[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 23, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8577-S8580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                 LEAHY (AND OTHERS) AMENDMENT NO. 4987

  Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. 
Smith, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Kerry) proposed an 
amendment to the bill (H.R. 3603) making appropriations for 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
related agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
1997, and for other purposes; as follows:

       At the end of the bill, add the following:

     SEC. ____. NORTHERN FOREST STEWARDSHIP.

       (a) Findings.--With respect to the Northern Forest in the 
     States of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, 
     Congress finds that--
       (1) the current land ownership and management patterns have 
     served the people and forests of the region well; public 
     policies relating to the Northern Forest should seek to 
     reinforce rather than replace the patterns of ownership and 
     use that have characterized lands in the Northern Forest for 
     decades;
       (2) people have a right to participate in decisions that 
     affect them;
       (3) the rights of private property owners must be 
     respected;
       (4) natural systems must be sustained over the long term, 
     including air, soil, water, and the diversity of plant and 
     animal species;
       (5) the history and culture of the Northern Forest and the 
     connections between people and the land must be respected;
       (6) States should work in partnership with local 
     governments and the Federal Government;
       (7) differences among the 4 Northern Forest States must be 
     recognized;
       (8) people must appreciate that the Northern Forest has 
     values that are important beyond the boundaries of the 
     Northern Forest;
       (9) because public funds are scarce, the greatest public 
     benefit must be secured for any additional investment;
       (10) proposals must be judged by their long-term benefits, 
     looking at least 50 years into the future;
       (11) programs and regulations in existence on the date of 
     enactment of this Act should be continually evaluated, built 
     upon, and improved before new ones are created;
       (12) the actions described in this section are most 
     appropriately directed by the States, with assistance from 
     the Federal Government, as requested by the States;
       (13) certain Federal tax policies work against the long-
     term ownership, management, and conservation of forest land 
     in the Northern Forest region, and Congress and the President 
     should enact additional legislation to address those tax 
     policies as soon as possible; and
       (14) this section effectuates certain recommendations of 
     the Northern Forest Lands Council that were developed with 
     broad public input and the involvement of Federal, State, and 
     local governments.
       (b) Principles of Sustainability.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
     through the Chief of the Forest Service, is authorized, at 
     the request of the State of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, 
     or Vermont, to provide technical assistance for a State-based 
     initiative directed by the State, to define the appropriate 
     benchmarks of sustainable forest management that address the 
     principles of sustainability, as recommended by the Northern 
     Forest Lands Council.
       (2) Principles of sustainability.--It is the sense of 
     Congress that for the purposes of paragraph (1), principles 
     of sustainability should include--
       (A) maintenance of soil productivity;
       (B) conservation of water quality, wetlands, and riparian 
     zones;
       (C) maintenance or creation of a healthy balance of forest 
     age classes;
       (D) continuous flow of timber, pulpwood, and other forest 
     products;
       (E) improvement of the overall quality of the timber 
     resource as a foundation for more value-added opportunities;
       (F) addressing scenic quality by limiting adverse aesthetic 
     impacts of forest harvesting, particularly in high-elevation 
     areas and vistas;
       (G) conservation and enhancement of habitats that support a 
     full range of native flora and fauna;
       (H) protection of unique or fragile natural areas; and
       (I) continuation of opportunities for traditional 
     recreation.
       (c) Northern Forest Research Cooperative.--The Secretary of 
     Agriculture, acting through the Northeastern Forest 
     Experiment Station and the Chief of the Forest Service, is 
     authorized, at the request of the State of Maine, New 
     Hampshire, New York, or Vermont, to cooperate with the State, 
     the land grant universities of the State, natural resource 
