[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 75 (Thursday, June 15, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5275-S5279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED

                                 ______
                                 

 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2001

                                 ______
                                 

                        WYDEN AMENDMENT NO. 3433

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. WYDEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill (H.R. 4475) making appropriations for the Department of 
Transportation and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2001, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 45, line 23, before the period at the end insert 
     the following: ``: Provided, That the funds made available 
     under this heading shall be used by the Inspector General (1) 
     to continue to review airline customer service practices with 
     respect to providing consumers access to the lowest available 
     airfare, information regarding overbooking, and all other 
     matters with respect to which airlines have entered into 
     voluntary customer service commitments; (2) to undertake an 
     inquiry into whether mergers in the airline industry have 
     caused or may cause customer service to deteriorate and 
     whether legislation should be enacted to require that 
     customer service be a factor in the merger review process for 
     airlines; (3) to review the reasons for increases in flight 
     delays, with specific reference to whether infrastructure 
     issues or procedures utilized by the airline industry and the 
     Federal Aviation Administration are contributing to the 
     delays; (4) to review the airline ticket distribution system, 
     and changes in the system, including the proposed Internet 
     joint venture known as ``Orbitz'' and the impact such changes 
     may have on airline competition and consumers; (5) to review 
     whether ``Orbitz'' would be, or should be, subject to 
     Department of Transportation regulations on airline ticket 
     computer reservation systems; and (6) to report findings and 
     recommendations for reform resulting from these reviews and 
     inquiries to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate 
     and the House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee 
     on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
     Representatives by December 31, 2000, and again thereafter 
     when the Inspector General determines it appropriate to 
     reflect the emergence of significant additional findings and 
     recommendations''.
                                 ______
                                 

               VOINOVICH (AND OTHERS) AMENDMENT NO. 3434

  Mr. VOINOVICH (for himself, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Roth, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. 
Lautenberg, and Mr. Jeffords) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 
4475, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title III, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3____. FUNDING FLEXIBILITY AND HIGH SPEED RAIL 
                   CORRIDORS.

       (a) Eligibility of Passenger Rail for Highway Funding.--
       (1) National highway system.--Section 103(b)(6) of title 
     23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(Q) Acquisition, construction, reconstruction, and 
     rehabilitation of, and preventative maintenance for, 
     intercity passenger rail facilities and rolling stock 
     (including passenger facilities and rolling stock for 
     transportation systems using magnetic levitation).''.
       (2) Surface transportation program.--Section 133(b) of 
     title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
     paragraph (11) the following:
       ``(12) Capital costs for vehicles and facilities, whether 
     publicly or privately owned, that are used to provide 
     intercity passenger service by rail (including vehicles and 
     facilities that are used to provide transportation systems 
     using magnetic levitation).''.
       (3) Congestion mitigation and air quality improvement 
     program.--Section 149(b) of title 23, United States Code, is 
     amended in the first sentence--
       (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; or''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) if the project or program will have air quality 
     benefits through acquisition, construction, reconstruction, 
     and rehabilitation of, and preventative maintenance for, 
     intercity passenger rail facilities and rolling stock 
     (including passenger facilities and rolling stock for 
     transportation systems using magnetic levitation).''.
       (b) Transfer of Highway Funds to Amtrak and Other Publicly-
     Owned Intercity Passenger Rail Lines.--Section 104(k) of 
     title 23, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) Transfer to amtrak and other publicly-owned intercity 
     passenger rail lines.--Funds made available under this

[[Page S5276]]

     title and transferred to the National Railroad Passenger 
     Corporation or to any other publicly-owned intercity 
     passenger rail line (including any rail line for a 
     transportation system using magnetic levitation) shall be 
     administered by the Secretary in accordance with subtitle V 
     of title 49, except that the provisions of this title 
     relating to the non-Federal share shall apply to the 
     transferred funds.''; and
       (3) in paragraph (4) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), by 
     striking ``paragraphs (1) and (2)'' and inserting 
     ``paragraphs (1) through (3)''.
                                 ______
                                 

                        LEAHY AMENDMENT NO. 3435

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. LEAHY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill, H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ____. EFFECTIVE DATE OF GRAMM-LEACH-BLILEY ACT 
                   PROVISIONS ON THE DISCLOSURE OF NONPUBLIC 
                   PERSONAL INFORMATION.

