[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2562-H2566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[[Page H2562]]
ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCES ACT OF 2000
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 485 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 1106.
{time} 1124
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 1106) to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency to make grants to State agencies with responsibility
for water source development for the purpose of maximizing available
water supply and protecting the environment through the development of
alternative water sources, with Mr. Barrett of Nebraska in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered as having
been read the first time.
Under the rule, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, this legislation was introduced by the gentlewoman from
Florida (Mrs. Fowler) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman)
and authorizes EPA grants for alternative water source projects to meet
critical water supply needs.
Water supply needs in many parts of our country are under increasing
pressure. We simply do not have a nationwide program that is focusing
on reclaiming and reusing water. This legislation addresses that gap by
authorizing EPA grants for alternative water source projects.
This bill has broad bipartisan support. It passed the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure by unanimous voice vote. It is a very
sound environmental bill, and I urge its support.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, let me first congratulate the chairman of the committee
for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I also want to
thank our distinguished subcommittee chairman for his great leadership
and, of course, acknowledge our ranking member, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) once again for providing great leadership. As
our subcommittee chairman noted on the previous bill, this is a
committee that works and it works in a bipartisan fashion and we are
very pleased with that.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1106, the Alternative
Water Sources Act of 2000. This legislation would establish a new
program within EPA to provide financial assistance for alternative
water source projects under the Clean Water Act. These projects would
enhance water supplies by conserving, managing, reclaiming or reusing
water or wastewater, or by treating wastewater in areas where there is
a critical water supply need.
As stated in the committee report, all the problems eligible for
funding under this program are within the Clean Water Act definition of
treatment works, and subject to the requirements of Section 513 of the
Act relating to grants.
H.R. 1106, as amended by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, has a number of safeguards to ensure that water source
projects supported by this program will receive appropriate scrutiny.
First, entities are eligible for financial assistance only if they
are authorized by State law to develop or provide water for municipal,
industrial, or agricultural use in areas with critical water supply
needs.
Second, the entities are required to contribute at least 50 percent
of the project cost. Finally, projects greater than $3 million in
Federal costs must be approved by resolutions adopted by either the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure or the Senate Committee
on Environment and Public Works.
Mr. Chairman, eligibility for this new program would be open to all
50 States. However, language is included in this legislation to
prohibit projects that have received funding under existing programs of
the Bureau of Reclamation from also being funded under this program.
In addition, this legislation would require the administrator of EPA
to take into account the eligibility of a project for funding under the
existing bureau programs when selecting projects for funding under this
new program. This will assist in achieving regional fairness in funding
these critical needs.
Mr. Chairman, I want to congratulate the gentlewoman from Florida
(Mrs. Thurman) for her great leadership on this bill and the
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Fowler) for her hard work in assisting
the committee in bringing this measure to the floor. I support this
legislation and urge an aye vote.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), the distinguished chairman of
the Subcommittee on Water Resources of the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure.
(Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Chairman, traditionally our Clean Water Act
programs have appropriately focused on how to keep water from getting
polluted, and that makes a lot of sense. That is a matter of the
highest priority.
{time} 1130
It is still a national objective to have all of our Nation's waters
fishable and swimmable. However, less attention has been paid to
opportunities to reclaim or reuse water. However, to meet critical
water supply needs in some parts of the country, existing sources of
water will not be sufficient. That is a sad commentary, but it is true.
We are going to have to reclaim and reuse water.
Water shortages are nothing new in the arid West. The Bureau of
Reclamation has a water reclamation and reuse program for the 17
Western States and 4 U.S. territories pursuant to the Reclamation
Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992, and that is very
appropriate.
Some areas of the eastern half of the United States are now beginning
to have water shortages as well. But due to the limited assistance
available to water reclamation or reuse projects in the East, we are
failing to preserve existing supplies of fresh water through water
conservation and reuse.
To address this issue, our distinguished colleagues, the gentlewoman
from Florida (Mrs. Thurman) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs.
