[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 121 (Tuesday, October 3, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H8649-H8657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4578, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2001
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 603, I call up
the conference report on the bill (H.R. 4578) making appropriations for
the Department of the Interior and related agencies for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2001, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 603, the
conference report is considered as having been read.
(For conference report and statement, see proceedings of the House of
September 29, 2000, at page H8472.)
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula).
{time} 1315
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to thank those that
supported the rule; and to all Members, I believe that this bill today
is something we can point to with pride in supporting it.
I know there are differences on how we approached it, but this bill
provides for the future of this Nation in terms of our assets, our land
and our unique ecology; and I hope that all of my colleagues will look
carefully at all the things that are in this bill, to realize what it
means, not only to your district, but to the Nation.
As my term as chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations
nears an end with this conference agreement, I would especially like to
take the opportunity to thank the Members of the subcommittee. I might
say that this conference was unique. For the first time in my 6 years
on this subcommittee, the conference report was signed by every member
of the conference committee from both parties in both Houses, and it
will be supported by the administration.
I thank the Members for their support as we did work together to
produce this agreement. Especially I extend my appreciation to the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) and the gentleman from Wisconsin
(Mr. Obey) for their hard work during our conference and throughout the
year.
Finally, I want to express my appreciation to the excellent staff on
the subcommittee who have dedicated hours, numerous hours on this bill.
And I wanted to also make a comment here, and that is that this bill is
in the true tradition of Sid Yates, who was the previous chairman of
this subcommittee. I think Sid would be very proud of what is in this
bill. In his many years as chairing the subcommittee, much of what we
have done are things that he cherished and worked for. And I say to
you, Sid, if you are watching, that we thank you for all of your good
service. This bill today perhaps is an accumulation of some of the
things that you were pushing for for years and years as you chaired the
committee.
This is a good bill, I say to my colleagues, one that all of us
should support. It provides $18.8 billion in the funding for the
Department of the Interior and related agencies. It includes wildfire
funding, a recognition that the fires are a problem on our 200 million
acres of forest land. It has $2.9 billion and of that amount, $1.6
billion is emergency funding. And for those of my colleagues who
noticed the size of this bill, keep in mind that we had to address not
only fire emergencies, but we also had to address other emergencies
that were overlooked in the supplemental appropriations bill.
While it is a large number, it does represent a number of dollars
that were meant to address the interests of many Members in the House.
The conference report includes a new land conservation, preservation
and infrastructure improvement title which makes available $12 billion
over the next 6 years for programs such as Federal and State land
acquisition, urban parks, State and wildlife conservation, PILT and
backlog maintenance. State and other conservation programs receive $300
million, $300 million to the States, including a new $50 million State
wildlife grant program.
We do ask for accountability, and I think that is our responsibility
to the taxpayers to say to the States we want you to be accountable in
the expenditures of these monies.
Also in this report, there is $200 million for PILT, that is $65
million more than what was in the bill that passed the House. And again
I think it is a recognition that we have to support these local
governments, the schools and local government agencies with some type
of substitute for the losses that they have because of the Federal
lands, and so I am pleased that we have a very substantial amount in
PILT.
We have initiated several new funding provisions to prepare for
wildfires, wildfires that have swept across the West. There is $128
billion for State and rural fire and economic assistance. We recognize,
and I know many of my colleagues watched the shows that the people were
coming even from offshore to help fight the wildfires, and, of course,
the States and local communities were very instrumental in this effort.
We have $377 million to increase wildfire readiness, $422 million for
additional wildfire suppression and $277 million for hazardous fuel
reduction work. To address the impact of the current fire season, we
have also provided $227 million to rehabilitate areas damaged by fires
and $351 million to reimburse firefighting costs already incurred.
And I say one of the good features is that we try to clean up forests
through the readiness programs and through the suppression programs, so
that when we get lightning strikes, they do not burn with such
intensity, because as you have fuel buildup by failure to thin and so
on, you obviously add to the intensity of any blazes.
I am especially pleased that we have addressed the numerous
operational and maintenance shortfalls. We have $1.4 billion for the
operation of the national parks, $25 million more than last year. We
have $1.6 billion for the BLM which includes a $66 million increase
overall, and $18 million for revision of the Bureau's land management
plans, and $356 million for national wildlife refuges.
Funding has been included within these operational accounts to
address
[[Page H8650]]
maintenance priorities. This is something I have always been interested
in, probably harped on it a little bit, that we must take care of what
we have; We recognize this need with an additional amount of funding.
We put in $12 billion, a portion of that has to be used for
maintenance, because we recognize that while it is nice to build new
buildings and buy more land, it is also just as important to take care
of what you have.
Funding for urban parks has increased to $30 million and funding for
State and private forestry is increased by $48 million to $251 million.
I think particularly in the case of the urban parks, there is a
recognition that as our populations become more urbanized, it is
important for the quality of life in urban areas to have parks, install
pocket parks, to have trees planted, to enhance the overall quality of
the programs and the communities in which our urban population lives.
The conference agreement contains funding for a number of important
environmental efforts, including South Florida Ecosystem Restoration
Initiative, the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, a public-
private program which is funded at $40 million for wildlife, habitat
projects, and $187 million for environmental restoration through the
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, which provides funding for cleanup of
abandoned mine lands.
I wish that number could be more, because I think it really is kind
of a sad commentary on what we have done to some of our lands by virtue
of mining without any form of reclamation, but we have to do what we
can to restore these areas.
Up to $10 million of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund may be used
for the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative, because obviously
abandoned mines have an impact on streams through acid mine drainage
and other types of pollutants that get into the streams.
Further, through funding for the U.S. Geological Survey, scientists
can assist our land management agencies in making informed,
environmentally sound decisions in natural resources that may not sound
like a lot. But that is very important, because it means that these
agencies work together.
Sometimes I am struck by the fact that agencies almost sound like
they serve two different countries, and I am delighted that the USGS
will be working with parks and forests and other agencies to use their
scientific knowledge which is for the betterment of America.
We are pleased to report increases for funding American Indian health
care services and education. Funding for the Indian Health Service is
$214 million more than fiscal year 2000, for a total of $2.6 billion. I
know we are all troubled by what happens in Indian health, and we are
recognizing that by substantially increasing this program.
Likewise in education, we provided funding for the construction of
six new Indian schools from the Bureau of Indian Affairs priority list.
We have increased funding for important energy research and
conservation programs to address the needs of consumers as we approach
what is anticipated to be a difficult winter heating season. Funding
for energy conservation is $815 million; and of that, $153 million is
provided for weatherization grants that are distributed through local
communities.
