[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 21, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H6036-H6039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H6036]]
                ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN PRO TEMPORE

  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Pease). Pursuant to House Resolution 
504, the Chair announces that he will reduce to a minimum of 5 minutes 
the period of time within which a vote by electronic device may be 
taken on each amendment on which the Chair has postponed further 
proceedings.


                 Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. Sanders

  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The question is on amendment No. 6 offered 
by the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) on which further 
proceedings were postponed and on which the noes prevailed by voice 
vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 241, 
noes 185, not voting 8, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 314]

                               AYES--241

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Andrews
     Archer
     Armey
     Baesler
     Baldacci
     Barcia
     Barr
     Barrett (WI)
     Bass
     Becerra
     Berry
     Bilbray
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Blumenauer
     Boehlert
     Bonior
     Bono
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Bryant
     Bunning
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canady
     Cannon
     Capps
     Carson
     Chabot
     Chenoweth
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Collins
     Condit
     Conyers
     Cox
     Crane
     Crapo
     Cubin
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Danner
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Deal
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Deutsch
     Dicks
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     Ensign
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Fazio
     Filner
     Foley
     Fowler
     Franks (NJ)
     Furse
     Ganske
     Gekas
     Gibbons
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Graham
     Gutierrez
     Hansen
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Hefner
     Herger
     Hill
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hoekstra
     Hooley
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hulshof
     Hutchinson
     Jackson (IL)
     Jefferson
     Jenkins
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (WI)
     Jones
     Kaptur
     Kasich
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MA)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     Kleczka
     Kolbe
     LaFalce
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Leach
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Luther
     Maloney (NY)
     Manton
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Martinez
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McGovern
     McHale
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McIntyre
     McKinney
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Menendez
     Metcalf
     Millender-McDonald
     Minge
     Mink
     Moran (KS)
     Morella
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Neal
     Nethercutt
     Neumann
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Owens
     Pallone
     Pappas
     Parker
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pease
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pombo
     Portman
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Riggs
     Rivers
     Rogers
     Rohrabacher
     Rothman
     Roukema
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Salmon
     Sanders
     Scarborough
     Schaffer, Bob
     Schumer
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Sherman
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (OR)
     Smith, Adam
     Smith, Linda
     Snyder
     Solomon
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stearns
     Stokes
     Strickland
     Stump
     Stupak
     Sununu
     Tanner
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Thompson
     Thune
     Thurman
     Torres
     Towns
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Waters
     Watt (NC)
     Waxman
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Weygand
     White
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Young (AK)

                               NOES--185

     Aderholt
     Bachus
     Baker
     Ballenger
     Barrett (NE)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bateman
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berman
     Bilirakis
     Bliley
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Borski
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (CA)
     Burr
     Burton
     Callahan
     Cardin
     Castle
     Chambliss
     Christensen
     Clement
     Coburn
     Combest
     Cook
     Cooksey
     Costello
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Davis (VA)
     DeLay
     Diaz-Balart
     Dickey
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Engel
     English
     Eshoo
     Everett
     Ewing
     Farr
     Fattah
     Fawell
     Forbes
     Fossella
     Fox
     Frank (MA)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Gallegly
     Gejdenson
     Gephardt
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Gordon
     Goss
     Granger
     Green
     Greenwood
     Gutknecht
     Hall (OH)
     Hall (TX)
     Hamilton
     Hastert
     Hilleary
     Hobson
     Holden
     Hoyer
     Hunter
     Hyde
     Inglis
     Istook
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Kanjorski
     Kennelly
     Kim
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Klink
     Klug
     Knollenberg
     Kucinich
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Lantos
     Largent
     Lazio
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Linder
     Livingston
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Maloney (CT)
     Mascara
     Matsui
     McCrery
     McDade
     McDermott
     McKeon
     Meeks (NY)
     Mica
     Miller (CA)
     Miller (FL)
     Mollohan
     Moran (VA)
     Murtha
     Ney
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Oxley
     Packard
     Paxon
     Pelosi
     Pickett
     Pitts
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Poshard
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Rangel
     Redmond
     Regula
     Reyes
     Riley
     Rodriguez
     Roemer
     Rogan
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Ryun
     Sabo
     Sanchez
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Schaefer, Dan
     Scott
     Sessions
     Shaw
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Sisisky
     Skaggs
     Skeen
     Smith (TX)
     Snowbarger
     Souder
     Spence
     Stark
     Stenholm
     Talent
     Tauscher
     Tauzin
     Thomas
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tierney
     Traficant
     Turner
     Upton
     Visclosky
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Watkins
     Watts (OK)
     Weldon (PA)
     Wilson
     Wise
     Wolf
     Yates