Fowler), introduced H.R. 1106 to authorize EPA grants for alternative
water source projects to meet critical water supply needs. For all of
those people who say, they never work together in Congress, they are
too partisan, I say baloney. This is a good example of a Democrat and a
Republican working together with a very productive committee, the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to address a legitimate
problem in a responsible way.
As amended by the committee, this new program will help all States
meet these needs. However, projects that have received funding from the
Bureau of Reclamation are not eligible for assistance under the new
authorization, and that makes sense. We do not want double-dipping
around here.
The bill also instructs the EPA administrator to take into account
the eligibility of a project for funding under the Bureau of
Reclamation program when selecting projects for funding under the EPA
program. Given the existence of this other program, we expect the
administrator to recognize the importance of selecting and funding
projects that are not eligible for the Bureau of Reclamation program.
Once again, we do not want to duplicate something.
I want to commend the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman) and the
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Fowler) for their fine work on this
legislation. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the
chairman of the committee; and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr.
Oberstar), the ranking member; and the
[[Page H2563]]
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski), the ranking member of our
Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment. I am so pleased to
see the chairman give emphasis to that ``environment'' section of the
title of our subcommittee. We not only are environmentally responsible
on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, we also are
responsible for the majority of legislation considered in this, the
people's House.
Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 6 minutes to the prime sponsor of
the bill, the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman), who has spent
years of her life dedicating herself to this particular issue.
Mrs. THURMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me
this time. I too need to make some thank-yous here, and as the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski) said, we have been working on
this piece of legislation for quite a long time. But had it not been
for the work of the chairman, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Shuster); the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar); and the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) who have been so helpful on this
measure; I have not left out the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Borski), because I want to tell my colleagues that not only has he been
the kind of person that has helped me on the floor to figure out where
we were having pitfalls, he actually came to the district and looked at
the problems that we were facing in Florida, and I thought that that
was just an extra touch for him to do that. I just want to say how much
I appreciate his leadership on these issues, and certainly to everybody
else that has helped me.
I also need to finally salute my colleague and the gentlewoman also
from Florida (Mrs. Fowler) for her leadership, and for the member on
the committee who has taken a lead on this issue as well.
Mr. Chairman, we need to recognize that in H.R. 1106, there have been
a total of 33 sponsors, from Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Arkansas, New York, Illinois, and Ohio. I am just pleased that Members
from other States who also recognize the problem that this bill
addresses, and that problem is increased pressure on water supply, both
at home and, quite frankly, abroad as well.
In fact, some experts believe that the major international conflict,
the next one, will not be about oil, but will be about water. Former
Senator Paul Simon has written a book entitled, Tapped Out, and its
subtitle, The Coming World Crisis in Water and What We Can Do About It.
Population and economic growth are straining water resources.
Florida, for instance, adds about 600 people per day. In many areas,
the high demand for water has led to over-pumping the aquifers, giving
us salt water intrusion, the drying up of wetlands, and again pointing
out other environmental crises. Just yesterday, as many of my
colleagues saw, a television network noted the drought in the Midwest.
The time is really now to act.
Florida's water management districts are working to preserve water
supply. In the Tampa Bay area, water-conserving devices have saved 8.8
million gallons a day. Similar initiatives have been undertaken in
other parts of the State. In 1998, EPA Administrator Carol Browner
noted the extraordinary and innovative efforts that Floridians have
undertaken to meet the water conservation challenge.
I believe that this bill will help many States meet water supply
needs and start a discussion on how to meet water supply needs for the
next 100 years. Without alternative water sources, many States may find
themselves hurting for water for drinking, agriculture, industry, and
commercial uses.
No single solution works everywhere. That is why I believe H.R. 1106
offers a flexible approach. It is not a one-size-fits-all attempt to
impose a Federal solution on State or local agencies. Therefore, a
long-term, sustained effort is needed to meet our future water needs.
Over the years, Congress has adopted many water programs, some to deal
with quality and others to deal with quantity. But since entering
Congress, I have worked to close a gap in these programs of water
reuse. H.R. 1106 closes that gap.
