     handle the emergency listings allowed by the act, or to 
     address program requirements in the event a waiver is issued.
       In addition, this bill provides funding of $245.3 million 
     for natural disaster recovery efforts, stemming from flooding 
     earlier this year in the East and Pacific Northwest, as well 
     as other disasters in other regions of the country.


                      labor, health, and education

       I am pleased that an agreement has finally been reached on 
     the funding levels for the Labor, HHS programs, and that the 
     most controversial legislative riders have been dropped or 
     substantially modified.
       The conference agreement closely follows the Senate bill 
     providing overall funding at $64.6 billion. This is $206 
     million over the

[[Page S4159]]

     Senate bill and $2.6 billion above the House bill. Moreover, 
     the agreement is fully $3.8 billion over the original House-
     passed Labor, HHS bill, H.R. 2127. Nonetheless, critical 
     health, education and job training programs sustained cuts of 
     $2.6 billion or 4% below the fiscal year 1994 funding level. 
     Certain programs, such as the Low Income Home Energy 
     Assistance program which was slashed by 30%, were cut much 
     deeper than the overall spending reduction.
       I am also pleased that it was bi-partisan cooperation in 
     the Senate which resulted in the overwhelming vote, 84-16, 
     for passage of the Specter-Harkin education restoration 
     amendment. This amendment restored $2.7 billion to high 
     priority education programs including Title I grants to 
     school districts with large numbers of poor children, and the 
     Goals 2000 program which funds state-wide public school 
     improvement initiatives. The conference agreement includes 
     education restorations which slightly exceed the funding 
     level in the Senate bi-partisan amendment.
       There are a number of programs important to me and the 
     state of West Virginia which were terminated by the original 
     House Labor, HHS bill but which were restored in the 
     Senate bill and the conference committee. These include 
     black lung clinics, the Byrd Scholarship program, and full 
     funding for staffing the new, state-of-the-art NIOSH 
     facility in Morgantown.
       Included in the bill is the termination of over 110 
     programs viewed by the conferees as having met their 
     objectives, being duplicative of other programs, or having 
     low priority. Protected are high priority programs, such as, 
     medical research, student aid, compensatory education for the 
     disadvantaged, and summer youth jobs. The bill's highlights 
     include the following:
       $625 Million for the 1996 Summer Youth Employment Program 
     of the Department of Labor. The House bill had terminated 
     this program.
       $1.1 billion for the Dislocated Worker Retraining program, 
     bringing the total $233 million above the House bill.
       $350 Million for the School to Work program, jointly 
     administered by the Departments of Labor and Education, an 
     increase of $105 million from the 1995 appropriated level.
       $11.9 billion for medical research supported by the 
     National Institutes of Health. This is an increase of $654 
     million over 1995, or 5.8 percent.
       $738 million for the Ryan White AIDS programs. This is an 
     increase of $105 million over 1995. Within the total is $52 
     million specifically set aside for the AIDS drugs 
     reimbursement program. These additional funds will enable 
     states to better meet the growing cost and demand for new 
     AIDS drugs.
       $93 million to continue the Healthy Start program. This is 
     $43 million above the original level passed by the House.
       $3.57 billion for the Head Start program. This is $36 
     million above 1995.
       $350 million for the GOALS 2000 Educate America Act 
     program. The House bill had terminated funding for this 
     program.
       $7.2 billion for the Title I, Compensatory Education for 
     the Disadvantaged program. This is the same as the 1995 level 
     and nearly $1 billion more than the House bill.
       $466 million for the Drug Free Schools program. This is 
     $266 million above the House bill.
       $78 million for education technology programs which assist 
     schools in expanding the availability of technology enhanced 
     curricula and instruction to improve educational services. 
     This is $23 million above 1995.
       $973 million for Vocational Education Basis Grants. This is 
     the same as the 1995 level and $83 million over the House 
     bill.
       $93 million to recapitalize the Perkins Loan student aid 
     program. The House had proposed no funding for this purpose.
       $32 million for the State Student Incentive Grant program. 
     The House bill had proposed terminating funding for this 
     program.
       The bill also raises the maximum Pell Grant to $2,470. This 
     is an increase of $130 in the maximum grant and is the 
     highest maximum grant ever provided.
       As Senators know, the House included many legislative 
     riders in its version of the FY 1996 Labor-HHS appropriations 
     bill. Disposition of some of these provisions occurred as 
     follows:
       1. OSHA--Ergonomics Rider: House Recedes to the Senate 
     language that was included in last year's rescission bill 
     prohibiting OSHA from promulgating an ergonomic standard or 
     guideline. The language is modified to include the reference 
     in the House language ``directly or through section 23(g) of 
     the Occupational Safety and Health Act.''
       2. NLRB--Single Site Bargaining Units: Senate Recedes to 
     language proposed by the House to prohibit the Board from 
     using funds in FY'96 to promulgate a rule regarding single 
     location bargaining units in representation cases.
       3. Direct Lending: House recedes to the Senate with no cap 
     on loan volume, but a cap on administrative costs. This saves 
     $114 million by reducing the amounts available for 
     administrative costs from $550 million to $436.
       4. Female Genital Mutilation: The agreement modifies the 
     Senate amendment to include the language requiring the 
     Secretary of HHS to collect data, conduct surveillance, and 
     develop outreach, prevention and education programs regarding 
     female genital mutilation, both for the general public and 
     the medical community. However, the agreement does not 
     establish new federal criminal penalties.
       5. Abortion: The agreement adopts the Senate position on 
     the abortion riders in the bill, including the ``Hyde'' 
     language prohibiting the use of federal funds for abortions, 
     except in the cases of rape or incest, or for the life of the 
     mother. Also included is the ``Coats/Snowe'' amendment 
     related to the accreditation of OBGYN training programs.


