[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 23, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. JIM DAVIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 22, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4060) making 
     appropriations for energy and water development for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purpose:

  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 4060, 
the Fiscal Year 1999 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. 
Given the limited resources available to the Committee in this era of 
increasingly tight budgets, this legislation is a balanced bill which 
represents a bipartisan effort to meet the important energy and water 
development needs of our Nation.
  One area in which I must express concern and disappointment, however, 
is the funding for the critically important Everglades restoration 
projects. During last year's historic balanced budget agreement, 
Everglades funding was held up as one of the few protected domestic 
discretionary spending priorities. Unfortunately, just one year later, 
this legislation is unable to meet the critical needs of this 
restoration effort.
  The Everglades National Park is truly one of our Nation's natural 
treasurers and provides tremendous resources which are vital to the 
environmental health and quality of life in the State of Florida. While 
we have made great progress in raising awareness of the fragile nature 
of this diverse ecosystem, much work remains to be done to restore and 
protect the park for this and future generations.
  My hope is that as we move this process forward and begin to work in 
conference with the Senate, that we will recede to the Senate levels of 
funding for this work, specifically for the Army Corps of Engineers 
construction efforts in Central and Southern Florida, the Kissimmee 
River, and the Everglades and South Florida Ecosystem Restoration 
projects.
  Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with Members from both side 
of the aisle to secure adequate funding for these Everglades 
restoration projects.

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