[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S9805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS--NATIONAL PARK AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT 
                                  FUND

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, as part of the Interior 
appropriations bill (H.R. 2107) the Senate adopted an amendment I 
offered with Senator Stevens to create a National Park and 
Environmental Improvement Fund. The fund is financed with $800 million 
in disputed oil revenue awarded to the Federal Government by the 
Supreme Court. Under the amendment, the annual interest from the fund 
would be available, subject to appropriation, for top priority capital 
improvements within the National Park System; to assist States with 
their own park planning and development; and to finance ocean research.
  As I stated, disbursements of the interest revenue would be subject 
to appropriation. I want to be clear that it is not our intent to 
create this fund in vain, by appropriating the interest and reducing 
other vital park or environmental accounts in order to remain below the 
applicable budget caps. Our goal and intent is to ensure these funds 
will supplement the appropriations parks and environmental accounts 
would otherwise receive. The distinguished chairmen of the Budget 
Committee and the Appropriations Committee have agreed to work to 
ensure that end and I thank them for their courtesy and leadership.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, the Senator is correct. I look forward 
to working with him next year to address this issue during the budget 
process to ensure this fund provides additional resources to meet park 
and relevant environmental needs so that it will not require offsets 
from other park or vital environmental accounts.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I concur with my colleagues, and I will 
work as chairman of the Appropriations Committee to make sure that 
these funds are additional, not replacement, revenues to meet park and 
environmental purposes.

                          ____________________