I might say fuel cells show a lot of promise. We are making progress
in automobiles and making them more energy efficient. All of those
things will help us deal with the crisis, which I think is probably
here to stay, over the long period of time; we, therefore, need to be
prepared for that.
The managers included increases for the several cultural agencies in
the bill, including the National Gallery of Art, the U.S. Memorial
Holocaust Museum, the Kennedy Center, and the Smithsonian. Further we
have provided $98 million to the National Endowment for the Arts and $7
million for the Challenge America Arts Fund to provide art education
funding to rural America and other underserved areas.
Let me emphasize that the additional money in the arts is $7 million;
it is in a separate account. It will be administered by the NEA, but it
is directed to rural America and to underserved areas. We want this to
be widespread, small grants.
There are a couple of stories in my local paper this week about a
small grant of something like $20,000 and what a difference it made in
a school program.
Funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities is increased to
$120.3 million.
Mr. Speaker, through this bill, we will be able to accomplish a
number of high priority projects for many people across this great
Nation, especially in the area of land conservation and habitat
restoration. The conference agreement strikes a delicate balance
between those in this House who would urge us to go further and provide
larger sums and those who believe that in the area of Federal land
acquisition, the Federal Government already owns enough.
We have a dichotomy among our Members on this subject, but let me say
I think we have tried to strike a balance in the way we have handled
the funding, and we have made it subject to appropriations. I wanted to
say, on the basis of my experience of 28 years in the House, that I
have a lot of confidence in the Congress. I mean we have our
differences and sometimes we may come to a problem in a different way,
but on balance, I have been impressed by the dedication of Members over
these years.
And I am pleased, frankly, that in the disbursement of the $12
billion for State and Federal land acquisition, the responsibility for
appropriating this money rests with the Members of this House. We are
elected by the people to make policy decisions, and I believe that in
this bill we recognize the importance of that role.
I have great confidence that in the years ahead those who have that
responsibility will exercise it wisely.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I have two technical changes to the conference
report that I ask unanimous consent be printed in the Record at this
time.
First on page 177, the increase of $4 million for heavy vehicle
propulsion is an error. The $4 million increase is for advanced power
electronics.
Secondly, page 135, the Lincoln Pond/Colonial Theater should be
Lincoln Road Colony Theater.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). Let the Chair just clarify for
the gentleman from Ohio. Those corrections, the gentleman needs to make
those in the Record. The gentleman cannot correct the conference report
or joint statement by asking unanimous consent.
So the gentleman knows, they will show up in the Record; the Record
will reflect congressional intent. But the Chair does not want the
gentleman to be left with the impression that it was done by asking
unanimous consent, to correct the joint statement that cannot be done.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, one last comment, I urge all the Members to
look at the press release, and my colleagues will see what all is in
this bill. I think we will be proud to say I voted for it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1330
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 8 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the fiscal year 2001 appropriations
conference report. I wish to commend my colleague, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Regula), who I think brings us today a historic bill to the
floor of the House of Representatives.
I want to compliment him and his staff, led by the very able Debbie
Weatherly. I also want to thank my staff, Mike Stephens and Lesley
Turner, for the outstanding work and the work of all the staff members
on the Committee on the Interior.
I have been impressed over the 24 years that I have served on this
committee, and the last 2 years as the ranking Democratic member, about
the bipartisan nature of our effort. I am particularly pleased about
this bill. This is an historic measure.
I know there was some debate on the rule, but I want to thank all of
the Members who voted for the rule from both parties. I think this is a
good rule and it gives us a chance to consider this legislation today.
I think the reason this is historic is because we will, with the
enactment of this legislation, in the first year double the amount of
conservation spending that we have done in this country from
[[Page H8651]]
$782 million up to $1.6 billion, and $400 million of that goes to
coastal programs under State, Justice, and Commerce; $1.2 billion goes
to the Interior appropriations bill.
I appreciate the fact that the conference was willing to accept the
amendment that I offered, with the able help of the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), who had many good suggestions, and helped
advocate for this in the conference. He was a prime sponsor of this
amendment with me.
I just hope we can bring the House together now, because this is such
a good bill. This should be a day of celebration. This should be a day
of celebration, because the President is going to sign this bill. The
administration, George Frampton, said many very positive things about
this legislation.
Also, the outside environmental groups, and I want to particularly
thank my friend, Roger Schlickeisen of Defenders of Wildlife, and the
12 environmental groups who endorsed this legislation, and recommended
that the House vote for the rule and vote for the bill, and who
recognize the historic nature of this bill.
I think we can do many, many positive things from this legislation
for land acquisition, both for the Federal and State. We can do work on
endangered species. I see that the gentleman from California is here,
who has been one of the great advocates for urban parks, which is
included.
I just want to say to the gentleman from California, I know that for
4 years he and his group worked for CARA. What we tried to do is do the
best we can on the Committee on Appropriations, following as much of it
as we could. I hope we can work together in the future to expand upon
this legislation and to make it even better.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman
yield?
Mr. DICKS. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman
for yielding, and I thank him for his remarks on behalf of CARA, which
I am very proud of. I think we did put together an incredible
coalition.
I also thank him for mentioning the UPARR program on urban parks and
recreation. As the gentleman has said, for the last 4 years I have
tried to resurrect the funding for the urban parks initiative, and in
this legislation, clearly the committee has done that. The
appropriation of $30 million will allow us to rehabilitate some of
those recreational spaces, including sports facilities at public
schools or regional centers available for all young people in this
country that have fallen into disrepair for a whole host of reasons. We
ought not to abandon them. We ought to reclaim them. We ought to give
those children the recreational opportunities so many of us have had.
I want to thank the committee for that effort to put that money into
the urban parks legislation.
I want to say this, that yes, we have had our differences over CARA.
We have had our differences from time to time over this bill. But this
committee did a remarkable job with this bill this year. What they have
done in the various environmental accounts will give us an opportunity
in a whole range of areas in this country, whether they are urban,
suburban, or rural areas, to deal with some of the problems we are
confronting in trying to hold onto agricultural land, to try to solve
endangered species areas, to save the wetlands, to create the urban
park space and recreational opportunities for our children, and for
something that I know the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) has been a
very outspoken person on, and that is maintenance of the Federal effort
in our national parks. We can wear these parks out if we do not take
care of them with the visitors that we have gotten. I appreciate the
committee addressing this.
I have had my tussles with this committee, but I have always tried to
say every year that this committee has had far more demands on it than
resources; that they have been able to meet the demands of the Members.
I think what has been done here with $12 billion over the next 6 years,
the manner in which it has been capped and fenced and reserved for
resource programs is a magnificent start on that effort.