The Alternative Water Sources Act will help States meet ever-
expanding demands for water. The bill establishes a 5-year, $75 million
a year program to fund the engineering, design, and construction of
water projects to conserve, reclaim and reuse precious water resources
in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Under the program, water agencies in eligible States would submit
grant proposals to the EPA. Fifty percent of the total project cost
would come from local funding sources. Perspective grantees must
demonstrate that proposed projects meet a State's detailed water plan.
This is what I envision in the future. Farmers or businesses will
make better use of runoff or storm water. We are already doing some of
that in Florida. And for every gallon they reuse, one less gallon of
drinking water will be used. In the winter of 1998, to give my
colleagues an example, the greater Tampa area received 23 inches of
rain that washed into the Gulf of Mexico. A few months later, the area
suffered a drought. If even some of that rainfall had been channeled
and saved for future use, people's lives would have been much easier.
As a result of innovative technologies such as deep well injection,
new methods of reusing and enhancing area water supplies can be applied
today. If we use or improve this technology in one part of the country,
it will help other parts of the country, because it will reduce
pressure to move water from one region to another.
In commenting on a global study by the World Water Commission, which
is supported by the U.N. and World Bank, the Christian Science Monitor
in an April 14 editorial concluded, ``Aquifers in Florida, and in
numerous other parts of the globe, cannot sustain unlimited pumping.
Whether it is desalinization, capturing rain water, water-saving
farming methods, or water pricing structures that impel greater
conservation, humanity should use every tool available to safeguard
this most basic natural recourse.''
Water reuse projects provide an important tool to safeguard this
basic research.
Mr. Chairman, I realize that water reuse alone will not solve coming
water problems. Today, many parts of Florida have water restrictions.
Tomorrow, your State may have similar. A real national water policy
also must include conservation programs. The efficient use of water
must go hand in hand with energy efficiency. These are just some of the
reasons why I feel the House should pass H.R. 1106, and I ask the
cooperation of my colleagues.
Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Brown).
Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, this is an important piece of
legislation that is long overdue. We must address the critical water
resource needs of our expanding communities. I want to especially thank
the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman), the gentleman from Florida
(Mr. Goss), and 32 cosponsors for taking the lead in getting the
measure to the floor for consideration today.
Mr. Chairman, the Water Infrastructure Network released a
comprehensive report at the Conference of Mayors' press conference here
on Capitol Hill last month on the crisis facing the Nation's wastewater
and drinking water system. The report concluded that there is an
``increasing gap in our Nation's water infrastructure needs and the
Federal Government's financial commitment to safety and clean water.''
This is unfortunate.
In my home State of Florida, Orlando, Jacksonville and other
metropolitan areas are faced with a fast-growing population and are
very concerned, and rightly so, about their ability to adequately
finance the programs needed to meet projected water demands. Water
supply is one of the most important issues facing Florida and our
Nation, and it is critical to our future. I urge support for H.R. 1106.
Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the distinguished and great
leader of the Democrats on the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding
me this time.
Over 35 years ago this very year, a book with a very thought-
provoking
[[Page H2564]]
title prodded Congress and the then administration into thinking anew
about our precious resources of fresh water. The title of that book,
The Coming Water Famine, was written by a then junior member of the
Committee on Public Works, the predecessor name of this committee. That
junior member went on to become Speaker of the House, none other than
Jim Wright, who, after considerable research into available and
predictable uses of ground water, and population growth, and the
availability of water in the Nation's major aquifers and other ground
water resources, drew a curve in that book. It showed that here is this
constant supply of water and use is climbing at an accelerating rate.
He predicted that some time in the mid-1980s, not a specific date, the
two would intersect. We passed that point well before the time Jim
Wright predicted. He was on track. Congress and the administration,
several administrations, have not been. We have not done enough to
provide for the water resource needs of our country.
All the water there ever was, and all the water there ever will be,
is available today on the earth. We cannot create new water. We can
only conserve that which we have and manage it well. On any given day,
there are 160 trillion gallons of moisture in the atmosphere over the
Earth. After it comes in the form of snow or rain, and after runoff,
there is only about 160 billion gallons that actually penetrate into
the Nation's aquifers. We are using it at a faster rate than it is
coming down, or that is being conserved by the earth. The Ogalala
aquifer has been depleted to a dangerous point, such that if we stopped
all use, all withdrawals from the Ogalala today, it would take the next
3 decades to replenish the water to where it should have been 30 years
ago. So, too, for many other basins throughout the United States.