     and forestry schools, other Federal agencies, and other 
     interested parties in coordinating ecological and economic 
     research, including--
       (1) research at those universities on ecosystem health, 
     forest management, product development, economics, and 
     related fields;
       (2) development of specific forest management guidelines to 
     achieve principles of sustainability described in subsection 
     (b) as recommended by the Northern Forest Lands Council;
       (3) technology transfer to the wood products industry on 
     efficient processing, pollution prevention, and energy 
     conservation;
       (4) dissemination of existing and new information to 
     landowners, public and private resource managers, State 
     forest citizen advisory committees, and the general public 
     through professional associations, publications, and other 
     information clearinghouse activities; and
       (5) analysis of strategies for the protection of areas of 
     outstanding ecological significance, high biodiversity, and 
     the provision of important recreational opportunities, 
     including strategies for areas identified through State land 
     acquisition planning processes.
       (d) Interstate Coordination Strategy.--At the request of 
     the States of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, 
     the Chief of the Forest Service is authorized to make a 
     representative of the State and Private Forest Program 
     available to meet with representatives of the States to 
     coordinate the implementation of Federal and State policy 
     recommendations issued by the Northern Forest Lands Council 
     and other policies agreed to by the States.
       (e) Land Conservation.--.
       (1) Federal assistance.--The Secretary of Agriculture 
     (acting through the Chief of the Forest Service) and the 
     Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Director of the 
     National Park Service and Director of the United States Fish 
     and Wildlife Service) at the request of the State of Maine, 
     New Hampshire, Vermont, or New York, is authorized to provide 
     technical and financial assistance for a State-managed public 
     land acquisition planning process and land acquisition 
     initiatives directed by the State.
       (2) Program development.--A goal-oriented planning process 
     for a State described in paragraph (1) to establish a land 
     conservation program shall include--
       (A) identification of, and setting of priorities for the 
     acquisition of, fee or less-than-fee interests in exceptional 
     and important lands, in accordance with criteria that 
     include--
       (i) places offering outstanding recreational opportunities, 
     including locations for hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, 
     camping, and other forms of back-country recreation;
       (ii) recreational access to river and lake shorelines;
       (iii) land supporting vital ecological functions and 
     values;
       (iv) habitats for rare, threatened, or endangered natural 
     communities, plants, and wildlife;
       (v) areas of outstanding scenic value and significant 
     geological features; and
       (vi) working private forest lands that are of such 
     significance or so threatened by conversion that conservation 
     easements should be purchased;
       (B) acquisition of land and interests in land only from 
     willing sellers;
       (C) involvement of local governments and landowners in the 
     planning process in a meaningful way that acknowledges their 
     concerns about public land acquisition;
       (D) recognition that zoning, while an important land use 
     mechanism, is not an appropriate substitution for 
     acquisition;
       (E) assurances that unilateral eminent domain will only be 
     used with the consent of the landowner to clear title and 
     establish purchase prices;
       (F) efficient use of public funds by purchasing only the 
     rights necessary to best identify and protect exceptional 
     values;
       (G) consideration of the potential impacts and benefits of 
     land and easement acquisition on local and regional 
     economies;
       (H) consideration of the necessity of including costs of 
     future public land management in the assessment of overall 
     costs of acquisition;
       (I) minimization of adverse tax consequences to 
     municipalities by making funds available to continue to pay 
     property taxes based at least on current use valuation of 
     parcels acquired, payments in lieu of taxes, user fee 
     revenues, or other benefits, where appropriate;
       (J) identification of the potential for exchanging public 
     land for privately held land of greater public value; and
       (K) assurances that any land or interests inland that are 
     acquired are used and managed for their intended purposes.