We know the backlog. We know the troubles our communities face. But I
think we would be remiss if we did not understand that this may be the
single greatest increase for the protection of the environment in this
country, certainly of the natural resources in this country, in the
last 25 years. Members of Congress ought to be very proud of that.
Does that mean that others and myself will not continue to fight for
CARA? Of course we will. We will continue that effort, but we should
not lose sight of what is happening here today with the passage of this
legislation and what it means.
Finally, I just want to say to a great guy, the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Regula), as much as we have battled, I must say, I have never had
more respect for an individual, because day in and day out he has tried
to do the right thing with the limited resources that he has had
available to him.
He has been a tough guy. He has been kind of a tough guy on the
street. He understands, I think, the Federal role. We have argued about
that from time to time.
I just want to say, Mr. Chairman, it has been a pleasure working with
you. I am sorry that the gentleman's side chose term limits, because I
think the gentleman's continued role on this committee would have been
good for the country.
I want to thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) and the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for all their effort on behalf of
this particular bill, and the final result brought about on behalf of
the environment in this country.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
I want to also commend the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula) for
his leadership on this committee.
I have served with two great chairman, Sid Yates and the gentleman
from Ohio (Chairman Regula), and the gentleman from Ohio has done a
fantastic job, and been fair to everybody. He has worked hard to do a
better job on maintenance on our national parks. He pushed through the
historic fee demonstration program, which will allow parks to raise
money all over the country to make the parks better.
I just want to commend him for his 6 years as chairman of this
committee. I have really enjoyed personally working with the gentleman.
We all will see what happens next year, but I hope that the gentleman
from Ohio and I can still work together on these important issues.
I want to say how much I appreciate his willingness to adopt the
amendment that the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) and I presented.
I felt it was crucial to getting the bill enacted. I thought it moved
in the direction of some of the ideas of CARA. I think it is, frankly,
a better bill than CARA, in my own judgment.
But the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) was a gentleman and
advocated for the House, and has been a great person to work with. I
just want to say to him, I thank him for a job well done. The American
people will never fully appreciate what the gentleman has done to
improve our parks, our recreation areas, and to make this a better
country, but we in the House understand that. We want to compliment the
gentleman for his great leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations,
and a gentleman who has given this committee great leadership this
year.
The House has moved its bills expeditiously, and a lot of this is
thanks to the chairman of the Committee and the way in which he has
handled the responsibilities of leadership.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding
me the time.
I take the time to support the bill and to urge a very strong vote
for the bill. But I wanted primarily to applaud the chairman, the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), for having led this subcommittee
through some very difficult times, and also the ranking member, the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), and my counterpart on the
minority side, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).
When we listen to the debate and understand that this is a very good
bipartisan bill, it just proves what can be
[[Page H8652]]
accomplished when we work together and try to resolve the differences.
I would say that when we listen to the debate, some might think this
bill breezed through the conference committee with no trouble at all.
But Mr. Speaker, this bill had all kinds of problems in conference. The
debates were vigorous, the arguments were pretty powerful at times, but
cooler heads prevailed. The issues were resolved in a most positive
way.
So I really want to applaud especially the chairman, who led this
effort. I certainly would be one who would be regretting strongly if in
fact he had to step down as chairman because of the term limits
requirements, but that will be whatever it will be.
The managers have done a really good job. They have brought to us
today a bill that we can all support and that we can all go home and
brag about, if Members feel like bragging, because this is a good bill.
It does a good job for the people, and it is one the Congress can be
very proud of.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me.
Mr. Speaker, as the Members of this House know, it is my view that
many of the appropriation bills which passed this House were pretty
pitiful. This is not one of them. This is one of those times when the
House has been able to come together and to produce a bill which will
really mark a significant turning point in Congress' dealing with our
trust over public lands and our wildlife resources.
It could not have happened if we had not had some very tough fights.
We are supposed to come here and fight for what we believe in, and
fight for what will enhance the country's future. Sometimes that means
having some very tense moments. But out of that has come a product
which has been unanimously supported by the committee.
That is what we are supposed to do, we are supposed to fight like the
devil for what we believe in, and then resolve our differences in a
constructive way, which moves the country forward. That is exactly what
has happened on this bill.
As has been said, the chairman of the subcommittee is the best
advertisement I know for the idiocy of term limits. He has done a fine
job, and it makes no sense to have to say that, if his party stays in
the majority, he would not return as chair. He has done a fine job.
Certainly the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) has performed
yeoman's service in moving forward this entire question that we have
wrestled with for 2 years about how to expand public support and
congressional support for preserving our outdoor resources without
creating a new entitlement that raises one group of people above
everybody else. This will deliver the goods without putting Congress in
a procedural straightjacket.
One of the new things we do is to create a new State wildlife
protection program. I know some of the State DNRs are unhappy that we
did not just turn that into a simple revenue-sharing program. Frankly,
I did not come here to be a tax collector for my DNR. I came here to
try to protect the resources, and preserve our ability to oversee the
protection of those resources at the same time.
In addition to what we do on the outdoor resource front, which is a
magnificent achievement, we expand the weatherization program to deal
with the needs of low-income people, now that we are having rising
energy prices. We increase research into energy efficiency. We
strengthen the clear water action plan. We have the first funding
increase for the National Endowment for the Arts since 1996.
There are some things that I am concerned about. I would warn the
Park Service that I do think that they need to recognize that there
still needs to be a compromise with respect to the question of
snowmobile use in our national parks. There needs to be a compromise on
that. This committee did not have the jurisdiction to deal with that
issue, but the Park Service needs to be flexible on that.
I also want to thank the White House, because they were teriffic in
seeing to it that the egregious anti-environmental riders attached to
this bill were stripped out or worked into a fashion where we could
grudgingly accept a couple of them. But they did wonderful work on
behalf of the public that they represent. This is a great victory for
them and for all of us who believe in the preservation of our outdoor
resources.
I want say that this is one of those times when this institution has
produced something which will move the country forward, and as I said
earlier, it may not be seen as all the money that some people wanted,
but any time that we can say that over a 6-year period we have tripled
the amount of funding for a worthy national goal from $4 billion to $12
billion, we have done a good day's work.
{time} 1345
We have a right to be proud of the work that we have done. I
congratulate everyone, staff and Members, who had anything to do with
it. I only wish that some of the other appropriation bills that are
being produced could represent the same quality that this does. This is
one of the truly finest chapters of this session of Congress.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw).
Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman
Regula) for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, the Subcommittee on Interior has really done fine work
in supporting two very important innovations in my part of the country,
south Florida. One is natural, and the other is man-made.
