[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 4, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E847-E848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TOM BLILEY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 29, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House of the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1480) to 
     provide for the conservation and development of water and 
     related resources, to authorize the United States Army Corps 
     of Engineers to construct various projects for improvements 
     to rivers and harbors of the United States, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1480, a 
bill to authorize the United States Army Corps of Engineers to 
construct various projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of 
the United States, and for other purposes.
  Section 326 of the legislation, which addresses the modification of a 
project on the West Bank of the Mississippi River for flood control and 
storm damage reduction, contains

[[Page E848]]

language which clarifies the application of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, 
commonly known as ``Superfund,'' to the project. As you know, the 
Superfund statute is a matter within the jurisdiction of the Committee 
on Commerce, and this provision falls within that jurisdiction.
  However, I have no objection to the inclusion of this provision. I 
recently sent Chairman Shuster a letter indicating that I would not 
seek a sequential referral of the bill, and ask unanimous consent that 
the letter appear in the Record at this point.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                        Committee on Commerce,

                                   Washington, DC, April 27, 1999.
     Hon. Bud Shuster,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Bud: I am writing with regard to H.R. 1480, a bill to 
     provide for the conservation and development of water and 
     related resources, to authorize the United States Army Corps 
     of Engineers to construct various projects for improvements 
     to rivers and harbors of the United States, and for other 
     purposes. Section 326 of the legislation, modifying the 
     project for flood control and storm damage reduction, West 
     Bank of the Mississippi River (East of Harvey Canal), 
     Louisiana, contains provisions within the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Commerce. Specifically paragraph (a)(1) 
     clarifies the application of the Comprehensive Environmental 
     Response, Compensation and Liability Act (``CERCLA'') of 1980 
     (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) to the project.
       Because of the importance of this legislation, I recognize 
     your desire to bring it before the House in an expeditious 
     manner, I will not exercise the Committee's right to a 
     sequential referral. By agreeing to waive its consideration 
     of the bill, however, the Commerce Committee does not waive 
     its jurisdiction over H.R. 1480. In addition, the Commerce 
     Committee reserves its authority to seek conferees on any 
     provisions of the bill that are within its jurisdiction 
     during any House-Senate conference that may be convened on 
     this legislation. I ask for your commitment to support any 
     request by the Commerce Committee for conferees on H.R. 1480 
     or similar legislation.
       I request that you include this letter as part of the 
     Record during consideration of the legislation on the House 
     floor.
       Thank you for your attention to these matters. I remain,
           Sincerely,
                                                       Tom Bliley,
                                                         Chairman.

     

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