[[Page S8578]]

       (3) Willing seller.--No Federal funds made available to 
     carry out this section may be expended for acquisition of 
     private or public property unless the owner of the property 
     willingly offers the property for sale.
       (4) Land acquisition.--
       (A) Funding.--After completion of the planning process 
     under paragraph (2), a Federal and State cooperative land 
     acquisition project under this section may be carried out 
     with funding provided exclusively by the Federal Government 
     or with funding provided by both the Federal Government and a 
     State government.
       (B) Objectives.--A cooperative land acquisition project 
     funded under this section shall promote State land 
     conservation objectives that correspond with Federal goals 
     and the recommendations of the Northern Forest Lands Council.
       (5) Complementary program.--The Secretary of the Interior 
     shall conduct activities under this subsection--
       (A) as a complement to the State Comprehensive Outdoor 
     Recreation Plan for each Northern Forest State in existence 
     on the date of enactment of this section; and
       (B) with a landscape perspective.
       (6) Authorization of appropriations.--
       (A) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated, 
     out of any funds made available for State purposes under 
     section 6 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 
     (16 U.S.C. 460l-8), such sums as are necessary to carry out 
     this subsection.
       (B) Effect on apportionment.--Apportionment among the 
     States under section 6(b) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 460l-8(b)) 
     shall be from funds not appropriated under subparagraph (A).
       (f) Landowner Liability Exemption.--
       (1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (A) many landowners keep their land open and available for 
     responsible recreation; and
       (B) private lands help provide important forest-based 
     recreation opportunities for the public in the Northern 
     Forest region.
       (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     States and other interested persons should pursue initiatives 
     that--
       (A) strengthen relief-from-liability laws to protect 
     landowners that allow responsible public recreational use of 
     their lands;
       (B) update relief-from-liability laws to establish hold-
     harmless mechanisms for landowners that open their land to 
     public use, including provision for payment by the State of 
     the costs of a landowner's defense against personal injury 
     suits and of the costs of repairing property damage and 
     removing litter;
       (C) private additional reductions in property taxes for 
     landowners that allow responsible public recreational use of 
     their lands;
       (D) provide for purchases by the State of land in fee and 
     of temporary and permanent recreation easements and leases, 
     including rights of access;
       (E) foster State and private cooperative recreation 
     agreements;
       (F) create recreation coordinator and landowner liaison and 
     remote ranger positions in State government to assist in the 
     management of public use of private lands and provide 
     recreation opportunities and other similar services;
       (G) strengthen enforcement of trespass, antilittering, and 
     antidumping laws;
       (H) improve recreation user education programs; and
       (I) improve capacity in State park and recreation agencies 
     to measure recreational use (including types, amounts, 
     locations, and concentrations of use) and identify and 
     address trends in use before the trends create problems.
       (g) Nongame Conservation.--
       (1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (A) private landowners often manage their lands in ways 
     that produce a variety of public benefits, including wildlife 
     habitat; and
       (B) there should be more incentives for private landowners 
     to exceed current forest management standards and 
     responsibilities under Federal laws.
       (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     Congress should make it a priority to consider legislation 
     that creates a funding mechanism to support the conservation 
     of nongame fish and wildlife and associated recreation 
     activities on public and private lands and does not replace, 
     substitute, or duplicate existing laws that support game fish 
     and wildlife.
       (h) Water Quality.--The Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency, in cooperation with the Secretary of 
     Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, is authorized, 
     at the request of the State of Maine, New Hampshire, New 
     York, or Vermont, to provide technical and financial 
     assistance to assess water quality trends within the Northern 
     Forest region.
       (i) Rural Community Assistance.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture is 
     authorized, at the request of the State of Maine, New 
     Hampshire, New York, or Vermont, to provide technical and 
     financial assistance to the State, working in partnership 
     with the forest products industry, local communities, and 
     other interests to develop technical and marketing capacity 
     within rural communities for realizing value-added 
     opportunities in the forest products sector.
       (2) Rural community assistance program.--Sufficient funds 
     from the rural community assistance program under paragraph 
     (1) shall be directed to support State-based public and 
     private initiatives to--
       (A) strengthen partnerships between the public and private 
     sectors and enhance the viability of rural communities;
       (B) develop technical capacity in the utilization and 
     marketing of value-added forest products; and
       (C) develop extension capacity in delivering utilization 
     and marketing information to forest-based businesses.
       (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out 
     subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (h), and (i) of this section 
     and section 2371 of the Rural Economic Development Act of 
     1990 (7 U.S.C. 6601) in the States of Maine, New Hampshire, 
     New York, and Vermont.
       (h) Applicability.--This section shall be in effect during 
     fiscal year 1997 and each fiscal year thereafter.
                                 ______
                                 

               THURMOND (AND HOLLINGS) AMENDMENT NO. 4988

  Mr. COCHRAN (for Mr. Thurmond, for himself and Mr. Hollings) proposed 
an amendment to the bill, H.R. 3603, supra; as follows:

       On page 12, line 25, strike ``$46,330,000'' and insert in 
     lieu thereof ``$46,830,000''.
       On page 14, line 10, strike ``$418,620,000'' and insert in 
     lieu thereof ``$419,120,000''.
       On page 21, line 4, strike ``$47,517,000'' and insert 
     ``$47,017,000''.
                                 ______
                                 

                        FRAHM AMENDMENT NO. 4989

  Mr. COCHRAN (for Mrs. Frahm) proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 
3603, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title VII of the bill, add the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 7. RURAL HOUSING PROGRAM EXTENSIONS.