As the country knows, America's Everglades is an important part of
our natural environmental heritage. People often speak about it in the
same breath as the Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, Yosemite, or Redwood
Forest.
I have introduced legislation which passed the other Chamber last
week by a vote of 85 to 1, and that is to enact a comprehensive plan to
restore the Everglades. But pending that authorization bill, the
appropriations for Interior dedicates $75.9 million towards ongoing
Everglades restoration, including $17 million for land acquisition,
which is a vital step forward for the coming year.
I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula) and the
Subcommittee on Interior staffers, especially Debbie Weatherly, for
making sure that the National Park Service has enough money, $9.23
million, to continue the science research, construction, and land
accession necessary for the environmental restoration of the Everglades
National Park. I also want to thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr.
Dicks), ranking member.
In the NPS construction account, the conference report allocates $242
million, including $9 million for water delivery modifications in south
Florida for a total of $75 million, a part of which is allocated to the
Everglades restoration projects.
Turning now to one of the man-made cultural legacies in south
Florida, the 465-seat art deco Colony Theater is a former movie house
that anchors the western end of Lincoln Road Pedestrian Mall in Miami
Beach and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Originally built in 1934, the theater's art deco architecture is a
local landmark and has been a vital part of the economic and social
fabric of Miami Beach since the years following the stock market crash
of 1929, when the winter season tourist economy developed and the
modestly sized art deco hotels and theaters were built. The theater has
also served as a primary entertainment location for many of the 500,000
United States troops who trained in Miami Beach between 1942 and 1945.
I might also add that this was a favorite movie theater for my wife
and I when we were dating when we were back in high school.
The Colony Theater Restoration Project, which has already raised $1.8
million in State, local, and private funds, will certainly benefit from
the Federal matching of $837,000 contained in this conference report.
Again, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula) and the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) and the entire subcommittee and
the full committee for working so hard on behalf of the people I
represent in south Florida.
[[Page H8653]]
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), in order to enter into a
colloquy.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from
Washington for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to make note of the fact that the pending
legislation once again carries a rider relating to the BLM's proposal
to strengthen the regulations governing hardrock mining on lands under
its jurisdiction. This is the fifth appropriations bill rider on this
matter.
However, unlike some of the past riders, this one does not appear to
hinder the ability of the BLM to finalize its proposed rule. In fact, I
have before me letters from both the National Mining Association and
the Mineral Policy Center, groups which are normally opposed to each
other, both supporting the pending legislation. In this regard, I would
ask the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), the distinguished
ranking member of the Subcommittee on Interior, to engage in this
colloquy.
It is my understanding that the hardrock mining provision of the
conference report does not impede the BLM's ability to prevent undue
degradation of public lands with a new and stronger rule so long as
that rule is not inconsistent with the recommendations contained within
a National Research Council's report on the adequacy of existing mining
regulations. Is this understanding correct?
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks).
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman from West
Virginia, that is correct.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, does not one of those recommendations direct
the BLM to clarify the agency's authority to protect valuable resources
not protected by other laws?
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, that is correct.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, so under the provision of the conference
report, it would not be inconsistent with the Research Council report
for the BLM to issue a rule that would allow the disapproval of a mine
proposal if it would cause undue environmental degradation of public
lands, even if the proposal complied with all other regulations.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks).
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is the same as the
gentleman's, and I appreciate his bringing this to our attention.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr.
Dicks), and I commend him for his work on the pending legislation, as
well as the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula).
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Montana (Mr. Hill).
(Mr. HILL of Montana asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. HILL of Montana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio
(Chairman Regula) for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, and I want to thank the
gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula), and I also want to thank the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), ranking member, for their
sensitivity to issues that are very important to my State of Montana in
this conference report.
As everybody I think in the Congress knows, in the month of August
and early September, we had over a million acres in Montana destroyed
by wildfire. This, as my colleagues know, Mr. Speaker, was a man-made
disaster. The administration's neglect in preparation for this fire
season and its neglect in managing the risk of wildfire on our public
lands greatly increased the hazard these fires created.
In this bill, Congress finally addressed this issue, recognizing the
growing threat of wildfire and providing very necessary funds for us to
manage these risks in the future.
I particularly want to compliment the gentleman for the funds for the
fire fighting effort that took place as well as additional funds to
recover those areas that were badly impacted by these fires.
I also want to compliment the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula)
for funds to implement restoration forestry so that we can manage the
40 million to 80 million acres that the General Accounting Office has
identified as at-risk forests in the West so that we can restore the
health of these forests, we can reduce the wildfire risks, and we can
eliminate the prospects of ecological and economic disasters.
I want to compliment them both for the increase in PILT funding. The
Federal Government is a neighbor to us. It owns about a third of the
State of Montana, and they provide for or help pay for local services
through what we call PILT, payment in lieu of taxes. This bill has a 50
percent increase in PILT funding for rural Montana and rural
communities.
I have seven reservations, and Indian health increases which we
passed on this floor when we debated this bill is very important to the
increasing population on those reservations.
I want to thank the gentleman for including the provision to fund the
Travelers Rest acquisition, a national historic site where Lewis and
Clark and the Corps of Discovery camped twice, and where, for 10,000
years, Native Americans camped in western Montana.
The dollars for park maintenance. Montana shares with Wyoming and
Idaho Yellow Stone Park, and it is home to Glacier Park. I have
advocated for a long time to increase funding to deal with the backlogs
of needs in our national parks, and these parks will benefit from those
funds.
It is very important the funds for threatened and endangered species
management at the State level. In my State, we are struggling with the
impacts, budgetary and economic, of grizzly bear recovery and gray wolf
recovery, and more recently east slope cutthroat trout recovery. These
dollars to help these States manage these endangered and threatened
species is very important.
I want to thank particularly the gentleman from Washington (Mr.
Dicks) for coming to a compromise with us on the Interior Columbia
Basin management plan issue, which my colleagues will recall was a very
controversial issue on the floor when we debated this bill. It is a
matter of great importance to those of us in the West. The fact that we
are able to take measures that will ensure that any future decision on
Interior Columbia Basin will work for the recovery of the forests and
to benefit our economy, and that is very important.
There are many other important provisions. I just want to urge my
colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), who is also a valued member of
our subcommittee.
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, this has been unquestionably a very
contentious and hard fought process; but the results of it will be
welcomed, I think, by every person in the country who cares about
America's natural resources.
There are a lot of people that made major contributions, including
the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) and the gentleman
from Alaska (Mr. Young), that built the foundation upon which this bill
is constructed.
