[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 131 (Friday, September 26, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10062-S10063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRAIG:
  S. 1230. A bill to amend the Small Reclamation Projects of 1956 to 
provide for Federal cooperation in non-Federal reclamation projects and 
for participation by non-Federal agencies in Federal projects; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


               the small reclamation projects act of 1956

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President. I send to the desk for appropriate 
reference a measure to expand the use and availability of the Small 
Reclamation Projects Act of 1956.
  The Small Reclamation Projects Act has provided important benefits 
throughout the Reclamation West in the 40 years since it was first 
established. Over the past several years there have been various 
discussions on ways to expand the benefits of the program. Last 
Congress I introduced two measures that included some of the 
suggestions that have been made. Neither of the measures would have 
affected ongoing projects.
  One of the measures, S. 1564, dealt with financing. At the present 
time, the Secretary is limited to grants and loans to fulfill the 
objectives of the act. That legislation would have expanded the 
authority of the Secretary to include the use of loan guarantees as a 
way of stretching the limited federal resources. The other measure, S. 
1565,

[[Page S10063]]

revised existing law to expand the purposes for which assistance can be 
received from the Federal Government. Irrigation would have remained an 
authorized purpose, but it would no longer be a required component. The 
purposes would now include the augmentation and management of local 
water supplies, conservation of water and energy, fish and wildlife 
conservation, supplemental water for existing supplies, water quality 
improvements, and flood control. The legislation would have limited the 
application of interest on any loans to those features which are 
currently reimbursable with interest under reclamation law.
  On September 5, 1996, I conducted a hearing on these, and several 
other reclamation measures, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Forests 
and Public Land Management. Based on the comments that I received at 
the hearing, and subsequent conversations that I have had with 
individuals and groups interested in the potential of the Small 
Reclamation Program, I have combined the two measures and made several 
changes in the sustance. I am introducing the measure today and plan to 
request that the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources add this measure to its scheduled hearing 
on October 7, 1997.
  Mr. President, I sincerely hope that once the administration has the 
opportunity to read this measure and reflect on our hearing last year, 
they will change their minds and support this legislation. Quite 
frankly, I do not understand the reasons for the almost knee-jerk 
opposition of the administration to this proposal or their persistent 
efforts to terminate not only the Small Reclamation Project Act, but 
programs such as the Rehabilitation and Betterment loan activity. An 
administration that trumpets its concern for the environment should 
understand that one of the best ways of providing additional water 
supplies for instream uses, as well as for additional consumptive uses, 
is to repair old leaky systems. It may simple be that these programs 
either directly or indirectly help farmers, but I would submit, Mr. 
President, that they also benefit the environment and the economy.
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