[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 14, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S4478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REMOVE CONTROVERSIAL RIDERS FROM THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, on May 14 the Senate approved vitally 
important legislation to provide sorely needed aid to victims of the 
recent weather-related disasters throughout the country, including 
South Dakota. It is critical that this legislation be enacted as soon 
as possible so that residents of disaster-stricken States can get on 
with the process of recovering from the loss of property and livestock.
  I am concerned that controversial riders on this bill, including the 
automatic continuing resolution and the provision related to the 
implementation of R.S. 2477 by the Interior Department, could, if 
included in the final conference report, make enactment of the bill 
impossible and thus delay needed aid to disaster victims.
  The controversial Interior provision, over which Secretary Babbitt 
has said he will recommend a veto, blocks recent efforts by the 
administration to close a loophole in the mining laws that allow roads 
to be constructed in national parks and other sensitive Federal lands. 
Many Senators have gone on record that the administration should have 
the ability to protect our public lands from unnecessary and 
environmentally destructive road construction, and an amendment offered 
by Senator Bumpers to strip the R.S. 2477 provision from the 
supplemental lost by a vote of only 49-51, drawing considerable 
bipartisan support. I urge the conferees to drop this and other 
controversial provisions from the bill during the House-Senate 
conference.

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