This legislation is not going to cure or correct that problem.
{time} 1145
It is going to take a much broader, thoughtful consideration by the
Congress, by future administrations, by the public on wise use and
conservation of our resources. As we paved over America, our streets,
cities, housing shopping centers, that water runs off. We are not
giving it an opportunity to penetrate into and restore the aquifers
from which we are drawing this precious source of life.
I commend the authors of the legislation, the two gentlewomen from
Florida, who have advocated and brought it thus far; and I pay my great
respect to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), our chairman,
who has long been an advocate of wise use and conservation of our water
resources, as well as the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski), who
has been a student of the subject and who has applied himself
diligently.
Mr. Chairman, it is going to take more, much more than what we are
doing in this legislation. We are going to provide financing to
conserve, manage, reclaim, reuse water, wastewater, and treat it. We
have provided language in this legislation to assure that we are not
duplicating in this bill what is already available through the Bureau
of Reclamation.
But the water needs go far beyond this halting step that we take
here, a good step and an important one and very targeted, one that we
must do; but we have to consider far greater concerns. The loss of the
prairie pothole region. The loss of wetlands in America. We have half
of what we had at the turn of the century and less than a third of what
we had when America was formed as a nation.
If we continue to allow the destruction of the water-conserving
forces that nature created and continue to draw water from basins that
cannot be restored. We will indeed have shortchanged future
generations.
So let us move with this legislation, but keep in mind that the
coming water famine is with us and that it is up to us to address it
for future generations.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Mrs. Fowler), one of the prime sponsors of this legislation.
Mrs. FOWLER. Mr. Chairman, I do rise in strong support of H.R. 1106,
the Alternative Water Sources Act. The gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs.
Thurman) and I introduced this legislation in the last Congress, and we
are extremely pleased to see this important legislation being debated
today on the floor and acted on.
I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Chairman Shuster),
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Boehlert), and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski)
for working so closely with us on this important legislation.
Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1106 will establish a Federal matching-grants
program under the Clean Water Act to assist eligible and qualified
States with the development of alternative water sources projects to
meet the projected water supply demand for urban development,
industrial, agriculture, and environmental needs.
Many will say that our existing water supply is sufficient. Well, for
now that is true in some areas. But as our population grows, our water
supply dwindles. We need to encourage States to be forward thinking
when it comes to water supply and alternative sources.
There are many States, including Florida and New York, where the
increase in population growth has already put a significant strain on
their water supply. There is no dedicated source of funding to provide
for partnerships between States not eligible for funding through the
Bureau of Reclamation. This bill will provide for that.
We need this legislation to avoid a potential water supply crisis. A
new Federal partnership is needed, one which will ensure that water
supply will keep pace with population growth and protect our precious
natural resources. Let us make sure that future generations do not have
to grab an expensive bottle of water in order to quench their thirst.
Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to support this important
legislation.
Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my strong
support for H.R. 1106, the Alternative Water Sources Act of 2000.
This bill will provide federal matching funds for the design and
construction of water reclamation, reuse, and conservation projects for
states, local government agencies, private utilities, and nonprofit
entities to develop alternative water sources to meet critical water
supply needs to the 33 states--including my State of Hawaii--currently
not covered under the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment
Act of 1992.
I am delighted to support this bill, which will help provide much-
needed assistance to the State of Hawaii. The rural sectors of my
state, especially the Big Island of Hawaii, have suffered from serious
droughts over the past few years. Sugarcane, which was previously the
most important crop on the island of Hawaii, is no longer cultivated
there. The sugar plantations that used to take much of the
responsibility for developing and maintaining irrigation systems are
gone and much of the agricultural land is vacant. The recovery of
agriculture and the livelihood of farmers in rural Hawaii will depend
on improved water resource development.