                             NOT VOTING--8

     Dixon
     Ford
     Gonzalez
     Harman
     John
     McNulty
     Moakley
     Young (FL)

                              {time}  1848

  Mr. FOSSELLA changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  Messrs. McCOLLUM, SCHUMER and DICKS changed their vote from ``no'' to 
``aye.''
  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                     Amendment Offered by Mc Govern

  The CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a recorded vote 
on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
McGovern) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the 
noes prevailed by voice vote.
  The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The Clerk designated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 203, 
noes 221, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 315]

                               AYES--203

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Andrews
     Bachus
     Baesler
     Baldacci
     Barcia
     Barrett (WI)
     Bass
     Becerra
     Bereuter
     Berman
     Berry
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Blumenauer
     Boehlert
     Bonior
     Boyd
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Burton
     Camp
     Campbell
     Capps
     Cardin
     Carson
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Conyers
     Costello
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Cummings
     Danner
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (VA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Deutsch
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Ehrlich
     Engel
     Ensign
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Farr
     Fawell
     Filner
     Forbes
     Fox
     Frank (MA)
     Furse
     Gekas
     Gephardt
     Gilman
     Goode
     Graham
     Greenwood
     Gutierrez
     Hastings (FL)
     Hayworth
     Hefner
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hooley
     Horn
     Houghton
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (WI)
     Kaptur
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MA)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kennelly
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     King (NY)
     Kleczka
     Klink
     Klug
     LaFalce
     Lampson
     Lantos
     Lazio
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manton
     Markey
     Martinez
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHale
     McIntyre
     McKinney
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Menendez
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (CA)
     Mink
     Moran (VA)
     Morella
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Neal
     Nethercutt
     Neumann
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Owens
     Pallone
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Pease
     Pelosi
     Petri
     Pitts
     Poshard
     Price (NC)
     Quinn
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Rush
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Schumer
     Scott
     Serrano
     Shays
     Sherman
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith, Adam
     Snowbarger
     Snyder
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stark
     Strickland

[[Page H6037]]


     Stupak
     Sununu
     Tauscher
     Thompson
     Thune
     Thurman
     Tierney
     Torres
     Towns
     Turner
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Waters
     Watt (NC)
     Waxman
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Weygand
     Woolsey
     Wynn

                               NOES--221

     Aderholt
     Archer
     Armey
     Baker
     Ballenger
     Barr
     Barrett (NE)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bateman
     Bentsen
     Bliley
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bono
     Borski
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (CA)
     Bryant
     Bunning
     Burr
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Canady
     Cannon
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Chenoweth
     Christensen
     Clay
     Coble
     Coburn
     Collins
     Combest
     Condit
     Cook
     Cooksey
     Cox
     Crane
     Crapo
     Cubin
     Cunningham
     Deal
     DeLay
     Diaz-Balart
     Dickey
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Emerson
     English
     Everett
     Ewing
     Fattah
     Fazio
     Foley
     Fossella
     Fowler
     Franks (NJ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gejdenson
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Gordon
     Goss
     Granger
     Green
     Gutknecht
     Hall (OH)
     Hall (TX)
     Hamilton
     Hansen
     Hastert
     Hastings (WA)
     Hefley
     Herger
     Hill
     Hilleary
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Hostettler
     Hoyer
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Istook
     Jenkins
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones
     Kasich
     Kim
     Kingston
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     LaHood
     Largent
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Livingston
     LoBiondo
     Lucas
     Manzullo
     Mascara
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDade
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McKeon
     Metcalf
     Miller (FL)
     Minge
     Mollohan
     Moran (KS)
     Murtha
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Ortiz
     Oxley
     Packard
     Parker
     Paul
     Paxon
     Payne
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Pickering
     Pickett
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Portman
     Pryce (OH)
     Ramstad
     Redmond
     Regula
     Riggs
     Riley
     Roemer
     Rogan
     Rogers
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roukema
     Royce
     Ryun
     Sabo
     Salmon
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Scarborough
     Schaefer, Dan
     Schaffer, Bob
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Sisisky
     Skaggs
     Skeen
     Smith (OR)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith, Linda
     Solomon
     Souder
     Spence
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Stokes
     Stump
     Talent
     Tanner
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Thomas
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Traficant
     Visclosky
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Watkins
     Watts (OK)
     Weldon (FL)
     White
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson
     Wise
     Wolf
     Yates
     Young (AK)