       (a) Extension of Multifamily Rural Housing Loan Program.--
       (1) Authority to make loans.--Section 515(b)(4) of the 
     Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485(b)(4)) is amended by 
     striking ``September 30, 1996'' and inserting ``September 30, 
     1997''.
       (2) Set-aside for nonprofit entities.--The first sentence 
     of section 515(w)(1) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 
     1485(w)(1)) is amended by striking ``fiscal year 1996'' and 
     inserting ``fiscal year 1997''.
       (b) Extension of Housing in Underserved Areas Program.--The 
     first sentence of section 509(f)(4)(A) of the Housing Act of 
     1949 (42 U.S.C. 1479(f)(4)(A)) is amended by striking 
     ``fiscal year 1996'' and inserting ``fiscal year 1997''.
       (c) Reforms for Multifamily Rural Housing Loan Program.--
       (1) Limitation on project transfers.--Section 515 of the 
     Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485) is amended by inserting 
     after subsection (g) the following new subsection:
       ``(h) Project Transfers.--After the date of the enactment 
     of the Act entitled `An Act making appropriations for 
     Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, 
     and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1997, and for other purposes', the ownership or 
     control of a project for which a loan is made or insured 
     under this section may be transferred only if the Secretary 
     determines that such transfer would further the provision of 
     housing and related facilities for low-income families or 
     persons and would be in the best interests of residents and 
     the Federal Government.''.
       (2) Equity loans.--Section 515(t) of the Housing Act of 
     1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485(t)) is amended--
       (A) by striking paragraphs (4) and (5); and
       (B) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (8) as 
     paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively.
       (3) Equity takeout loans to extend low-income use.--
       (A) Authority and limitation.--Section 502(c)(4)(B)(iv) of 
     the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(c)(4)(B)(iv)) is 
     amended by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``or under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 
     514(j), except that an equity loan referred to in this clause 
     may not be made available after the date of the enactment of 
     the Act entitled `An Act making appropriations for 
     Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, 
     and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1997, and for other purposes', unless the 
     Secretary determines that the other incentives available 
     under this subparagraph are not adequate to provide a fair 
     return on the investment of the borrower, to prevent 
     prepayment of the loan insured under section 514 or 515, 
     or to prevent the displacement of tenants of the housing 
     for which the loan was made''.
       (B) Approval of assistance.--Section 502(c)(4)(C) of the 
     Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(c)(4)(C)) is amended by 
     striking ``(C)'' and all that follows through ``provided--'' 
     and inserting the following:
       ``(C) Approval of assistance.--The Secretary may approve 
     assistance under subparagraph (B) for assisted housing only 
     if the restrictive period has expired for any loan for the 
     housing made or insured under section 514 or 515 pursuant to 
     a contract entered into after December 21, 1979, but before 
     the date of the enactment of the Department of Housing and 
     Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, and the Secretary 
     determines that the combination of assistance provided--''.
       (C) Technical correction.--Section 515(c)(1) of the Housing 
     Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485(c)(1)) is amended by striking 
     ``December 21, 1979'' and inserting ``December 15, 1989''.
       (d) Equity Skimming Penalties.--

[[Page S8579]]

       (1) Insurance of loans for the provision of housing and 
     related facilities for domestic farm labor.--Section 514 of 
     the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1484) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(j) Equity Skimming Penalty.--Whoever, as an owner, 
     agent, or manager, or who is otherwise in custody, control, 
     or possession of property that is security for a loan made or 
     insured under this section willfully uses, or authorizes the 
     use, of any part of the rents, assets, proceeds, income, or 
     other funds derived from such property, for any purpose other 
     than to meet actual or necessary expenses of the property, or 
     for any other purpose not authorized by this title or the 
     regulations adopted pursuant to this title, shall be fined 
     not more than $250,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, 
     or both.''.
       (2) Direct and insured loans to provide housing and related 
     facilities for elderly persons and families in rural areas.--
     Section 515 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1485) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(aa) Equity Skimming Penalty.--Whoever, as an owner, 
     agent, or manager, or who is otherwise in custody, control, 
     or possession of property that is security for loan made or 
     insured under this section willfully uses, or authorizes the 
     use, of any part of the rents, assets, proceeds, income, or 
     other funds derived from such property, for any purpose than 
     other than to meet actual or necessary expenses of the 
     property, or for any other purpose not authorized by this 
     title or the regulations adopted pursuant to this title, 
     shall be fined not more than $250,000 or imprisoned not more 
     than 5 years, or both.''.
                                 ______
                                 

                        LEAHY AMENDMENT NO. 4990

  Mr. BUMPERS (for Mr. Leahy) proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 
3603, supra; as follows:

       At the end of the bill, add the following:

     SEC.   . REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL AQUACULTURE ACT OF 1980.