       Section 510 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6810) 
     is amended by striking ``except--'' and all that follows 
     through the end and inserting the following: ``except that 
     sections 504 and 506 shall become effective on the date of 
     enactment of this Act.''.
                                 ______
                                 

                     REED AMENDMENTS NOS. 3436-3437

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. REED submitted two amendments intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill, H.R. 4475, supra, as follows:

                           Amendment No. 3436

       On page 79, between lines 22 and 23, insert the following:
       Sec. ____. (a) The total amount appropriated in title I for 
     the Department of Transportation for the Federal Railroad 
     Administration is increased by $10,000,000: Provided, That, 
     such additional amount shall be available for Rhode Island 
     Rail Development.
       (b) The total amount appropriated in title I for the 
     Federal Aviation Administration under the heading 
     ``Operations'' for salaries and expenses is hereby reduced by 
     $10,000,000.
                                  ____


                           Amendment No. 3437

       On page 79, between lines 22 and 23, insert the following:
       Sec. ____. Of the total amount appropriated for the 
     Department of Transportation, $10,000,000 shall be available 
     for Rhode Island Rail Development.
                                 ______
                                 

                       KOHL (AND OTHERS) NO. 3438

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. KOHL (for himself, Mr. Abraham, Mr. DeWine, and Mr. Levin) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by them to the bill, 
H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. ____. (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following 
     findings:
       (1) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 saved 
     approximately 3,800 lives in providing the essential service 
     of maritime safety.
       (2) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 prevented 111,689 
     pounds of cocaine and 28,872 pounds of marijuana from 
     entering the United States in providing the essential service 
     of maritime security.
       (3) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 boarded more than 
     14,000 fishing vessels to check for compliance with safety 
     and environmental laws in providing the essential service of 
     the protection of natural resources.
       (4) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 ensured the safe 
     passage of nearly 1,000,000 commercial vessel transits 
     through congested harbors with vessel traffic services in 
     providing the essential service of maritime mobility.
       (5) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 sent 
     international training teams to help more than 50 countries 
     develop their maritime services in providing the essential 
     service national defense.
       (6) Each year, the United States Coast Guard ensures the 
     safe passage of more than 200,000,000 tons of cargo cross the 
     Great Lakes including iron ore, coal, and limestone. Shipping 
     on the Great Lakes faces a unique challenge because the 
     shipping season begins and ends in ice anywhere from 3 to 15 
     feet thick. The ice-breaking vessel MACKINAW has allowed 
     commerce to continue under these conditions. However, the 
     productive life of the MACKINAW is nearing an end. The Coast 
     Guard has committed to keeping the vessel in service until 
     2006 when a replacement vessel is projected to be in service, 
     but to meet that deadline, funds must be provided for the 
     Coast Guard in fiscal year 2001 to provide for the 
     procurement of a multipurpose-design heavy icebreaker.
       (7) Without adequate funding, the United States Coast Guard 
     would have to radically reduce the level of service it 
     provides to the American public.
       (8) The allocation to the Committee on Appropriations of 
     the Senate of funds available for the Department of 
     Transportation and related agencies for fiscal year 2001 was 
     $1,600,000,000 less than the allocation to the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives of funds 
     available for that purpose for that fiscal year. The lower 
     allocation compelled the Subcommittee on Transportation of 
     the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate to impose 
     reductions on funds available for the Coast Guard, 
     particularly amounts available for acquisitions, that may not 
     have been imposed had a larger allocation been made. The 
     difference between the amount of funds requested by the Coast 
     Guard for the acquisition of the Great Lakes icebreaker and 
     buoy tender and the amount made available by the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate for those acquisitions fails to 
     reflect the high priority afforded by the Senate to those 
     acquisitions, which are of critical national importance to 
     commerce, navigation, and safety.
       (9) Due to shortfalls in funds available for fiscal year 
     2000 and unexpected increases in fuel costs, the Commandant 
     of the Coast Guard has announced reductions in critical 
     operations of the Coast Guard by as much as 30 percent in 
     some areas of the United States. If left unaddressed, these 
     shortfalls may compromise the service provided by the Coast 
     Guard to the public in all areas, including drug interdiction 
     and migrant interdiction, aid to navigation, and fisheries 
     management.
       (b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the committee of conference on the bill H.R. 4425 of 
     the 106th Congress, making appropriations for military 
     construction, family housing, and base realignment and 
     closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2001, or any other appropriate committee 
     of conference of the second session of the 106th Congress, 
     should approve supplemental funding for the Coast Guard for 
     fiscal year 2000 as soon as is practicable; and
       (2) upon adoption of this bill by the Senate, the conferees 
     of the Senate to the committee of conference on the bill H.R. 
     4475 of the 106th Congress, making appropriations for the 
     Department of Transportation and related agencies for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2001, should--
       (A) recede from their disagreement to the proposal of the 
     conferees of the House of Representatives to the committee of 
     conference on the bill H.R. 4475 with respect to funding for 
     the Great Lakes icebreaker and buoy tender replacement 
     program;
       (B) provide adequate funds for operations of the Coast 
     Guard in fiscal year 2001, including activities relating to 
     drug and migrant interdiction and fisheries enforcement; and
       (C) provide sufficient funds for the Coast Guard in fiscal 
     year 2001 to correct the 30 percent reduction in funds for 
     operations of the Coast Guard in fiscal year 2000.
                                 ______
                                 