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Dixon
     Ford
     Gonzalez
     Harman
     John
     Kanjorski
     McNulty
     Moakley
     Radanovich
     Young (FL)

                              {time}  1858

  Mr. HASTERT and Mr. MINGE changed their vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.

                              {time}  1900

  Mr. WHITE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, I would like to engage the chairman of the subcommittee 
in a colloquy if I could do that, please.
  Mr. REGULA. If the gentleman will yield, yes, I will be happy to 
engage in a colloquy.
  Mr. WHITE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for the 
opportunity to speak in support of resolving the Elwha River 
Restoration Project. I appreciate the committee's leadership over the 
past three years in helping secure funding toward the acquisition of 
Elwha and Glines dams. This project is something we have been trying to 
get started since 1995, and I am pleased that we are finally starting 
to move in the right direction.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield, I appreciate 
the gentleman from Washington's leadership on this issue over the past 
3 years. It is very clear that the gentleman is deeply committed to 
seeing this project through to the end. I hope we can continue to look 
for ways to build on the support for the Elwha project.
  Mr. WHITE. Mr. Chairman, as the gentleman knows, I have been a strong 
proponent of providing funding for restoration efforts on the Elwha 
River in the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. We spend about $435 
million every year on the Columbia and Snake Rivers and do not have as 
much to show for it as we would like. In the case of the Elwha, a one-
time payment of a much smaller amount will create a pristine river and 
perfect salmon habitat from glacier to salt water, and it is an 
investment well worth making.
  For the past 3 years, I have been working with the gentleman, Senator 
Gorton, who is the chairman of the Senate Interior Committee on 
Appropriations, and my good friend and colleague the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Dicks) on this issue. When we started this process in 
1995, there was not much interest in the Elwha project and Senator 
Gorton had strong reservations about moving forward.
  But a lot has changed over the past 3 years. Through some blood, 
sweat, and tears, we have made considerable progress in securing 
funding for the Elwha project and moving a little closer to salmon 
restoration on the Elwha River. We started this process with 
authorizing language in the fiscal year 1997 Budget Resolution 
recognizing the environmental benefits of restoring this pristine and 
unique river system. Since 1995, we have been successful in securing 
$11 million in funding toward acquiring these dams.
  As the gentleman may know, Mr. Chairman, during consideration of the 
Senate Interior Appropriations bill for fiscal year 1999, Senator 
Gorton included language authorizing acquisition of both the Elwha and 
Glines dams and authorized the removal of both dams subject to the 
availability of appropriations.
  In the process, however, Senator Gorton made clear that the uses of 
the Federal hydroelectric facilities on the Columbia and Snake Rivers 
would not be affected by actions on the Elwha. I agree wholeheartedly 
with the Senator's intention.
  Senator Gorton and I have not always agreed on the details of this 
project. However, I am very pleased that he has indicated a willingness 
to make changes to his current position and will continue to encourage 
him to act sooner rather than later on the Elwha River project.
  That is why today I introduced legislation that modifies the language 
that Senator Gorton included in the Senator Interior Appropriations 
bill. My legislation will authorize acquisition of both facilities and 
will authorize the removal of the lower Elwha dam subject to the 
availability of appropriations. My bill also includes an independent 
scientific review on the benefits of removal prior to removal of the 
upper Glines dam so that whatever decision we make is based on good, 
sound science.
  Mr. Chairman, I strongly share Senator Gorton's concerns that the 
actions taken on the Elwha dam set absolutely no precedent on dam 
removal on the Columbia or Snake Rivers or their tributaries. For that 
reason, my bill specifically states that dam removal on the Elwha River 
will not set a precedent on the Columbia or Snake River systems. 
Finally, my bill provides that no hydroelectric facility can be removed 
or significantly modified structurally without congressional approval.
  Mr. Chairman, it is my hope that, as we work out the final details on 
the Interior Appropriations bill that you will consider the bill I 
introduced today as a balanced solution to restoring salmon on the 
Elwha River.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. WHITE. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. REGULA. I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue. I 
am familiar with it, and I certainly will look with interest at his 
suggestions and look forward to working with him in an effort to keep 
the Elwha project moving ahead.
  Ms. DUNN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise to enter into a colloquy with the chairman of 
the Subcommittee on the Interior.
  Mr. Chairman, I would like to take a moment to congratulate the 
gentleman for all of his very successful work during his chairmanship 
to prioritize funding for the National Park Service, especially for the 
crown jewels of the service, our national parks.
  Under the gentleman's leadership, the National Park System has 
continued to see increased funding that has helped to mitigate terrible 
backlogs in operations and maintenance in all of the National Park 
Service units.