I welcome this valuable new program, which will support development
of projects designed to provide municipal, industrial, and agricultural
water supplies in an environmentally sustainable manner by conserving,
managing, reclaiming, or reusing water or wastewater or by treating
wastewater.
Mr. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Alternative
Water Sources Act, H.R. 1106, Water supply has become a primary concern
for many of my colleagues. State and local governments are trying to
resolve the issue of a growing demand for water with a limited water
supply.
Water supply is an essential resource for all states, but it is
particularly important to my home state of Florida. Water is the
essence of Florida--it is part of our identity and the cornerstone of
many individuals' livelihoods. But, as with many states, water supply
has become a critical issue for my state. Between 1995 and 1996, the
population of Florida increased by 260,000 residents. Year after year,
this population growth pattern continues. Groundwater pumping from
Florida's aquifers provides most of its public and agricultural water
supply, but this strain on the aquifers is of critical concern.
A water supply shortage is projected in the coming years due to this
population growth. Not only does the shortage affect Florida, but there
are already 17 western states which are receiving federal assistance in
creating and implementing alternative water supply sources. Intense
planning has been in effect in many states to determine alternative
ways to supplement the natural water supply. With so many
[[Page H2565]]
uses of water--drinking, agriculture, environmental restoration,
recreation, just to name a few--the strain on the current water supply
will soon surpass the ability of the state to provide adequate drinking
water along with providing enough water for agricultural and other
uses. This shortage has become more apparent in Florida in the last few
years. Degradation of water quality, dehydration of wetlands, saltwater
intrusion and many other symptoms have resulted from extensive
groundwater pumping.
Water management districts in Florida and the Army Corps of Engineers
are working on plans involving an infrastructure to capture, store, and
timely use river water. This will require a state/federal partnership
to build and Florida will need other innovative ways to assure long-
term water availability.
Recycling and reusing wastewater is one way to help address water
shortage. Treating wastewater allows states to increase their water
supply for agricultural, environmental, industrial, and recreational
purposes and leave the potable water for human consumption. The
Alternative Water Sources Act would authorize the Environmental
Protection Agency to provide $75 million in grants to states who have
scientifically and environmentally sound alternative water source
plans. The grants would be provided at a non-federal cost share of 50
percent. Additionally, the bill would require the approval by the House
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure or the Senate Committee
on Environment and Public Works for any project where the federal cost
share would exceed $3 million.
I enthusiastically support H.R. 1106, the alternative Water Source
Act, and encourage my colleagues to vote in support of it. I thank
Congresswomen Fowler and Thurman for their efforts to being this to the
floor.
Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Chairman, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. All time for general debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the committee amendment in the nature of a
substitute printed in the bill is considered as an original bill for
purpose of amendment and is considered read.
The text of the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute is
as follows:
H.R. 1106
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Alternative Water Sources
Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCE PROJECTS.
Title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 220. GRANTS FOR ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCE PROJECTS.
``(a) In General.--The Administrator may make grants to
State, interstate, and intrastate water resource development
agencies (including water management districts and water
supply authorities), local government agencies, private
utilities, and nonprofit entities for alternative water
source projects to meet critical water supply needs.
``(b) Eligible Entity.--The Administrator may make grants
under this section to an entity only if the entity has
authority under State law to develop or provide water for
municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses in an area of
the State that is experiencing critical water supply needs.
``(c) Selection of Projects.--
``(1) Limitation.--A project that has received funds under
the reclamation and reuse program conducted under the
Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992
(43 U.S.C. 390h et seq.) shall not be eligible for grant
assistance under this section.
``(2) Additional consideration.--In making grants under
this section, the Administrator shall consider whether the
project is located within the boundaries of a State or area
referred to in section 1 of the Reclamation Act of June 17,
1902 (32 Stat. 385), and within the geographic scope of the
reclamation and reuse program conducted under the Reclamation
Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C.
390h et seq.).
``(d) Committee Resolution Procedure.--
``(1) In general.--No appropriation shall be made for any
alternative water source project under this section, the
total Federal cost of which exceeds $3,000,000, if such
project has not been approved by a resolution adopted by the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House
of Representatives or the Committee on Environment and Public
Works of the Senate.