The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of our full
committee, we need to thank him, particularly, for his thoughtful and
gentlemanly leadership. I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula),
who has been an outstanding chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior
and has done an outstanding job in virtually every aspect of his
responsibilities. I think of the Everglades and a whole host of other
areas where he has made a very lasting and substantial contribution
that will be a very important legacy for him and for all of Americans.
I want to also thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) and the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) on our side who made an
outstanding contribution to the final provisions of this bill. I think
both of these leaders on the Democratic side of the aisle made a major
contribution to the preservation of America's natural resources here,
and I express my appreciation to them.
The bill provides a historic level of funding to protect our parks
and natural resources, $3.9 billion more than
[[Page H8654]]
the current fiscal year. The National Park Service is funded at $1.4
billion. That is $25 million more than the current year. National
wildlife refuges are increased by $33 million over last year. Even the
National Endowment for the Arts gets a small increase, $7 million over
the current fiscal year. Both the National Endowment for the Humanities
and Office of Museums and Library Services will receive modest
increases. Obviously we must do more in these areas, and we will in the
future.
The bill also provides $8 million for the Northeast Home Heating Oil
Reserve, and people are going to be very grateful for that because the
cost of heating homes, offices, and businesses this winter will be less
expensive as a result of that provision in this bill, Mr. Speaker.
The administration and the House Senate negotiators eliminated the
most egregious antienvironmental riders, and they scaled back those
that remain in the bill.
The Land Conservation Preservation and Infrastructure Improvement
Program provides a historic $12 billion over 6 years for high-priority
Federal and State conservation and preservation programs, a wonderful
contribution.
This proposal actually improves on CARA by getting rid of the
environmentally harmful provisions that would have encouraged new
offshore drilling, would have allowed coastal funding to be used for
environmentally damaging activities, and impose burdensome new
restrictions on Federal land acquisitions. All that has been taken out
in this terrific piece of legislation.
Twelve distinguished environmental conservation and historic
preservation groups recognize the importance of this bill when they
said as follows: ``This important and historic conservation initiative
represents a major contribution to the effort to protect what remains
of our irreplaceable natural heritage before it is lost.''
Mr. Speaker, I want to say to my colleagues that, in the 6 years that
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) has chaired this subcommittee, he
has done an outstanding job. I can only thank him for that on behalf of
my constituents and all the people of this country. I only regret that
his party put in place these term limitations because the kind of
leadership that he has provided has been absolutely outstanding, and he
is going to be a great loss. I know he is going to continue to be on
the committee, I certainly hope so; and we will have the benefit of his
wisdom in that sense. I thank the gentleman from Ohio.
I thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), our ranking member
on the subcommittee, for the outstanding work that he has done, for the
hard-fought contentious battles that he was engaged in to make certain
that this bill is the kind of bill that every Member of this House can
be proud of and every American citizen can be grateful for.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Regula) has 9\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Washington
(Mr. Dicks) has 11\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), a member of the Committee on
Appropriations and a person who cares deeply about natural resource
issues in our country.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Dicks) for yielding me this time. I thank the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Regula) for bringing this bill to the floor.
Many of us came to Washington, came to this House hoping that we
could better use the national resources, the national treasure that we
have to help preserve local initiatives in trying to build more livable
communities.
{time} 1400
In thinking about it, I am sure my colleagues will agree that the
most beautiful communities in the United States are usually the most
economically successful. So economic development goes hand-in-hand with
environmental protection or land stewardship, and this is the bill for
the first time in history that allows this relationship to truly work.
I am here to applaud, to thank and praise my colleagues. For the
first time since the inception of the Land and Water Conservation Fund
in 1965, these funds are now earmarked for the purpose they were
originally intended. That means they cannot be used for other purposes.
Historically, in Congress, every time we had another problem, we would
dip into that pot and use those funds. This committee changed that, and
I thank them.
The people that will really thank this committee and this Congress is
every county in the United States, every State in the United States,
every community that now has a lot of passion about trying to work in
environmental stewardship because they now have a new partner, and that
partner will be the Federal Government, in a lot of different programs.
Certainly every employee of the BLM, and people who follow the Bureau
of Land Management; every employee of the U.S. Forest Service, of the
United States Park Service, of the U.S. Wildlife Service, and the
refuges that they help protect will benefit.
I just want to conclude, Mr. Speaker, by thanking the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Regula). I have served in the Congress with him and know him
very well, and he is truly one of the leaders that people have talked
about. Things do not get done in politics unless there is leadership. I
want to thank all my colleagues, all the names that have been mentioned
here today, because all America benefits. It takes leadership to lift
the political tide, and those Members have lifted that political tide
forever.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Nadler), one of the strongest supporters of the Interior
appropriation bill, and in particular the National Endowment for the
Arts.
Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, and I want
to join my colleagues in applauding the role played by the outgoing
chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and
also the role played by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) and
the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), as well as the others in
producing this bill.
This bill, Mr. Speaker, is far better than the version this House
passed last June and is free of the most objectionable provisions of
that bill. I am disappointed it does not contain the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act as it was passed by the House, but I understand the
reasons for it. This bill does greatly increase protections for open
spaces, but I hope we will revisit the CARA, which would provide even
greater protections.
At the same time, I strongly support the modest increase provided to
the arts and humanities in this bill. Most notably, at long last, the
National Endowment for the Arts will receive a well-deserved and much-
needed increase.
The modest increase included in this bill would not ordinarily be
cause for celebration, but when its comes to the NEA, it is historic.
Given the unfortunate record this Congress has produced over the last 6
years and the parliamentary chicanery we witnessed earlier this year,
it is a major victory for supporters of the arts and humanities. With
this increase, we have turned a corner in our debate on the arts.
Just a few years ago, we were debating whether the NEA should be
allowed to continue to exist; whether it was the proper role of
government to subsidize the arts. But this increase is an
acknowledgment that those of us who support government subsidy to the
arts have won that fight.
The American people believe the Federal Government has a role in
cultivating the arts and humanities and that we must increase our
commitment in this area. With this increase, the NEA will be able to
continue its mission to reach those parts of the country that have not
historically received grants.
The appropriators should be hailed for increasing our commitment to
arts education and community activity programs. They have also
increased our support for the humanities and many cultural
institutions. This is truly a victory for the cultural community.
[[Page H8655]]
But we cannot be satisfied with this victory. While this increase is
a significant step forward, we must do more. The arts can flourish
throughout this country, but only if we make a significant investment.
