[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 133 (Monday, October 23, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H10496-H10497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL ACT AMENDMENTS

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill (S. 1211) to amend the Colorado River Basin 
Salinity Control Act to authorize additional measures to carry out the 
control of salinity upstream of Imperial Dam in a cost-effective 
manner.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1211

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. AMENDMENT OF THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY 
                   CONTROL ACT.

       Section 208(c) of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control 
     Act (43 U.S.C. 1598(c)) is amended--

[[Page H10497]]

       (1) in the first sentence--
       (A) by striking ``$75,000,000 for subsection 202(a)'' and 
     inserting ``$175,000,000 for section 202(a)''; and
       (B) by striking ``paragraph 202(a)(6)'' and inserting 
     ``paragraph (6) of section 202(a)''; and
       (2) in the second sentence, by striking ``paragraph 
     202(a)(6)'' and inserting ``section 202(a)(6)''.

     SEC. 2. REPORT.

       The Secretary of the Interior shall prepare a report on the 
     status of implementation of the comprehensive program for 
     minimizing salt contributions to the Colorado River from 
     lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management directed 
     by section 203(b)(3) of the Colorado River Basin Salinity 
     Control Act (43 U.S.C. 1593). The report shall provide 
     specific information on individual projects and funding 
     allocation. The report shall be transmitted to the Committee 
     on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on 
     Resources of the House of Representatives no later than June 
     30, 2000.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1211 authorizes an increase in the ceiling of the 
Salinity Control Program from $75 million to $175 million. In addition, 
the legislation requires the Secretary of the Interior to file a report 
on the status of the implementation of the program designed to minimize 
salt entering the Colorado River from Bureau of Land Management lands.
  In 1995, the Subcommittee on Water and Power amended the Salinity 
Control Act and created a pilot program authorizing the Bureau of 
Reclamation to award up to $75 million in grants, on a competitive-bid 
basis, for salinity control projects in the Colorado River Basin. The 
result of this entrepreneurial initiative has been a substantial drop 
in the cost per ton of salt removal. This legislation will continue to 
provide assistance to further reduce the salt content of the Colorado 
River.
  I urge an aye vote on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 1211. The Colorado 
River Basin Salinity Control program is one of the most successful 
water control programs in the West.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 1211.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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