[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 63 (Friday, May 19, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONSERVATION AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. DEBBIE STABENOW

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 11, 2000

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 701) to 
     provide Outer Continental Shelf Impact Assistance to State 
     and local governments, to amend the Land and Water 
     Conservation Fund Act of 1965, the Urban Park and Recreation 
     Recovery Act of 1978, and the Federal Aid in Wildlife 
     Restoration Act (commonly referred to as the Pittman-
     Robertson Act) to establish a fund to meet the outdoor 
     conservation and recreation needs of the American people, and 
     for other purposes;

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 701, the 
Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999, and in support of the motion 
to recommit the bill to guarantee that any expenditure of funds will 
not jeopardize Social Security and Medicare. I strongly believe that 
eliminating the national debt and securing the financial future of 
Social Security and Medicare should be our top priorities. We must take 
advantage of our economic good times to secure these successful 
programs and rid this nation of its public debt.
  During consideration of H.R. 701, Congressman Shadegg offered an 
amendment that purported to accomplish these goals. While I strongly 
supported the spirit of my colleague's amendment, it appears that its 
real intent was to prevent the strong conservation programs in the bill 
from being funded. The amendment stated that the Congressional Budget 
Office (CBO) must provide ``certification'' that the public debt will 
be fully paid by 2013, that there will not be an on-budget deficit, and 
that the Social Security and Medicare trust funds will not fall into a 
deficit in the next five years before any CARA funding could be 
dispersed. As the CBO has asserted, it is not able to make such 
certifications, but can only provide estimates. Because of these 
technical imperfections in the Shadegg proposal, I believe his 
amendment would permanently block all CARA funding. For this reason, I 
joined 207 of my colleagues in voting against this amendment, and 
supported the motion to recommit the bill to ensure that Social 
Security and Medicare would truly be protected.
  I am a cosponsor of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act CARA, 
because I strongly support increasing the federal investment in 
conservation. This bill will make an important, dramatic change in the 
funding of conservation programs. It establishes a permanent funding 
source for these programs by setting aside royalties earned from off-
shore oil and gas drilling. This funding will be directed toward, 
coastal conservation, land acquisition through the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund, wildlife conservation, urban parks and recreation, 
historic preservation, federal and Indian land restoration, and 
endangered species recovery. Additional funds are also designated to 
increase federal payments for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes payments and 
the Refuge Revenue Sharing programs. I urge my colleagues to support 
his bipartisan legislation.

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