[[Page H6038]]

  As the gentleman knows, my congressional district is home to one of 
our oldest national parks, Mt. Rainier. In fact, Mt. Rainier will turn 
100 years old in March of 1999 and has been the recipient of much-
needed funds to take care of severe maintenance backlog and 
construction needs.
  Unfortunately, it is far too difficult for the average park 
enthusiast to find out how much money his or her favorite park needs in 
any given year. Separating the funding of the national parks into its 
own category would make it much easier for the public to track the 
annual funding levels.
  On January 7, 1997, I introduced the Crown Jewel National Parks Act 
to accomplish this common sense reform.
  As chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior of the Committee on 
Appropriations, however, the gentleman has the authority to require 
that the administration create a separate category for all project 
funding requests for our 54 national parks.
  If I am correct, Mr. Chairman, I respectfully request that the 
gentleman instruct the administration to make this change beginning in 
the next fiscal year. This change will give the public the ability to 
more clearly see how their hard-earned dollars are being spent.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. DUNN. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. REGULA. Yes, that is true. As the chairman of the Subcommittee on 
the Interior, I do have the authority to require that the 
administration separate national park funding from the other units 
under the National Park Service.
  I am pleased that the gentlewoman from Washington brought this to my 
attention and agree that creating a separate category for the national 
parks will greatly benefit the ability of the public to understand what 
is happening. In addition, it will enable them to more easily discover 
that this Congress is committed to taking care of what we have in the 
public trust.
  This year, we have again increased the operating budget of the 
National Park Service. Under this bill, the National Park Service will 
receive $99.3 million more than last year.
  This subcommittee will continue to make every effort to spend the 
taxpayers' dollar wisely and exercise appropriate fiscal constraint in 
carrying out programs financed by the public. We will also continue to 
encourage the administration to do the same as they compile and submit 
their budget to Congress.
  The gentlewoman from Washington State has my assurance that I will 
make this request of the administration before the next budget cycle 
begins.
  Ms. DUNN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the subcommittee chairman and 
congratulate him on his fine work in increasing the budget of the 
National Park Service.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage the distinguished chairman of the 
Subcommittee on the Interior in a colloquy regarding the language to 
encourage the U.S. Forrest Service to continue the Pinhoti Trail into 
the Cohutta region of the Chattahoochee National Forest in the State of 
Georgia.
  In the Interior Appropriations bill for fiscal year 1995, I was 
successful in allocating funds for construction of the Pinhoti Trail in 
the Armuchee Division of the forest. As the population of Atlanta 
continues to grow, the Pinhoti Trail has become a high-use recreational 
area. This trail is now overused, so we really need to see that it is 
extended.
  Does the committee encourage that the Pinhoti Trail be continued in 
the Cohutta region of the Chattahoochee National Forest?
  Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, let me say before responding that we have 
put substantial funding in the trails generally, and I am a strong 
proponent of trails.
  As I mentioned earlier, we, this year, thanks to leadership of the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Yates) and past years, we are making the 
final payment on the Appalachian Trail, and I think it ends in Georgia, 
if I am not mistaken.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. It either ends or begins, whichever way you look 
at it.
  Mr. REGULA. That is, the glass is half full or half empty.
  The gentleman understands that there are limited resources available 
to the committee. However, due to the increasing population growth in 
Georgia, we will encourage the U.S. Forest Service to consider 
extending the Pinhoti Trail into the Cohutta region of the 
Chattahoochee National Forest.
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, this bill contains an historic agreement that has been 
worked out over many months of negotiations that permanently eliminates 
the Purchaser Road Credit program that currently subsidizes timber 
companies to build logging roads in our national forests. As a result, 
I and others will oppose other amendments to this section this year.
  I want to take this opportunity to thank the chairman, a gentleman 
for whom I have the greatest admiration and respect, for his 