With enormous budget surpluses projected for years to come, we clearly
have the money to make this a reality. The question is will we have the
will to follow up on this fine step forward.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank the people involved in this bill.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I can say it in shorter words; I am in awe of
what the chairman, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and the ranking
member, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), have done in this
legislation. This is landmark legislation that Members seek for years
and years to accomplish. Its impact is monumental.
To think that in the next 6 years there will be $12 billion for land
acquisition, $2.4 of that for coastal management, is extraordinary.
There will be unbelievable benefit for years because of this
legislation.
I want to specifically thank both the chairman, and the ranking
member, for honoring and recognizing my predecessor Stewart McKinney
for what he attempted to do before he passed away--establish the
McKinney Wildlife Refuge, off the coast of Connecticut.
Ninety-seven percent of the Connecticut shoreline has been developed,
and 10 percent of the population of the United States lives in the
immediate vicinity of Long Island Sound. We need to protect our islands
and coastal wetlands.
I thank my colleagues for setting aside $1.5 million in
appropriations for the acquisition of Calves Island for the McKinney
Refuge. This is a continual process $2.5 million has already been
appropriated, of the $6 million final purchase price, leaving only a $2
million balance for the 26 acre island off the coast of Greenwich.
I know my colleague, the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro)
also appreciates what the committee has done for Calves Island and in
the past for the Stratford Salt Marsh. We have worked on a bipartisan
basis for that.
So I am here to acknowledge the good work the committee has done and
to say that I am in awe of what the committee has accomplished. I thank
them.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I would just conclude by saying that I think this is a great bill.
I want to thank everyone who voted for the rule. I think we should pass
this bill with an overwhelming vote. I would love to see it unanimous,
though I doubt it will be.
Again, I want to commend our chairman and the staff. This is truly
bipartisan legislation. I want to thank the White House, the President
for his commitment to conservation. I want to thank George Frampton,
head of the Council on Environmental Qualities, Jack Lu, Wesley Warren,
Sylvia Matthews, Martha Foley, all the people from the White House who
helped us through the negotiation process.
And I also want to thank the outside environmental groups who, when
they evaluated our bill, came down almost unanimously on the side that
it truly was what we told the American people it was: Historic
legislation that will do much to improve our outdoor environment and
protect it and protect endangered species. And out there in the great
Northwest the money under this bill will be used to help restore our
salmon runs and to restore our forests and do watershed restoration,
all of these important things.
It also supports the arts. Also, out in the West, very importantly,
$2.9 billion to deal with these wildfires. This is a huge problem
throughout the West. I think there is much work that we need to do as a
Congress, working with the Forest Service and the BLM and the other
land agencies, in order to make sure that we have taken care of those
forests so that they are not susceptible to catastrophic fire. All of
that is done in this bill.
So again, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the leadership of the gentleman
from Ohio. I have enjoyed working with him on this bill. I urge all
Members of the House to support this conference report.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments.
I think, as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) said earlier,
this conference was a great example of a lot of give and take, some of
it a little testy at times, but in the final analysis I think we have a
product that is good for the future of these United States.
I would like to close and just quote one section from the conference
report. Section 141: The building housing the visitors center within
the boundaries of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on
Assateague Island, Virginia, shall be known and designated as the
Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center, and shall
hereafter be referred to in any law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States, as the Herbert H. Bateman
Educational and Administrative Center.
I think our beloved colleague would be proud to have a building that
is an educational and administrative center bear his name, and I am
pleased that we could do that in our bill.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all our colleagues to vote for this landmark gift
to the American people.
Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
for the $7 million increase in funding for the National Endowment for
the Arts (NEA) over the FY2000 budget. This much needed funding is
included in the FY2001 Interior Appropriations bill before us today
which I support.
These additional funds will enable art education programs to flourish
and continue to reduce youth violence and enhance youth development. If
we are serious about curtailing youth violence, we must continue
funding projects that achieve positive results. One such project,
YouthArts, is a collaboration between the NEA, the Department of
Justice and national and local arts agencies. This project is located
in Portland, OR, Atlanta, GA and San Antonio, TX and has been
successful in positive behavior change for the at risk youth
participants. These adolescents have demonstrated improved
communication, self-discipline, and intrapersonal skills, as well as a
decreased frequency of delinquent behavior. For example, in Portland,
communications skills in the YouthArts participants shot up from 43% at
the beginning of the program to a full 100% by the end of the twelve
weeks. Equally impressive, in San Antonio, 16.4% of participants had a
decrease in delinquent behavior compared with 3.4% of their peers in a
control group. It's obvious that the NEA and this program have the
potential to inspire millions of America's youth across America to
explore positive alternatives in their lives.
In my district, NEA has successfully co-funded the Ailey Camp in
Kansas City. Alvin Ailey is a national dance troupe which conducts a
six week dance camp now in its eleventh year which has provided
opportunities for more than 1,000 urban, disadvantaged middle schoolers
in Kansas City. This camp provides a vehicle, through art, for children
to acquire self esteem and enjoy the experience of success. In addition
to dance, the camp also has creative writing, personal development,
antiviolence and drug abuse programs. Statistics confirm the success of
this program through improved behavior and learning by these at risk
children.
Art and music education programs extend back to the ancient Greeks
who applied music when teaching math, for example. Current studies
reaffirm that when music such as jazz is introduced by teachers into
the classrooms, learning comes alive and improves math and verbal
scores. A 1999 national report by the College Entrance Examination
Board found that high school students with coursework in music
performance and appreciation scored higher on SAT; 55 points higher on
the verbal section and 40 points higher on the math section.
The NEA also funds several programs at the American Jazz Museum in
Kansas City, the only museum of its kind in the country. Throughout the
1930's, Kansas City was known for its celebrated jazz music, and hosted
music luminaries such as Count Basie and Charlie ``Bird'' Parker. NEA
funding enables the museum to preserve and present jazz so that people
from all over the city, the country, and the world may appreciate one
of the first original American art forms.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in full support for
increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. This support
sends a message that art and music in the classroom and in the public
sphere are valued and vital to a more creative and enriched future for
all Americans.
[[Page H8656]]
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4578, a bill
making appropriations to the Department of Interior and Related
Agencies for FY 2001. I would also like to take this opportunity to
thank Chairman Bill Young and Ranking Member Mr. David Obey of the
Committee on Appropriations, and Chairman Ralph Regula and Ranking
Member Mr. Norman Dicks of the Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations
for their work on this important bill and for their support on issues
affecting the territories.
I thank the members of the appropriations committee and the
subcommittee for their work to ensure that Guam received $10 million
for Compact Impact Aid in this year's interior appropriations bill
given Guam's continuing economic recovery from the Asian financial
crisis and our unprecedented 15.3 percent unemployment rate. Increasing
Compact Aid for Guam has been a priority as the responsibility of
supporting an unfunded federal mandate has placed a heavy financial
burden on the people of Guam.
