[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 25, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1320-E1321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1998

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                               speech of

                           HON. DOC HASTINGS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 1997

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1119) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for 
     military activities of the Department of Defense, to 
     prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal years 1998 
     and 1999, and for other purposes.

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I have been working closely 
with Mr. Hall to clarify the terms and conditions of Department of 
Energy property transfers. In Washington State, economic development 
activities are largely undertaken by ports. However, the Department has 
been unclear as to whether ports are eligible to apply for surplus 
Department of Energy property. I am pleased that the guidelines 
established pursuant to the Hall amendment will address these issues.
  Past Congresses have set up a series of provisions which govern the 
transfer of Federal Government property to other agencies, to local 
governments, or to economic development organizations. A special 
provision was created for Department of Energy waste cleanup sites, 
which frequently are contaminated, or near contaminated areas.
  By allowing the Government to transfer unproductive properties, the 
taxpayer will benefit by eliminating costly maintenance and security

[[Page E1321]]

expenses. Second, it will provide additional opportunities for economic 
growth in communities which are suffering from dramatically reduced 
Department of Energy budgets. This is particularly important given the 
National Security Committee's decision to reduce section 3161 economic 
transition funding from $70 million to $22 million.
  Mr. Chairman, the work force in my district has been cut by 31 
percent in the past 3 years. Savannah River is seeing a reduction of 
1,800 employees as we speak. And Oak Ridge, Rocky Flats, and Fernald 
have all seen work force reductions of between 20 percent and 30 
percent.
  This amendment will enable local economic development agencies to 
more easily acquire surplused Federal property and bring in private 
sector employers. I thank Mr. Hall and urge the adoption of the 
amendment.

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