       Section 10 of the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 
     U.S.C. 2809) is amended by striking ``1991, 1992, and 1993'' 
     each place it appears and inserting ``1`991 through 1997''.
                                 ______
                                 

                    KERREY AMENDMENTS NOS. 4991-4992

  Mr. BUMPERS (for Mr. Kerrey) proposed two amendments to the bill, 
H.R. 3603, supra; as follows:

                           Amendment No. 4991

       In lieu of the pending amendment insert the following:

     SEC.  . DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE VOLUNTARY SEPARATION 
                   INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.

       (a) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
       (1) the term ``agency'' means the Department of 
     Agriculture;
       (2) the term ``employee'' means an employee (as defined by 
     section 2105 of title 5, United States Code) who is employed 
     by the agency (or an individual employed by a county 
     committee established under section 8(b)(5) of the Soil 
     Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (16 U.S.C. 
     590h(b)(5))), is serving under an appointment without time 
     limitation, and has been currently employed for a continuous 
     period of at least 3 years, but does not include--
       (A) a reemployed annuitant under subchapter III of chapter 
     83 or chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, or another 
     retirement system for employees of the agency;
       (B) an employee having a disability on the basis of which 
     such employee is or would be eligible for disability 
     retirement under the applicable retirement system referred to 
     in subparagraph (A);
       (C) an employee who is in receipt of a specific notice of 
     involuntary separation for misconduct or unacceptable 
     performance;
       (D) an employee who, upon completing an additional period 
     of service as referred to in section 3(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the 
     Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994 (5 U.S.C. 5597 
     note), would qualify for a voluntary separation incentive 
     payment under section 3 of such Act;
       (E) an employee who has previously received any voluntary 
     separation incentive payment by the Federal Government under 
     this section or any other authority and has not repaid such 
     payment;
       (F) an employee covered by statutory reemployment rights 
     who is on transfer to another organization; or
       (G) any employee who, during the twenty four month period 
     preceding the date of separation, has received a recruitment 
     or relocation bonus under section 5753 of title 5, United 
     States Code, or who, within the twelve month period preceding 
     the date of separation, received a retention allowance under 
     section 5754 of title 5, United States Code.
       (b) Agency Strategic Plan.--
       (1) In general.--The head of the agency, prior to 
     obligating any resources for voluntary separation incentive 
     payments, shall submit to the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of 
     the Senate and the Committee on Government Reform and 
     Oversight of the House of Representatives a strategic plan 
     outlining the intended use of such incentive payments and 
     a proposed organizational chart for the agency once such 
     incentive payments have been completed.
       (2) Contents.--The agency's plan shall include--
       (A) the positions and functions to be reduced or 
     eliminated, identified by organizational unit, geographic 
     location, occupational category and grade level;
       (B) the number and amounts of voluntary separation 
     incentive payments to be offered; and
       (C) a description of how the agency will operate without 
     the eliminated positions and functions.
       (c) Authority To Provide Voluntary Separation Incentive 
     Payments.--
       (1) In general.--A voluntary separation incentive payment 
     under this section may be paid by an agency to any employee 
     only to the extent necessary to eliminate the positions and 
     functions identified by the strategic plan.
       (2) Amount and treatment of payments.--A voluntary 
     separation incentive payment--
       (A) shall be paid in a lump sum after the employee's 
     separation;
       (B) shall be paid from appropriations or funds available 
     for the payment of the basic pay of the employees;
       (C) shall be equal to the lesser of--
       (i) an amount equal to the amount the employee would be 
     entitled to receive under section 5595(c) of title 5, United 
     States Code; or
       (ii) an amount determined by the agency head not to exceed 
     $25,000 in fiscal year 1997, $20,000 in fiscal year 1998, 
     $15,000 in fiscal year 1999, or $10,000 in fiscal year 2000;
       (D) shall not be a basis for payment, and shall not be 
     included in the computation, of any other type of Government 
     benefit; and
       (E) shall not be taken into account in determining the 
     amount of any severance pay to which the employee may be 
     entitled under section 5595 of title 5, United States Code, 
     based on any other separation.
       (3) Limitation.--No amount shall be payable under this 
     section based on any separation occurring before the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, or after September 30, 2000.
       (d) Additional Agency Contributions to the Retirement 
     Fund.--
       (1) In general.--In addition to any other payments which it 
     is required to make under subchapter III of chapter 83 of 
     title 5, United States Code, the agency shall remit to the 
     Office of Personnel Management for deposit in the Treasury of 
     the United States to the credit of the Civil Service 
     Retirement and Disability Fund an amount equal to 15 percent 
     of the final basic pay of each employee of the agency who is 
     covered under subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of 
     title 5, United States Code, to whom a voluntary separation 
     incentive has been paid under this section.
       (2) Definition.--For the purpose of paragraph (1), the term 
     ``final basic pay'', with respect to an employee, means the 
     total amount of basic pay which would be payable for a year 
     of service by such employee, computed using the employee's 
     final rate of basic pay, and, if last serving on other 
     a full-time basis, with appropriate adjustment therefor.
       (e) Effect of Subsequent Employment With the Government.--
     An individual who has received a voluntary separation 
     incentive payment under this section and accepts any 
     employment for compensation with the Government of the United 
     States, or who works for any agency of the United States 
     Government through a personal services contract, within 5 
     years after the date of the separation on which the payment 
     is based shall be required to pay, prior to the individual's 
     first day of employment, the entire amount of the incentive 
     payment to the agency that paid the incentive payment.
       (f) Reduction of Agency Employment Levels.--
       (1) In general.--The total number of funded employee 
     positions in the agency shall be reduced by one position for 
     each vacancy created by the separation of any employee who 
     has received, or is due to receive, a voluntary separation 
     incentive payment under this section. For the purposes of 
     this subsection, positions shall be counted on a full-time-
     equivalent basis.
       (2) Enforcement.--The President, through the Office of 
     Management and Budget, shall monitor the agency and take any 
     action necessary to ensure that the requirements of this 
     subsection are met.
       (g) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect October 
     1, 1996.
                                                                    ____