                COLLINS (AND SCHUMER) AMENDMENT NO. 3439

  Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Schumer, and Mr. Abraham) proposed an 
amendment to the bill, H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title III, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3____. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING USE OF THE 
                   STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) since 1999, gasoline prices have risen from an average 
     of 99 cents per gallon to $1.63 per gallon (with prices 
     exceeding $2.00 per gallon in some areas), causing financial 
     hardship to Americans across the country;
       (2) the Secretary of Energy has authority under existing 
     law to fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve through time 
     exchanges (``swaps''), by releasing oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve in times of supply shortage in exchange for 
     the infusion of more oil into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
     at a later date;
       (3) the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries 
     (``OPEC'') has created a worldwide supply shortage by choking 
     off petroleum production through anticompetitive means;
       (4) at its meetings beginning on March 27, 2000, OPEC 
     failed to increase petroleum production to a level sufficient 
     to rebuild depleted inventories; and
       (5) the Secretary of Energy should implement a swap plan at 
     times, such as the present, when prices of fuel have risen 
     because of cutbacks in the production of crude oil.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that if the President determines that a release of oil from 
     the Strategic Petroleum Reserve under swapping arrangements 
     would not jeopardize national security, the Secretary of 
     Energy should, as soon as is practicable, use the authority 
     under existing law to release oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve in an economically feasible way by means of 
     swapping arrangements providing for future increases in 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve reserves.
                                 ______
                                 

                    McCAIN AMENDMENT NOS. 3440-3441

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. McCAIN submitted two amendments intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill, H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

                           Amendment No. 3440

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC.   . ADDITIONAL SANCTION FOR REVENUE DIVERSION.

       Except as necessary to ensure public safety, no amount 
     appropriated under this or

[[Page S5277]]

     any other Act may be used to fund any airport-related grant 
     for the Los Angeles International Airport made to the City of 
     Los Angeles, or any inter-governmental body of which it is a 
     member, by the Department of Transportation or the Federal 
     Aviation Administration, until the Administration--
       (1) concludes the investigation initiated in Docket 13-95-
     05; and
       (2) either--
       (A) takes action, if necessary and appropriate, on the 
     basis of the investigation to ensure compliance with 
     applicable laws, policies, and grant assurances regarding 
     revenue use and retention by an airport; or
       (B) determines that no action is warranted.
                                  ____


                           Amendment No. 3441

       At the appropriate place insert the following:

     SEC.   . CAP AGREEMENT FOR BOSTON ``BIG DIG''.