willingness to participate and carry this provision in this bill and I 
want to thank Members on both sides of this issue who have spent a 
great deal of time and effort, and most particularly their staff 
members who have done such a fine job in working this out.
  Katharine Fisher of my staff spent many, many hours in negotiations, 
as did many others, to carefully craft this agreement. I believe that 
it is historic in its achievements, and I thank the chairman for his 
patience and willingness to help us enact it into law.
  Mr. Chairman, I would like to engage the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Regula) in a colloquy.
  Mr. Chairman, am I correct that our intention in reaching this 
agreement on Forest Service roads in section 330 is to change who pays 
for the construction and reconstructions of roads necessary to access 
timber sales in our national forests by eliminating the Purchaser 
Credit Program?
  No longer will it be the responsibility of U.S. taxpayers but rather 
the timber purchasers themselves will pay for the construction and 
reconstructions of roads needed to access their national forest timber 
sales?
  Further, is it our intention that those roads constructed and 
reconstructed by timber purchasers will continue to comply with all 
environmental laws and minimize the impact on natural resource values, 
such as water quality?
  Finally, Mr. Chairman, do we also intend that the Secretary may not 
require timber purchasers to pay for the construction and 
reconstruction of roads beyond those standards used for timber roads, 
such as for recreation or for frequent use, without compensating the 
timber purchaser?
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman from Illinois yield?
  Mr. PORTER. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. REGULA. The gentleman from Illinois is correct.
  Mr. PORTER. I thank the gentleman very much.
  Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the chairman of the Subcommittee on 
the Interior of the Committee on Appropriations to enter into a 
colloquy to discuss legislation of particular importance to me and many 
of my colleagues, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield, I would be 
very pleased to join in a discussion with the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania.
  Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Chairman, as the chairman knows, the Neotropical 
Migratory Bird Conservation Act would provide safeguard for this 
Nation's precious and delicate migratory bird population. This program 
fosters nontraditional partnerships among the business community, 
nongovernmental organizations and Western Hemisphere nations.
  Joining private enterprise with international environmental 
organizations combines their capital and know-how needed for a 
successful venture. Partnering these entities with local organizations 
in the targeted countries encourages and trains local people to carry 
out the preservation of habitat critical to migratory birds.
  In the event that this legislation is enacted before the bill is 
conferenced

[[Page H6039]]

with the Senate, I would like to request that consideration be given to 
funding by the conferees. However, if that is not the case, I would 
encourage the Department of Interior to consider the funding of this 
program a priority in its fiscal year 2000 budget.
  Mr. Chairman, I recognize the many challenges you face in balancing 
competing needs and projects in the Interior bill but I would like to 
emphasize the importance this program plays in arresting the decline of 
our Nation's neotropical migratory bird population.

                             {time}  1915.

  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GREENWOOD. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I am familiar with this. I have martins 
that come visit us every summer, and, of course, they migrate to South 
America. So this kind of thing affects the bird population that moves 
back and forth between North and South America.
  As the gentleman from Pennsylvania points out, there are many 
competing demands on the limited funds in this bill, but I do recognize 
the importance of protecting the Neotropical migratory bird population. 
While we cannot meet every request, as evidenced by these three books 
with letters from Members, I assure the gentleman that I will work with 
the gentleman and the Department of Interior to ensure appropriate 
funding for the program once the legislation is enacted.
  I might say I congratulate the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Greenwood) on making this effort. I think it is very important.
  Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the commitment and support 
of the chairman.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Committee will rise informally.
  The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Riggs) assumed the chair.

                          ____________________