Also included in this legislation is the Lands Legacy Trust Fund
which will provide $12 billion over the next six years to pay for land
conservation, preservation and maintenance. This is an important
program that will assist the territories conserve and preserve scarce
lands and natural resources for future generations. While I am
appreciative of the work the members have put into this legislation, I
encourage them to continue to be mindful of the needs of the
territories when funding for this important program is allocated.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of
this legislation, and particularly in support of the additional funding
to combat invasive species and to provide arts education in rural and
underserved communities.
Although I am disappointed that this legislation does not include all
of the provisions included in the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, a
bill that certainly has strong bipartisan support in both chambers, I
am pleased that this bill funds a number of important national
environmental priorities. I am also excited that we have finally given
additional funding to the Challenge America Arts programs, the National
Endowment for the Humanities and the Office of Museum Services.
The NEA has been working hard to support quality arts projects across
the country. I strongly believe that these programs help all of
America's communities develop critically important cultural resources.
Through NEA grants to local communities, support is provided for more
than 7,400 K-12 arts educational programs in more than 2,600
communities all across this great Nation.
The additional investment in the Challenge America Arts Fund will
target additional resources to rural and underserved communities around
the country. I am pleased that we have taken this positive step to
ensure that every community in America has the opportunity to enjoy
local arts programming and activities.
Research has consistently shown that children who are exposed to the
arts do better in school and have higher self-esteem. This extra
funding will help bring these benefits with children in rural and urban
communities that need it most.
I would also like to commend the additional funding included in this
legislation to help eradicate invasive species. In New York, we have
been forced to deal with the Asian Longhorned Beetle, which has already
destroyed more than 2,600 trees. Earlier this year, these beetles were
found again in New York City. This legislation will provide additional
resources to fight the beetle and specifically includes $12 million in
additional funds for forest health treatments to help control and
eradicate invasive species.
I commend the conferees for including these additional resources, and
I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. LARSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend my colleagues on the
Interior Appropriations Committee for including $8 million in this
Conference Report on HR 4578, the Department of the Interior
Appropriations Act for FY2001, specifically for the maintenance of a
Home Heating Oil Reserve in the Northeast.
I have fought to see this reserve created for most of the last year.
I was an original cosponsor of HR 3608, the Home Heating Oil Price
Stability Act, which directs the Secretary of Energy to create a fuel
oil reserve containing a total of 6.7 million barrels of heating oil.
Under this legislation two million barrels of heating oil would be
stored in leased storage facilities in the New York Harbor Area, and
4.7 million would be stored in one of the four existing Strategic
Petroleum Reserve caverns in the Gulf Coast. The bill would give the
President the authority to immediately release home heating oil to the
Northeast when fuel oil prices in the United States rise sharply,
during a fuel oil shortage, or during periods of extreme winter
weather. I was pleased that the provisions of HR 3608 were ultimately
included in HR 2884, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Reauthorization
bill, which passed the House on April 12, 2000. However, this bill has
seen no further action in Congress' other legislative body.
During the initial debate on this bill, we put forth an amendment on
June 15, 2000, that would have provided $10 million to actually create
the Home Heating Oil Reserve. That amendments was defeated by a vote of
193-195. However, we were later successful in passing an amendment on
June 27, 2000, authorizing a new regional home heating oil reserve in
the Northeast during consideration of HR 4733, the Department of Energy
Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year 2001. Unfortunately, the Conferees on
the FY01 Department of Energy Appropriation bill saw fit to eliminate
that authorization from the final Conference Report, the main reason I
opposed final of that bill.
However, despite this Congress' inability to reauthorize the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve and authorize the creation of a Home
Heating Oil Reserve, the President has decided to move forward and
create the Home Heating Oil Reserve in the Northeast under his
executive authority. It is my understanding that the Department of
Energy has already contracted to store one million barrels of home
heating oil as part of this reserve in my home state of Connecticut. I
am pleased that the members of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee
have included funding to ensure that the Reserve will be ready before
the long New England winter has settled in.
This is a simple bread and butter, kitchen table issue that the
people of this country should expect their government to address. There
is no reason that people should have to choose between putting food on
their table and heating their homes. I want to thank the members of the
Committee for working to ensure that we have one more tool to combat
the rising price of oil and protect our constituents from winter supply
shortages.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member rises today to express his
strong support for H.R. 4578, the conference report on the Interior
appropriations bills. This Member would like to especially thank the
distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), the Chairman of the
Interior appropriations Subcommittee and the distinguished gentleman
from Washington (Mr. Dicks), the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee for
their hard work on this important bill.
This Member greatly appreciates the inclusion of funding for the
Homestead National Monument of America near Beatrice, Nebraska, to
begin implementing the recommendations of the recently completed
General Management Plan. This bill provides $400,000 for land
acquisition for a new visitors center.
Homestead National Monument of America commemorates the lives and
accomplishments of all pioneers and the changes to the land and the
people as a result of the Homestead Act of 1862, which is recognized as
one of the most important laws in U.S. history. This Monument was
authorized by legislation enacted in 1936. At the initiative of this
Member, the FY96 Interior Appropriations legislation directed the
National Park Service to complete a General Management Plan to begin
planning for the General Management Plan, which was completed earlier
this year, made recommendations for improvements that are needed to
help ensure that Homestead is able to reach its full potential as a
place where Americans can more effectively appreciate the Homestead Act
and its effects upon the nation.
The General Management Plan calls for the creation of a new
``Homestead Heritage Center,'' a 28,000-square-foot energy-efficient
facility which will house the Monument's collections, interpretive
exhibits, public research facilities, and administrative offices. The
focal point of the Center will be the Palmer-Epard Cabin, which will
provide visitors with a realistic setting in which to learn about the
life of homesteaders.
It is important to note that the current visitor center complex is
located within a 100-year floodplain, which exposes the Monument's
facilities as well as valuable artifacts and supporting materials to
the threat of flood damage. The new ``Homestead Heritage Center'' would
be located outside of the 100-year floodplain and offer protection for
the Monument's historic and prehistoric collections, archives and
museum galleries.