       No funds appropriated by this Act may be used by the 
     Department of Transportation to cover the administrative 
     costs (including salaries and expenses of officers and 
     employees of the Department) to authorize project approvals 
     or advance construction authority for the Central Artery/
     Third Harbor Tunnel project in Boston, Massachusetts have 
     entered into a written agreement that limits the total 
     Federal contribution to the project to not more than $8.549 
     billion.
                                 ______
                                 

                      FEINGOLD AMENDMENT NO. 3442

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. FEINGOLD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill, H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       At the end of page 37, line 8, add the following, and 
     renumber subsequent sections accordingly: ``Provided further, 
     That of the funds made available under this heading, a 
     portion shall be used to investigate, in coordination with 
     the Federal Trade Commission: (1) unfair or deceptive 
     practices and unfair methods of competition in the 
     production, distribution and sale of reformulated gasoline in 
     the Upper Midwest markets; (2) corollary changes within the 
     production, distribution, and sale of gasoline in Upper 
     Midwest counties not required to use reformulated fuels.''
       At the end of page 52, line 22, add the following new 
     section:
       ``Sec. 342. With the funds provided in this Act, the 
     Secretary may initiate an investigation into the feasibility 
     and desirability of establishing a regional reformulated 
     gasoline reserve in the Upper Midwest for use when prices in 
     the United States rise sharply because of anticompetitive 
     activity or during a supply shortage.''
                                 ______
                                 

                  TORRICELLI AMENDMENTS NOS. 3443-3445

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. TORRICELLI submitted three amendments intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill, H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

                           Amendment No. 3443

       At the appropriate place in title III, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3____. PARKING SPACE FOR TRUCKS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) in 1998, there were 5,374 truck-related highway 
     fatalities and 4,935 trucks involved in fatal crashes;
       (2) a Special Investigation Report published by the 
     National Transportation Safety Board in May 2000 found that 
     research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety 
     Administration suggests that truck driver fatigue is a 
     contributing factor in as many as 30 to 40 percent of all 
     heavy truck accidents;
       (3) a 1995 Transportation Safety Board Study found that the 
     availability of parking for truck drivers can have a direct 
     impact on the incidence of fatigue-related accidents;
       (4) a 1996 study by the Federal Highway Administration 
     found that there is a nationwide shortfall of 28,400 truck 
     parking spaces in public rest areas, a number expected to 
     reach 39,000 by 2005;
       (5) a 1999 survey conducted by the Owner-Operator 
     Independent Drivers Association found that over 90 percent of 
     its members have difficulty finding parking spaces in rest 
     areas at least once a week; and
       (6) because of overcrowding at rest areas, truckers are 
     increasingly forced to park on the entrance and exit ramps of 
     highways, in shopping center parking lots, at shipper 
     locations, and on the shoulders of roadways, thereby 
     increasing the risk of serious accidents.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that Congress and the President should take immediate steps 
     to address the lack of safe available commercial vehicle 
     parking along Interstate highways for truck drivers.
                                  ____


                           Amendment No. 3444

       At the appropriate place in title III, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3____. PARKING SPACE FOR TRUCKS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) in 1998, there were 5,374 truck-related highway 
     fatalities and 4,935 trucks involved in fatal crashes;
       (2) a Special Investigation Report published by the 
     National Transportation Safety Board in May 2000 found that 
     research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety 
     Administration suggests that truck driver fatigue is a 
     contributing factor in as many as 30 to 40 percent of all 
     heavy truck accidents;
       (3) a 1995 Transportation Safety Board Study found that the 
     availability of parking for truck drivers can have a direct 
     impact on the incidence of fatigue-related accidents;
       (4) a 1996 study by the Federal Highway Administration 
     found that there is a nationwide shortfall of 28,400 truck 
     parking spaces in public rest areas, a number expected to 
     reach 39,000 by 2005;
       (5) a 1999 survey conducted by the Owner-Operator 
     Independent Drivers Association found that over 90 percent of 
     its members have difficulty finding parking spaces in rest 
     areas at least once a week; and
       (6) because of overcrowding at rest areas, truckers are 
     increasingly forced to park on the entrance and exit ramps of 
     highways, in shopping center parking lots, at shipper 
     locations, and on the shoulders of roadways, thereby 
     increasing the risk of serious accidents.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that Congress and the President should take immediate steps 
     to address the lack of safe available commercial vehicle 
     parking along Interstate highways for truck drivers.
                                  ____


                           Amendment No. 3445

       At the appropriate place in the bill, insert the following:

     SEC. ____. STUDY OF ADVERSE EFFECTS OF IDLING TRAIN ENGINES.

