[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H11217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INDIAN ENVIRONMENTAL GENERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ACT REAUTHORIZATION

  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1834) to reauthorize the Indian Environmental General 
Assistance Program Act of 1992, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1834

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REAUTHORIZATION.

       Section 502(h) of the Indian Environmental General 
     Assistance Program Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 4368b(h)) is 
     amended by striking ``$15,000,000'' and inserting ``such sums 
     as may be necessary''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah [Mr. Hansen] and the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. 
Faleomavaega] each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen].
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  S. 1834 would reauthorize the Indian Environmental General Assistance 
Program Act of 1992. That Act provides general assistance to Indian 
tribes so that they can address environmental issues on Indian lands.
  Through the funding provided in this Act, Tribes are able to 
implement solid and hazardous waste programs on their own lands. In 
this way Tribes are able to fulfill self-government requirements by 
managing their own affairs using their own expertise and their own 
experience.
  To date over 100 tribes have received grants under this act. At 
present tribes are developing environmental agreements which will 
identify environmental priorities and which will allow Tribes to 
implement programs for water quality, solid waste management, air 
quality, and pesticide management.
  This is an important bill, Mr. Speaker. It authorizes such sums as 
may be necessary for what I understand is vital funding to Indian 
Tribes throughout our Nation.

                              {time}  2215

  I recommend a yes vote on H.R. 1834, and I reserve the balance of my 
time, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I nay 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, S. 1834 simply amends the Indian 
Environmental General Assistance Program Act of 1992 to change the 
authorization of funds available under the program from the current 
level of $15 million to ``such sums as may be necessary''. Funding 
levels will still be subject to inclusion in an appropriations bill and 
submitted each year to Congress.
  This program awards general assistance grants to Indian tribal 
Governments to enhance their ability to manage environmental programs 
on Indian lands. To date approximately 100 tribes have received multi 
media grants allowing them to develop and implement environmental 
protection procedures. However the need far outweighs the current limit 
on funding. $28 million is included in appropriations language for 
fiscal year 19997 for this program.
  With the grant assistance from this program, Indian tribes have 
developed comprehensive environmental programs in the areas of solid 
and hazardous waste management, water and air quality, and pesticide 
management. The Penobsoct Indian Nation of Maine has established an 
award winning water resources program. This program had been nationally 
recognized as a model for State-Tribal-Federal cooperation. Some tribes 
have been able to clean up solid and hazardous waste sites on their 
land with the help of this program. Still other tribes have closed 
open-air dumps, established recycling programs, identified leaking 
underground storage tanks and potential superfund sites.
  Mr. Speaker, the cost of this program is minimal compared to the 
return this nation, in cooperation with American Indian nations, gains. 
I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. [Mr. BURTON of Indiana]. The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Utah, Mr. Hansen, that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1834.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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