            treasury, postal service and general government

       The conference agreement deletes the appropriations cap of 
     $1,406,000 for Customs Service Small Airports to permit the 
     Customs Service to fund requests for user fee airports 
     through full reimbursement from requesting airports.
       The conferees also added a new general provision requiring 
     the Internal Revenue Service to provide a level of taxpayer 
     service in fiscal year 1996 not below that provided in fiscal 
     year 1995.
       In addition, the conference agreement adds a new general 
     provision to provide $1 million to the Office of National 
     Drug Control Policy to fund conferences on model state drug 
     laws through funding made available in fiscal year 1996 for 
     the Counter-Drug Technology Assessment Center. The bill also 
     includes a supplemental appropriation of $3,400,000 for the 
     Office of National Drug Control Policy. This supplemental 
     funding will permit the new Director of ONDCP, General 
     McCaffrey, to hire and retain an additional 80 FTEs bringing 
     the total number of FTE for this Office to 125 in fiscal year 
     1996. This supplemental funding has been fully offset through 
     rescissions in the General Services Administration, 
     installment acquisition payments account ($-3.5 million).
       The conference agreement also includes a section proposed 
     by the Senate to increase the number of appointees to the 
     Commission on Restructuring the IRS by 4, bringing the number 
     of members of the Commission up to a new level of 17. This 
     provision permits the Majority Leader of the Senate and the 
     Speaker of the House to each name 4 members to the Commission 
     instead of 2 each as provided in current law.


                      va-hud-independent agencies

       The final conference agreement maintains, and even 
     strengthens, the bipartisan agreement passed overwhelmingly 
     by the Senate restoring funding cuts in environmental 
     programs. The final package includes an additional $817 
     million over the amounts in the vetoed VA-HUD bill for 
     Environmental Protection Agency programs.
       The VA-HUD chapter also includes increased funding for 
     science and technology programs, including an additional 
     $83,000,000 for the National Aeronautic and Space 
     Administration (NASA) and $40,000,000 for the National 
     Science Foundation.
       The final conference agreement deletes two controversial 
     riders proposed in the original bill, including: (1) language 
     which would have taken away EPA's ability to overrule Corps 
     of Engineers decisions on wetlands, and (2) language which 
     would have transferred oversight of Fair Housing from HUD to 
     the Department of Justice.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank all Senators.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me just clarify, following the vote we 
will finish the action on the immigration matter. We will then come 
back, and it will be all the time anybody needs for colloquy, debate, 
or any other question they may want to ask either Senator Byrd or 
Senator Hatfield on the large appropriations bill.
  Mr. WARNER. That would include matters which are cleared on both 
sides.
  Mr. DOLE. Yes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The yeas and nays have been ordered.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. I announce that the Senator from Arizona [Mr. McCain] is 
necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thomas). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 88, nays 11, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 89 Leg.]

                                YEAS--88

     Abraham
     Akaka
     Baucus
     Bennett
     Biden
     Bingaman
     Bond
     Boxer
     Bradley
     Breaux
     Bryan
     Bumpers
     Burns
     Byrd
     Campbell
     Chafee
     Coats
     Cochran
     Cohen
     Conrad
     Coverdell
     Craig
     D'Amato
     Daschle
     DeWine
     Dodd
     Dole
     Domenici
     Dorgan
     Exon
     Feingold
     Feinstein
     Ford
     Frist
     Glenn
     Gorton
     Graham
     Grams
     Gregg
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Hatfield
     Heflin
     Hollings
     Inouye
     Jeffords
     Johnston
     Kassebaum
     Kempthorne
     Kennedy
     Kerrey
     Kerry
     Kohl
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lott
     Lugar
     Mack
     McConnell
     Mikulski
     Moseley-Braun
     Moynihan
     Murray
     Nickles
     Nunn
     Pell
     Pressler
     Pryor
     Reid
     Robb
     Rockefeller
     Roth
     Santorum
     Sarbanes
     Shelby
     Simon

[[Page S4160]]


     Simpson
     Snowe
     Specter
     Stevens
     Thomas
     Thompson
     Thurmond
     Warner
     Wellstone
     Wyden

                                NAYS--11

     Ashcroft
     Brown
     Faircloth
     Gramm
     Grassley
     Helms
     Hutchison
     Inhofe
     Kyl
     Murkowski
     Smith

                             NOT VOTING--1

       
     McCain
       
  So the conference report was agreed to.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the 
conference report was agreed to.
  Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. DOLE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.

                          ____________________