Homestead National Monument of America is truly a unique historical
and interpretative treasure among the National Park Service jewels. The
authorizing legislation makes it clear that Homestead was intended to
have a special place among Park Service units. According to the
original legislation:
``It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Interior to lay out
said land in a suitable and enduring manner so that the same may be
maintained as an appropriate monument to retain for posterity a proper
memorial emblematic of the hardships and the pioneer life through which
the early settlers passed in settlement, cultivation, and civilization
of the great
[[Page H8657]]
West. It shall be his duty to erect suitable buildings to be used as a
museum in which shall be preserved literature applying to such
settlement and agricultural implements used in bringing the western
plains to its present state of high civilization, and to use the said
tract of land for such other objects and purposes as in his judgment
may perpetuate the history of this country mainly developed by the
homestead law.''
Clearly, this authorizing legislation sets some lofty goals. I
believe that the establishment of the ``Homestead Heritage Center''
would begin the process of realizing these goals.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, this Member urges his colleagues to support
passage of the conference report on H.R. 4578.
Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to protest the
funding levels for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Last week my colleague from Indiana stood in this well to discuss the
play called ``Corpus Christi'' a play that depicts all the Apostles as
the homosexual lovers of Christ.
While the Government did not directly fund the play, the American
taxpayer funded the theater through the National Endowment for the
Arts. Last year, this theater received two grants, $50,000 apiece.
Many of us in this Chamber believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and
Savior. It is immoral and reprehensible to us that we must fund a
theater that would stage this depraved production that some government
bureaucrat considered art.
In the name of art, many on the other side of the aisle will suggest
this issue be about freedom of speech. But, once again the National
Endowment for the Arts has shown it has little responsibility or
accountability to the taxpayers.
Does freedom of speech not come with a modicum of responsibility? Not
if you're the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA has developed a
pattern, continuing to this day, of throwing dollars to organizations
so that they may promote religious bigotry and pornography.
Now, I'm not against the arts. I believe there is an important role
for arts in society. But let's have a standard for what should be
publicly funded.
This chamber agreed to a freeze, to cap the funds for the National
endowment for the Arts. But again, I see we're increasing funding for
this program with little or no accountability to the taxpayer to the
tune of $105 million next year. I'm a music lover but this tune sounds
flat to me.
I am offended that this program allows obscene, pornographic, immoral
and blasphemous theaters to be funded with our tax dollars. Let the
theater or the production company find the funding for that. From
someplace other than the American taxpayer.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). Without objection, the previous
question is ordered on the conference report.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the conference report.
Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered.
The Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the time for any electronic vote
on the motion to suspend the rules on which the yeas and nays were
postponed earlier today.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 348,
nays 69, not voting 16, as follows:
[Roll No. 507]
YEAS--348
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Allen
Andrews
Armey
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldacci
Baldwin
Ballenger
Barcia
Barrett (NE)
Barrett (WI)
Bartlett
Bass
Becerra
Bentsen
Bereuter
Berkley
Berman
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop
Blagojevich
Bliley
Blumenauer
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonior
Bono
Borski
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canady
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Carson
Castle
Clay
Clayton
Clement
Clyburn
Coble
Collins
Condit
Conyers
Cook
Cooksey
Costello
Coyne
Cramer
Crowley
Cubin
Cummings
Cunningham
Danner
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (VA)
Deal
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
Deutsch
Diaz-Balart
Dickey
Dicks
Dingell
Dixon
Doggett
Dooley
Doolittle
Doyle
Dreier
Edwards
Ehlers
Ehrlich
Engel
English
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Ewing
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Fletcher
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fossella
Fowler
Frank (MA)
Frelinghuysen
Frost
Gallegly
Ganske
Gejdenson
Gekas
Gephardt
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gilman
Gonzalez
Goodlatte
Goodling
Gordon
Goss
Granger
Green (TX)
Greenwood
Gutierrez
Hall (OH)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Herger
Hill (IN)
Hill (MT)
Hilleary
Hilliard
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoeffel
Holden
Holt
Hooley
Horn
Houghton
Hoyer
Hunter
Hyde
Inslee
Isakson
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jenkins
Johnson (CT)
Johnson, E.B.
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kasich
Kelly
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind (WI)
Kingston
Kleczka
Klink
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
Kuykendall
LaFalce
LaHood
Lampson
Lantos
Larson
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren
Lowey
Lucas (KY)
Lucas (OK)
Luther
Maloney (CT)
Maloney (NY)
Manzullo
Markey
Mascara
Matsui
McCarthy (MO)
McCarthy (NY)
McCrery
McDermott
McGovern
McHugh
McInnis
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Menendez
Mica
Millender-McDonald
Miller (FL)
Miller, George
Minge
Mink
Moakley
Mollohan
Moore
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Morella
Murtha
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nethercutt
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Ose
Owens
Oxley
Packard
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pease
Pelosi
Peterson (PA)
Phelps
Pickett
Pomeroy
Porter
Portman
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Quinn
Radanovich
Rahall
Rangel
Regula
Reyes
Reynolds
Rivers
Rodriguez
Roemer
Rogan
Rogers
Ros-Lehtinen
Rothman
Roukema
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sabo
Sanchez
Sanders
Sandlin
Sawyer
Saxton
Schakowsky
Scott
Serrano
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shows
Shuster
Simpson
Sisisky
Skeen
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Spence
Spratt
Stabenow
Stark
Stenholm
Strickland
Stump
Sununu
Sweeney
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thune
Thurman
Tierney
Towns
Traficant
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walden
Walsh
Wamp
Waters
Watkins
Watt (NC)
Watts (OK)
Waxman
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Weygand
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson
Wise
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Young (FL)
NAYS--69
Archer
Barr
Barton
Berry
Blunt
Brady (TX)
Bryant
Burr
Burton
Cannon
Chabot
Chambliss
Chenoweth-Hage
Coburn
Combest
Cox
Crane
DeMint
Duncan
Emerson
Gibbons
Goode
Graham
Green (WI)
Gutknecht
Hall (TX)
Hansen
Hayworth
Hoekstra
Hostettler
Hulshof
Hutchinson
Istook
Jefferson
John
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Largent
Metcalf
Miller, Gary
Myrick
Peterson (MN)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Pombo
Ramstad
Rohrabacher
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Salmon
Sanford
Scarborough
Schaffer
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Smith (MI)
Stearns
Stupak
Talent
Tancredo
Tauzin
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Toomey
Vitter
Young (AK)
NOT VOTING--16
Baca
Dunn
Eshoo
Franks (NJ)
Hastings (FL)
Hefley
King (NY)
Lazio
Martinez
McCollum
McIntosh
Paul
Riley
Souder
Vento
Wexler
{time} 1431
Messrs. METCALF, HUTCHINSON, SCARBOROUGH, PETRI, BURTON of Indiana,
TANCREDO and PICKERING changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY and Mr. FOSSELLA changed their vote from ``nay'' to
``yea.''
So the conference report was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________