[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 125 (Tuesday, October 10, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9575-H9576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2001--VETO MESSAGE 
     FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. NO. 106-299)

  The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following veto 
message from the President of the United States:
To the House of Representatives:
  I am returning herewith without my approval, H.R. 4733, the ``Energy 
and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2001.'' The bill contains an 
unacceptable rider regarding the Army Corps of Engineers' master 
operating manual for the Missouri River. In addition, it fails to 
provide funding for the California-Bay Delta initiative and includes 
nearly $700 million for over 300 unrequested projects.
  Section 103 would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from revising 
the operating manual for the Missouri River that is 20 years old and 
needs to be updated based on the most recent scientific information. In 
its current form, the manual simply does not provide an appropriate 
balance among the competing interests, both commercial and 
recreational, of the many people who seek to use this great American 
river. The bill would also undermine implementation of the Endangered 
Species Act by preventing the Corps of Engineers from funding 
reasonable and much-needed changes to the operating manual for the 
Missouri River. The Corps and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are 
entering a critical phase in their Section 7 consultation on the 
effects of reservoir project operations.

[[Page H9576]]

This provision could prevent the Corps from carrying out a necessary 
element of any reasonable and prudent alternative to avoid jeopardizing 
the continued existence of the endangered least tern and pallid 
sturgeon, and the threatened piping plover.
  In addition to the objectionable restriction placed upon the Corps of 
Engineers, the bill fails to provide funding for the California-Bay 
Delta initiative. This decision could significantly hamper ongoing 
Federal and State efforts to restore this ecosystem, protect the 
drinking water of 22 million Californians, and enhance water supply and 
reliability for over 7 million acres of highly productive farmland and 
growing urban areas across California. The $60 million budget request, 
all of which would be used to support activities that can be carried 
out using existing authorities, is the minimum necessary to ensure 
adequate Federal participation in these initiatives, which are 
essential to reducing existing conflicts among water users in 
California. This funding should be provided without legislative 
restrictions undermining key environmental statutes or disrupting the 
balanced approach to meeting the needs of water users and the 
environment that has been carefully developed through almost 6 years of 
work with the State of California and interested stakeholders.
  The bill also fails to provide sufficient funding necessary to 
restore endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest, which would 
interfere with the Corps of Engineers' ability to comply with the 
Endangered Species Act, and provides no funds to start the new 
construction project requested for the Florida Everglades. The bill 
also fails to fund the Challenge 21 program for environmentally 
friendly flood damage reduction projects, the program to modernize 
Corps recreation facilities, and construction of an emergency outlet at 
Devil's Lake. In addition, it does not fully support efforts to 
research and develop nonpolluting, domestic sources of energy through 
solar and renewable technologies that are vital to America's energy 
security.
  Finally, the bill provides nearly $700 million for over 300 
unrequested projects, including: nearly 80 unrequested projects 
totaling more than $330 million for the Department of Energy; nearly 
240 unrequested projects totaling over $300 million for the Corps of 
Engineers' and, more than 10 unrequested projects totaling in excess of 
$10 million for the Bureau of Reclamation. For example, more than 80 
unrequested Corps of Engineers construction projects included in the 
bill would have a long-term cost of nearly $2.7 billion. These 
unrequested projects and earmarks come at the expense of other 
initiatives important to taxpaying Americans.
  The American people deserve Government spending based upon a balanced 
approach that maintains fiscal discipline, eliminates the national 
debt, extends the solvency of Social Security and Medicare, provides 
for an appropriately sized tax cut, establishes a new voluntary 
Medicare prescription drug benefit in the context of broader reforms, 
expands health care coverage to more families, and funds critical 
investments for our future. I urge the Congress to work expeditiously 
to develop a bill that addresses the needs of the Nation.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
                                      The White House, October 7, 2000.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The objections of the President will be 
spread at large upon the Journal, and the message and bill will be 
printed as a House document.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that further 
consideration of the veto message be postponed until Wednesday, October 
11.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.

                          ____________________