``(2) Requirements for securing consideration.--For
purposes of securing consideration of approval under
paragraph (1), the Administrator shall provide to a committee
referred to in paragraph (1) such information as the
committee requests and the non-Federal sponsor shall provide
to the committee information on the costs and relative needs
for the alternative water source project.
``(e) Uses of Grants.--Amounts from grants received under
this section may be used for engineering, design,
construction, and final testing of alternative water source
projects designed to meet critical water supply needs. Such
amounts may not be used for planning, feasibility studies or
for operation, maintenance, replacement, repair, or
rehabilitation.
``(f) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the eligible
costs of an alternative water source project carried out
using assistance made available under this section shall not
exceed 50 percent.
``(g) Reports.--
``(1) Reports to administrator.--Each recipient of a grant
under this section shall submit to the Administrator, not
later than 18 months after the date of receipt of the grant
and biennially thereafter until completion of the alternative
water source project funded by the grant, a report on
eligible activities carried out by the grant recipient using
amounts from the grant.
``(2) Report to congress.--On or before September 30, 2005,
the Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report on the
progress made toward meeting the critical water supply needs
of the grant recipients under this section.
``(h) Definitions.--In this section, the following
definitions apply:
``(1) Alternative water source project.--The term
`alternative water source project' means a project designed
to provide municipal, industrial, and agricultural water
supplies in an environmentally sustainable manner by
conserving, managing, reclaiming, or reusing water or
wastewater or by treating wastewater.
``(2) Critical water supply needs.--The term `critical
water supply needs' means existing or reasonably anticipated
future water supply needs that cannot be met by existing
water supplies, as identified in a comprehensive statewide or
regional water supply plan or assessment projected over a
planning period of at least 20 years.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $75,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2000 through 2004. Such sums shall
remain available until expended.''.
The CHAIRMAN. During consideration of the bill for amendment, the
Chair may accord priority in recognition to a Member offering an
amendment that he has printed in the designated place in the
Congressional Record. Those amendments will be considered as read.
The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may postpone a request for
a recorded vote on any amendment and may reduce to a minimum of 5
minutes the time for voting on any postponed question that immediately
follows another vote, provided that the time for voting on the first
question shall be a minimum of 15 minutes.
Are there any amendments to the bill?
Amendment Offered by Mr. Traficant
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Traficant:
At the end of the bill, add the following new section:
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS; REQUIREMENT REGARDING NOTICE.
(a) Purchase of American-Made Equipment and Products.--In
the case of any equipment or products that may be authorized
to be purchased with financial assistance provided under this
Act (including any amendment made by this Act), it is the
sense of the Congress that entities receiving such assistance
should, in expending the assistance, purchase only American-
made equipment and products.
(b) Notice to Recipients of Assistance.--In providing
financial assistance under this Act (including any amendment
made by this Act), the head of each Federal agency shall
provide to each recipient of the assistance a notice
describing the statement made in subsection (a) by the
Congress.
(c) Notice of Report.--Any entity which receives funds
under this Act shall report any expenditures on foreign-made
items to the Congress within 180 days of the expenditure.
Mr. TRAFICANT (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the
Record.
The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from
Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Chairman, I want to associate myself with the
remarks of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and I too want
to commend Jim Wright for the many great things he has done while in
the House. This is certainly one of them.
This will be taxpayers' dollars expended in America. My amendment
would at least encourage that it be expended on American-made goods and
products, not products from overseas.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. TRAFICANT. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
[[Page H2566]]
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chairman, this amendment can properly be called the
``Traficant Buy American Amendment,'' and we support it.
Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. TRAFICANT. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Chairman, we would also be very pleased to support
this amendment, the ``Traficant Buy American Amendment.''
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant).
The amendment was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN. Are there other amendments?
If not, the question is on the committee amendment in the nature of a
substitute, as amended.
The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended,
was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN. Under the rule, the Committee rises.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr.
Shimkus) having assumed the chair, Mr. Barrett of Nebraska, Chairman of
the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported
that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R.