                           Amendment No. 4992

       On page 25, line 16, strike ``$795,000,000'' and insert 
     ``$725,000,000''.
       On page 29, between lines 7 and 8, insert the following:

                            Risk Management

       For administrative and operating expenses, as authorized by 
     section 226A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization 
     Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6933), $70,000,000, of which not to 
     exceed $700 shall be available for official reception and 
     representation expenses, as authorized by section 506(i) of 
     the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1506(i)): Provided, 
     That this appropriation shall be available only to the extent 
     that an official budget request for a specific dollar amount 
     is submitted by the President to Congress.
                                 ______
                                 

                       BUMPERS AMENDMENT NO. 4993

  Mr. BUMPERS proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 3603, supra; as 
follows:


[[Page S8580]]


       On page 12, line 25, strike ``$46,830,000: and insert in 
     lieu thereof ``$47,080,000''.
       On page 14, line 10, strike ``$419,120,000'' and insert in 
     lieu thereof ``$419,370,000''.
       On page 21, line 4, strike ``47,017,000'' and insert in 
     lieu thereof ``$46,767,000''.
                                 ______
                                 

                        HEFLIN AMENDMENT NO.4994

  Mr. COCHRAN (for Mr. Heflin) proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 
3603, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert:
       ``Section 101(b) of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 
     (Public Law 97-98; 7 U.S.C. 608c note) is amended by striking 
     ``1996'' and inserting ``2002''.
                                 ______
                                 

                      SANTORUM AMENDMENT NO. 4995

  Mr. SANTORUM proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 3603, supra; as 
follows:

       At the end of the bill, add the following:

     SEC.  . LIMITATION ON AMOUNT OF NONRECOURSE LOANS FOR 
                   PEANUTS.

       None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available 
     by this Act may be used to provide to a producer of a crop of 
     quota peanuts a total amount of nonrecourse loans under 
     section 155 of the Agricultural Market Transition Act (7 
     U.S.C. 7271) in excess of $125,000.
                                 ______
                                 

                       BUMPERS AMENDMENT NO. 4996

  Mr. BUMPERS proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 3603, supra; as 
follows:

       On page 42, line 22, after ``development'' add the 
     following, ``as provided under section 747 (e) of public Law 
     104-127''.