       (a) Study Required.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
     provide under section 150303 of title 36, United States Code, 
     for the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on 
     noise impacts of railroad operations, including idling train 
     engines on the quality of life of nearby communities, the 
     quality of the environment (including consideration of air 
     pollution), and safety, and to submit a report on the study 
     to the Secretary. The report shall include recommendations 
     for mitigation to combat rail noise, standards for 
     determining when noise mitigation is required, needed changes 
     in Federal law to give Federal, State, and local governments 
     flexibility in combating railroad noise, and possible funding 
     mechanisms for financing mitigation projects.
       (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
     transmit to Congress the report of the National Academy of 
     Sciences on the results of the study under subsection (a).
                                 ______
                                 

                      MURKOWSKI AMENDMENT NO. 3446

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. MURKOWSKI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him 
to the bill, H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       On page 79 of the substituted original text, between lines 
     22 and 23, insert the following:
       Sec.   . The amount appropriated by title I for the 
     Department of Transportation for the Federal Railroad 
     Administration under the heading ``Railroad Research and 
     Development'' is hereby increased by $6,000,000: Provided, 
     That such additional amount to be available for a joint 
     United States-Canada commission to study the feasibility of 
     connecting the rail system in Alaska to the North American 
     continental rail system: Provided further, That, 
     notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, such 
     additional amount shall remain available until expended.
                                 ______
                                 

                        DODD AMENDMENT NO. 3447

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. DODD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 
bill, H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       On page 79 of the substituted original text, between lines 
     22 and 23, insert the following:
       Sec. ____. From the amount appropriated in I for the 
     Department of Transportation for the Federal Transit 
     Administration under the heading ``Capital Investment 
     Grants'' for new fixed guideway systems, funds shall be 
     available for the Danbury-Norwalk Rail Line Re-
     Electrification to re-electrify the rail line between 
     Danbury, Connecticut, and Norwalk, Connecticut.
                                 ______
                                 

                ABRAHAM (AND OTHERS) AMENDMENT NO. 3448

  Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. ABRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Kohl, Mr. DeWine, and Mr. Levin) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by them to the bill, 
H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. ____. (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following 
     findings:
       (1) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 saved 
     approximately 3,800 lives in providing the essential service 
     of maritime safety.
       (2) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 prevented 111,689 
     pounds of cocaine and 28,872 pounds of marijuana from 
     entering the United States in providing the essential service 
     of maritime security.
       (3) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 boarded more than 
     14,000 fishing vessels to check for compliance with safety 
     and environmental laws in providing the essential

[[Page S5278]]