1106) to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency to make grants to State agencies with responsibility for water
source development for the purpose of maximizing available water supply
and protecting the environment through the development of alternative
water sources, pursuant to House Resolution 485, he reported the bill
back to the House with an amendment adopted by the Committee of the
Whole.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is
ordered.
Is a separate vote demanded on the amendment to the committee
amendment in the nature of a substitute adopted by the Committee of the
Whole? If not, the question is on the committee amendment in the nature
of a substitute.
The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third
reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, this 15-minute
vote on passage of H.R. 1106 will be followed by a 5-minute vote on
passage of H.R. 673.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 416,
nays 5, not voting 13, as follows:
[Roll No. 142]
YEAS--416
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Allen
Andrews
Archer
Armey
Baca
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldacci
Baldwin
Ballenger
Barcia
Barr
Barrett (NE)
Barrett (WI)
Bartlett
Barton
Bass
Bateman
Becerra
Bentsen
Bereuter
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop
Blagojevich
Bliley
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonior
Bono
Borski
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Bryant
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canady
Cannon
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Carson
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Clay
Clayton
Clement
Clyburn
Coble
Collins
Combest
Condit
Conyers
Cooksey
Costello
Cox
Coyne
Cramer
Crane
Crowley
Cubin
Cummings
Cunningham
Danner
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (VA)
Deal
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
DeMint
Deutsch
Diaz-Balart
Dickey
Dicks
Dingell
Dixon
Doggett
Dooley
Doolittle
Doyle
Dreier
Dunn
Edwards
Ehlers
Ehrlich
Emerson
English
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Ewing
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Fletcher
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fowler
Frank (MA)
Franks (NJ)
Frelinghuysen
Frost
Gallegly
Ganske
Gejdenson
Gekas
Gephardt
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gilman
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Goodling
Gordon
Goss
Graham
Granger
Green (TX)
Green (WI)
Greenwood
Gutknecht
Hall (OH)
Hall (TX)
Hansen
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Herger
Hill (IN)
Hill (MT)
Hilleary
Hilliard
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoeffel
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Hooley
Horn
Houghton
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hutchinson
Hyde
Inslee
Isakson
Istook
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jenkins
John
Johnson (CT)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kasich
Kelly
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind (WI)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kleczka
Klink
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
Kuykendall
LaFalce
LaHood
Lampson
Lantos
Largent
Larson
Latham
Lazio
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren
Lowey
Lucas (KY)
Luther
Maloney (CT)
Maloney (NY)
Manzullo
Markey
Martinez
Mascara
Matsui
McCarthy (MO)
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McCrery
McDermott
McGovern
McHugh
McInnis
McIntosh
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Menendez
Metcalf
Mica
Millender-McDonald
Miller (FL)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Minge
Mink
Moakley
Mollohan
Moore
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Morella
Murtha
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nethercutt
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Ose
Owens
Oxley
Packard
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pease
Pelosi
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Phelps
Pickering
Pickett
Pitts
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Portman
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Quinn
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Reyes
Reynolds
Riley
Rivers
Rodriguez
Roemer
Rogan
Rogers
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Rothman
Roukema
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Salmon
Sanchez
Sanders
Sandlin
Sawyer
Saxton
Scarborough
Schaffer
Schakowsky
Scott
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shows
Shuster
Simpson
Sisisky
Skeen
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Souder
Spence
Spratt
Stabenow
Stark
Stearns
Stenholm
Strickland
Stump
Stupak
Sununu
Sweeney
Talent
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Tauzin
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Thune
Thurman
Tiahrt
Tierney
Toomey
Towns
Traficant
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Visclosky
Vitter
Walden
Walsh
Wamp
Waters
Watkins
Watt (NC)
Watts (OK)
Waxman
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Wexler
Weygand
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Young (FL)
NAYS--5
Duncan
Hostettler
Paul
Royce
Sanford
NOT VOTING--13
Chenoweth-Hage
Coburn
Cook
Engel
Fossella
Gutierrez
LaTourette
Lucas (OK)
Serrano
Velazquez
Vento
Wise
Young (AK)
{time} 1217
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 142 I was absent due to
illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''
____________________