               SARBANES (AND MIKULSKI) AMENDMENT NO. 4997

  Mr. BUMPERS (for Mr. Sarbanes, for himself and Ms. Mikulski) proposed 
an amendment to the bill, H.R. 3603, supra; as follows:

       On page 5, line 8, strike ``$25,587,000'' and insert 
     ``$23,505,400''.
       On page 5, line 10, strike ``$146,135,000'' and insert 
     ``$144,053,400''.
       On page 10, line 18, strike ``$721,758,000'' and insert 
     ``$722,839,600''.
                                 ______
                                 

                 HATCH (AND HARKIN) AMENDMENT NO. 4998

  Mr. COCHRAN (for Mr. Hatch, for himself and Mr. Harkin) proposed an 
amendment to the bill, H.R. 3603, supra; as follows:

       On page 55, line 7, after the colon, insert the following: 
     ``Provided further, That a sufficient amount of these funds 
     shall be used to ensure compliance with the statutory 
     deadlines set forth in section 505(j)(4)(A) of the Federal 
     Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 3555(j)(4)(A)):''.
                                 ______
                                 

                        SMITH AMENDMENT NO. 4999

  Mr. COCHRAN (for Mr. Smith) proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 
3603, supra; as follows:

       On page 47, line 17, before the period, insert the 
     following: ``: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 
     306(a)(7) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
     (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(7)), the town of Berlin, New Hampshire, 
     shall be eligible during fiscal year 1997 for a grant under 
     the rural utilities assistance program''.
                                 ______
                                 

                        SMITH AMENDMENT NO. 5000

  Mr. COCHRAN (for Mr. Smith) proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 
3603, supra; as follows:

       On page 47, line 17, before the period, insert the 
     following: ``: Provided further, That, notwithstanding 
     section 306(a)(7) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
     Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(7)), the town of Berlin, 
     New Hampshire, shall be eligible during fiscal year 1997 for 
     a grant under the rural utilities assistance program''.
                                 ______
                                 

                 CRAIG (AND OTHERS) AMENDMENT NO. 5001

  Mr. COCHRAN (for Mr. Craig for himself, Mr. Helms, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. 
Wyden) proposed an amendment to the bill, H.R. 3603, supra; as follows:

       At the end of the matter proposed to be inserted by the 
     amendment, insert the following:

     SEC.  REVIEW AND REPORT ON H-2A NONIMMIGRANT WORKERS PROGRAM.

       (a) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress 
     that the enactment of this Act may impact the future 
     availability of an adequate work force for the producers of 
     our Nation's labor intensive agricultural commodities and 
     livestock.
       (b) Review.--The Comptroller General shall review the 
     effectiveness of the H-2A nonimmigrant worker program to 
     ensure that the program provides a workable safety valve in 
     the event of future shortages of domestic workers after the 
     enactment of this Act. Among other things, the Comptroller 
     General shall review the program to determine--
       (1) that the program ensures that an adequate supply of 
     qualified United States workers is available at the time and 
     place needed for employers seeking such workers after the 
     date of enactment of this Act;
       (2) that the program ensures that there is timely approval 
     of applications for temporary foreign workers under the H-2A 
     nonimmigrant worker program in the event of shortages of 
     United States workers after the date of enactment of this 
     Act;
       (3) that the program ensures that implementation of the H-
     2A nonimmigrant worker program is not displacing United 
     States agricultural workers or diminishing the terms and 
     conditions of employment of United States agricultural 
     workers; and
       (4) if and to what extent the H-2A nonimmigrant worker 
     program is contributing to the problem of illegal 
     immigration.
       (c) Report.--Not later than December 31, 1996, or three 
     months after the date of enactment of this Act, whichever is 
     sooner, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to 
     Congress setting forth the findings of the review conducted 
     under subsection (b);
       (d) Definitions.--As used in this section--
       (1) the term ``Comptroller General'' means the Comptroller 
     General of the United States; and
       (2) the term ``H-2A nonimmigrant worker program'' means the 
     program for the admission of nonimmigrant aliens described in 
     section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act.

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