     service of the protection of natural resources.
       (4) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 ensured the safe 
     passage of nearly 1,000,000 commercial vessel transits 
     through congested harbors with vessel traffic services in 
     providing the essential service of maritime mobility.
       (5) The United States Coast Guard in 1999 sent 
     international training teams to help more than 50 countries 
     develop their maritime services in providing the essential 
     service national defense.
       (6) Each year, the United States Coast Guard ensures the 
     safe passage of more than 200,000,000 tons of cargo cross the 
     Great Lakes including iron ore, coal, and limestone. Shipping 
     on the Great Lakes faces a unique challenge because the 
     shipping season begins and ends in ice anywhere from 3 to 15 
     feet thick. The ice-breaking vessel MACKINAW has allowed 
     commerce to continue under these conditions. However, the 
     productive life of the MACKINAW is nearing an end. The Coast 
     Guard has committed to keeping the vessel in service until 
     2006 when a replacement vessel is projected to be in service, 
     but to meet that deadline, funds must be provided for the 
     Coast Guard in fiscal year 2001 to provide for the 
     procurement of a multipurpose-design heavy icebreaker.
       (7) Without adequate funding, the United States Coast Guard 
     would have to radically reduce the level of service it 
     provides to the American public.
       (8) The allocation to the Committee on Appropriations of 
     the Senate of funds available for the Department of 
     Transportation and related agencies for fiscal year 2001 was 
     $1,600,000,000 less than the allocation to the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives of funds 
     available for that purpose for that fiscal year. The lower 
     allocation compelled the Subcommittee on Transportation of 
     the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate to impose 
     reductions on funds available for the Coast Guard, 
     particularly amounts available for acquisitions, that may not 
     have been imposed had a larger allocation been made. The 
     difference between the amount of funds requested by the Coast 
     Guard for the acquisition of the Great Lakes icebreaker and 
     buoy tender and the amount made available by the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate for those acquisitions fails to 
     reflect the high priority afforded by the Senate to those 
     acquisitions, which are of critical national importance to 
     commerce, navigation, and safety.
       (9) Due to shortfalls in funds available for fiscal year 
     2000 and unexpected increases in fuel costs, the Commandant 
     of the Coast Guard has announced reductions in critical 
     operations of the Coast Guard by as much as 30 percent in 
     some areas of the United States. If left unaddressed, these 
     shortfalls may compromise the service provided by the Coast 
     Guard to the public in all areas, including drug interdiction 
     and migrant interdiction, aid to navigation, and fisheries 
     management.
       (b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the committee of conference on the bill H.R. 4425 of 
     the 106th Congress, making appropriations for military 
     construction, family housing, and base realignment and 
     closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2001, or any other appropriate committee 
     of conference of the second session of the 106th Congress, 
     should approve supplemental funding for the Coast Guard for 
     fiscal year 2000 as soon as is practicable; and
       (2) upon adoption of this bill by the Senate, the conferees 
     of the Senate to the committee of conference on the bill H.R. 
     4475 of the 106th Congress, making appropriations for the 
     Department of Transportation and related agencies for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2001, should--
       (A) recede from their disagreement to the proposal of the 
     conferees of the House of Representatives to the committee of 
     conference on the bill H.R. 4475 with respect to funding for 
     the Great Lakes icebreaker and buoy tender replacement 
     program;
       (B) provide adequate funds for operations of the Coast 
     Guard in fiscal year 2001, including activities relating to 
     drug and migrant interdiction and fisheries enforcement; and
       (C) provide sufficient funds for the Coast Guard in fiscal 
     year 2001 to correct the 30 percent reduction in funds for 
     operations of the Coast Guard in fiscal year 2000.
                                 ______
                                 

                    LEVIN AMENDMENTS NOS. 3449-3450

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. LEVIN submitted two amendments intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill, H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

                           Amendment No. 3449

       On page 79 of the substituted original text, between lines 
     22 and 23, insert the following:
       Sec. ____. Of the amount appropriated in title I for the 
     Department of Transportation for the Federal Transit 
     Administration under the heading ``Capital Investment 
     Grants'' to carry out section 5309 of title 49, United States 
     Code, $250,000 shall be available to the City of Traverse 
     City for the development of a comprehensive transportation 
     plan for Traverse City, Michigan.
                                  ____


                           Amendment No. 3450

       At the appropriate place in title III, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3____. HIGH SPEED RAILWAY CORRIDOR, MICHIGAN.

       In expending funds set aside under section 104(d)(2)(A) of 
     title 23, United States Code, the Secretary of Transportation 
     shall use not less than $10,000,000 to eliminate hazards of 
     railway-highway crossings on a high speed railway corridor in 
     the State of Michigan.
                                 ______
                                 

                       COCHRAN AMENDMENT NO. 3451

  Mr. SHELBY (for Mr. Cochran) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 
4475, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in bill add the following new 
     section:
       Sec.   . For the purpose of constructing an underpass to 
     improve access and enhance highway/rail safety and economic 
     development along Star Landing Road in DeSoto, County, 
     Mississippi, the State of Mississippi may use funds 
     previously allocated to it under the transportation 
     enhancement program, if available.
                                 ______
                                 

                 BAUCUS (AND BURNS) AMENDMENT NO. 3452

  Mr. LAUTENBERG (for Mr. Baucus (for himself and Mr. Burns)) proposed 
an amendment to the bill H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       Section 1214 of Public Law No. 105-178, as amended, is 
     further amended by adding a new subsection to read as 
     follows:
       (s) Notwithstanding sections 117(c) and (d) of title 23, 
     United States Code, for project number 1646 in section 1602 
     of Public Law No. 105-178:
       (1) The non-Federal share of the project may be funded by 
     Federal funds from an agency or agencies not part of the 
     United States Department of Transportation; and
       (2) The Secretary shall not delegate responsibility for 
     carrying out the project to a State.
                                 ______
                                 

                       NICKLES AMENDMENT NO. 3453

  Mr. SHELBY (for Mr. Nickles) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 
4475, supra; as follows:

       In lieu of section 343 on page 76, insert a new section 343 
     as follows:

     SEC. 343. CONVEYANCE OF AIRPORT PROPERTY TO AN INSTITUTION OF 
                   HIGHER EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, including the Surplus Property Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 
     765, chapter 479; 50 U.S.C. App. 1622 et seq.), the Secretary 
     of Transportation (or the appropriate Federal officer) may 
     waive, without charge, any of the terms contained in any deed 
     of conveyance described in subsection (b) that restrict the 
     use of any land described in such a deed that, as of the date 
     of enactment of this Act, is not being used for the operation 
     of an airport or for air traffic. A waiver made under the 
     preceding sentence shall be deemed to be consistent with the 
     requirements of section 47153 of title 49, United States 
     Code.
       (b) Deed of Conveyance.--A deed of conveyance referred to 
     in subsection (a) is a deed of conveyance issued by the 
     United States before the date of enactment of this Act for 
     the conveyance of lands to a public institution of higher 
     education in Oklahoma.
       (c) Use of Lands Subject to Waiver.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the lands subject to a waiver under subsection (a) shall 
     not be subject to any term, condition, reservation, or 
     restriction that would otherwise apply to that land as a 
     result of the conveyance of that land by the United States to 
     the institution of higher education.
       (2) Use of lands.--An institution of higher education that 
     is issued a waiver under subsection (a) may use revenues 
     derived from the use, operation, or disposal of that land 
     only for weather-related and educational purposes that 
     include benefits for aviation.
       (d) Grants.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, if an institution of higher education that is subject to 
     a waiver under subsection (a) received financial assistance 
     in the form of a grant from the Federal Aviation 
     Administration or a predecessor agency before the date of 
     enactment of this Act, then the Secretary of Transportation 
     may waive the repayment of the outstanding amount of any 
     grant that the institution of higher education would 
     otherwise be required to pay.
       (2) Eligibility to receive subsequent grants.--Nothing in 
     paragraph (1) shall affect the eligibility of an institution 
     of higher education that is subject to that paragraph from 
     receiving grants from the Secretary of Transportation under 
     chapter 471 of title 49, United States Code, or under any 
     other provision of law relating to financial assistance 
     provided through the Federal Aviation Administration.
                                 ______
                                 

                       SHELBY AMENDMENT NO. 3454

  Mr. SHELBY (for himself, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Leahy) proposed an 
amendment to the bill H.R. 4475, supra; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert
       Sec.   . Hereafter, the New Jersey Transit commuter rail 
     station to be located at the intersection of the Main/Bergen 
     line and the Northeast Corridor line in the State of New 
     Jersey shall be known and designated as the ``Frank R. 
     Lautenberg Transfer Station''; Provided; That the Secretary 
     of Transportation shall ensure that any and all applicable 
     reference in law, map, regulation, documentation, and all 
     appropriate signage shall

[[Page S5279]]

     make reference to the ``Frank R. Lautenberg Transfer 
     Station''.
                                 ______
                                 

        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                    SHELBY AMENDMENTS NOS. 3455-3456

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. SHELBY submitted two amendments intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill (S. 2549) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed 
Forces, and for other purposes; as follows:

                           Amendment No. 3455

       On page 394, line 10, insert ``, in cooperation with the 
     Director of Central Intelligence,'' after ``The Secretary of 
     Defense''.
       On page 394, line 25, insert ``, in cooperation with the 
     Director of Central Intelligence,'' after ``The Secretary of 
     Defense''.
                                  ____


                           Amendment No. 3456

       On page 596, beginning on line 3, strike ``waiver is in the 
     national security interests of the United States'' and insert 
     ``waiver is vital to the national security interests of the 
     United States and certifies such determination to Congress''.
       On page 597, strike line 3 and insert the following; is 
     based.
       ``(C) The authority under paragraph (2) to waive the 
     applicability of paragraph (1) to a covered person shall 
     expire on September 30, 2001.''.

                          ____________________